Insurance and Natural Building

25th February 2018

Some of you may be aware that Simon and Jasmine Dale's eco-house in Lammas burned down on New Year's Day. It took 6 years to build and cost them £27,000 (hailed as the cheapest family home in the Western hemisphere). Now they are trying to raise £20,000 to start building again. Their home was not insured.

The most recent government statistics show that emergency services in Ireland dealt with just under 5,000 residential fires in 2016. 65% of these were chimney fires. 30% were house fires. 5% occurred in apartments, mobile homes and caravans. While it is something that none of us want to dwell on, the reality is that homes go on fire, houses get flooded and buildings can be damaged. And so insurance might be something you want to consider. But is it possible to insure a naturally built home?

Historic Mudwall House, Cottown, Perthshire, Scotland - Photo: Becky Little, RebEarth

When we first started looking into the issue of house insurance, we discovered that we were being quoted premiums three to four times those of conventionally-built homes. I thought it was ignorance on the part of the insurance companies; that they really didn't know what they were dealing with, they didn't trust or understand this left-field form of construction, and therefore they were hiking the prices because they thought this type of building was inherently riskier.

In some cases, this was true. I had one insurance representative inform me that he would not consider insuring our cob home because of our "non-waterproof" lime render. He felt that our earth walls needed more protection from the Irish weather and a cement render would do the trick. I wrote a long letter back to him pointing out that since cement and concrete became widely and cheaply available from the 1950s onwards, they have caused more damage to our historic mudwall buildings than any other intervention. We see the inappropriate, failing and destructive repairs and blame the original material. I informed the well-meaning rep that cement render sounded a death knell for cob and his 'learned' recommendation would only serve to destroy our earthen walls. Needless to say, he didn't respond with a quotation.

100+ Year Old Mud Wall Damaged by Cement Render - Photo: Mud and Wood

I was recently at a seminar on insurance for protected structures (listed buildings) and unusual construction. And it turns out that when you are dealing with insurance companies that do actually know something about more unconventional forms of construction, these high premiums do not necessarily stem from an idea that these buildings are more likely to go on fire, or will suffer more damage in a flood, compared with mainstream houses. Owners of natural homes are being penalised precisely because they are not mainstream. They are niche.

500 Year Old Cob Longhouse after Fire, Dorset - Photo: Rowland Keable, Earth Building UK and Ireland

Many of you are aware that cob does not burn. We use it to build pizza ovens for that reason! (And if you want to learn how to do that, come along to our Cob Oven Course: 19 - 20 May). You can see from the photo above that all of the cob walls of this 500 year old longhouse in Dorset are still intact and standing following a major fire, although looking somewhat worse for wear.

Fire is not actually the greatest threat to an earth-built home. But the cavalry can be. Once a fire takes hold and all occupants are safely outside, the most efficient way for fire-fighters to extinguish a blaze is to pour gallons and gallons of water on the building. And this water can cause damage, either to the structure itself or to the finishes.

Historic Mudwall House after Fire, Co. Limerick - Photo: Cáit Ní Cheallacháin

In the case of the house above, there were no commercial earth builders available to take on the work when extensive repairs were required following a fire. So a team had to be brought in from England. This costs a lot of money compared with hiring Jimmy the builder from down the road. Many natural homes are self-built and one could argue that it would be the owners who would carry out the repairs, negating the need for teams of specialist builders with potentially long waiting lists. However, the reality is that the insurance companies must plan for the absolutely worst case scenario.

What if the catastrophe meant that either you or one of your family had been injured and were not physically able or were not in the headspace to take on the work yourself? Maybe your life has moved on and you now have a full-time job or other commitments that didn't exist when you first built the house. Where will you live while the repairs are being carried out? And if the work is not mainstream and you need to wait a while for a competent contractor, or the work is slow by its nature, then how long will you need to stay in your alternative accommodation? What if you need to bring the contractors from far away or from abroad? What if specialist training needs to be provided for a local contractor? You can see how the costs could start to mount. And when an insurer is deciding to provide cover for your home, he/she needs to be sure that all of these potential costs can be accommodated.

