Home Calendar Diary Building Projects Links www.strawbalestudio.org
The OXFORD KID'S COTTAGE:
2008 Start -to-Finish
Natural Building Series
Welcome to the 2008 Natural Building Series of 7 workshops oriented toward the creation of the Oxford Kid's Cottage.
This small (8'x10') "Start-to-Finish" structure will give participants the opportunity to experience all the aspects
of a natural building within a relatively short time period.
In addition to the series of 7 workshops, there are additional activities such as the full moon bonfires, and some events for children and families. I hope you enjoy learning about natural building and sustainability this year!
Skills Taught
The Kid's Cottage series includes Hands-on Workshops where you can learn the following skills:
Rubble Trench Foundation, Hybrid Stone Wall, Round-pole Framing, Thatched Roof, Strawbale Wall Construction, Door & Window Framing, Earthen Plasters & Earthen Flooring. See full listing of all workshops below.
Design Considerations
Click here for an overview of design considerations for the Oxford Kid's Cottage.
Attending a workshop
You may come for one, some, or all of the sessions. There are Early Bird, Bring-a-Friend, and "Whole Series" Discounts. Children are welcome at some workshops, with adult supervision. Overnight accommodations are available as part of the course cost, with plenty of space outdoors to tent, as well as some indoor space on a first-come, and most-needed basis.
Location
All courses will take place on the Strawbale Studio Land ~ 50 acres of beautiful wooded & rural country ~ located 10 minutes from Oxford, Michigan and one hour north of Detroit, Michigan, USA.
Instructor: Deanne Bednar
"I entered the world of natural building by participating in a "Start-to-Finish" course with the Cob Cottage Company in 1996 after retiring from teaching art & sustainability at the middle school level. Returning to Michigan, I became a collaborator in the Strawbale Studio Project. I now educate (and learn) as much as I can about natural building & sustainable living through workshops, internships, presentations, exhibits & outreach. I had the priviledge of illustrating the Hand-Sculpted House Book, The Natural Plaster Book,, and the Cobbers Companion, and being a start-to-finish collaborator on the Kensington Kids Cottage, located within the Kensington Metropark, at the Farm Center.
Outside Resources
Oxford Kid's Cottage Series
Natural Building Series Part 1: Rubble Trench Foundation
May 10 & 11, 2008 10 am - 4 pm.
Come learn about the construction of this unique start-to-finish building that will teach real building skills using local & natural materials. This weekend will give an overview of the Kid's Cottage natural building series, and will feature the hands-on construction of a traditional Rubble trench, using fieldstone from the land. This type of foundation is appropriate as the base for many kinds of structures, including garden walls, and both conventional & natural homes in almost all climates.
The weekend includes
- An overview of the Kid's Cottage Project & the 2008 Natural Building Series
- Design principles of natural foundations
- Some excavation of trench
- Harvesting & preparation of local materials
- Cedar post installation & stone infill
Optional
Saturday potluck supper, evening browsing of natural building resource library & overnight stay.
Instructor: Deanne Bednar Bio
Fees & Registration
- $85 paid by may 1, 2008 or $100 by May 5, 2008
- Registration, discounts & worktrade ~ click here.
Natural Building Series Part 2: Hybrid Stone Wall
May 17 & 18, 2008. 10 am - 4 pm
Learn 3 different wall construction techniques (applicable to garden walls & building foundations) using local, natural & recycled materials! This will be a "hybrid" Knee wall (about Knee height ~ 14 inches tall) placed on top of the rubble trench. It will support the strawbale walls of the Oxford Kid's Cottage.
This workshop will include
- Foundation design principles
- Some excavation of the foundation trench
- Constructing a dry-laid wall using flat local fieldstone
- Building a masonry-laid kneewall of round fieldstone with an insulated cavity,
- Creating an "urbanite" kneewall from local, recycled cement sidewalk pieces.
Reasonably strong, healthy backs are required! All Levels.
Optional: potluck, evening browsing of natural building resource library & overnight stay.
Instructor: Deanne Bednar Bio
Fees & Registration:
- $95 by May 1 or $120 by May 10. Saturday only: $60/$70.
- Registration, discounts & worktrade ~ click here.
Natural Building Series Part 3: Round Pole Framing
May 24 & 25, 2008. 10 am to 4 pm.
In this “3rd in a series” of hands-on workshops to create an enchanting 8’x10’ Kid’s Cottage in N. Oakland Co., you will gain confidence to harvest & build with round timbers locally gathered from the land. Learn several easy techniques which are very compatible with natural wall systems (strawbale, cob, wattle & daub) & roof thatching.
