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The Year of Mud 10 year anniversary

10 Years of Mud

By Workshops, Cob Building

The Year of Mud 10 year anniversary

It’s 2018, and that means The Year of Mud hits double digits this year (!). Ten years ago, I started The Year of Mud blog when I began my foolhardy journey into the world of natural building. Well dang. I’m not one to boast, but it’s been a lot of work to keep this website chugging that whole time. I certainly had no idea where I was headed when I decided to “build a mud hut” all those years ago. But one thing is for sure: natural building has been a huge focal point of my life since I first stuck my hands (and feet) in a batch of cob.

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Sale on 2012 Straw Bale Workshop — Save $150 By Applying Today!

By Straw Bale Building, Workshops

Straw Bale Workshops

Starting today, we are offering a special discount on the 10 day Straw Bale Workshop at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage. Apply today and save $150 off the regular tuition!

If you’ve ever been interested in learning about straw bale construction and getting some solid experience working with natural building materials and techniques, now is your best chance.

Come experience The Year of Mud’s Straw Bale Workshop in a pioneering ecovillage community here in northeast Missouri! It’s going to be a great time. The course runs from July 22 – August 2. Spots are limited — reserve yours today!

p.s.: Contact me with any questions you may have.

Days 1 & 2 of the Timber Framing Workshop

By Hand Tools, Timber Framing, Strawtron, Workshops
Antique Boring Machines

Tom shows off three different antique boring machines

The first two full days of the Timber Frame Workshop have already come and gone, and it’s going great! We’ve got a great group of participants, the weather is just lovely, and we’re cranking away on some good ol’ fashioned joinery using a whole bunch of sweet hand tools from Tom’s collection. Chris Newman arrived yesterday and will be a great backup to Tom in guiding our group through the process of building the rest of the timber frame.

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Timber Framing Begins: Building the Strawtron House Platform

By Workshops, Natural Building Workshops, Timber Framing, Strawtron
Timber framing

Making wood chips... er, timber framing beings!

Today was a historic day in the “Strawtron” building timeline — we began timber framing and building our house platform. Yahoo! A few nights ago, we got our delivery of massive sill beams and floor joists, including some honking 8×12 white oak beams at 16 feet long each — requiring no less than ten people to carry them 30 feet into our newly erected “wedding tent”, the temporary shade/weather structure we constructed for our Timber Frame Workshop.

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Only 30 Days Until Timber Frame Workshop!

By Workshops, Natural Building Workshops, Timber Framing
Timber Frame Workshop

Reserve your spot today in the 2012 Timber Framing Workshop!

Wow, it’s hard to believe only 30 days remain until the Timber Frame Workshop begins. From June 10-25, we’ll be hosting our first workshop dedicated to traditional timber framing, led by Tom Cundiff, a talented builder with 15 years of experience.

Build a House… Without Nails

It’s going to be a great chance to learn how to build a home — without nails, screws, and lackluster dimensional lumber, but instead with beauitful, durable posts and beams that will last for generations. A timber frame house is the kind of home that can stay in your family for literally hundreds of years!

Anyway, we’ll be teaching participants the skills necessary to build their own timber frames, using hand tools and traditional techniques, of course. Not only that, students will get a valuable look into life at a functional ecovillage powered by renewable energy, complete with a range of various natural buildings.

Guarantee Your Timber Framing Workshop Participation

It’s going to be a very fun time, and I hope you’ll consider joining us, because there are still a few spaces available. Apply today for the Timber Frame Workshop to get a guaranteed chance to be a part of our comprehensive building course!

And did I mention you’ll get fed delicious home-cooked, organic meals while you’re here? Mm, mm.

3 Days Remaining to Save 10% Off Timber Frame Workshop

By Timber Framing, Workshops, Natural Building Workshops
Timber Frame Workshop

Demonstrating a scarf joint in a Timber Framing course

Wow, it’s almost May already. Time flies when it’s a beautiful spring! May 1 is also our Early Registration deadline for the 2012 Timber Frame Workshopthere are 3 short days left to apply and save 10% off the cost of the Timber Framing course.

Get your application in now to be a part of this unique course. Learn all about traditional timber frame construction with hand tools in a thriving ecovillage community this June. It’s a great chance for aspiring builders, current carpenters wanting to expand their skills, or for budding homesteaders to learn how to build a home that will last generations.

Thanks for reading!

3 Days Left to Save 20% Off Timber Frame Workshop

By Timber Framing, Workshops

timber framing workshop 2012Timber Frame Workshop 2012 Update!

Here’s a friendly reminder for all the prospective natural builders and timber framers out there.

There are only 3 days left to qualify for the Extra Early Registration Discount for this year’s Timber Framing Workshop.

You can SAVE 20% by applying now — that’s a savings of $400. And don’t forget — spaces are limited. All experience levels are welcome.

After March 15, there is still an Early Registration Discount, which is 10% off the tuition.

Thanks for reading, and thanks for applying! Hope to see you soon.

2012 Natural Building Internship: Build a Straw Bale House

By Work Exchange, Timber Framing, Straw Bale Building, Strawtron, Workshops


The Year of Mud is happy to announce that we are seeking an intern during the 2012 building season. We are offering a rare natural building internship opportunity — the chance to help build a straw bale house from the ground up, and to participate in two complete natural building workshops in an inspiring ecovillage community.

Interns will help to organize and get full participation in our Timber Frame Workshop, and Straw Bale Workshop. Come experience what it is like to build a natural home from step one at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage!

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Straw Bale Building Workshop 2012: Build a Straw Bale House

By Straw Bale Building, Strawtron, Workshops

The Straw Bale Building Workshop at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage is now open to applicants! Come join us in July 2012 for a comprehensive 10 day straw bale construction course, where you will learn valuable skills you need to know to build your own straw bale house.

You’ll get hands-on experience stacking, securing, and pinning bales, and plastering the walls with local clay. Enjoy and learn from the incredible experience of helping to build an actual home in a well-known, inspiring ecovillage community.
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