2-Day Cob + Wattle and Daub

Dates: May 8th-9th, 2026

INSTRUCTORS: Greg + Danielle

STUDENT #: 15 students [maximum]

COST (includes meals):

$380 Early Bird Rate (register 30 days in advance)
$430 Regular Rate
5% discount for family + friends participating together!
10% discount for BIPOC participants

DESCRIPTION:

In this 2 day workshop you will get hands-on experience making and using two of our favorite earthen building materials - cob and wattle-and-daub. These traditional building methods have been used in various forms throughout history, and remain just as relevant today. Cob and wattle-and-daub are both great options for utilizing clay soil to create beautiful, long lasting, non-toxic walls and structures.

Hands-on learning is our emphasis, so most of each day will be spent working on various projects on campus. We’ll be covering material mixing by foot (on a tarp) and by machine (with a mortar mixer). To explore free-form cob techniques, we’ll build a large cob bench. And to explore form-based cob and wattle-and-daub, we will be building exterior courtyard or shed walls, including the planning and installation of window openings and niches.

To supplement our hands-on work sessions, there will be time allotted for a tour of our natural cottages on campus, plus discussions/presentations on essential topics. We will also provide informational handouts to take home with you, and share any digital presentation materials for your own future reference.

In addition to our scheduled learning time, there is a wonderful community aspect to our workshops. Students are able to stay on campus - either tenting or renting a cottage. And all meals are provided from Friday’s breakfast through Saturday’s lunch, which are shared as a group in our community gathering space. Friday night will be a pizza dinner, utilizing our cob pizza oven!

Expect to leave the workshop with the confidence and knowledge to take on clay-based walls in your own natural building project! If you're interested in how to plaster a natural wall, our “Intro to Clay Plasters” course runs later in the month.

HANDS-ON:
* mixing cob by foot
* mixing cob by machine, using a mortar mixer
* building with cob freehand
* installing cob using forms
* installing windows in a cob wall
* adding niches
* mixing wattle and daub
* installing wattle and daub
DISCUSSION:
* “Exploring clay soils”
* CAMPUS TOUR! - We’ll tour campus buildings, as a general Q+A
8:00-9:00 Breakfast
9:00-12:45 Morning work session
12:45-1:45 Lunch
1:45-5:30 Afternoon work session
5:30-6:30 Unscheduled (Shower, relax)
6:30 Dinner! (only on Friday)
And all meals are provided from Friday’s breakfast through Saturday’s lunch. Food is vegetarian, with vegan and gluten-free options available.
We provide a simple breakfast spread of fresh fruit, oatmeal packets, yogurt & granola, coffee, and tea. (Non-dairy oat and almond milk are available)
Lunches are hearty vegetarian meals, catered by local small businesses. Vegan and gluten-free options are available upon request.
For this course we’ll get to include a Cob Oven Pizza Night! We always look forward to these fun evenings, making pizzas together in our community dining space.
**There is no dinner on Saturday
Tent sites are free!
We have 6 tiny sleeping cottages available to rent - 4 with natural walls, and 2 wooden A-frames. See the options here. Each cottage provides the basics- a mattress with fresh bedding, a lamp, and a fan. If you’re interested in a cottage, there is space to let us know on the registration form.
Check out our FAQ page for more info about nearby towns.
This workshop is held at the Mud Dauber campus, adjacent to our small homestead, in Snow Camp, NC.
We are 10 min away from Saxapahaw, 20 minutes from Siler City & Pittsboro, 30 minutes from Carrboro/Chapel Hill, and one hour from the Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU).

REGISTER:

Click below to fill out the registration form and we’ll get back to you within 48 hours to confirm availability and discuss payment. We look forward to seeing you here!

Please read our Refund Policy here.