Lifestyle Immersions
An immersive lifestyle experience of living with the seasons, with an emphasis on the balance of do and be. Blending the learning of off grid systems, watershed regeneration, permaculture design, natural building, community tending & more, with the simple pleasures of time off, nature exploration, nourishing food, and good company.
Join us this fall for an immersive experience designed to deepen your connection with nature and foster sustainable living practices. Our offerings focus on three core areas: Natural Building, The Way of Counsel, and Watershed Regeneration. Embrace the opportunity to live off-grid and learn practical skills that nurture both the land and the soul.
An integrative experience to a deep relationship with the earth. Integrating
September 1st - 14th: Natural Building, The Way of Council, Watershed Regeneration & More
September 20th-28th, 2024: Fall Garden, Forest Management, Seasonal Celebration, and The Way of Council
March 29th -
Want to learn the practical ins and outs of Earthen Plasters and Earthen Floors?
In this week long intensive course, get your hands muddy and leave with the skills to plaster and floor almost any building with the non toxic beauty of the earth.
Daily hands-on sessions will be supplemented with lectures on the theoretical background you need to understand the variabilities involved in bringing your Earthen plasters and floors to life. We will go in depth material choices and tools for making a no crack finish that will endure your tests of time. We will be offering a plasters lab with a diverse array of materials to experiment and innovate your way to deeper relationship with the possibilities.
Camping is included and all meals are prepared for you with food grown on site or locally sourced with your optimal health in mind.
Typical daily structure will include:
7am morning asana (optional)
8am all organic breakfast
9am hands on class
12:30pm all organic lunch & siesta
2pm lecture
3pm hands on class
6:30pm all organic dinner
8pm slide show presentations (4 over the course of the intensive)
The course will be 7 days of intensive learning (14th-21st). All participants are required to come on the 13th to get settled in and stay through the closing circle on the 21st.
Families are welcome. Inquire for kiddo participation.
“Earth turns to gold in the hands of the wise.”
-Nadar Khalili
This course is for you if you want to:
Study with top-notch teachers, one of which who has written books on subject (Learn about Michael, Blair and Avani here)
Gain enough experience to feel confident doing earthen plaster and floor projects on your own
Learn how to develop your own plaster and floor recipe anywhere in the world
Learn the basics of clay and lime plasters
Learn with a healthy balance of hands on and lecture
Build earthen community & long lasting relationships
Immerse in a off-grid permaculture lifestyle
Learn to build with local earthen materials in a multi-generational setting.
About the Teachers
Michael G. Smith
Michael G. Smith co-founded the Cob Cottage Company, along with Ianto Evans and Linda Smiley, in Oregon in 1993. He helped organize the first Natural Building Colloquium in 1994. He wrote “The Cobber’s Companion” in 1996 and co-authored “The Hand-Sculpted House” (published by Chelsea Green, 2002) and “The Art of Natural Building (2nd edition, New Society, 2015).” He has experience with a wide range of effective low-cost, low-tech building techniques including cob, straw bale, and many lightweight natural infill systems. He has taught hundreds of hands-on natural building workshops, ranging from one-day earthen oven builds for children to 12-week professional training. He enjoys consulting with owner-builders to help them design and build successful energy-efficient natural homes. He is also on the Board of Directors of the nonprofit Cob Research Institute, which wrote the first building cob for code in the world and successfully advocated for its adoption into the 2021 International Residential Code. With his partner and children, he stewards a 20-acre organic farm in Yolo County. Learn more at strawclaywood.com.
Blair Phillips
Blair Phillips, the founder of Abuela Gardens (2013), Has a BA in Environmental Studies with an emphasis in Agroecology and education ( UCSC 2006). Blair is a certified permaculture designer and teacher who has studied with the best(2007). Teachers like Dr. Elaine Ingham, Geoff Lawton, Darren Doherty, Penny Livingston, Broc Dolmon, Ian Davidson, Steve Gliesman, and Michael Flynn. (2004-to present). Since Blair's teenage years, he has been exploring practices to awaken the inner self and align with the world outside. This inquisition has led him to explore meditation, yoga, plant medicine, traditional west African drumming, and other healing arts. The fusion of internal work with the external has led Blair on a journey to make his work into visible prayers. listen to an interview.
Avani Leitz
Avani began her journey in natural building in the beginning of 2017, building a cob cottage with her partner from the ground up. Since then she has delved into all types of structures including straw bale, pallet buildings, light clay straw and more. Guided by her desire to use materials that are local, salvaged, recycled and respectfully wild harvested, she utilizes back to the hands techniques to create functional and beautiful structures of art.
Solidarity: $1,200
Suggested if you make less than $40k/year or have been affected by systemic inequality
Sustainer: $1,400
Suggested if you make between $40k and $100k/year
Supporter: $1,600
Suggested if you make more than$100k/a year or just want to be super awesome and support this program
Review our refund policy here.