150+ Year Old Mudwall House after Fire, Co. Kildare - Photo: Mud and Wood

Some people might be tempted to omit the fact that their walls are made of mud or straw bales or hempcrete when filling out an insurance proposal form, so as to avoid high premiums. This is not a good idea. The insurance industry relies on the concept of Utmost Good Faith and Full Disclosure. If you let them think that your home is built of concrete blocks, but you need repairs to be carried out on a previously undeclared cob wall, then the insurance company could refuse your claim.

Straw Bale Walls - Photo: Mud and Wood

Many insurance policies also contain a provision called the Average Clause. If you undervalue the cost of rebuilding your home by more than 15%, then the Average Clause (if it exists in your policy) can be activated. This means that the insurance company need only pay out 50% of your claim. It is a formidible disincentive to prevent people from undervaluing their properties.

For example, if you self-built your home for €100,000, this does not necessarily mean it could be rebuilt for €100,0000, should it be razed to the ground. You need to factor in that you may not be able to rebuild it yourself due to injury or life changes, you may have to wait 6 months or more to engage a contractor competent in unusual construction methods (building up your own alternative accommodation costs) or may have bring in a contractor from abroad (building up their accommodation and travel costs), or wait for the Spring (work with lime should stop when temperatures hit 6°C and falling), you will not have all of your (free or cheap) salvaged materials to hand, etc. Your €100,000 house may actually cost €300,000 or €400,000 to rebuild! And it's not you who gets to decide this. When you have insurance, the insurance company takes over and runs the show the way that they see fit.

Looking at the example above, if you insured it based on a rebuild figure of €100,000 (what it cost you to build it first time around), you could be short by €200,0000 to €300,000. But because you undervalued the cost of rebuilding your home by more than 15%, the insurance company may only pay out 50% of your claim, or €50,0000 in this case. The Average Clause packs a double whammy, leaving you even more out of pocket.

Hempcrete (hemp and lime) Walls - Photo: Mud and Wood

So how can you estimate the cost of rebuilding your home accurately, and therefore insure it properly?

As outlined above, the original cost of construction or the cost you paid for your home does not necessarily equate to the cost of rebuilding it. This is not a safe way to calculate reinstatement costs. Mortgage valuations are unreliable too. The banks are only concerned about covering the cost of the loan, They don't actually care about the total cost of reconstruction. The Society of Chartered Surveyors in Ireland provides a rebuilding cost guide. But this is only appropriate for standard construction.

For non-maintstream construction, you may want to consider engaging a surveyor/valuer, who will be able to examine the many aspects of rebuilding your home that you may not have taken into account. Look for insurance companies that have experience in covering listed buildings, Georgian and Victorian properties, thatched cottages, etc. They should be able to recommend a competent valuer/surveyor with experience in non-conventional construction. And it is critical that they do have an understanding of the materials involved in your construction. Should they need some additional advice in this area, you can always point them in our direction for a consultation, feile@mudandwood.com.

Generally speaking, these specialist insurance companies who liaise with surveyors/valuers do not apply the Average Clause to their policies. However, it is always prudent to check that. By dealing with a valuer who will provide a bespoke estimate for your exact circumstances, you will have displayed to the insurance company that you have made every effort to accurately value your building. The good news in these circumstances is that the insurer is then obliged to cover the costs, no matter what they actually amount to. For example, you, the valuer and the insurance company all agree that €300,000 is a fair estimate for the cost of rebuilding your home. You have disclosed all facts about the building. Disaster strikes, but it actually costs €375,000 to reinstate your house. The insurance company will cover that additional €75,000.

At the seminar, we were given a few tips which can help to bring risks down, which in turn can have a positive effect on your insurance premium.

1. The top cause of fires is faulty wiring. Get your wiring checked and certified.
2. The second biggest cause of fires is tumble dryers. If the lint filters are not properly cleaned out, they can spontaneously combust. Buy a tumble dryer that will not operate unless the lint filter has been cleaned out.
3. Externally monitored smoke detectors can mitigate risk (and therefore reduce your premium). How? If a fire brigade can reach a fire within the first twenty minutes, it is far more likely that they will be able to bring it under control without having to resort to pumping gallons and gallons of water into the building. However, this may not be an option if you live more than 20 minutes away from the nearest fire station, as is often the case in rural Ireland.

