We’ve got some very exciting news to share with you. This fall we’ve been busy behind the scenes, organizing our first workshop for 2015 — a Straw Bale Workshop next July outside of Berea, Kentucky! We’re really happy to be teaming up with Mark Mazziotti again to offer another 7 day course on straw bale construction. This time, our workshop site is a small octagonal straw bale house. It’s an off-grid home being built here in the stunning Appalachian foothills.

Participants will get to experience the straw bale building process from the very beginning, including prepping bales, stacking, modifying, and securing them, and eventually covering them with a clay plaster made from on-site and local materials. This will be our second Straw Bale Workshop, the first being in 2012 on our “Strawtron” timber frame house design. We had so much fun that summer, and expect more good times in 2015. Our students came away with lots of stories and experiences to share, too. Jeff P. of CA said “[it] was one of the best experiences of my life”.

It’s time to start thinking about your plans for next summer. Maybe you’re looking to finally get some hands-on natural building experience, in prepartion for your own project. Maybe you just want a good excuse to take a week off and do something new and active, and have a great time learning in the process. (Not to mention, enjoy eating plenty of good local food and socializing with our crew and other students.)

Either way, check out the details for our 2015 Straw Bale Workshop and think about it!