Cob: new to list, and cob

[brad davis]

[snip]
> I come from MN and am use to cold weather --average low temp in January -1.4,
> in North East PA it's 18.4. What exactly would the 8r be like...would it just
> cost more to heat or would it feel very cold. Does anyone have a cob house in
> this type of climate? 

>I can't speak from personal experience in your type of climate, but with
temperatures in that range, you will probably want to insulate the outside
of the building, cob is a lousy insulator.

What do you insulate the cob with? Straw/clay plaster? Straw/clay/lime
plaster? Straw/clay plaster with a Lime finishing plaster? Strawbale? Can a
suitable plaster be made with a high content of straw?

I have heard of thinner inner Cob walls with Strawbale on the outside
standing on end and pinned to the Cob.
  

Brad