It is clear that as long as natural building remains specialist and niche, there will be additional insurance costs to pay compared with conventionally-built homes. Until there is a sizeable pool of commercial natural builders to draw from, it will be difficult to resolve this issue.

Many of you know that I am involved with th group Earth Building UK and Ireland (EBUKI). Over the past few years, much work has been done with our European partners on developing training standards for earth builders. The standards are divided into different Levels. The higher the level, the more you are expected to know and to be able to do. You can check out some of the training units for cob construction here and for mixing earth materials here. If you want to check out the full, extensive range of training units, click here. In the UK, earth building is now recognised as an official occupation. Training is up and running. EBUKI is now working on providing official assessors, who can award earth building qualifications which will be recognised throughout Europe. We expect the first of these to come online in 2018/2019.

Rammed Earth Level 3 Exam, Germany - Photo: Rowland Keable, Earth Building UK and Ireland

There always will be and must be room for self-builders. But if natural building is to become more mainstream .... and it needs to if we are to preserve our planet .... then there also needs to be an official career path for commercial natural builders. The more of them there are, the more natural homes can be built ... and the more insurance premiums will fall.

Copyright 2018, Féile Butler - Mud and Wood

 

Clayfest 2017: 12 - 17 June, Lincoln, England

1st May 2017

It's exactly six weeks until Clayfest 2017 kicks off, EBUKI's annual festival of earth building. This is the most inspiring, creative, informative and fun week on the earth building calendar. So be sure to join us for six days of workshops, conference, symposium and tours in and around Lincoln.

Earth Mortars for Masonry, Earth Plasters and Decorative Finishes, Light Straw Earth and Hemp-Clay, Adobe Oven Construction, Sculptural Clay and Fibre, Mud and Stud. Across the road from the castle is Lincoln Cathedral. Building began in 1072 and now this beautifully embellished building stands 83m tall at its highest point. It is home to the Magna Carta which, in 1215, stipulated that the law of the land applied to everyone, even the king. This charter is considered the genesis of the concept of human rights and that no-one is above the law. Sadly, this 800 year old concept does not seem to extend to Irish bankers in the 21st Century!

		I was over in Lincoln recently doing some preparation for Clayfest and was surprised by how beautiful the old part of town is. Steep Hill would not look out of place in a Harry Potter film and is home to plenty of crooked buildings, quirky shops, character-filled eateries and cosy pubs.

		Clayfest is all about bringing people together to learn from and inspire each other. The annual EBUKI Conference will be held on Friday, 16 June. This year's theme is 'Building Bridges'... bridges between materials, between professions, between techniques, between cultures. You can check out all of the speakers here. Book your ticket for the conference here. As well as the main conference, there will be a symposium focussing on the local earthen vernacular of Lincolnshire, mud and stud. The symposium will take place on Thursday, 15 June. As well as talks on the history, style, conservation and appreciation of this building form, participants will benefit from live demonstrations in the workshop area outside. Book your ticket for the Symposium here.

The photo below gives you an idea of level of activity that takes place during the workshops at Clayfest. This was only Day 2 of Clayfest 2015. What had been a completely empty car park now boasted a Viking-like turf wall, two sculptural rammed earth columns, a serpentine cob wall and experiments in coloured earth plasters. All of Clayfest's workshops run side by side, so there is a real exchange of ideas and inspiration .... and the buzz is palpable. Clayfest is a brilliant opportunity for getting your hands (and boots) dirty, whatever your level of experience.

If it is your fist time working with earth, you can try a different workshop every day if you like. Or you can stick with one earth building technique and advance over 2, 3 or 4 days. If you are experienced, Clayfest is a wonderful gathering of skilled practitioners, eager to exchange information and compare notes.

