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Strawbale courses Cob courses Timber frame courses earthbag courses cordwood courses adobe courses rammed earth courses earthship courses sustainable energy courses Sustainable water courses Natural roofing courses Clay and lime plastering courses Other natural homes courses
 
Feb
01-28
Cob in the Baja - We will cover all of the basics of cob mixing and building. We will have plenty of hands-on experience installing doors and windows, sculpting niches and reliefs, and wiring for electricity. There will also be theory discussions which include: siting, design, foundations, drainage, passive solar, earthen floors, finding and identifying materials, roof design, grey water systems, composting toilets, plumbing, wiring, and plastering. By the end of the workshop you will have the confidence and skill to take on your own cob project.

Cob Works
Santiago,
Baja Peninsula,

Mexico

$1500 USD
Jan-Mar
Natural Building Workshop - This winter we offer a course in traditional and innovative natural building techniques in which students learn to build with natural materials under the guidance of Ibrahim Coly and his crew. Ibrahim combines the techniques he learned since childhood from the village elders with newer techniques developed in the United States. Join us build a cross-cultural learning facility in a progressive fishing village in Casamance, Senegal. Bring your expertise to share, and learn from the local people. For more information or useful advice, contact us through studyafrica.net

Study Africa
Casamance, Senegal,
Africa

 
May
8-11
Basics of Cob Building - Working with cob for four days allows learning to take hold in your body. During this workshop you will learn how to test soil for building, mix cob, build cob walls, and learn the basics of earthen plastering. While working with cob instruction will be given on window placement, use of small spaces, alcoves and niches, benches, and interior wall designs. This workshop also includes an introduction to straw bale construction and discussion of design basics.

Cob Together
White Oak Farm, Williams Valley, Oregon, USA
$320
USD
May
14-24
Incredible Cob - We will be building a cob cottage from the ground on up. This way, participants get to experience all the aspects of building a house with earthen materials from start to finish. Through the process of building with sand, straw and clay, (in the form of cob), everyone gets an excellent sense for how these materials work and how to use them under a great variety of circumstances.
House Alive
Jacksonville, OR,
USA

$790 before 1/1/08
$850
after

July
16-20
All About Cob - You will learn how to find the right materials, how to mix them and how to build structures with cob. Previous participants have build benches, ovens, garden walls as well as complete cob cottages! Mornings are spend mixing and building, while most afternoons we will teach on cob and cob related topics, such as design, foundations plasters and floors.
House Alive
Jacksonville, OR,
USA

$425

       
  Courses you've missed in 2007 but they are keep here so that you can browse around the various organisations    
       
Jan
7-19
2007
Natural Design/Build Workshop - The class will provide students with a unique opportunity to explore the design/build process using cob (mix of sand, straw, clay and sometimes cow manure), stone, site-milled wood, bamboo, and recycled/reused materials.

Rancho Mastatal
Puriscal, San José
COSTA RICA
 
March
16-18
Cob Courtyard Walls - Do you love the old world charm of Spanish style courtyards and garden walls? You can build beautiful courtyards, outdoor dining areas and more with the traditional European building material, cob. Once plastered, your courtyard walls will be very resistant to wind and rain and can last for hundreds of years..

Barefoot Builder
Pensacola, Florida, USA

$125
March
17

Cob & Earth Building - The principals of good building practice.Making cob and the methods of building with it.Production of cob blocks and their use.Rammed earth and its use.Repair and maintenance of cob buildings. And more...

Dorset Centre for Rural Skills
Sustainability Centre, East Meon, Hants,
UK

£85
April
6-8
Cob Sampler - Three day earthen appetizer for the cob curious. One day on each of the following techniques: cob, earthen plasters and earthen floors.

Clay Sand Straw
Fredericksburg, TX, USA

Apply
Apr 20

Introduction to Cob Building - An introductory course designed to give trainees an understanding of the theoretical aspects of using cob as a building material, but also to get their hands dirty during a practical session in producing a section of cob wall.

Course lead by Abey Smallcombe

Cornwall Sustainable Building Trust Gaia Centre, Delabole, Cornwall, UK

£60
April
20-25
Cob Basics - This workshop will be a six day hands-on building intensive. You will be introduced to all the basics of building with cob for anything from a small outbuilding to your entire house.

Barefoot Builder
Woodbury, TN, USA
$450 - 550
USD
April
28-29
Introduction to Cob Building - We will learn how to assess clay soils for building, how to develop a cob recipe, and the basics of making and building with cob. The class will work on a section of the intern shower-house at the Solar Living Center, and will look at many other examples and case-studies of cob buildings around the site.

