Two Day Workshop: Saturday and Sunday, June 7th & June 8th, 2025
Reconnect with the timeless wisdom of building with earth. There are many ways of working and building with earth to create everything from homes to ovens to garden walls to finishes on existing structures. In this class we will use the same basic materials; clay, sand and fiber, to create a variety of different types of earthen building systems, including cob, adobe and earthen plaster.
The course is appropriate for both first-time builders and for professionals in the building trade who are interested in natural materials. We will discuss how to find and choose appropriate soil for construction and how to create various mixes.
We will also discuss what your options are for using these materials with the current building codes and how to get permits.
What this course will cover:
- Mixing and applying Cob
- Making and building with adobe blocks
- Screening & mud mixing methods
- Identifying foraged clay soil
- Understanding mixes
- Mixing and applying base coat earthen plaster
- How to figure out recipes for all of the above mixes
This is a rough guideline for our days. The specific order of things is subject to change based on weather, drying conditions, and energy levels.
Day 1
Morning
Hands on
- Mixing Cob
- Apply Cob on the foundation
Lecture:
- Introduction to our materials: Clay, Sand, Fiber
- Deeper dive into understanding What is Clay soil?
Lunch
Afternoon
Hands on
- Cont. Mixing and Applying cob
- Making Adobes
Lecture
- A look at different NB techniques- What is Cob, What is Adobe?
Day 2
Morning
Hands on
- Building with Adobes
- Cont. Mixing and building with Cob
Lecture
- Natural Building overview
Lunch
Afternoon
Hands on
Lecture
- What is Natural Plaster? What are some different mixes, and what can it be used on?
Payment
We offer three tiers of payment for the workshop
- $225 Early Bird - Closes 5/23/25 at 12:00pm
- $260 Standard Tuition
- $295 Pay it Forward
The pay-it-forward tier allows us to continue offering scholarships.
Lunch and snacks will be provided. A hearty vegan lunch with the option of farm fresh eggs will be provided on both days. Please bring a water bottle and feel encouraged to bring your own snacks. We recommend eating a full breakfast ahead of the workshop to fuel your hands-on building. We cannot accommodate all dietary restrictions, so if you are concerned about allergens please prepare your own lunch.
Overnight accommodations not included. Please plan to stay with friends, at local campgrounds, or other accommodations if needed. The closest campgrounds to MAMA TREE are Dennison Park in Upper Ojai & Steckel Park in Santa Paula. We hope to be able to accommodate camping in the future, but are not yet permitted to.
What will we be building? During this hands-on workshop, we'll work collectively to build an indoor / outdoor classroom and gathering space, incorporating different natural building techniques like cob, adobe, and plaster using locally gathered materials when possible. Stay tuned for more information.
Scholarships
Financial assistance is available for folks in need of financial support to participate in this workshop. Please contact us directly if you are needing support at PROGRAMS@MAMATREEOJAI.COM
Refund Policy
A 90% refund will be provided upon cancellation if we are notified 1 week in advance (5/31/25 at 9:00am). The 10% not returned accounts for the GoDaddy processing fee as well as our registration fees. We can provide a refund of 50% up until two days before the workshop begins (6/5/25 at 9:00am). However, due to preparation expenses, we are unable to provide a refund if a cancellation occurs within two days before the workshop begins.
Question?
Email us at PROGRAMS@MAMATREEOJAI.COM
