[Sdpg] Natural Building at Emerald Earth September 1-7, 2007 Northern CA

[Wesley Roe and Santa Barbara Permaculture Network]

Hi, Everyone-

We still have openings in our week-long Natural Building Intensive at 
Emerald Earth. The dates are September 1-7, and this our sixth year 
teaching this workshop. Feedback from previous years has been 
excellent, and we'd like to make the workshop available to as many 
people as possible. Do you know anyone who might benefit from this experience?

It's a hands-on introduction to many different techniques for 
building with earth and straw, including cob, straw bale, light 
straw-clay, clay wattle, earthen floors, natural plasters and paints, 
and much more. Our site has 7 finished natural buildings and 4 more 
under construction, as well as gardens, greywater systems, composting 
toilets, an off-grid electrical system, so there's a lot to see. 
We'll discuss the basics of clay and soil testing, passive solar 
design, alternative roofs and foundation systems, hybrid natural 
buildings, and more, and show slides and videos of other sites and 
techniques. But most of every day is spent actually building with 
experienced instructors who will train you in at least 8 different 
techniques that you can apply to your own new construction or remodel project.

The workshop costs $500 for the full week, including camping and 
delicious organic meals. We give a $50 discount for full payment by 
the first week in August (coming up soon!), so please help us spread 
the work quickly. You can find more details on our web site 
(www.emeraldearth.org) or send an email to 
workshops at emeraldearth.org, or call 707-972-3096.

Thanks for your help!
Michael G. Smith

P.S. I'll also be leading a 1-day earth oven workshop in Potter 
Valley (near Ukiah) on Saturday, August 25. This class will teach you 
how to construct a simple wood-fired baking oven for less than $100, 
perfect for baking pizzas, artisan breads, and almost anything else. 
The cost of the class is $50 to $100, sliding scale. If you have 
questions, email me at michael at emeraldearth.org. Please let your 
friends know about this one, too.