This year there is quite a strong emphasis on experimentation and fun in many of the workshops. Workshop leaders have been encouraged to explore ideas not tackled before, while still teaching the fundamentals of working with earth in all of its various forms. So what workshops can you do at Clayfest 2017? Cob Workshop- Mud and Wood Taking the idea of experimentation to heart, we aim to build a cob mobius strip. This will address hand-building with cob, building with cob blocks, forming arches and sculpting cob. We will also look at incorporating some timber elements into the design. The first day will start with the basics of soil testing, foot mixing and hand building and we will progress from there. Stay with us for all four days or join us for a day or two between other workshops. Click here to book.

		Earth Mortars - Nigel Copsey Whatever about mudwall and its regional variations being largely invisible, the situation is even worse for stone buildings bonded with earth mortars. The reality is that earth and earth-lime mortars were the common mortar of masonry construction across the UK, Ireland, Europe and the Americas until the end of the 18th Century, used in conjunction with hot mixed lime pointing and finish coat or render mortars. On this course, master mason Nigel Copsey will look at the numerous examples of this widespread pattern of construction and will explore the materials and methods necessary to achieve compatible repairs and responsible conservation. Click here to book.

Earth Plasters and Decorative Finishes - Organica This Czech duo will examine the basics of earth plasters on Day 1 - materials, mixing, application. Then advance to creative bas-reliefs and sgraffito using a range of textured and coloured plasters. Click here to book.

		Light Earth, Clay and Natural Fibre Composites - William Stanwix This workshop demonstrates the versatility of spray machines and the range of possibilities for clay/fibre spray applied coatings and monolithic walls. It also demonstrates the possibilities for insulating light-earth blocks and load-bearing earth blocks for use in mainstream construction. William Stanwix is best known for co-authoring The Hempcrete Book and for founding the hempcrete building company, Hemp-Lime Construct, now known as UK Hempcrete. Click here to book.

Steppe Oven: Food Without Wood - Maria Brown and Rowland Keable Developped for countries where trees are scarce, both as a building material and as a fuel, this oven is built from earth and straw using adobe and ramming techniques. Where money is scarce too, this oven can be built using only natural materials, all available close to hand and for free. It is designed to cook using materials such as straw for fuel. Click here to book.

			Sculptural Earth and Fibre - Becky Little & Tom Morton Get funky with clay, straw, willow, rushes, hessian and whatever else comes to hand. Be inspired to create large 3-dimensional forms and structures using a broad range of earth building techniques. Click here to book.

Mud and Stud - Rob Ley and Trevor Oliver Mud and Stud is the local Lincolnshire form of wattle and daub. We like to think of it as wattle-and-daub on steroids. You can join this workshop for one or more days to build a large scale model of a typical mud-and-stud structure. First you will learn about the materials and techniques used to construct the timber framing with vertical riven ash laths. Then you will learn about material selection, mixing and application techniques for daubing the laths with an earth-and-straw mix. Attention will be paid to the treatment and detailing of junctions of the 'earth material mix' with other materials such as the masonry plinth and timber-lined openings. Click here to book.

			Clayfest is an invitation to experiment. Last year Rowland Keable and his crew built this beautiful free-standing arch during their rammed earth workshop. Pop-ups are also a really exicting feature of Clayfest, where everyone is encouraged to showcase a project or technique.

Maria Brown shared her adobe making machine with us. The EBUKI crew ran a series of scientific experiments explaining how earth works as a building material. And it was fascinating to watch Bee Rowan attempt (and fail) to set a clay-covered bale on fire.

		Maybe you could set up a mud graffiti wall... Maybe you worked on an earth-based project and would like to present a slideshow during the lunch break... Maybe you want to find like-minded people from your area and set up an earth building group or find out more about one that already exists... At Clayfest you will have a fantastic cross section of earth builders, designers, researchers, practitioners and enthusiasts at your finger tips. Clayfest Tours On the last day of Clayfest, there are self-drive tours to a selection of six contemporary and historic earth buildings in the region. From an experimental building project by the students of architecture to the historic mud-and-stud to a contemporay rammed earth training centre, there is something for everyone.

There are lots of accommodation options in Lincoln, but if you're up for it, we recommend camping. It's a great way to continue the conversations started during the workshops, symposium and conference. This is networking at its best, when classmates can become life long friends.

