Work and learn with Carrie & Elisia
Workshops are available for builders and wannabe builders with or without tools and experience.
- Attend a Built from Trash workshop to become skilled at building with papercrete, tires, cordwood, cob and bottles!
- Learn fast and simple building techniques to design and build your own inexpensive and eco-friendly house!
Projects in the works are:
- Recycled window/bottle green house on a tire foundation;
- Cordwood goat shed on tire foundation;
- Cob and Cordwood guesthouse on tire foundation;
- Papercrete Pyramid/guest house and meditation room on tire foundation;
- Hybrid Corwood/Strawbale house on tire foundation
Workshops are:
- 3 days
- 1 week (7 days)
- 2 weeks (14 days)
Workshops are held each April 1 to September 30. Tuition is {tooltip}free{end-link}if you would prefer not to work (the labor can be intensive) you may pay a small tuition fee{end-tooltip} in exchange for at least 4 hours per day of labor.
To sign up for a workshop, please send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with your name, your contact information, the project(s) you are interested in learning and names and contact information of 2 character references.
If you choose to pay a tuition rather than participate in our work exchange, the fee schedule is as follows:
- $150.00 for 3 days (add $50.00 for each additional person)
- $250.00 for 1 week (add $75.00 for each additional person)
- $500.00 for 2 weeks (add $125.00 for each additional person)
Whether you choose to do a work exchange or pay a tuition, room and board are included. We have a small spare room in the house that sleeps 3 (a bunk bed with full-size futon on the bottom and twin bed on top), an RV hook up that includes electric, cable and water hook-up, 2 additional small camper spaces with no electric or water hook-up, 5 rustic tent camp sites with limited access to electric and water, 10 or more rustic tent sites with no electric or water.
Outdoor restrooms and solar shower available.
Pet Policy: There are already many dogs who live in the area and belong to the instructors and their neighbors. All are friendly, but new dogs may cause a disruption. Dogs who get along well with other dogs are invited to join the rest of the pack inside a large, fenced-in area. Other dogs or cats are welcome but may be asked to be kept outside of the fence, either tied up or in a pen.
Campfire: Everyone likes a nice campfire, and, weather permitting, we will have one each night with (hopefully) musicians playing, so bring your drum or other instrument! Fires are only allowed in the designated fire pit area.
