The Very Very Basic Straw Bale Weekend Workshop

From start-to-finish we will build a small garden outbuilding (about 6? x 6?) utilizing all the skills that you would use to build a much larger project… but in a small and digestible package. The Workshop Agenda includes: -Orientation/ quick tour of Blue Rock Station -Site selection and leveling Laying out the tire foundation Pounding and leveling the tires. -Installing a sill plate. -Framing the structure. -Securing the base row of bales to the foundation -Cutting and retying bales to size. -Cutting saplings to girdle the bales. -Lashing the bales to the saplings. -Theory of straw bale, load bearing versus non-load bearing -Water issues (keeping the bales dry) -Mixing and using cobb -Earth plastering -Integrating designs and light into your building using bottles The Straw Bale Garden Project: This basic project incorporates all the skills and techniques that you will need to tackle different size projects. But the scale of the vaulted straw bale building is small enough for a beginner "green builder" to learn without being overwhelmed – useful techniques for big or small building projects.