Natural Building: Cob, Straw/Clay, Timber Frame, Permaculture as related materials and methods

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2010
January 9-25, Dogon Country, Mali, West Africa. Cross-culture Earth Building and Appropriate Technology Workshop. - Help the Dogon people of Tirelli build a schoolhouse and learn earthbag dome building (a form of rammed earth). Workshop Ccombines cultural experiences with learning about earthen building and appropriate technology. Create meaningful friendships with Dogon villagers while helping them complete a schoolhouse. Dome construction: Rubble trench foundations, Earth Bag construction, Cob construction, Stone masonry; Dogon culture and society; Drylands permaculture; Dogon graineries; Dogon Adobe construction. $1800 for tuition, and about $2000 travel expenses, including airfare. Sign-up today or find more information at www.earthenhand.com <http://t.ymlp85.com/usyadaebeavaemsqacayuq/click.php> Scott Howard, Earthen Hand Natural Building, +1 503.287.2442

February 24-March 5, San Luis, Costa Rica. Timber Framing Workshop. Learn the finer aspects of timber framing while integrating into community. Introductory Workshop covers finer details of timber framing just as at our school site in Maine, and includes scribe fitting timbers to stone, and working with natural curved round logs, scribe fit, square to round, round to square, in the vernacular Japanese tradition. For more information and registration, please visit www.foxmaple.com/workshops.html. To register go to www.foxmaple.com/Registration.html. Fox Maple School of Traditional Building, PO Box 249, Brownfield, Maine 04010 Email: <foxmaple@foxmaple.com>

April 10-20, Patillas, Puerto Rico. Earthbag Dome Intensive Workshop.
Learn about earthbag dome design and construction, earthen plasters, and methods of roofing using locally available plants. Complete a 13 x 13 foot earthbag dome that will be a bedroom. While you are there, learn about the local rainforest ecology and demonstrations of sustainable agriculture and forestry. Lectures and instruction include: Dome construction, rubble trench foundations, Earth Bag construction, Cob construction, stone masonry. For more information and to register, go to www.earthenhand.com or contact Scott Howard, Earthen Hand Natural Building <scott@earthenhand.com>

April 19-25, Sakon Nakhon, Northeast Thailand. Earthbag Roundhouse Workshop. Join in building unique, round (15-ft. interior diameter) earthbag office. Learn about sustainable building including earthbag foundations and walls, installing wood doors and windows, earth plaster, small bathroom, earthbag benches, and 16-sided roof framed with wood poles and milled lumber, and terra cotta tile. Exposed wood ceiling has peeled eucalyptus saplings. Workshop includes daily tours to permaculture center, organic farm, silk research center, etc. $500. Instructor: Owen Geiger. http://earthbagbuilding.wordpress.com/2009/07/26/earthbag-roundhouse-workshop. For details and registration, contact Owen Geiger, strawhouses@yahoo.com, http://earthbagplans.wordpress.com.

May 22-23, LanderLand, Kingston, NM, Earth Plaster, Lime plaster, Earthen Floor and Natural Clay Paint. Please visit www.LanderLand.com for more information. Contact: Tom and Satomi Lander <tom@LanderLand.com> 575-895-5029

June 5-11 2010, Salida CO. Natural Plasters, Paints, and Floors. Seven days of playing with mud. For more information and to register, go to www.thestrawbalecottage.com Greg 719-221-8506 Offered in conjunction w/Colorado Mountain College <www.cmcneverstoplearning.com.Page.aspx?PageID=2390> and Way Back Inn <www.vrbo.com/267299>

July 24-25, LanderLand, Kingston, NM, Earth Plaster, Lime plaster, Earthen Floor and Natural Clay Paint. Please visit www.LanderLand.com for more information. Contact: Tom and Satomi Lander <tom@LanderLand.com> 575-895-5029

September 25-26, LanderLand, Kingston, NM, Earth Plaster, Lime plaster, Earthen Floor and Natural Clay Paint. Please visit www.LanderLand.com for more information. Contact: Tom and Satomi Lander <tom@LanderLand.com> 575-895-5029

Sustainable Building Green Events Calendar:
http://www.greenbuilder.com/calendar/
Lists all types of green and natural events, workshops and training opportunities.

The Farm, Ecovillage Training Center, Summertown, Tennessee, offers courses and apprenticeships in natural building, ecovillage design, permaculture, bamboo cultivation and cosntruction, biofuel conversion and production, alternative energy, solar installation, among others. Ecovillage Training Center, contact 931.964.4474 (10 am-3 pm) or ecovillage@thefarm.org

Spring Workshops, Fox Maple STB campus, Maine. Natural Building, May 23-26; Intro Timber Framing, May 28-June 2; Advanced Timber Framing, June 4-9. Four-day Natural Building, $625; Intro TF, $875; Advanced TF $875. For more information and registration about these workshops and others offered by Fox Maple School of Traditional Building, PO Box 249, Brownfield, Maine 04010 <foxmaple@foxmaple.com> www.foxmaple.com/workshops.html

The Solar Living Institute promotes sustainable living through inspirational environmental education, offering hundreds of hands-on workshops on renewable energy, natural and green building, biofuels, and permaculture throughout the year. For more information, please call 707.472.2450 or visit our website www.solarliving.org/workshops

http://naturalhomes.org/learning-straw.htm will connect you to additional workshops on strawbale and natural building in the Europe, Australia, Canada and the USA.

Details and registration form for weekend workshops in straw-bale building and earth building conducted at Whangarei New Zealand by Ian E. Redfern are listed at www.adobesouth.co.nz.

