Syllabus & Schedule
Below is a draft syllabus, serving as a foundation for learning but not cut into stone. Teachable moments will emerge & we will grow to meet the challenges & opportunities of each day together.
The approximate daily schedule throughout the week will be:
7:00 Yoga- every other day (guided outside)
7:45 Breakfast
8:30 Morning meeting
9:30 Hands-on learning and demonstrations
12:30 Lunch & Siesta
2:00 Lecture
3:00 Resume hands-on learning
5:30 Clean up
6:30 Dinner
8:00 Evening program or free time
So much to look forward to...
Day 1
Hands-on: retie and stack straw bales
Lecture: Site orientation
Overview of building
Personal introductions
Intro to straw bales
Day 2
Hands-on: Straw bale walls continue
Make clay slip
Make straw-clay for stuffing
Stuff straw bale walls
Prep slip and chip walls
Mix and apply cob
Lecture: finding and testing clay soils
Day 3
Hands-on: finish straw bale walls
Mix and install slip and chip
Mix and apply cob
Prep straw-clay walls
Lecture: foundations, drainage, and moisture protection
Day 4
Hands-on: Mix and apply straw-clay
slip and chip continues
Cob continues
Chop straw for base plaster
Lecture: thermal properties of natural walls
Day 5
Hands-on: finish interior walls
Straw-clay continues
Cob continues
Spray clay slip on straw bale walls
Mix and apply base coat plaster
Lecture: passive solar design and siting
Day 6
Hands-on: Mix and apply base coat plaster
Straw-clay continues
Cob continues
Finish plaster recipe development
Lecture: plasters and finishes
Day 7
Hands-on: Mix and install base coat plaster
Cob continues
Clean up
Lecture: evaluate finish plaster samples
Q & A, evaluation