Solarliving
Hopland, CA, USA
$171
May 5

Cob Building - Part of a 4 day course. This course will introduce trainees to the practical process of building with cob, using traditional techniques, on a live building project.

Course lead by Cob in Cornwall

Cornwall Sustainable Building Trust
Trelowarren Estate Helston, Cornwall, UK

£60
May 12

Cob Building - Part of a 4 day course. This course will introduce trainees to the practical process of building with cob, using traditional techniques, on a live building project.

Course lead by Cob in Cornwall

Cornwall Sustainable Building Trust
Trelowarren Estate Helston, Cornwall, UK

£60
May
12-16
Natural Building For Women - This workshop will be a five-day hands-on building intensive. You will learn all the basics of building with cob for anything from a small outbuilding to your entire house. The moderately sized project that we will be constructing during this workshop offers a chance to participate in several stages of construction.

Barefoot Builder
Woodbury, TN, USA
$375 - 475
USD
May 19

Cob Building - Part of a 4 day course. This course will introduce trainees to the practical process of building with cob, using traditional techniques, on a live building project.

Course lead by Cob in Cornwall

Cornwall Sustainable Building Trust
Trelowarren Estate Helston, Cornwall, UK

£60
May
19 -20
Introduction to Cob BuildingYou will gain an overview and a practical feel for cob…what it can do for you and what it can’t – the kind of thing you don’t get out of books. Tutors: Thomas and Ulrike Riedmuller

The Hollies
Sli an Uisce,
Macroom, Co. Cork
Ireland

€160
May
24-28

Building a Cob Farm Kitchen - Surrounded by spectacular views of the Olympic mountians, Serendipity Farm is a perfect location for a workshop. The cob workshop is continuing work on a kitchen building. We will cover( in theory and/or practice) cob construction, light clay infill, flooring, electrical, plumbing, earthen plasters and finishing techniques. Previous workshops here have been fun, informative, giving participants a glimpse of organic farming and rural life. Fee incl. camping and tuition and lunches.

To register email serendipityfarm@bigplanet.com Instructor: Elke Cole

Serendipity Farm,
141 Cemetery Road, Quilcene, WA
, USA

$450
USD

10% discount for couples
 
click me
May 26

Cob Building - Part of a 4 day course. This course will introduce trainees to the practical process of building with cob, using traditional techniques, on a live building project.

Course lead by Cob in Cornwall

Cornwall Sustainable Building Trust
Trelowarren Estate Helston, Cornwall, UK

£60
June
16-17
Introduction to Cob BuildingYou will gain an overview and a practical feel for cob…what it can do for you and what it can’t – the kind of thing you don’t get out of books. Tutors: Thomas and Ulrike Riedmuller

The Hollies
Sli an Uisce,
Macroom, Co. Cork
Ireland

€160
June
17-23
eco-sense 2: gettin' higher cob building - Be part of the leading sustainability project in greater Victoria. Located on eight glorious Highland acres the Eco-Sense project is rising up out of the land. Includes: reviewbasics, arches, trimming, special mixes, detailing, connections to roof and other building components, second floor structure, lightclay infill and team building. Tutor Elke Cole

Eco-Sense
Canada

$630
CND

June 23-24
Cobbing Workshop – We will be building in various cupboards, a garden wall, putting in a floor, and installing a door for the bathroom. There is also plenty of lime render plasterwork on which you can learn and practise, and a mini soils workshop to assist you identify various types of earth. Also, we have many examples of sustainable living.

MAT
2 Church Street, McGregor, Western Cape, South Africa

R600
June
25-27
Hands-On Cob - Learn the basics of making and building with cob. This is a great three-day introduction to the basics of cob building. It should be a very fun workshop.

Barefoot Builder
Woodbury, Tennessee, USA

$200
USD

June
25-27
Cob and Community - Our Cob and Community project this year has expanded to include a bit more about carpentry, too! Join us as we build a cob addition onto our existing bale house. Participants will learn every aspect of cob construction: identifying materials, design and siting, mixing, building techniques, niches, sculptural elements, attachments.

Cob Works
Mayne Island
British Columbia, Canada

$1200
CND

June 28
July 3
Natural building foundation workshop - We are building our foundation for the cob cottage out of naturally shaped rock, and earthen mortar. We will focus on drainage, stability, seismic considerations, and tropical considerations from mold to insect control in foundation design and construction. Vegetarian lunch provided daily, and limited camping space is available on-site. For more information contact Jeni Rigel

To Each Their Due
Puna, Hawaii, USA

$500
USD

June 30
FULL - All aspects of building in cob – Covering all aspects mixing by hand and machine as well as practical experience on a new building.

