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Higher Michelcombe Farm, Holne, Devon Weekend Workshops in Basics of Cob Building/ Living Roofs/ Natural Finishes, 2009
During a series of 4 different workshops participants helped sculpt a cob animal shelter. Partly funded by The Dartmoor Sustainable Development Fund this project offered training opportunities to local residents and people from the wider community interested in traditional and sustainable building techniques to spend time connecting with the earth in a fun and creative way.
Treborough Woodland Campsite, Exmoor
Owl Oven - Cob Weekend Workshop, 2007 &
‘Loo with a View’ - Basics of Cob Building 7 day workshop, 2008
Our hosts, having been on a previous oven course of ours at Beenleigh Meadows, Devon, went on to successfully build their own oven with friends and family, which was then used to cater for both workshops.Workshop participants discovered how it’s possible to use the ground beneath their feet to sculpt both a cob compost loo and a sculpted cob oven. The majority of materials for both workshops were sourced from the land. The loo was completed with Alan & family and the help of volunteers and two further workshops they ran on lime plasters and the construction of a living roof.
Low Impact Living Initiative (LILI), Redfield, Buckinghamshire
Weekend Workshops in Basics of Cob Building &
Cob Oven, 2005-2008
We ran a series of cob building workshops with LILI at both the Redfield community and a selection of nationwide venues over a period of 3 years. These ranged from a "Gruffalo" oven, sculpted seating areas, ‘bottle’ wall, sauna, and stupa.
Beenleigh Meadows Farm, Harberton, Devon
Basics of Cob Building 7 day Workshop &
Cob Oven Weekend Workshop, 2007
Continuing on from the work started during the lottery funded week long project with the local Steiner School & other groups the previous year, we ran a week long cob building workshop to bring the walls up and install windows and doors formwork for the animal shelter. Another cob oven was also built during a weekend workshop.
Yorkshire Sculpture Park, West Bretton
Cob Oven Weekend Workshop, 2005
Participants worked together in creating a cob oven for use during celebratory events at the sculpture park.
Cae Mabon Retreat, Snowdonia
Natural Finishes Workshop, 2005
We headed to this magical site to apply natural finishes to an existing cob guesthouse built there during a Cob Cottage course in 2004 and finished during several volunteer weekends 2005-2006.
Participants learnt about lime and earth plasters and clay, lime and casein paints. The following Spring some of the previous participants came and helped us pour an adobe floor.
New Zealand Tour - Motueka/ Whangarei/ Dunedin
Cob Ovens - Weekend Workshops, 2003
During a trip to New Zealand we got in touch with sites from WWOOF and set up a series of cob oven workshops in both the North and South islands. It was a great way to meet some of the locals from each area at the same time as creating something beautiful and functional for each host site.
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Apprenticeships
Traditional Building Skills Bursary Scheme, 2011
We had the fortune of becoming placement providers for the Traditional Building Skills Bursary Scheme which was funded by Heritage Lottery and delivered by a partnership of English Heritage, The National Trust, CADW, Construction Skills and National Heritage Training Group.This enabled us to provide two placements, both in earth building and carpentry. Cesar Alejandro continued to work with us for a year after his 6 month carpentry placement and has now moved to Canada with his wife to set up his own carpentry business. Rebecca Reid, after a six month earth building placement has gone on to work with various other companies honing both her earth and lime plastering skills and gaining an NVQ Level 3 in Heritage Skills in Derby.
Past Projects: Workshops
We believe the most effective and enjoyable way to learn about cob building is by hands on experience. A combination of both theory and practice, our workshops are designed to allow people to learn in a safe, creative and enjoyable way. Through rain and shine, hard work and enthusiasm, collective creativity and imagination, anything is possible!
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