Mix. Stomp. Build.

March 21st and 22nd we are running a special workshop to build with one of the oldest, most sustainable and abundant materials on the planet: Cob. And we will have fun doing it.

Cob is a mixture of clay based soil, sand, straw and water which some of the oldest buildings on earth are made from. In this workshop we will be constructing a cob fence at the entrance of silk farm.

Over the two days the skills you will learn are:
– how to assess soils for suitability for earth building
– Create a foundation for a cob wall
– Different methods of mixing cob
– How to place cob to build a wall mass
– How to detail a wall with bottles, sculptures and holes for windows

This workshop will be Facilitated by Kyle Taylor, a keen earth builder and permaculturist who has spent the last 8 years building a varied skill set in all things related to sustainability and happy, simple living with minimal impact on the earth.

We recommend you bring:
– Work boots or gum boots
– Sunscreen
– A hat
– A water bottle
– Snacks & lunch (or have lunch at the village pub)

What Inspired Us To Run this Workshop?

April and Kyle (a permaculture graduate of April’s at Permaculture Institute Sydney) attended the recent Conference Earth Building of Australia Association. There we saw great presentations by elders in the industry. With a climate in crisis, we need to start building in Cob is by the Earth and good for the earth. Graham North promotes building in Earth as a new way of thinking.

North encourages us to:

• think in terms of build with carbon
• research and build science,
• create a de-carbonised economy
• incorporate of a wide range of appropriate low carbon or carbon sequestering bio-materials
• collaboration and cooperation between all natural builders
• education with natural building schools
• good design guides within supportive regulatory systems

Graeme North, FNZIA, BArch, Dip Perm, representing EBANZ ( Earth Building Association of New Zealand), a dedicated eco-designer, has over 45 years experience with hundreds of projects to his credit. www.ecodesign.co.nz

How Environmental is Cob?

Unlike Brick, Concrete or Steel, Cob requires little transport, energy to process, or machinery. Cob has been used for thousands of years and many buildings have lasted for centuries. Best of all, Cob can be built without great muscle or skills by anyone with a little patience and enthusiasm. We need a new fence. A big tree fell down and crushed the fence. So lets build skills as well as a new fence.

Book Here https://www.trybooking.com/BHLGZ