[Strawbale] FW: Natural Building Workshops at Heathcote Community

[Sigi Koko]

Cob workshop announcement in Maryland below... 
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Hi Friends,

Thanks to everyone who attended our lime plaster workshop this past weekend.
We now have a good start on the first coat of lime plaster on the exterior
of the house.  We do not have photos posted yet, but when we do, you can
find them at the Photo Album at the Heathcote Community
website--www.heathcote.org. 
 
In several weeks we will hold a weekend workshop (August 5-6) led by our
architect Sigi Koko.  This workshop will combine both Cob and Earthen
Plaster knowledge and experience.  See below for a more complete description
of this workshop.

The tentative date for the Earthen Floor workshop is September 30-October 1.

Thanks for your interest.
Greg Newswanger for Heathcote Community

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Cob and Earthen Plaster Workshop
When:  August 5-6, 9am - 5pm
Where:  Heathcote Community, Freeland, MD
Cost:	$75 for weekend; $50 Saturday only; food and lodging $20 (optional)


HISTORY: earth has been used as a building material for thousands of years,
and continues to be used by 75% of the world's population. Clay can be used
to make blocks (such as adobe) or can be used to create monolithic walls
(such as rammed earth or cob). Earthen walls are beautiful and durable and
well-suited for where high thermal mass is desired.

DESCRIPTION: Cob and Earthen Plaster both consist of a mixture of clay,
sand, and often straw or other fiber, and are used to build in applications
where high thermal mass is appropriate. Cob has the same ingredients as
adobe, and is often referred to as "sculptural adobe" since it is
hand-formed in situ. Earthen plaster provides a non-toxic, inexpensive, and
beautiful wall finish that is durable and breathable.  In this application
we are applying cob to cover a masonry stove heater and applying the third
and final coat of earthen plaster to walls constructed of straw bales. 

FORMAT: We will begin Saturday morning with an overview of cob construction
and earthen plasters.  We will follow with a demonstration on how to
determine proportions, how to mix the ingredients, techniques for
constructing cob walls, techniques for applying earthen plaster, etc.
Everyone will then be invited to get hands-on experience mixing and applying
both cob and earthen plaster.  Sunday will provide ample opportunity to
practice what was learned on Saturday, with a full day of hands-on
experience.  Each participant can decide how much hands-on experience time
she or he wants to devote to cob and/or earthen plaster.

WORKSHOP COVERS: 
*description of ingredients and the function that each one serve *benefits
and challenges *establishing a basic recipe *how to test site soil for clay
content *mixing techniques *hand-on experience

TO REGISTER:
Please contact Karen Stupski by email (naturalbuilding at heathcote.org) at or
by phone (410-343-3478) to confirm that there is still space in the
workshop.  If there is space, download a registration form at
www.heathcote.org and send it, along with your check, to Heathcote
Community, 21300 Heathcote Rd, Freeland, MD 21053.  You will not be
officially registered until we receive your check.