Kevin McCabe
Keppel Gate, Higher Ridgeway, Ottery St Mary, Devon, UK


£88
June 30
- July 1
Cob Hands-On Weekend - Learn the basics of making and building with cob as we construct a cob sweat lodge. This is a great weekend introduction to the basics of cob building. It should be a very fun workshop!

Barefoot Builder
Espinola, New Mexico, USA
Apply
July
7-8
Introduction to Cob BuildingYou will gain an overview and a practical feel for cob…what it can do for you and what it can’t – the kind of thing you don’t get out of books. Tutors: Thomas and Ulrike Riedmuller

The Hollies
Sli an Uisce,
Macroom, Co. Cork
Ireland

€160
July
9-20
Cob Building Workshops - we will be building a cottage with a living space and fireplace, water catchment tank for collecting rainwater, bathroom, and solar heated lotus shaped hot tub with pool table all in an enclosed butterfly garden. We will be combining lectures about various topics, as well as hands on earthen building with our cob mixes. For more information contact Jeni Rigel

To Each Their Due
Puna, Hawaii, USA

$900
USD

July
12-15
"Build with Us" Natural Building Workshop - The various natural building techniques imparted will utilize local, readily available materials such as clay to form adobe bricks, earthen plasters and paints for walls. They will teach various techniques that can easily be adapted to fit varying localities and aesthetics. The projects include such techniques as wattle-and-dab, cob and earth bag. Attendees are given a chance to delve in and create from literally the ground – up.

Pun Pun
Jefferson, Colorado,
USA

$275
USD
July
12-17
Cob Basics - This workshop will be a six-day hands-on building intensive. You will learn all the basics of building with cob for anything from a small outbuilding to your entire house. We will cover foundations, walls, windows, doors, roofs, plasters, sculptural work, electricity and plumbing.

Barefoot Builder
Colorado, USA
$450 - 550
USD
July
21-22
Cobbing Workshop – We will be building in various cupboards, a garden wall, putting in a floor, and installing a door for the bathroom. There is also plenty of lime render plasterwork on which you can learn and practise, and a mini soils workshop to assist you identify various types of earth. Also, we have many examples of sustainable living.

MAT
2 Church Street, McGregor, Western Cape, South Africa

R600
July
21-22
Cob construction and earthen plastering - In this course we will learn the various mixtures and uses of Cob. The course will be hands-on learning combined with discussion and lectures about various Cob formulas, recipes, techniques and
applications. Projects will include the construction of a Cob garden wall, and bench.
We will provide participants with tips, practical advice, methods of sound
construction and beautiful examples.

What to bring – A dish to share, camping gear, appropriate clothes, shoes and/or boots for work related activities, gloves, notebooks, camera, musical instruments, songs, etc. Accommodation - Camping! Please bring a tent (we can supply a limited number of tents if necessary), sleeping and personal hygiene supplies (sleeping bag, pillow, toothbrush, soap, etc.)

Instructor - Maximillian Meyers (Certified Permaculture Teacher). More details from inquiry@melc.us

MELC
4651 Bear Canyon Road, Willits CA, USA

Free

July
22-25
Cob Building - Participants will learn basic cob building skills: materials evaluation, mixing, building, trimming, building arches and connections. You can be sure there will be sculpting too. Talks will cover questions, issues, and connected building techniques.
  
Cob Works
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

$300
CND

July
28
Cob Building Course – Build in cob covering all aspects mixing by hand and machine as well as practical experience on a new building.

Kevin McCabe
Ottery St Mary, Devon, UK

£88
per day
Aug
1-11
Incredible Cob - These workshops offer an incredibly rich learning experience. Participants leave the workshop confident that they can design and build their own natural home.
House Alive
Jacksonville, OR,
USA
$895
Aug
8-12

Cob Workshop at Serendipity Farm - Includes cob building, light clay straw, cob floor, cob finishes, plasters and inlays. This is the Everything You Need to Know Workshop. All about finishing a cob building from wall construction to plasters, to inlays, mosaics, sculpting, doors, windows, roofing. Fun hands on training. Surrounded by spectacular views of the Olympic Mountains, Serendipity Farm is the perfect location for a workshop. The cob workshop is continuing work on a Cob kitchen building. Previous workshops here have been fun, informative, giving participants a glimpse of farming and rural life.

