FW: Cob: experience is overrated -- an eight-year-old with a cookbook could do this stuff!

[Donna Strow]

-----Original Message-----
From: name witheld
Sent: Friday, August 08, 2003 4:21 PM
To: Donna Strow
Subject: Re: Cob: experience is overrated -- an eight-year-old with a
cookbook could do this stuff!


Donna-



Funny, I thought the same thing.  I actually didn't
take a class, but volunteered to help out ed (hey ed
(:  ) on his cob wall down in Virginia.  I don't by
any means feel that I'm an expert, but I did learn
that the rudiments are , uh well, very rudimentary. 
Don't physically know how to do a foundation, but
understand mentally.  And don't know how to put on a
roof, either.  I do feel, though that a few more
volunteer opportunities and a good book, and I'll be
set.  Having said that I really was delighted that cob
was that easy to put up.  It gives it the added
benefit of being uncomplicated in an all too
complicated world.  All you need is some good mud, a
good back, and strong community.

Peace,


--- Donna Strow <dstrow at bcpl.net> wrote:
> 
> Dear Coblist Buddies,
> 
> I learned the value of experience when I went to a
> Natural Building
> workshop.  Experience gives you clout, and it
> teaches you that ... there
> isn't much more to be said for experience in Natural
> Building!!  The
> workshop consisted of classes and practica.  The
> classes were instructive
> but the practica were monotinous and hardly at all
> instructive.
> 
> Yet, because I participated in the practica, I now
> have the clout to tell my
> family and my neighbors that, yes, I can do this,
> and, yes, I can teach them
> how.  I also have the clout to tell them that
> there's little I can teach
> them outside of a classroom...
> 
> Which is a real bummer, because I thought I was
> going to make a living
> offering hands-on instruction workshops.  Now I'm
> wondering ... how can I do
> this?  I'm not Tom Sawyer.  Can I ask my neighbors
> to *pay* to work on my
> barn?  Might they value the experience more than I,
> such that  it would
> actually be reasonable to charge them for the
> priviledge?
> 
> So perhaps I should charge for classroom instruction
> and offer free practica
> with the caveat that I appreciate everyone's help
> and that, again,
> experience is overrated and all they really need to
> do is take their class
> notes home and build their own barns!
> 
> Donna Strow
> 
> 


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