Cob: Building a Cob Model First

[Myra Bonhage-Hale]

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Hi, just am so satsified with how our first workshop went in West =
Virginia I wanted to share some of the experiences and learning.  The =
workshop, focussed on building a model of the cob structure which is to =
become a reality during this spring and summer at La Paix.  First of =
all, I have to thank Cat profusely for all her inspiration, nput and =
knowledge which she shared so charmingly with the assembled =
participants.  Her goal was to guide us through the steps in building =
the model  to scale.  My vision of a building was that it would be about =
12 feet in circumference,conssisting of eight sides, six of which would =
have some recycled Gothic windows from a local church in them, one a =
door and the rear 8th side which is up against a slope would be all cob. =
 Before we began the model, we toured La Paix's gardens and described =
the l/2 of a cob bench project and the abandoned cob building site next =
to it.  We also perused the site which had been prepared by one of my =
apprentices last year. and which will be the site of this small, but =
dramatic cob building.
It was a lively workshop, with the lunch I had prepared in the middle - =
pesto pasta, vegetarian tomato sauce with shitake mushrooms and angel =
hair pasta, home made Norweigen Rye and French herbed breads, 3 kinds of =
salad ( one each from me, another participant and one from Cat), lemon =
squares, and beverages.  The weather was gorgeous -  just right - with a =
breeze floating the aromas of apple trees in blossom, autumn olive and =
lilac towards us as we ate under umbrellas in the yard.  We liked each =
other so well, that although the table  chosen could only accomodate 4, =
and there were other tables, the others relaxed on the lawn by the =
table.    Even the appearance of two garter snakes in the middle of all =
this luncheon bliss didn't dismay - we only gave them a home in the Feng =
Shui garden where the dogs couldn't bother them.=20

In  the afternoon, we got down to the model.  The two books  which we =
had studied - Ianto Evan's and Becky Bee's were passed around.   =
Articles from Natural Home magazine and Mother Earth were also shared.  =
As many of us have been on the cob list for awhile, we discussed it's =
efficacy for those who weren't aware of it and a little bit about the =
various member's personality and take on cob......
With the assistance of the participants, (one of whom, Jim, was a =
building contractor who knew math and ratios well - thank heavens!), the =
dimensions and scale of the building took shape.  We decided on how long =
each wall would be, how high the  building would be, how much frame was =
needed around the windows etc.  As the model grew, so did our need to =
change dimensions, including circumferance, height and window placement. =
 Cat had brought 50 lbs. of modeling clay, gravel was collected from the =
driveway, hay like material was furnished and after drawing the model =
dimensions on a plywood board (so that it could be transported, =
photographed  and used as a possible grant project), each participant =
took a side (8 sides made it nice) and built l-l/2 feet of dry wall held =
together in places by the modeling clay which was rolled in the hay like =
material.  Cob was then added up to another l-l/2 inches (the scale was =
1 inch to a foot).  At that point it was decided that the windows would =
go in.  A 3 inch place was left for the east facing door.  The site is =
compass perfect, so the model was oriented east, west, north and south.  =
The windows were roughly sketched in.  Cat reminded us that the floor =
had to be raised a foot off the ground.  Everybody=20
 left later then planned because it was a wonderful learning experience =
with everyone having hands-on opportunity.

Today, not being able to stay away, I roughed in the windows with wooden =
plant stakes cut to fit and even put in a little cardboard gothic window =
in one of the frames.  I realized as I worked that 7-l/2 feet of height =
was not enough - so added another l/2 foot to the overall height - this =
made the windows look a lot better. =20

After this experience, I would heartily recommend that anyone thinking =
or dreaming or wishing to make a cob building make a model first.  It is =
exciting, inspiring and gives you a chance to change things on the model =
instead of the real thing!  There are three weekend  workshops at La =
Paix  in May June and July.  August will be a wrap up.  For information =
on registering by shopping cart or by mail, go to my website at =
http://www.lapaixherbfarm.com and click on the button which says Natural =
Building workshops.  I purposely made the cost as low as possible =
without me losing too much money on it because I think it is good to =
make it available to as many as can benefit.  Registration is limited to =
ten people.  There are scholarships available.  Joy on Your Journey.  =
Myra