In this workshop you will
- Learn the principles of Round-pole Design
- Harvest & prepare pole for construction
- Practice simple joining techniques
- Install poles on the frame & roof
Optional: potluck, evening browsing of natural building resource library & overnight stay.
Instructor: Deanne Bednar Bio
Fees & Registration:
- $95 paid by April 20, 2008 (Early Bird Discount)
- $120 paid by May 10, 2008
- Saturday only $60/$70
Registration, discounts & worktrade ~ click here.
Home Calendar Diary Building Projects Links www.strawbalestudio.org
Natural Building Series Part 4: A Sampler of Practical Skills. May 30, 31 & June 1, 2008
This weekend will give you a chance to experience a number of skills. Try your hand on the stone foundation, round pole framing, earth plastering & harvesting local natural materials. See the Strawbale Studio, worm composting, Solar Oven, Rocket Stove Heated Bench, sustainability library & more.
Instructor: Deanne Bednar Bio
Fees & Registration:
- $95 paid by April 20, 2008
- $120 paid y May 10, 2008
- Saturday only $60/$7
Home Calendar Diary Building Projects Links www.strawbalestudio.org
Home Calendar Diary Building Projects Links www.strawbalestudio.org
Week-long Thatching Workshop: creating an all natural, local roof!
Note that this includes workshop # 6
June 12 – 18, 2008 Thursday through Wednesday.
Learn how to design & construct a thatched roof, help prep the round-pole roof structure, visit a Phragmite (reed grass) field, prepare bundles, apply the reed to the roof & ridge. Evenings, view thatching/natural building videos & resources. By the end of the week you will have been exposed to the skills needed to do basic thatching on a simple roof.
Also, learn to identify, mix & apply Earthen Plasters on a Rocket Stove Heated Bench!
Instructor: Deanne Bednar Bio
Fees & Registration:
- $350 by May 1. $475 by June 1.
- Registration, discounts & worktrade ~ click here.
Home Calendar Diary Building Projects Links www.strawbalestudio.org
Home Calendar Diary Building Projects Links www.strawbalestudio.org
Natural Building Series Part 5: "An experience of Thatching" June 14 & 15, 2008
Ever wonder what it would be like to thatch a building?
Attend the Intro to Thatching workshop on Saturday morning, then continue to get instruction & hands-on experience in applying reed to the roof of the Oxford Kids Cottage! Optional potluck, evening video & overnight stay.
Instructor: Deanne Bednar Bio
Fees & Registration:
- $120 paid by May 15, 2008 Class Size limited to 10 participants.
- $140 paid by June 1 , 2008
- Saturday 10 am - 1 pm only $25/$35 Unlimited Class Size
- Sign up for this class: Registration, discounts & worktrade ~ click here.
Intro to the Art of Thatching.
June 14, Saturday 10-1 pm.
Learn about this waterproof, insulated, nontoxic roofing system. See a thatch demonstration & presentation on the basics of roof design & thatching principles. Make a miniature reed mat to take home. Includes a tour of the Strawbale Studio, a thatched roof structure.
Instructor: Deanne Bednar Bio
Fees & Registration:
- $25 by May 15, 2008
- $30 by June 1, 2008
- Registration, discounts & worktrade ~ click here.
Home Calendar Diary Building Projects Links www.strawbalestudio.org
Home Calendar Diary Building Projects Links www.strawbalestudio.org
Natural Building for Kids
June 22, 2008 1 - 4 pm
Family Day, fun for all ages! Tour the enchanting Strawbale Studio, see the Kids Cottage under construction. and build your own earthen model to take home!
Instructor: Deanne Bednar Bio
Fees & Registration:
- $20 per person by June 1,
- $35 by June 15.
- Registration, discounts & worktrade ~ click here.
Home Calendar Diary Building Projects Links www.strawbalestudio.org
Home Calendar Diary Building Projects Links www.strawbalestudio.org
Open Build.
July 4, 5, 6, 2008
Come to the land & join in on our natural building & sustainability projects. This is an opportunity to be with good people and with nature, while learning useful skills and helping with current projects.
Instructor: Deanne Bednar Bio
Fees & Registration:
$25 per day/ $50 for 3 days, paid by June 15.
Optional: bring your bedding & stay overnight indoors (limited space) or camp outdoors. Enjoy Natural Building Resources in the evening.
Home Calendar Diary Building Projects Links www.strawbalestudio.org
Home Calendar Diary Building Projects Links www.strawbalestudio.org
Strawbale & Natural Building 10 day course.
