- Shade-tree classes will be taught on components of natural building ~ foundation, framing, strawbale, cob and use of local materials ~ accompanied by tours of the structures on site.
- Hands-on activities will focus on earth plastering & sculpting, earthen floors, oil finishes on benches, detailing of living roofs, site hydrology & creative landscaping and permaculture projects. There will be some variation between months based on progress.
- Daily Lifestyle includes foraging, spoon-carving, fermenting, composting, solar oven, outdoor rocket cooker, earth oven, shiitake mushroom production & more. Buildings on site are the Strawbale Studio, Kids Cottage, Hobbit Sauna, Spiral Chamber and several pretty awesome woodsheds. Living roofs, Thatched roofs.
- Community connections: Monthly Full Moon Potluck & bonfire, Permaculture Meetup (off-site), 1 or 2 workshops or tours per month for the public. We have local farmers, and get our eggs and some of our produce from them.
- Worktrade activities for 1/2 Pay WorkTraders and Wwoofers at Strawbale Studio are Grounds: firewood, repair, lawn. Office: data, editing, publicity. Garden: planting, mulching, watering & harvesting. Other: repair canoe, solar dehydrator.
LOCATION
On this beautiful rural wooded land 1 hour North of Detroit. Six miles outside a lovely small town, surrounded by farms, forests and meadows. Within 6 miles of the Strawbale Studio there are some very nice outdoor opportunities: Bald Mountain Recreation Center, The Seven Ponds Recreation Center and the Rails to Trails bike path system, connecting several small towns. (There is a bike available to use). Two swimming lakes and a series of connected lakes to explore by canoe.
INSTRUCTION
Main Instructor & Coordinator, Deanne Bednar, is the illustrator of the Hand-Sculpted House & the Natural Plaster Book, and has 20 years of experience in natural building. Background: Art & Sustainable Futures teacher at the middle school level. Loves to forage, use materials directly from nature in an artful and practical way !
Other instructors sometimes drop in: Micah Lindquist, our round pole and spoon carving teacher, Jim the Timberframer, a local guy who can show us his barn and tools. Jared Bogdonov-Hanna a Permaculture Teacher who has designed some of the gardens on site.
* GREEN EXCHANGE
3 Program Options: Intern, 1/2 Pay Worktrade, Wwoofer. All 3 Programs include room & board, classes & materials, plus sharing of household activities such as cooking & cleaning.
- Intern = Focus on the Projects. Cost per month $950 or $850 prepaid 1 month in advance.
- 1/2 Pay Worktrade = 10 hours Worktrade per week toward upkeep (office, grounds, gardens, based on participants skills & needs of Strawbale Studio). The rest of the time, participate in the Internship & all classes. Cost per month: $475 or $425 prepaid 1 month in advance.
- Wwoofer = 20 hours Work-trade per week toward maintenance of gardens, grounds, office. The rest of the time participate in the Internship & all classes. No money exchanged. No wwoofing option during the Winternship or Intensive Classes.
EXPECTATIONS for living and working together. READ OVER to see if it is a fit for you 🙂
DETAILS on Worktrade & Wwoofing