Information on the campsite will follow shortly. Watch this space. We really hope to see you at Clayfest 2017 - make the effort to come. It will be worth it!

 

Copyright 2017, Féile Butler - Mud and Wood

 

 

Early Bird Specials End Soon - Book Now to Save

14th February 2017

First off, thanks to everyone who came along to our Open Day on Sunday. About sixty of you braved the cold and dropped in to see us. There were plenty of questions as we showed our visitors around our home. We really enjoy and appreciate it when you display such an interest in what we have done and what we continue to do. Hopefully we have inspired some of you to take the plunge and take on a natural building project of your own.

Turn inspiration into action by coming on one of our many Mud and Wood workshops. If you want to get the best bang for your buck, the deadlines for the Early Bird Specials are fast approaching. For most of our workshops, book before 31st March 2017 to avail of our Early Bird Specials, saving you up to €90.

There are a few courses which must be booked before then if you want to avail of our discounted rates:

Course Title	Date	Early Bird Special	Full Price	Book By
Weekend Design Course	04 - 05 March	€155	€175	17/02/2017
Weekend Natural Edge Wood Course	25 - 26 March	€145	€160	24/02/2017
Introduction to Cob Course	08 April	€70	€80	03/03/2017

Click here to check our full 2017 Timetable. And don't forget that we are available to run private workshops for community groups, friends, colleges, schools and more. Contact us at feile@mudandwood.com if you would like to discuss your ideas.

Remember, if you travel to us by bus or train, we will come and collect you from the station if the local bus timetable is not working out. We also guarantee to get you to and from your accommodation if you stay within 12km of Mud and Wood. We also have some bikes to lend out too.

Besides doing a Mud and Wood Course, there are loads of great reasons to come and visit here.

Co. Sligo is somewhat off the beaten track; not the most obvious tourist destination. We think it is Ireland's best kept secret.

There are ancient castles such as Parkes Castle on Lough Gill and Easkey Castle overlooking a world renowned surf break. There are neolithic monuments in every other field, including giants' graves, barrows, dolmens and cairns. Carrowmore and Carrowkeel Tombs are worth a visit, as is the Warrior Queen Maeve's grave at the top of Knocknarea. Internationally acclaimed poet, W.B. Yeats is buried in Drumcliffe; you can row a boat to his Ilse of Inishfree.

Ride a horse on Streedagh Strand with Benbulben for a backdrop. Catch the surf in Strandhill or Mullaghmore. And if all that sounds too exhausting, enjoy a relaxing seaweed bath in the Victorian Bath House at Enniscrone or sink a few pints and enjoy the craic. A western frontier, facing onto the expanse of the Atlantic Ocean, nothing beats our sunsets.

So hopefully we will see you here in 2017. Don't forget to book soon if you want to get the best value.

Copyright 2017, Féile Butler - Mud and Wood

 

 

Farewell Hazel Bear

8th February 2017

It was a dark, stormy night when Hazel Bear bumbled into our lives. The 20th February 2007 became her "Found Day" because we never knew when she was born. Colin was night-training with the mountain rescue team in Hazel Woods. They found a distressed dog abandoned in the car park and Colin offered to bring her home until her owners were located. Colin jokes that she is the only thing he ever rescued with the mountain rescue team. But really, she found us.

I was pregnant with our first when this massive bear of a dog walked into the caravan. She seemed to practically fill the living room floor. Of course, we didn't even know if she was a he or a she at that point. But despite her size and her German Shepherd heritage, there was nothing threatening about this dog. In fact, from the way she cried, it was clear that she was a big, big softy. Our dog, Lakey, was not too sure about this interloper either and made it clear that despite her comparatively diminutive size, she was top dog.

We thought this scruffy dog was old, maybe about ten or so. She was fat, very fat. She could hardly walk. She was very stiff. We contacted all the people you are supposed to contact - the dog warden, the guards; we put an ad in the newspaper. But within a day or two, we had already lost our hearts to her. And by Day 5, we had made the decision that if her previous owners showed up; we would fight to keep her. She hadn't been cared for properly. We wanted to mind her for the last year or two of her life.

