[Santa_Cruz_Permaculture] Introduction to Cob Building Workshop September 25-29, at Quail Springs with Sasha Rabin

[Quail Springs Permaculture]

INTRODUCTION TO COB BUILDING WORKSHOP
AT QUAIL SPRINGS PERMACULTURE
WITH SASHA RABIN

SEPTEMBER 25-29, 2013

www.quailsprings.org
www.earthenshelter.com
Quail Springs Permaculture is happy to be offering a 5 day  
introduction to Cob building workshop this Month!

Cob building combines clay sediment, sand, fiber, and water, which is  
then hand sculpted to form walls, benches, ovens, and fireplaces. Cob  
building makes use of readily available, affordable, non-toxic  
materials to build beautiful, organic structures.

The course is appropriate for both first-time builders and for  
professionals in the building trade who are interested in natural  
materials.  In this five-day cob workshop, we focus on the  
characteristics of the natural materials most commonly used in  
construction:  clay soil, sand, and fibers.  Our main focus will be  
cob, though we will touch on various other building techniques that  
utilize the same materials, including adobe block, light straw-clay,  
wattle and daub, and plasters. We will discuss how to find and choose  
appropriate soil for construction, how to create various mixes, how to  
attach wood to earthen walls, and how to use earthen materials to  
build walls, sculpt niches, shelves, and furniture.

This is primarily a hands-on course, where we learn by doing. We will  
be building a small structure from start to finish.  As a complement  
to the hands-on portion of the course, we will include slide shows and  
discussions of the theoretical aspects of natural building.  Subjects  
include building design and siting, passive solar design, foundations  
and drainage, earthen floors, appropriate roof design, and wiring and  
plumbing for natural structures.

Instructor:  Sasha Rabin, Natural Builder and Teacher
Sasha Rabin has been practicing natural building as well as teaching  
it since 2002, when she began her building career with an   
apprenticeship at the Cob Cottage Company.  Since then she has taught  
all over the US through the organizations that she co-founded, Seven  
Generations Natural Builders and Vertical Clay, as well as  
collaborated with other schools and organizations including The  
Yestermorrow Design Build School, The Canelo Project, The Solar Living  
Institute, Quail Springs Permaculture, as well as taught at the  
Permaculture Research Institute in Jordan.   Although she enjoys  
building, her true passions lie in the teaching and sharing natural  
building with others.

Cost: $500

Student discount: $50 off

Register with a friend and get 10% off

Contact or to register: sasha at quailsprings.org or 805-886-7239

Website: http://www.quailsprings.org/intro-to-cob-building-workshop/