Some of our first cob gets the “loaf” treatment for easy transport the bench site

Our 2014 Cob Building Workshop just wrapped up, and as always, I’m sad to see that folks have to go home already, but pleased with the very enjoyable experience we all shared. Our three day class was a great chance to get our hands (and feet) in the mud, mixing up some lovely batches of cob, and building a nice little bench and wall together.

On day one, everyone had a good chance to practice their stomping skills, and I was happy with the quality of the mixes. We had very nice sand and clay to work with, and the cob was sticky and stiff, perfect for sculpting the bench we set out to create. It’s always enjoyable to see how quickly people take to mixing up cob and getting a feel for the material. It’s a very primeval experience (except for the big reclaimed sheet of plastic we use to mix, I guess).

It’s not surprising to see lots of smiles as people get their feet muddy for the first time

Having less experience with Kentucky clay, I was a bit concerned that it might not live up to the very rich clay I’ve become adapted to in northeast Missouri. However, all my concerns were put to rest very quickly. My usual ‘one wheelbarrow of sand + 3 buckets of clay’ ratio worked out just fine and dandy.

Some high quality Kentucky cob!

April did a great job of building our dry stack stone foundation for the bench, and it was a pleasure to see the form take shape one ball of cob at a time. We all took opportunities to sit on the bench in progress to check the overall dimensions and shape of things — I love the immediacy of adding a bunch of mud and “trying on” your work as you go.

More Cob Building Workshop updates and photos to come in another post!

The first cob gets worked onto the bench foundation