For more information call 360-765-0263 or
email serendipityfarm@bigplanet.com Instructor: Elke Cole

Course Flyer (3.5Mb requires Adobe Reader)

Serendipity Farm,
141 Cemetery Road, Quilcene, WA
, USA

$450
USD

10% discount for couples
 
click me
Aug
11-12
Cob-a-thon - We are inviting your to get sponsors for your Cob-a-thon weekend. We are asking participants in the Cob-a-Thon to get at least $250 each in sponsorship.

We will have several projects to work on including natural building - so expect to get muddy. We will also have games and activities for kids, so bring the whole family.

Emerald Earth
Boonville, CA,
USA
Free
Aug
15-19
eco-sense 3: towards finishing - Be part of the leading sustainability project in greater Victoria. Located on eight glorious Highland acres the Eco-Sense project is rising up out of the land. Includes: aesthetics, materials and mixes, browncoat, earth plaster and relief sculpture. Tutor Elke Cole

Eco-Sense
Canada

$450
CND

Aug
15-25
Incredible Cob - These workshops offer an incredibly rich learning experience. Participants leave the workshop confident that they can design and build their own natural home.
House Alive
Jacksonville, OR,
USA
$895
Aug
20-31
Cob Building Workshops - we will be building a cottage with a living space and fireplace, water catchment tank for collecting rainwater, bathroom, and solar heated lotus shaped hot tub with pool table all in an enclosed butterfly garden. We will be combining lectures about various topics, as well as hands on earthen building with our cob mixes. For more information contact Jeni Rigel

To Each Their Due
Puna, Hawaii, USA

$900
USD

Aug
25-26
Cobbing Workshop – We will be building in various cupboards, a garden wall, putting in a floor, and installing a door for the bathroom. There is also plenty of lime render plasterwork on which you can learn and practise, and a mini soils workshop to assist you identify various types of earth. Also, we have many examples of sustainable living.

MAT
2 Church Street, McGregor, Western Cape, South Africa

R600
Aug
31
Practical One-Day Cob The aim of the workshops is to give course members knowledge and understanding of cob building, cob repairs and uses of lime in building. This will enable people to either undertake work themselves or to instruct contractors with confidence.

J & J Sharpe
Furzedon, Merton
Okehampton, Devon, UK


£70
Sept
1-5
Cob Basics - You will be introduced to all the basics of building with cob for anything from a small outbuilding to your entire house. The moderately sized project that we will be constructing during this workshop offers a chance to participate in several stages of construction.

Barefoot Builder
Woodbury, Tennessee, USA

$550
USD

Sept
3-9

Natural Building - Set on an old cocoa plantation surrounded by tropical rainforest on the Carribean coast of Costa Rica, we are starting construction of a small natural retreat. Participants will work with local natural materials including earth , bamboo and thatch. Elke will facilitate the camp; other natural builders and local craftsmen will be joining in to share their skills. Everyone will camp on the land, food will be provided. Price includes camp, food and tuition.

Cob Works
Costa Rica

$500
CND

Sept
1-9
The Complete Handsculpted House CourseA unique opportunity to learn the art of cobbing from the authors of the indispensable ‘The Hand Sculpted House’. Ianto and Linda are renowned throughout the world for their inspirational workshops, and they promise that after their workshop, you will know all you need to be able to go off and build a cob cottage. This 9 day intensive course will be hands-on, and you will learn every aspect of the construction of a cob structure. From locating and testing the right kinds of soils for cob, to different ways of mixing it, wall building techniques and all the sculptural details. Tutors: Ianto Evans & Linda Smiley

The Hollies
Sli an Uisce,
Macroom, Co. Cork
Ireland

€950
Sept
2-8
Intro to Cob Building - Building with earth is an affordable, safe and ecologically sound method of construction. During the one week Introduction to Cob Building course you will learn how to begin building your own earthen home. This course will teach you how to prospect and test for appropriate building sediment, how to mix cob, various wall building techniques, the installation of windows into cob walls, methods of attachment for wood (e.g. doors, roofs), and how to sculpt niches, shelves, and furniture. We will also have discussion sessions about natural building, the siting and design of buildings, foundations and drainage, plasters and earthen floors, and electric and plumbing for cob buildings.

Yestermorrow
Warren, Vermont, USA
$900
USD
Sept
13-19

Natural Building - Set on an old cocoa plantation surrounded by tropical rainforest on the Carribean coast of Costa Rica, we are starting construction of a small natural retreat. Participants will work with local natural materials including earth , bamboo and thatch. Elke will facilitate the camp; other natural builders and local craftsmen will be joining in to share their skills. Everyone will camp on the land, food will be provided. Price includes camp, food and tuition.