Please visit me on my website at http://www.lapaixherbfarmproducts.com.  =


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<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial><FONT size=3D2>Hi, just am so satsified with how =
our first=20
workshop went in West Virginia I wanted to share some of the experiences =
and=20
learning.&nbsp; The workshop, focussed on building a model of the cob =
structure=20
which is to become a reality during this spring and summer at La =
Paix.&nbsp;=20
First of all, I have to thank Cat profusely for all her inspiration, =
nput and=20
knowledge which she shared so charmingly with the assembled =
participants.&nbsp;=20
Her goal was to guide us through the steps in building the&nbsp;model  =
to=20
scale.&nbsp; My vision of a building was that it would be about 12 feet =
in=20
circumference,conssisting of eight sides, six of which would have some =
recycled=20
Gothic windows from a local church in them, one a door and the rear 8th =
side=20
which is up against a slope would be all cob.&nbsp; Before we began the =
model,=20
we toured La Paix's gardens and described the l/2 of a cob bench project =
and the=20
abandoned cob building site next to it.&nbsp; We also perused the site =
which had=20
been prepared by one of my apprentices last year. and which will be the =
site of=20
this small, but dramatic cob building.</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>It was a lively workshop, with the =
lunch I had=20
prepared in the middle - pesto pasta, vegetarian tomato sauce with =
shitake=20
mushrooms and angel hair pasta, home made Norweigen Rye and French =
herbed=20
breads, 3 kinds of salad ( one each from me, another participant and one =
from=20
Cat), lemon squares, and beverages.&nbsp; The weather was gorgeous - =
&nbsp;just=20
right - with a breeze floating the aromas of apple trees in blossom, =
autumn=20
olive and lilac towards us as we ate under umbrellas in the yard.&nbsp; =
We liked=20
each other so well, that although the table&nbsp;&nbsp;chosen could only =

accomodate 4, and there were other tables, the others relaxed on the =
lawn by the=20
table.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Even the appearance of two garter snakes =
in the=20
middle of all this luncheon bliss didn't dismay - we only gave them a =
home in=20
the Feng Shui garden where the dogs couldn't bother them. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial><FONT size=3D2>In&nbsp; the afternoon, we=20
</FONT></FONT><FONT face=3DArial><FONT size=3D2>got down to the =
model.&nbsp; The two=20
books&nbsp; which we had studied - Ianto Evan's and Becky Bee's were =
passed=20
around.&nbsp;&nbsp; Articles from Natural Home magazine and Mother Earth =
were=20
also shared.&nbsp; As many of us have been on the cob list for awhile, =
we=20
discussed it's efficacy for those who weren't aware of it and a little =
bit about=20
the various member's personality and take on =
cob......</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial><FONT><FONT size=3D2>With the assistance of the=20
participants, (one of whom, Jim, was a building contractor who knew math =
and=20
ratios well - thank heavens!), the dimensions and scale of the building =
took=20
shape.&nbsp; We decided on how long each wall would be, how high =
the&nbsp;=20
building would be, how much frame was needed around the windows =
etc.&nbsp; As=20
the model grew, so did our need to change dimensions, including =
circumferance,=20
height and window placement.&nbsp; Cat had brought 50 lbs. of modeling =
clay,=20
gravel was collected from the driveway, hay like material was furnished =
and=20
after drawing the model dimensions on a plywood board (so that it could =
be=20
transported, photographed &nbsp;and used as a possible grant project), =
each=20
participant took a side (8 sides made it nice) and built l-l/2 feet of =
dry wall=20
held together in places by the modeling clay which was rolled in the hay =
like=20
material.&nbsp; Cob was then added up to another l-l/2 inches (the scale =
was 1=20
inch to a foot).&nbsp; At that point it was decided that the windows =
would go=20
in.&nbsp; A 3 inch place was left for the east facing door.&nbsp; The =
site is=20
compass perfect, so the model was oriented east, west, north and =
south.&nbsp;=20
The windows were roughly sketched in.&nbsp;&nbsp;Cat reminded us that =
the floor=20
had to be raised a </FONT></FONT><FONT size=3D2>foot off the =
ground.&nbsp;=20
Everybody </FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial><FONT><FONT size=3D2>&nbsp;left later then =
planned because=20
it was a wonderful learning experience with everyone having hands-on=20
opportunity.</FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Today, not being able to stay away, I =
roughed in=20
the windows with wooden plant stakes cut to fit and even put in a little =

cardboard gothic window in one of the frames.&nbsp; I realized as I =
worked that=20
7-l/2 feet of height was not enough - so added another l/2 foot to the =
overall=20
height - this made the windows look a lot better.&nbsp; </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>After this experience, I would heartily =
recommend=20
that anyone thinking or dreaming or wishing to make a cob building make =
a model=20
first.&nbsp; It is exciting, inspiring and gives you a chance to change =
things=20
on the model instead of the real thing!&nbsp; </FONT><FONT face=3DArial=20
size=3D2>There are&nbsp;three&nbsp;weekend&nbsp; workshops at La =
Paix&nbsp; in May=20
June and July.&nbsp; August will be a wrap up.&nbsp; For information on=20
registering by shopping cart or by mail, go to my website at <A=20
href=3D"http://www.lapaixherbfarm.com">http://www.lapaixherbfarm.com</A> =
and click=20
on the button which says Natural Building workshops.&nbsp; I purposely =
made the=20
cost as low as possible without me losing too much money on it because I =
think=20
it is good to make it available to as many as can benefit.&nbsp; =
Registration is=20
limited to ten people.&nbsp; There are scholarships available.&nbsp; Joy =
on Your=20
Journey.&nbsp; Myra</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial><FONT size=3D2></FONT></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial><FONT size=3D2></FONT></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial><FONT size=3D2></FONT></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial><FONT size=3D2>Please visit me on my website at =
</FONT><A=20
href=3D"http://www.lapaixherbfarmproducts.com"><FONT=20
size=3D2>http://www.lapaixherbfarmproducts.com</FONT></A><FONT =
size=3D2>.&nbsp;=20
</FONT></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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