
Thatching & Reed Collection – the Basics !
January 12, 2018 Saturday. 9:30a – 5:00p Tour, Class, Demo & Hands-on thatching, demo of reed collecting.
January 13, 2018 Sunday. 9:30a – 4:00p Hands-on reed collection in local field, special thatching videos.
Explore this beautiful, ecological, insulative & long-lasting roof system. The Strawbale Studio roof was thatching before the turn of the century …in 1998 ! Yes ! Thatching in Michigan ! Taught by Deanne Bednar

Saturday – Learn about the basics of thatching a roof,tour thatched buildings, learn the principles of design and construction, see a demonstration of thatching on a small frame, and try your hand at it a bit. Learn the strategies of identifying and storing reed ~ when to harvest, how to store reed, when to thatch.

Harvesting Reed in the field
Sunday – hands-on reed harvesting & Videos- We will carpool to a reed field 10 minutes off-site & and you will harvest and bundle reed using hand tools ! We will have some snacks with us. Then we will return to the cozy main house and watch and discuss videos that show a variety of thatching styles and details from Denmark and the UK
REGISTRATION
$55 Early Bird Discount by Jan 1 or $70 thereafter. Bring a Friend Discount. Class limited to 15 so .
Overnight & supper/breakfast available for $15 Details at Registration link ! Some Scholarships available,.
DETAILS !
Bring a BAG LUNCH for Saturday and extra food if you’re staying overnight. Anything will do. We will work out the food situation so we are all happy and fed !
Suggested: Bring a water bottle and perhaps a thermos for a warm drink. Camera, notebook, print out the Thatching Google doc to bring with you if you wish. LABEL your items 🙂
Dress WARMLY : loose boots, wool or insulated sox if you have them, ski pants or a few layers of sweat pants (jeans are COLD). Hats, some work gloves. We will be both indoors & outdoors.
If staying overnight, bring bedding if you can. If not we have sleeping bags, etc. There are some beds and cots, and couches, the floor. Bring a mattress if you can. If you can’t – we will work it out ! Bring some extra food to share for supper and Sunday if you can. We can cook together.
RESOURCES
Check out this Blog on a previous Thatching Workshop !.
Thatched Roof in the rain Tara & Tylers pics of Thatching 2012
Basics of thatching a roof

The North side of the Strawbale Studio

Harvesting in the Reed Fields

2012 Retreat Cabin

Harvesting reed

Preparing reed bundles
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