- Check out the 2018 Photo Gallery ! You can view it as a slide show.
| Type | Dates | WORKSHOPS & ACTIVITIES | Teacher or Guest Teacher | Co-teacher |
| Community | Jan – Dec 2018 | Monthly Full Moon Potlucks | ||
| Design | November 27, 2018 | Gambral Roof Design & Cob Model for Ed Riffle. | Deanne Bednar | |
| Book Project | Dec 15-18, 2018 | Wholly Connected: scan this Thesis | Alex Huebel, Sara, Lydia | |
| Class | December 8, 2018 | Candle-Making & Holiday Gifts Class | Deanne Bednar | helper: Corinne Denomme |
| Class | December 9, 2018 | Candle-Making & Holiday Gifts Class | Deanne Bednar | helper: Robin Demiglio |
| Exhibit/Present | November 2-3, 2018 | Great Lakes BIONEERS Detroit Conference. U of D Mercy. | Deanne Bednar “Regenerative Continuum & Natural Materials Retrofit “ | Exhibit helpers: Matthew McCoul, Corinne Dominne |
| Retreat | Sept 21- 23, 2018 | Woman’s Nature Renewal Retreat | Gaylyn Kaufman, Deanne Bednar | Corinne Denomme, Debbie Henderson |
| Youth Activity | September 11, 2018 | Kids Stick Structure Activity. Great Lakes Herb Faire, Ortonville, MI | Deanne Bednar | Kelly Theide |
| Exhibit | August 26, 2018 | Strawbale Studio Exhibit / Demo @ Eastern Market-Jewish Food Fest | Deanne Bednar | Kelly Theide |
| Project | July 15 – Aug 8, 2018 | PRACTICE STRUCTURE – details below | Ankita Gandhi, Matt McCoul | |
| Class | June 15 – 16, 2018 | Natural Building Materials Workshop @ Wellfield Botanical Gardens, Elkhart, IN | Deanne Bednar, Tyler Schaeffer | |
| Project off-site | June 13- 18, July 12-15, 2018 | Elkhart, IN Project: Childrens Structure Strawclay Wall System +, Wellfield Botanical Garden | Deanne Bednar, Tyler Schaeffer | Matthew McCoul, Paul Beaudet, Robert O’Neil, Nichole Bauman, Justin Trombly, Ann Gentry. |
| Project off-site | 10 days `June/July, 2018 | Camp Tamarack Earth Oven Construction & sculpting. | Deanne Bednar, Shannon Malburg, Ankita Ghandi, Catherine Bristol + | Camp Farm educators, Annette, Alex, Jess, Aaron ! |
| Student Tour | June 6, 2018 | Oakland University Student Organic Farm Permaculture Class | Tour: Fay Hanson & Jared Bogdonov-Hann’s Class | Tour guide: Deanne Bednar |
| Project | May, 4-6, 2018 | Mushroom Log Innoculation | Mathew McCoul, Diyoni & friend. | |
| Class | May 20, 2018 | Joy of Foraging + Shiitake Log Inoculation Demo | Deanne Bednar | Kelly Theide |
| Class | May 19, 2018 | Foraging Class + Earth Oven Pizza | Deanne Bednar | Kelly Theide |
| Exhibit | Apr 20-22, 2018 | MI EARTH DAY FEST- SBS Exhibit, Strawbale Climb, Demo’s, Earth Oven. | Deanne Bednar, Jared Bogdonov, Hanna, Jug Tarr, | Gene Vilenni, Paul Beaudet, Kelly Theide and others (remind me) |
| Class | March 25, 2018 | Eco-Cooking Workshop | Deanne Bednar | Paul Beaudet |
| Class | March 24,2018 | Fun Fermenting Workshop | Deanne Bednar | Rachel Sexton |
| Student Tour | March 6, 2018 | Upland HIlls School Field Trip | Deanne Bednar | Teacher: Kathy Long |
| WINTERN Weekend Workshops | ||||
| Class | January 13 & 14, 2018 | THATCHED ROOF Workshop | Deanne Bednar | Instructor |
| Community | January 31, 2018 | FULL MOON Potluck | Community Event | |
| Class | January 20 & 21, 2018 | ROUND POLE Workshop | Deanne Bednar | Instructor |
| Class | January 28 & 28, 2018 | ROCKET STOVE Workshop & Earth Oven | Deanne Bednar | Instructor |
| Class | February 3 & 4, 2018 | EARTH PLASTER Workshop | Deanne Bednar | |
| GUEST PRESENTERS | ||||
| Guest Teachers | 1/13-14/2018 | Connecting with Natural Building as a vocation. Presentation. | Chris Magwood | Co-Founder of the Endeavour School of Natural Building. |