Practical Business Skills for the Earth-based Vocation. A review of the step-by-step process of developing and implementing a business plan.  Instructor: Donal Kinney, tax-accountant for a diverse cross-section of Santa Fe's earth-conscious businesses. Visit Donal's website at www.beanplanter.com.

Opportunities to learn Design/Build in the Dominican Republic. Check the YesterMorrow web site for details. www.yestermorrow.org

Those interested in permaculture and gardening events related to natural building might want to visit www.oaec.org, the web site of Occidental Arts and Ecology Center, 15290 Coleman Valley Road, Occidental, CA 95465; or call 707.874.1557 ext 201. OAEC members receive discounted rates for journals such as The Last Straw and other publications related to their mission. September 13, Rainwater Harvesting Talk; September 16, Rainwater Harvesting
Tour; September 16, Permaculture Design Course (two weeks)

Fourth Saturday of Each Month (except May & December), Tucson AZ. Permaculture Brunch-Get Down to Earth/Mud Day.  
Get your hands in the mud and try out some earthen plasters on walls made of straw bales, adobe and cob. See demonstrations of permaculture strategies and get some hands-on experience: earth plasters, desert gardening, water harvesting, land restoration projects, including affordable buildings and small structures of strawbale, adobe, and cob. Hours: 10 am-2:00 pm (earlier hours in warmer weather). For more information and to register contact: Joelee Joyce, DAWN SouthWest, 520.624.1673 or <dawnaz@earthlink.net>, www.caneloproject.com/dawn  

Builders, designers and homeowners can now take rammed earth courses from a new Canadian company called SIREwall Inc. Rammed earth builders and designers teach the courses in an earth-wall studio on Salt Spring Island, British Columbia. SIREwall offers eight different rammed earth courses with 32 schedule options. Course selections vary from a two-day introduction to rammed earth for homeowners to a month-long SIREwall Builder's Training for general contractors. Courses for architects and designers are accredited through the Architectural Institute of British Columbia. For information on SIREwall courses go to www.sirewall.com.

Timber framing classes. For details, call 207.442.7938 or <info@shelterinstitute.com> http://shelterinstitute.c.topica.com/maaem
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Yestermorrow - Courses and Workshops for 2008 include Deconstruction and Material Reuse, Designing Small Living Spaces, Design for Builders, Ecological Planning/Design and Construction, Ecological Water Systems, Efficiency by Design, Home Design, Home Design/Build, Solar Design, Codes/Costs and Contractors, Engineering for the Home Builder, Green Building Materials, Modern Plaster Techniques, Natural Paints and Finishes, and more. www.yestermorrow.org

LanderLand Workshop Wchedule
Please visit www.LanderLand.com
575-895-5029

Cob Cottage Company's Workshop Schedule. Visit www.cobcottage.com or call 541.942.2005..

Another source of information and training workshops is the Natural Building Network (NBN), www.naturalbuildingnetwork.org/calendar.htm

Salt Spring Island, BC Canada. SIREWALL, Inc., rammed earth builders and designers offer eight different courses with 32 schedule options, varying from two-day introduction to rammed earth for homeowners to a month-long SIREwall Builders' Training for general contractor. ACU AIBC. For information, visit www.sirewall.com

Merritt College offers courses in permaculture design; natural building (hands-on building using materials such as cob, strawbale and earth; carpentry working on affordable and green housing; and construction management. 510.434.3840 www.peralta.cc.ca.us

Everdale, farm and learning centre located near Erin, Ontario, offers events and hands-on workshops in sustainable living. The Workshop and Event Schedule from straw-bale construction and earthen and lime plastering to making your own biodiesel is available at www.everdale.org/workshops or contact <lynn@everdale.org>

Mexico Learning Experience. Natural Building & Traditional Architecture and Land Restoration & Ecological Living. Offer a place of interchange of ideas, experiences and learning in the areas of natural building, permaculture, soil restoration, organic food production, and other themes related to sustainable living. Courses are promoted by the Zopilote Association, Cob Cottage Company, and Proyecto San Isidro. Introduction both to natural building as well as to sustainable living methods. Each day has a general theme: cob, strawbale, light claystraw, etc. – to give a more in-depth experience in a variety of natural building techniques. Past courses have covered thatched roofing, rock construction, cob, strawbale, natural plasters and paints, oven-building, adobe bricks and floors, wattle and daub, alternative energy, water catchment and cleaning, composting toilets and more.
Learn about architecture and natural construction that is rooted in the land. Experience hands- and feet-on a variety of natural building techniques and practices. Participate in a group design-process and model building of a structure. Each day has a general theme: organic gardening, sustainable forestry, erosion control, sewage treatment systems, alternative education, permaculture, responsible consumption, etc. Understand and practice principles and strategies to make their lives more sustainable. Thoroughly think through personal motivations for doing work in traditional societies. Participating in  a group discussions on themes like genetically engineered plants,  use of herbicides and pesticides, ethics, etc.
$1200. Contact; Cob Cottage Company PO Box 942, Coquille, OR 97423; 541-396-1825; email cob@cobcottage.com; website www.cobcottage.com

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This listing of natural building events, tours, conferences, workshops and training opportunities is compiled from information sent to The Last Straw Journal by individuals, groups and organizations. Send information about events, conferences, tours, workshops and hands-on training to: The Last Straw, PO Box 22706, Lincoln NE 68542-2706; <thelaststraw@thelaststraw.org> or call 402.483.5135.

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