Cob Workshop at Taproot Farm – Capon Bridge, WV
Beth and Tim Reese are hosting a hands-on cob workshop
on July 9-11, 2011
Join us for this 4th in a series of workshops to build “Querencia”, a strawbale/cob artist studio at Taproot Farm. Querencia is a whimsical, earth-friendly oasis designed to nurture the inner “creative”. The interior walls, a wrap-around couch, the entry bench, and storage shelves will be sculpted out of cob.
Taproot Farm is a 20-acre sustainable farm overlooking the Cacapon River. Check out our website www.taprootfarm.info. The “green” buildings include solar panels, geothermal heating/cooling and a living roof. Currently, at the farm, there are laying chickens, lambs, bees, ½ acre organic vegetable garden, orchard and, soon, a fish pond and pigs. Participants will be invited to enjoy relaxing farm and river activities to celebrate each day of building.
When: Saturday July 9- Monday July 11, 2011 9:00 AM-6:00 PM (with a break for lunch)
Where: Capon Bridge, WV (90 miles west of Washington, D.C)
Cost: $145 for the weekend (includes instruction and hands-on experience with natural building guru Sigi Koko; 3 healthy, locally grown meals each day.; camping on site or there is a Marriot hotel 30 minutes from the farm). Discounts for children under 16. A few scholarships available (ask how to apply.)
To Register: Please contact Beth Reese by email at beth.reese218@gmail.com or by phone at 304-856-1336 to confirm that there is still space in the workshop. YOU MUST RSVP TO ATTEND THIS EVENT! Fill out a Workshop Registration form and send it in with your check. Or pay with Pay Pal and get us your registration info by email (beth.reese218@gmail.com) Directions and details will be emailed prior to the workshop to those who register. See more details about the workshop below.
DESCRIPTION:
Cob is a mixture of clay, sand, and straw, and is 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. In this application we are building interior walls and furniture, including a bench, a couch, and built-in shelves. We have selected cob for its ability to collect and store heat energy (thermal mass), so it becomes an integral ingredient in the house’s passive solar design.
WORKSHOP FORMAT:
We will begin Saturday morning with an overview of cob construction (what cob is, why to use it, benefits & challenges, etc.) We will follow with a demonstration on how to determine proportions, how to mix the ingredients, techniques for constructing the walls, etc.) Everyone will then be invited to get hands-on experience mixing and building with cob. Sunday & Monday will provide ample opportunity to practice what was learned on Saturday, with two full days of hands-on building with cob and additional personalized instruction.
WORKSHOP COVERS:
- Benefits and challenges of clay walls
- Description of ingredients and the function that each one serve
- How to test site soil for clay content
- Establishing a basic recipe
- Demonstration of mixing techniques
- Hand-on experience building with cob
Please see www.buildnaturally.com/EDucate/Workshops/WO-current.htm for additional workshops taught by Down to Earth Design