| Guest Teachers | 1/28/2018 | Visit & Tour of Timber Frame Shop | Jim Clark, Lake Orion, MI Guest Instructor: | Wintern Fieldtrip to his barn. Jim shares info on timberframing and a demo of a mortice & tenon joint. 1 hour |
| Guest Teachers | 1/26/2918 | Rocket Stove Tour & Lecture: Skype Call | Chris McClellan, Burton, Ohio. Guest Instructor: | Iphone Tour of the School Project & description of fire devices. |
| INTERNSHIP PROGRAM | ||||
| Assistant | June 13-18, 2018 | Elkhart Botanical Garden Project | Robert O’Neil | Elkhart, IN |
| Intern | June 13- July 9 | Internship at Strawbale Studio | Shannon Malburg | Waco, TX |
| Intern | June 28, 2018 to July 28, 2018 | Internship at Strawbale Studio | Casey Steill | Prescott Valley, AZ |
| Intern | July 9 – Aug 9, 2018 | Internship at Strawbale Studio | Ankita Gandhi | Savana GA, Bombay, India |
| Assistant | July 15, Sept 30, 2018 | (Assistant & Renter) | Catherine Bristol | Washington, MI |
| Assistant | Aug 1 – Sept 30, 2018 | (renter & worktrader) | Susie Elfakir | Lake Orion, MI |
| Wwoofer | Aug 7 – 20, 2018 | Worktrader at Strawbale Studio | Scott Herdman | Chesterfield, MI |
| Assistant | Aug 12 – 15, 2018 | Elkhart Project Finish Plaster | Justin Trombley | Detroit, MI |
| Staff | Aug 12 – 15, 2018 | Elkhart Project Finish Plaster | Matthew McCoul | Brighton, MI |
| Staff | Aug 12 – 15, 2018 | Elkhart Project Finish Plaster | Paul Beaudet | Burville, MI |
| Assistant | Aug 12 – 15, 2018 | Elkhart Project Finish Plaster | Greg Lehman | Goshen, IN |
| Assistant | Aug 12 – 15, 2018 | Elkhart Project Finish Plaster | Nichole Wolf | Elkhart, IN |
| Intern | Sept 1, 2018 – Sept. 30, 2018 | Wwoofer at Strawbale Studio | Hanisha Harjani | Brooklyn, New York |
| Staff | Sept 1, 2018 – Sept. 30, 2018 | Wwoofer at Strawbale Studio | Paul Beaudet | Brighton, MI |
| Staff | Sept 1, 2018 – Oct. 15 2018 and 10 | Wwoofer at Strawbale Studio | Matthew McCoul | Burville, MI |
| Intern | Jan 7 – Feb 7, 2018 | WINTERN | Ali Riggen | East Montpelier, VT |
| Intern | Jan 7 – Feb 7, 2018 | WINTERN | Britta Anderson | Stillwater, MN |
| Intern | Jan 7 – Feb 7, 2018 | WINTERN | Deanna Burkett | Virginia |
| Intern | Jan 7 – Feb 7, 2018 | WINTERN | Destiny Ebersole | Milan, Michigan |
| Intern | Jan 7 – Feb 7, 2018 | WINTERN | Kris Mauro | Kalamazoo, Michigan |
| Intern | Jan 7 – Feb 7, 2018 | WINTERN | Paul Beaudet | Michigan |
| Intern | Jan 7 – Feb 7, 2018 | WINTERN | Rich Points | Michigan |
| FULL MOON POTLUCK & Tours | Tours by Deanne Bednar | |||
| 12/22/2018 | December FULL MOON Potluck | |||
| 11/23/2018 | November Full Moon Potluck | |||
| 10/24/2018 | October Full Moon Potluck | |||
| 9/24/2018 | September FULL MOON Potluck | |||
| 8/26/2018 | August FULL MOON Potluck | |||
| 7/27/2018 | September FULL MOON Potluck | |||
| 6/28/2018 | June FULL MOON Potluck | |||
| 5/29/2018 | MAY FULL MOON Potluck | |||
| 4/29/2018 | April FULL MOON Potluck | |||
| 3/31/2019 | March 31 FULL MOON Potluck | |||
| 3/1/2019 | March 1 FULL MOON Potluck | |||
| 1/31/2018 | January FULL MOON Potluck | |||
| BUILDING PROJECTS – 2018 | ||||
| PRACTICE CABIN. New, small “practice building to try out natural building techniques. | Co-Designed / constructed by Ankita Ghandi, and Mathew McCoul, with support from Deanne and Gene Vilenni. Stone foundation, Frame, Living Roof, Bottle Wall, | Strawbale Wall, Earth Plaster, prep for Living Roof. A & M cleared the site for the Cabin. Matt cleared Phase 1 of a “Vista Garden”. | ||
| New Windows in Kids Cottage | Gene Vilenni designed, built and installed several windows and a little door | |||
