Building with Cob Workshop

About

Join us on Wednesday 28th September and get your hands dirty as you discover the joy of building with cob!
Cob is a mixture of sandy-sub soil, clay and straw and is the most sustainable 'eco' form of building there is. Since cob is made of the earth it is also entirely recyclable and non-polluting! The practice of cob building is strong in the South West region and it is said that Devon contains more "earth building" than any other county in Britain. The oldest cob house known to be still standing is 10,000 years old!

Unfortunately we cannot build a cob home (for humans) in a 3 hour workshop … but we can build a cob home for solitary bees! There are over 220 species of wild solitary bees in the UK, including the red mason bee and leafcutter bee that are more common to find. These bees are important pollinators, just like bumblebees and honeybees that most of us are a bit more familiar with. Solitary bees live, hide and lay their eggs in holes in the ground, in wood or in hollow stems of dead plants or garden bamboo. Bee hotels, that are normally made from wood, have become a popular item for sale in Garden Centres and are designed to provide a home for these solitary bees. However, cob is infinitely better and is known to be highly attractive as a shelter and nesting spot for solitary bees and other insects! By building your very own eco bee hotel, made from cob, we can help these solitary bees to find a good home.

As well as a cob bee hotel, the workshop will introduce you to building with cob on a larger scale. Working as a team you will get the chance to build a cob wall in the Nectar Gardens of Quince Honey Farm, creating a larger habitat for insects and bees alike.

Date: Wednesday 28th September
Time: 9:30am – 12:30pm (lunch served 12:30pm – 1:30pm)
Price: £45 per person to include a Ploughman's lunch and one hot drink (tea or filter coffee) or cold drink (non-alcoholic).

EARLY BIRD OFFER! – book before 5pm on Sunday 28th August and pay just £40 per person!
Places are limited so advance booking is essential. Suitable for people aged 16 and over and for beginners – no experience is necessary.

The course is taught outside so please bring weather-appropriate clothing that you don't mind getting messy! Warm clothing/layers, waterproofs, sturdy shoes/boots, hat and sun cream are advised. Please bring a pair of working/gardening gloves. All other tools and equipment will be provided.
We look forward to you joining us for this unique, fun, and hands-on workshop!