July 11-20, 2008 This course includes Part 6 & Part 7 below (Strawbale, Earthen Plaster & Floors)
Learn the basics of strawbale wall construction on this 10 day hands-on workshop which will include design principles, strawbale wall construction, pinning, window & door framing, natural plastering & sculpting, application of lime plaster, experience in round pole framing plus a demonstration of roof thatching.
Instructor: Deanne Bednar Bio
Fees & Registration:
- $400 by May 15, $525 by June 15.
- Registration, discounts & worktrade ~ click here.
Home Calendar Diary Building Projects Links www.strawbalestudio.org
Home Calendar Diary Building Projects Links www.strawbalestudio.org
Natural Building Series Part 6: Introduction to Strawbale Construction.
July 12 & 13, 2008 10am - 4pm Included in 10 day course above.
Learn how to create a breathable structure with strawbales & mud plasters. Install & stabilize strawbale walls, frame up a window, apply earthen plasters to the Oxford Kid’s Cottage. See the Strawbale Studio & Rocket Stove Heated Bench.. Optional potluck, evening video & overnight.
Instructor: Deanne Bednar Bio
Fees & Registration:
- $150 by May 15, $180 by July 1.
- Registration, discounts & worktrade ~ click here.
Home Calendar Diary Building Projects Links www.strawbalestudio.org
Home Calendar Diary Building Projects Links www.strawbalestudio.org
Natural Building Series Part 7: Earthen Floor & Natural Plasters Workshop
July 19 & 20, 2008 Included in 10 day course above.
You will get hands-on experience installing light clay insulation, an earthen floor & natural plaster in the Oxford Kid’s Cottage! Also learn the principles of creating a radiant floor heating system. Tour the Strawbale Studio & see the Rocket Stove Heated Bench.
Instructor: Deanne Bednar Bio
Fees & Registration:
- $150 by June 1, $180 by July 1.
Home Calendar Diary Building Projects Links www.strawbalestudio.org
Home Calendar Diary Building Projects Links www.strawbalestudio.org
Natural Building Tour & Earthen Model-Making
Sunday, August 3, 2008 10 am to 2 pm.
Are you curious about natural building? Tour the enchanting thatched-roof Strawbale Studio (as featured in the "Beauty of Strawbale Homes" by Bill & Athena Steen), see the Rocket Stove Heated Bench & other sustainable projects & make an earthen model to take home. Includes lunch!
Instructor: Deanne Bednar Bio
- Fee: $30 if paid by July 21 / $40 after July 21, 2008
Home Calendar Diary Building Projects Links www.strawbalestudio.org
Home Calendar Diary Building Projects Links www.strawbalestudio.org
Earthen Plaster & Earthen Floor Workshop.
August 9 & 10, 2008 10 – 4 pm
This workshop will concentrate on the mixing & application of local earth to form beautiful walls & interior sculptures, and durable floor systems. Also tour the Strawbale Studio & see the Rocket Stove Heated Bench which utilizes the earth as a construction medium & thermal mass. Optional: Evening Video & overnight.
Instructor: Deanne Bednar Bio
Fees & Registration:
- $150 by June 1, $180 by July 15.
- Registration, discounts & worktrade ~ click here.
Home Calendar Diary Building Projects Links www.strawbalestudio.org
Home Calendar Diary Building Projects Links www.strawbalestudio.org
Radiant Earthen Floor
August 16 & 17
Use the earth to hold heat ~ down by the feet! (Sounds like the beginning of a good natural building song!) Learn about earthen floors as we retrofit the Strawbale Studio with a radiant floor system.
Instructor: Deanne Bednar Bio
Fees & Registration:
- $60/day or $100 per weekend paid by July 1 or $70/$120 paid by Aug 1.
- Registration, discounts & worktrade ~ click here.
Home Calendar Diary Building Projects Links www.strawbalestudio.org
Home Calendar Diary Building Projects Links www.strawbalestudio.org
Possible workshop - to be determined.
The Basics of building an Earthen Floor.
August 30 & 31, 2008
This workshop will help you decide if an earth floor is right for your future home. Hands-on learning will teach the principles of earthen floor design, how to identify and find the proper soil, mixing & application techniques, and how to give the floor a durable finish.
Cost to be determined. Call Deanne or email if you may be interested in being in, or helping with this workshop.
Home Calendar Diary Building Projects Links www.strawbalestudio.org
Home Calendar Diary Building Projects Links www.strawbalestudio.org
"Enchanting Spaces" Sustainability Weekend
September 13 & 14, 2008
Learn to apply both base & finish plasters, and sculpt with earth. help sculpt the grounds around the Kids’s Cottage, and learn by assisting on projects we are finishing up. This will be a well-rounded educational weekend focused on sustainability skills. Includes demonstrations of fermenting, food drying & solar cooking.
