[Scpg] Free Work Party May 5-8 Earthen Plasters - Figueroa Mountain

[eric werbalowsky]

Hey Relax Everybody

Folks may have  thought this is a workshop with a $$
fee -- no it a free WORK PARTY -- learn while doing,
we're recruiting similing (and hard working) helpers.
Please indicate asap whether you are planning to come
for all or some of the days.

To ease contact with Betty's cell reception up on the
hill, please contact us, Eric Werbalowsky
<ewerb at ewerb/com> or Wes Roe <lakinroe at silcom.com>
with any questions, your level of interest, plastering
experience and availability. Even if you’ve never
tried it, after a few days you will be proficient. We
will forward this info to our on site hosts just prior
to the event.

Future work parties are planned for an earthen
flooring pour May 2-22 and a work party to roof this
year’s workshop project from June 9-12. More info will
be coming on these later projects. Thanks for your
interest.

The site, accommodations, weather, & meals:
Spirit Pine Ranch is located on Figueroa Mountain,
Santa Barbara County, at 2,500 elevation. The ranch is
160 acres of oak woodlands that also include pine,
sage and yucca, entirely surrounded by the Los Padres
National Forest. 

The ranch has an awesome view of the Santa Ynez Valley
with lots of gorgeous hikes, wildflowers, birds and
other wildlife. The ranch is 11 miles from the nearest
town of Los Olivos and has several springs and one
well. There is no shower facility, but there are lots
of ways to get clean. At this time we are only able to
accommodate tent or RV camping. Buellton or Los Alamos
have motel accommodations located 15-20 miles from the
mountain.

There are three built cob cottage and a “cookshack.”
Another cob cottage is under construction. The
workshop project is a third building, a duplex for
teenagers that can be converted to other uses later.

May weather is moderate — rain and wind are possible.
Expect 65-75 
degrees by day, 45-50 at night. Rattlesnakes are
unlikely, and ticks are in bushy areas. Hats and
sunscreen are strongly advised. Bug repellant may be
useful for hot days. Children should always stay close
because of wild horses and other environmental
concerns.

Because it is usually tough to tell until the last
minute, everyone is encouraged to bring what they can.
It all works out pretty well and our hosts are
determined that no one go hungry (altho your favorite
flavor of B&J may go fast...). There is refrigeration
on site. Drinking is Utah style -- on the DL and cool.
Meals are usually vegetarian and mixed. If you need
special foods or snacks, bring them—there are no
specialty stores nearby.

Start and finish:
Work begins: Thursday May 5 at 10:00 am.  Ideally plan
to arrive before sundown on Wed. so you can get your
camp set up and be ready to start the next day. The
first meal will be Wed. eve or Thurs. breakfast.

This Work party ends: Sunday May 8.  Participants
coming from 
a long distance can make arrangements to stay
overnight on Sunday and leave the following day.

How to get there:
If you are coming by air into Los Angeles you can take
the Santa Barbara Airbus 805-964-7759 or
www.sbairbus.com and get dropped off in Santa Barbara;
we can arrange a pickup in Santa Barbara. Please make
arrangements with us in advance so we can coordinate
trips.
If you are coming by air into Santa Barbara,  we can
arrange a pickup.
Directions: On Hwy. 101 between Buellton and Los
Alamos, take Hwy. 154 to Los Olivos. Turn left on
Figueroa Mountain Road. Go 10.8 miles. Turn right into
Spirit Pine Ranch. BE SURE TO CLOSE GATE.
On site contact is Betty Seaman at 805-698-3840

here are some early shots of the projects (much more
progress has been made since these pix were taken in
’03)
http://oasisdesign.net/design/examples/cob/
and 
http://www.islandseed.com/cob/index.html