We brought her to the vets. And that's when we learned that she was not an old dog at all. She was only about two! And sure enough, on a strict diet with plenty of walks and a bit of chiropractic, the weight fell off, her ears perked up, her eyes brightened and she found the spring in her step.

We named her Hazel for the woods where Colin found her. It's obvious where "Bear" came from - the cuddliest teddy bear of a creature we have even known! She was also the hairiest creature we have ever known. She was only with us a few weeks when she started to cast for the first time. And so began a decade of battling with her hair. I used to collect it in bin bags after brushing her.

Hazel absolutely adored our other dog, Lakey, and tried to copy everything she did. As Lakey streaked along the shoreline chasing plovers above the waves, Hazel lolloped behind her. What she lacked in grace, she made up for in enthusiasm. Hazel could never beat Lakey on land, but in the sea, crashing through the surf to retrieve a stick, Hazel won every time. ... until the last year or so, when she slowed down and her back end started to weaken. I loved watching her barrelling through the waves. It was pure joy.

Lakey spent a lot of energy asserting her top dog status. We used to laugh at that because Hazel was so laid back, she never had any intention of usurping her. Lakey often treated Hazel like an annoying little sister. But if Hazel got hurt (and believe me, Hazel let you know if she was hurt), Lakey was straight over to check her out and administer kisses. The few times when Hazel was sick, wearing the "cone of shame", Lakey never left her side.

You always knew where Hazel was, because she was right in the middle of everything. If it meant that you had to step over her, then that was the best place to lie. The only place better was on the couch or in bed, snuggled up to a human being. And Colin was her favourite. He had been her saviour on that dark, stormy night and she never forgot it. If she couldn't find a person, a teddy would do. But Hazel Bear loved cuddles. I mean, she really loved cuddles. If she hadn't been getting enough of them, she would find you and head butt you until you dropped to the floor and wrapped your arms around her.

She absolutely loved her walks, but she could be lazy too. I remember one time in the caravan when Daithí was trundling up and down on his trike. Hazel was lying down looking very comfortable, but Daithí was repeatedly riding over her paws. You could see the cogs slowly turning in her head, "Will I move or will I just stay and take the pain?". She opted to take the pain.

Both of our kids were born at home in the caravan. Hazel was part of their world, literally from their first moments of life. She was always such a gentle soul and put up with no amount of crawling over her, sitting on top of her, pulling and poking at her. She didn't mind when the kids wanted to dress her up. They set up agility courses for her in the garden ... though more often than not, Hazel ploughed straight through the hurdles rather than jump over or crawl under them. Despite her size, often towering over the kids and their friends, children were never scared of her .... even those who normally had a fear of dogs.

Like all bears, Hazel loved her food. Dinner time was the highlight of her day. She barked and yelped and pranced all through preparation until her bowl was set on the floor and then wolfed it down in seconds. We learned pretty quickly that you couldn't give Hazel a plastic bowl ... or that ended up half-eaten too. And poor Lakey was driven demented protecting her unfinished dinner from an opportunistic, hungry bear. Hazel once ate a set of bongos, tempted by the goat skin. And only recently I found her trapped in a bag of dog food, caught redhanded!

There was clearly German Shepherd in Hazel. We think there was a good bit of Golden Retriever too. As well as having such a beautiful, soft face, she loved to carry things. Shoes ended up outside. Stones ended up inside. Things were always going missing, turning up in the oddest places having been "Hazelled". It's been sad to see all of our shoes present and correct on the shoe rack in the hall these past few days.

Hazel survived mastitis, the result of three phantom pregnancies; an emergency hysterectomy and aggressive mammary cancer. Her cancer was so bad and so extensive that the vet could only operate on one side to begin with. We then had to wait to see if it came back before deciding on whether or not there was any point in operating on the second side. The vets did not give a good prognosis, but miraculously, the cancer had been eliminated. She had her second operation and, against all odds, that was also successful. Hazel had been given weeks to live. That was five years ago.