| Bench at Boat Launch – restoration | Nish & Mathew take off lime plaster, cover with tent. | Deanne resurfaces with an earth plaster, and oil finish. | ||
| New Camping Area | with 4 campsites created in Fairy Forest. | Debbie Henderson created and made signage. | ||
| VISTA GARDEN area cleared | Matthew McCoul imagined /cleared an area for a future garden. | and cleared brush around Get-Away Cabin | ||
| 2018 RESKILLING PROJECTS | ||||
| January & during 2018 | Wood carving, wood chopping, sourdough, kimchi, cording, Rocket Cooker and Mass Heater earth oven & haybox & solar cooking. | Mushroom log harvest & inoculation: Mathew McCoul harvests oak tree, cuts 30″ mushroom logs. Foraging, Gardening, | ||
| IMPROVEMENTS – Infrastructure | ||||
| Restoration of Bench at Boat Launch. Nish & Mathew take off lime plaster, cover with tent. Deanne resurfaces with an earth plaster, and oil finish. Sauna Hot Room ~ ceiling, stove & pipe installation. Sauna hot room. Fire it up ! | Repair & paint windows of W. Cabin & Main House. Repair metal Open Pole Barn roof. Recycle scrap materials by UHaul (Gene Villeni + Mathew McCoul)) Repair roof/skylight seal on Hobidition, Organize materials in house & Outbuildings. | Gutters cleaned. Courtyard cleared & beautified; new drainage from showers, reset south stone pathway.the building, creating a garden area ,S. side.Spiral Chamber framing support. Gene Vilenni, Jacob Gnath, Matt McCoul, Spencer Field. Paul Beaudet. | Red Shed re-organization: Tools, supplies, tables, space & shelving organization. Paul Beaudett, his friend, Matthew. Construct a Sawbuck (Timber Horse) http://www.wikihow.com/Build-a-Sawbuck-for-Cutting-Firewood). | |
| CONSULTATIONS 2018 | ||||
| Gambrel Timberframe House sketch & model | Draft for Michigan Eco-Village to Gaylyn.10/10/18 | |||
| See Earth Oven & Elkhart projects, above. | ||||
| OUTREACH & MEDIA | ||||
| 2018 | *New computer. *Eventbrite for workshops. *SBS Participant BOOKLET created & printed. | Scan of THESIS: “Wholly Connected” . Ready to go online. | ||
| 2018 LOCAL & LEARNING | ||||
| Weekly | YOGA weekly at Hamsa Yoga with Alan Harras | Deanne attends weekly. Intern are invited. | ||
| Monthly | Oakland Co. Permaculture Meetups | Meet in the Oakland Co. area | ||
| April 23, 2018 | Flint Water Crisis Concert with Gaia Singers. | Deanne sings in this. Some interns attend. | ||
| October 7, 2018 | Ghandi Day – Three Roods Farm | Attend with Intern | ||
| Upland Hills School Event | Befriending an Arab. DB attending | |||
| April 7, 2018 | Conscious Teachers Workshop | DB attend, Connect with Dougg Reith | ||
| Oct – March 2018 | Cardoner Institute | 7 series Leadership program: Solitude & Solidarity. Alan Harris at Hamsa Yoga | http://www.hamsayogacenter.com/ | |
| Study, Share | Compassionate Communication | Study, Practice, attend webinars ,teach. Study Circle of Support ( Ted Talks) | ||
| Study, Share | Essence of Permaculture by David Holmgren | Study, Order 10, give away and sell. | ||
| New – Camping & B & B | ||||
| Camp: Cameo and Michael & baby. Susie Elfakier. Cabin: Chad & Lexi O’Kulich.Live in house: Catherine | ||||
| DONATIONS & GIFTS ! Thanks ! | ||||