Instructor: Deanne Bednar Bio
Fees & Registration:
- $50 paid by Aug 1, $75 by Sept 1.
- Registration, discounts & worktrade ~ click here.
Home Calendar Diary Building Projects Links www.strawbalestudio.org
Home Calendar Diary Building Projects Links www.strawbalestudio.org
Natural Building Tour & Video Evening.
September 24,wednesday 2008 6:30 – 9 pm.
Experience the enchanting Strawbale Studio, a thatched roof structure with strawbale walls, earthen plasters and sculptural shapes. Also see the new Oxford Kid's Cottage, a playhouse that demonstrates numerous natural building techniques. After the tour and potluck supper we will watch a classic natural building film about strawbale house construction called " The Strawbale Solutiion".
Check out the sustainability library and books for sale!
Instructor: Deanne Bednar Bio
Fees & Registration:
- $15 by Aug 1, $20 by August 15, 2008
Home Calendar Diary Building Projects Links www.strawbalestudio.org
Home Calendar Diary Building Projects Links www.strawbalestudio.org
Background of Instructor
Deanne Bednar, Workshop Leader, writes: I have been involved with natural building since 1996, helping to design & construct the Strawbale Studio & the Kensington Kids Cottage, which have strawbale walls, earthen plasters & benches and beautiful thatched roofs. I consider myself an Earth Artist, and my background includes middle school art teacher, sustainability teacher, & illustrator of 3 books on natural building!
I have had a chance to process a great deal of information on natural building as the illustrator of The Hand-Sculpted House Book, by Ianto Evans, Michael Smith & Linda Smiley, The Natural Plaster Book by Cedar Rose Guelberth & Dan Chiras, and The Cobber's Companion, by Michael Smith.
In 1980 I recieved a Masters Degree in Social Ecology from Goddard College, and have taught sustainability courses at the Middle School level. I have also applied these values to the illustrations for the educational displays at the Upland Hills Ecological Awareness Center as well are numerous other sustainability related art projects, such as the World Pledge Poster (written by Lillian Genser).
Strawbale & Cob Construction:
I began my journey into natural building officially in 1996 with a 3 week building course with the Cob Cottage Company. Since then I have attended workshops on strawbale construction, light clay construction & earthen floors with Robert LaPorte, and many Natural Building Colloquium where I have been privileged to observe and learn from wonderful masters in the field.
Since 1996, and my retirement from public school teaching, my lifework has been building & educating about strawbale construction, earth plasters and sculptures and thatching. I am continually interested in sustainability, and especially in local, natural, hand-harvested materials. I love foraging for food, natural building materials, and learning the qualities of such natural materials as wool, bees wax, fermentation, felting, and more. I consider myself on the "traditional" end of the spectrum and lean towards indigenous, vernacular architectural techniques, which I am ever weaving into the projects around me.
Thatching:
In 1998 I learned basic thatching skills from Danish Master Thatcher, Flemming Abrahamsson, in a 12 day course, and since, hav helped to thatch the Strawbale Studio in Oxford Michigan, and directed the thatching on the Kensington Kid's Cottage at the Farm Center in Kensington Metropark, Milford, Michigan. I have done a lot of reed collecting, and understand the basic principles of design and attachment for Phragmite reed grass roofing system. Although I consider myself a "novice thatcher", certainly not a master thatcher, I feel confident in showing you how a common person, like you or I can successfully and beautifully thatch a roof with minimal skills. I am a teacher, and a curious person. I find thatched roofs to be very intriguing and enjoy sharing the knowledge I have about it!
Earth Plastering:
I have been applying earth plasters since 1999, and have done extensive work with sculpting benches and other Earth Art. I have been asked to do earthen sculpting at the Cob Cottage Company "Heart House" on their outdoor fireplace, and at the ceremonial building at the Peace Weaver Center on Thunder Mountain in Bath, New York. I illustrated the Natural Plaster Book by Cedar Rose Guelberth & Dan Chiras, and brought Cedar Rose to Oxford Michigan, for a 5 day workshop on natural earth plastering. There she learned additional skills in doing both basic and finish plasters. I have also begun to transform the main house I live in (which has conventional painted drywall walls) with earthen plasters and sculpting. I have taught workshops on earthen plasters since 2004, and love to share these skills of reconnecting and creating with earth!
Home Calendar Diary Building Projects Links www.strawbalestudio.org
Group Name |
Members |
Strawbale Studio |
Deanne Bednar |
|
ecoartdb@gmail.com
248 628 1887
www.strawbalestudio.org
|
ecoartdb@gmail.com
248 628 1887
www.strawbalestudio.org
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