Recent courses:
  • Presented on natural building and its role in place-making for the preparation of the 2015 Village Building Convergence
  • Complete Cob, The Cob Cottage Company, Bandon, Oregon, July 2014
  • Alternative Building Design, Portland Community College, spring term 2014, Portland, OR
  • Natural Building Methods, Pacific University, Environmental Science Department, Fall 2014

Earthen Plasters                        TBA                    Port Townsend, WA

     Natural clay plasters can transform plain flat walls into vibrant and healthful surfaces that are a treat for the eyes. These versatile plasters can be applied to drywall, brick, cob, straw-bale, and other surfaces. In this hands-on workshop learn all the skills you need to enhance your home with natural plasters. We’ll cover various mixes for base coats, finish coats, and sculpture, tools, materials, coloration, and techniques. Join us in making new friends, laughing, and making beauty.     Cost: $170

Natural Building Methods, Pacific University    Spring Term     Forest Grove, OR

    This course is offered through the Environmental Science Department and examines how Natural Building can be a sustainable method of construction.  Classroom work is combined with hands on experience at the B Street Permaculture Site.  This spring we will be building an earthen oven for the practical component.
Discounts for some workshops are available.  10% for early registration (30 or more days before the workshop.)  10% for families and students. 10% if you bring a friend.  Maximum 20% discount.

Earthen Floors                   September 11-12                 Oregon City, OR

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      Want to learn to create truly sustainable floors that will impress all who walk on them?  This hands-on workshop is for you.  Rich in color and feel, earthen floors are easy to clean, durable, and inexpensive.  We’ll focus on the mixing and application of the finish coat and have a demonstration of a tamped sub-floor. Instruction will also cover material selection, tools, variations, and oiling options.  Organic gourmet raw vegan lunches will be served by chef Gabrielle Chavez author of the Raw Food Gourmet.
For more information and to register contact Gabrielle Chavez.      Cost $140

Earthen and Lime Plasters          July 31 - August 1             Oregon City, OR

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      This workshop will cover clay plasters on Saturday and lime plaster on Sunday. Please see the above description for the Earthen Plasters workshop in May for additional description.  We'll applying plasters to a new cob and straw-bale studio in a tremendous garden that looks out into urban woodland.  Gourmet vegan raw lunches will be served.  Organic gourmet vegan and raw lunches by chef Gabrielle Chavez author of the Raw Food Gourmet.
For more information and to register contact Gabrielle Chavez.     Cost $140

Light Your Fire!  Rocket Mass Heaters       October 16-17       Oregon City, OR

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      Join us for an great weekend when we will build a rocket stove while covering how fire burns, how to create a clean and complete burn, and what makes effective heating.  Rocket stoves are clean burning, fuel efficient and easy to build.  Why invest thousands in a masonry heater when you can build a heated sculpture yourself for under $200 in materials?  Basic masonry skills, duct work, and cobbing will all be part of the learning experience.   Organic gourmet raw vegan lunches will be served by chef Gabrielle Chavez author of the Raw Food Gourmet.  For more information and to register contact Gabrielle Chavez.       Cost $140