| Gifts from… Ajeet Khalsa – Futon cover, Golden Milk, Other. Rich Points – Cutting Board he made with 3 woods pattern & built a shelf in the Red Shed for Worktrade. Gene Vilenni – made and helped intern install the West Windows for the Kids Cottage. Assisted in in construction of the Practice Structure. Organized a UHaul cleanup of recyclble items from storage sheds, assisted by Matthew McCoul. Paul Beaudet – spoon, carving set & more. Paul Beaudett and Spencer Field, Mathew McCoul & intern Nish helped re-organize and clear parts of the Red Shed ! Spencer Field donated tools. Britta Anderson brought VT maple syrup and other food gifts. Destiny and Jason donated The Barefoot Architect book from the publishing company they work for. Sambhavi Sham Venkateswaraw donated $150. Dawn Holtz $250 check to use if needed. | Chris Magwood, gave 4 books he wrote to Strawbale Studio, in exchange for coming to a Workshop! (Making Better Buildings, Pre-Fab Strawbale, Hempcrete Construction, Sustainable Home Design) . Selena Lucas donated $350 toward Deanne attending the SB class with Andrew Morrison which will be held at their place in Chelsea. home-mde celtic spearment soaps and bar towels to Strawbale Studio. Kelly, Theide 5 gal maple syrup sap. Chang Lian $100 donation gift by paypal ! Emily Eisele $25 donation. Sambhavi Sham Venkateswaraw donated $150. Alex Huebal, Sara, Lydia. scanned DB’s THESIS: Arlene Schmitzer – card and bird stamps ! | Jared Bogdonov Hanna and Marci Nido: Things they grew: 20 lbs of potatoes, Colored Indian popping corn, garlic, healing salve, Emily & Ryan: Pickled black cherries, ginger kraut, purple kimchi, pickled greenbeans. And a tiny long=handled spoon from Thailand. Wow. Doug and Kat lend their car for use while Deanne finds a different car ! Also bring fab ferments, corn bracelet. Linda Jackson, financial donations, brings guests occasionally to tour ! Patrick Demers: Donated tools and food from his mom;s house and art studio/shop !! Plus a wheelbarrow and wood. 🙂 FAY HANSON, many generousities. Destiny Ebersol made a financial donation also ! And SO many more that I will remember throughout the year !! Thanks, Thanks! Gratitude for your support ! Let me know if I can add your contribution to the list ! | ||
| GUESTS 2018 | ||||
| December 23, 2018 | Jared & Marcie, Emilie & Ryan | Tour, supper, networking | ||
| December 21, 2018 | Alex & Aaron, Doug & Kat | Tour, supper, networking | ||
| December 15-17, 2018 | Alex Hueble, Sara & Lydia. | Scan THESIS, Visit, tour, Cut dead wood on path, Bog Tent down, cook! | ||
| November 13, 2018 | Nichole from ELKHART + Ayla | Visit & Tour Strawbale Studio | ||
| October 10, 2018 | Jessica Misurcus | Vist and overnight – birthday | ||
| October 6, 2018 | Ronna Fisher, Laura Horowitz, Rosemary, friend. | Visit and tour. | ||
| October 5, 2018 | Dean & Marcie Wochner Amie Taylor, Frank Dronsejk |
Visit & tour. ART, nutriton, healing, Christine Retreat Center, WI, vol. teach. Ikigai – reason to get up in the morning | ||
| September30, 2018 | Nish’s friend Max | Tour, Visit, projects. Emergence, Not knowing. | ||
| September 24, 2018 | Paul and Spencer Drew and Shannon |
Tour, visit, project: organize red shed. Future West garden. | ||
| September 16, 2018 | Josh & Janelle, Forest & Amber . Stephan | Visit, Tour~ Elkhart Botanical Gardens. I stayed with them 1 wk 2018 | ||
| September 3, 2018 | Dominic Gomez, Maia and Gaurve | Visit / Tour – from Buddhist Center | ||
| September 2, 2018 | Gale Willett | Visit / Tour | ||
| August 20, 2018 | Lorraine Ely | Visit / Tour – Nature and Gardening | ||
| August 20, 2018 | Dominic Gomez & Somaka Dasa | Visit / Tour – brought food, play flute | ||
| August 7, 2018 | Gale Willett | Visit / Tour Wild Flowers, AZ plants | ||
| May 29, 2018 | Mitchell Doherty | Overnight & visit | ||
| May 19-20, 2018 | Kelly Theide, Alex Detroit biked | Visit/ overnight / co-teacher | ||
| May 10, 2018 | Tammy, Jenna, Cale | Tour: goats, thatching, cale loves cob | ||
| April 14, 2018 | Kelly Theide | visit re ForagingClass. co-lead, plan. | ||
| April 10, 2018 | Vikas & Deepeka Naik | Visit / Tour | Doing Natural Building in India, Karuna Farm | |