In the last year she had started to slow down. As with many German Shepherds, she had trouble with her back hips, but acupuncture helped. Our wonderful vet had a hard time trying to get the needles to stay put among all of that fur. Hazel needed a bit more encouragement on her walks and no longer tried to keep up with Lakey, but she still loved to go out. Every evening we heard her heavy, clunking steps up the stairs. She slept on a mattress at the end of our bed (she always wanted to be in the company of others) and we wondered when we would have to move to the bedroom downstairs to make it easier for her.

Like plenty of human elders, she needed the toilet a few times in the night. Usually it was Colin who got up with her. He saw many beautiful starry skies thanks to Hazel Bear. We didn’t always wake on time ... there was a lot of mopping in the last few months. But we had just gotten to the bottom of her problem. Her kidneys were fine; she had a rare hormonal imbalance which was very simple to regulate with drops. We only ordered them from the chemist last Friday.

Then, on Saturday morning she was off-form. She was slow. She was panting. I was taking the train to Dublin that morning. But I started the day sitting on the rug with the kids, stroking Hazel. We were concerned about her, but not overly-concerned. I gave her lots of cuddles and asked the kids to mind her. I suggested that they brush her to make her feel special. She loved being brushed. Then I joked with Colin to keep her alive until I got home that evening.

Half an hour after I got on the train, Colin rang looking for the vet’s number. He wasn’t even particularly worried at that point, but thought it would be wiser to get her checked out. A friend had stayed with us on Friday night and he said he would take the kids to his house, so that Colin could go.

Half an hour later Colin rang me to let me know out big, beautiful, dafty bear was gone. They didn’t even make it to the vet’s. On the way, Colin just knew that Hazel was leaving us. He pulled the car over, got into the boot with her and held her big, soft head as she sighed her last breath. He was with her at the start and he was with her at the end. It was exactly how it should have been.

Her death was sudden. And despite her age, somewhere around 12 years old, it was completely unexpected. But it was quick, it was painless and she was surrounded with family and cuddles until the very end. Colin collected me from the train, with our bear still in the back of the car. We brought her home and laid her out on the rug so that the kids could say goodbye. She is buried in the garden and we will plant flowers on her grave.

Hazel Bear was embedded in our life and now there are so many signs that she is gone. Her bedtime snores are silent. There is no scratching at the front door when she wants back inside, escalating to barks if we ignored the scratching for too long. The clunking on the stairs and the snuffling under the living room door is absent. Our shoes are where we left them. The hair is not gathering on the stairs and under the benches. Feeding Lakey is a much quieter affair. And there is no big, warm shape to step over in the doorway, on the rug, in the kitchen, in front of the fire, on the office floor.

Anyone who has been to our home, for workshops or for meetings, has met her because Hazel Bear always wanted to be in the middle of it. And everyone always remarked on what a gorgeous, big, gentle dog she was. And she was. We were so lucky to have in our lives.

Farewell Hazel Bear.

Copyright 2017, Féile Butler - Mud and Wood

 

 

Come Along to Our Open Day, 12th February

3rd February 2017

Our annual Open Day is taking place on Sunday, 12th February. From 11:00am onwards Colin and I will open our doors to anyone who wants to stop by. We will be very happy to show you around and tell you something about how we started out and where we are now. If you are curious about what a naturally-built home looks and feels like, if you want some real-life inspiraton to kick-start your own project or if you want to find out about our hands-on workshops in person, then make sure you drop in for a visit. The kettle will be on.

The doors will be open between 11:00am and 5:00pm. No early or late arrivals, please!

For directions, please click here.

Time to Book for Our Early Bird Specials

3rd February 2017

If you follow us on Facebook, you will know that planning recently came through for a new-build cob house I designed in collaboration with a young family in Sligo. Two years ago, one half of the couple came on our Design Course and last year, the other half came on our Mud and Wood House Building Course. With planning granted, they are now another step closer to turning their dream into a reality. Maybe this story will inspire you to join us for one (or more) of our courses in 2017!