Cob Works
Costa Rica

$500
CND

Sept
14-16
Wood Fired Cob Oven - Earthen ovens are a great introduction for everyone who
is interested in learning to bulding with earth. We will learn to mix
cob and earthen plaster, and provide you with the skills to build an oven
in your own back yard. This weekend workshop (Sept. 14th 5:30pm-9:30pm,
15th & 16th 9am-5pm) is being taught through Northland Pioneer
Community College as an attempt to bring natural building more accessible to
this rural part of Arizona.

Seven Generations
Northland Pioneer Community College,
Show Low AZ, USA

$75
USD

Sept
15-16
Getting off the TreadmillNo more mortgage, no more rent! Life is brief, don’t waste it doing things that are uninspiring, ugly or at odds with your conscience. A weekend of practical tools, techniques and tips from lifetime experts. This will transform your life! Tutor: Ianto Evans

The Hollies
Castletown, Enniskeane, Co. Cork, Eire

€160
Sept
15-16
Introduction to Cob - This course covers the basics of natural building, while focusing on cob and straw bale construction. This course will teach you how to prospect and test for appropriate building sediment, how to mix cob, various cob wall building techniques, the installation of windows into cob walls, methods for attachment of wood (e.g. doors, roofs), and how to sculpt niches, shelves and furniture.

Seven Generations
Show Low AZ, USA

$100
USD

Sept
15-20
Introduction to Cob - This course covers the basics of natural building, while focusing on cob and straw bale construction. This course will teach you how to prospect and test for appropriate building sediment, how to mix cob, various cob wall building techniques, the installation of windows into cob walls, methods for attachment of wood (e.g. doors, roofs), and how to sculpt niches, shelves and furniture.

Seven Generations
Show Low AZ, USA

Apply

Sept
20-23
Cob Pyromania WorkshopThe course will aim to introduce methods of earth/cob building, and will include theory and practice with short demonstrations; however, the emphasis will be on hands-on learning. You will find space for fun and creativity and expect a workout for the body and mind! Participants should leave feeling confident in their ability to build a Rumford fire place and rocket stove.

Earthedworld
Broadhembury, East Devon, UK

£295
Sept
23-29

Natural Building - Set on an old cocoa plantation surrounded by tropical rainforest on the Carribean coast of Costa Rica, we are starting construction of a small natural retreat. Participants will work with local natural materials including earth , bamboo and thatch. Elke will facilitate the camp; other natural builders and local craftsmen will be joining in to share their skills. Everyone will camp on the land, food will be provided. Price includes camp, food and tuition.

Cob Works
Costa Rica

$500
CND

Sept 29-30
Cobbing Workshop – We will be building in various cupboards, a garden wall, putting in a floor, and installing a door for the bathroom. There is also plenty of lime render plasterwork on which you can learn and practise, and a mini soils workshop to assist you identify various types of earth. Also, we have many examples of sustainable living.

MAT
2 Church Street, McGregor, Western Cape, South Africa

R600
Oct
5-14
Owner-Builder Training - This workshop will be a ten-day hands-on building intensive designed specifically to prepare you for building your own cob home. You will have the chance to learn and practice all of the skills you’ll need to build a cob house.

Barefoot Builder
Woodbury, TN USA
$750-900
USD
Oct
25-27
Magic of Building with Earth - Lotan Center for Creative Ecology has been running eco-based workshops for several years now. By far the most successful workshop to date is the alternative buidling workshop: "The Magic of Building with Earth", which proved of high relevance to participants.

Lotan Center
Israel
Apply
Oct
27-28
Cobbing Workshop – We will be building in various cupboards, a garden wall, putting in a floor, and installing a door for the bathroom. There is also plenty of lime render plasterwork on which you can learn and practise, and a mini soils workshop to assist you identify various types of earth. Also, we have many examples of sustainable living.

MAT
2 Church Street, McGregor, Western Cape, South Africa

R600
Oct
8-10
Magic of Building with Earth - Lotan Center for Creative Ecology has been running eco-based workshops for several years now. By far the most successful workshop to date is the alternative buidling workshop: "The Magic of Building with Earth", which proved of high relevance to participants.

Lotan Center
Israel
Apply
Nov
24-25
Cobbing Workshop – We will be building in various cupboards, a garden wall, putting in a floor, and installing a door for the bathroom. There is also plenty of lime render plasterwork on which you can learn and practise, and a mini soils workshop to assist you identify various types of earth. Also, we have many examples of sustainable living.

MAT
2 Church Street, McGregor, Western Cape, South Africa

R600
       
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