| April 1, 2018 | Cody Hansen | Visit / Tour | “I can’t believe these buildings are here!” Cody H. Futre green homeTraverse, MI | |
| April 1, 2018 | Janice Means, Joe Oberhauser | Visit / Tour | LTU retired. Architecht, Solar Design.Amazing and always wonderful ! | |
| April 1, 2018 | Rick Feldman & Janice Fialko | Visit / Tour | Green Lake, collab, Boggs Center, | |
| April 1, 2018 | Janice Fialko | Visit / Tour | Green Lake, collab, Gaia. Special Needs, book & presentations. | |
| March 30, 2018 | Samad Ansari | Visit / Tour / Walk | ||
| March 24, 2018 | Ronnie Cain. Patrick Lough, | Visit | ||
| March 7, 2018 | Gene Vilenni | re Timber Frame | ||
| February 6, 2018 | Gene Velinni, Jacob Gnath, Mathew McCoul, Angela Holmes,Tim Name | Spiral Chamber/chainsaw wood. Cars stuck. Overnight. Nature of reality. | ||
| 1/1/2018 | Mark Angelini Allison Coleman |
Visit for supper & evening | ||
| 1/3/2018 | Michelle & Mike, Ruthie and Abby Lane & Jay | Candle-Making at Strawbale Studio | ||
| 1/6/2018 | Venetta Mavrodievra | Visited, helped organize West Wing. | ||
| 1/17-19/2018 | Adrian,Brittas friend from Canada working with children & nature, | Visit, Workshop | ||
| 1/17/2018 | Karen Bengal, Round Pole, Ajeets, friend. | Visit, workshop | ||
| 1/17/2018 | Gene Villeni | Window installation. | ||
| 1/17-20/2018 | Julie Howells | Visited after Traverse City Andrew with dogs. Maybe live with Destiny. | Round Pole workhsop + | |
| 1/13-14/2018 | Chris Magwood | Thatching workshop, visit/overnight | Thatching workshop, visit/overnight | |
| 1/20-26/2018 | Bjorn Willowby | overnight for 3 Jan wkshps: thatching, rocket stove, earth plaster. | ||
| 1/20-26/2018 | Vikas & Deepika Nair from India | overnight for 3 Jan wkshps: thatching, rocket stove, earth plaster. | ||
| 1/26/2018 | Matthew McCoul | Stay over, help, conversation. | ||
| GARDENS & FORAGING | ||||
| Harvest raspberry leaves from hoop house, lambsquarters. black cherry – tincture, jam, syrup. Soupstock with frozen vegie remnents. Echinacea seeds, Dry foraged rose hips, chamomile, kale, red peppers, orange globe pepper. | Garlic experiment in Mid Meadow. Fall: create a bed, soil, plant ! Grow Elderberry from cutting. Catherine – DB plant Waterfall garden. db sauna hugel culture. St Johns wort to tincture and oil. wild chilves dry, harvest & tincture yarrow leaves, crab apple vinegar, Mallow in bloom, hops, sunroot, oxeye daisy, dandelion, Motherwort tops in fower to tincture. Engridge: No pesticides on Pipeline. | Mushroom logs. oak harvested, innoculated 12 small 2 columns. fruit Shiitake logs, harvest giant puffball, dehydrate for soups, older plants, spread spore on Mid Meadow +. King coral, dryads saddle, inky cap. winter cap, morell black and brown, turkey tail. gem studded puffball, pear puffball. | ||
| PERSONAL CONNECTIONS 2018 | ||||
| 1/1/2018 Lanes, Michelle & Mike, Ruthie and Abby & Jay New Years Day party, music & overnight there and breakfast. Suppers with Fay Hanson, Victorias / Sagebrush. December 7, 2018 The Hobbit – Musical. McDonald children, Lium Sage, Rowen and Elowen. . | Dave & Dorinda, neighbors. Potlatch /visits, Les & Elzabeth, neighbor farmers. Candle-making with Agnus, Dave & Rachel. Stay with Lance & Jen, Ian & Friend + Matthew McCoul during Bioneers Conference. | GAIA singing circle, monthly, with concerts, carpooling, Noel Night. New Moon Lodges at Three Roods Farm ! Visit Uncle Harold & Cousin Judy in Ohio Thanksgiving and Christmas. Visit & overnight, McDonalds. Sunny & Richard Byrne + dog visit for 3 days from MA. Baby Aria born to Dustin & Deanna. Art for her. |