We try to give you the best possible value for our workshops. If you are smart, book early and you can avail of discounts of up to €90 per course. The deadlines for Early Bird Specials are looming:

Course Title	Early Bird Special	Save
Design Course (04-05 March)	Book by 17/02/2017	€20
Natural Edge Wood Course (25-26 March)	Book by 24/02/2017	€15
Introduction to Cob Course (08 April)	Book by 03/03/2017	€10
All Other Courses	Book by 31/03/2017	€10 - €90

If you have any questions at all about our workshops, please contact me at feile@mudandwood.com. And hopefully we will meet you here, either on the Open Day or during one of 2017 Mud and Wood Courses.

Copyright 2017, Féile Butler - Mud and Wood

 

 

What Will We Cover on the Natural Edge Wood Course: 08-09 October 2016?

5th October 2016

The Natural Edge Wood Course, running this weekend (08-09 October), really is about the journey from tree trunk to furniture. So what better place to start than in the local woods. Second generation carpenter, Colin Ritchie, will take you through the forest, identifying the species that grow in Ireland, looking at their characteristics and explaining how different types of timber are suited to different uses.

How do get your tree trunk out of the forest? Colin will tell you how. Then it's time to convert that trunk to slabs of wood. We have a number of videos which show exactly what goes on in a saw mill. How do you know how thick to cut your slabs? Is the grain direction important? How do you choose which sections of the trunk to cut? By the end of the weekend, you will have the answers to these questions and more.

Freshly cut timber contains too much moisture to use immediately. As it dries, it shrinks. You don't want your piece of bespoke furniture to shrink or warp. So drying the timber is very important. Learn how to stack and store your timber for optimal drying. How long do you need to leave it? Does all timber have to be kiln-dried?

Having looked at how to source and prepare your timber, it will be time to get on with some making. The first piece of furniture you will tackle will be a simple stool. The techniques that you learn in this exercise can be adapted for making tables and chairs.

Colin will be on hand to demonstrate each step of the process and to give full guidance on the use of all tools.

There will be plenty of insider tips, showing techniques that will save you time and will ensure that any mistakes are ironed out before you start to cut up your beautiful slabs of wood. Using templates for irregularly shaped furniture is one such tip and eveyone will get to make their own templates of real window boards, counter tops and shelves.

There will be a tour of the Mud and Wood House, but not your average tour. Drawers will be opened, doors popped off hinges, tables turned upside-down and beds dismantled. Each of the timber elements in the house will be exaimined, literally from all angles.

Then it wil be time to make a natural edge wood shelf. Again, one-on-one guidance will be provided in the use of all tools so that you can achieve the best possible outcome. There are free off-cuts of timber available. However, there will also be some choicer samples of timber available for purchase if you want to make a high-quality shelf that can take pride of place in your own home.

Colin will be on hand to operate some of the larger equipment if you want to be extra ambitious with your project.

This course is suitable for beginners as well as those who have experience in working with wood.

There are still spaces available on the Natural Edge Wood Course this weekend (08-09 October). The cost is €160 (€145 student/unwaged). Each day runs from 10:00am to 5:30pm at the Mud and Wood House and includes big, hearty, hot lunches. Book now if you would like to join us.

Options

Full Price €160.00 EUR Unwaged/Student €145.00 EUR

Or email feile@mudandwood.com if you have any questions. Hopefully we will meet you here this weekend!

 

Copyright 2016 Féile Butler - Mud and Wood

 

 

Restoration of a Mud Mortar Cottage

23rd August 2016

Fig. 1

Cottage and Barn

This cottage is nestled on a sloping site close to the village of Riverstown in Co. Sligo. Abandoned 65 years ago, the buildings have remained relatively pure, albeit in a derelict state. The new owner, who is actually a descendant of the original homesteaders, was keen to restore the cottage sensitively. He does not want to live there, but rather preserve the building as a record of how people lived and built in olden times.

The cottage and barn tell a story of expansion (it was extended at least twice and probably three times), of advances in technology (moving from a turf fire built off the floor to a coal-fueled raised grate fireplace) and of changes in style (from ceilings that followed the roof line to flat ceilings). The home also seems to tell a story of an unexpected interest in design and appearances, with an Art Deco style pediment above the front door which matches a surviving wooden headboard, unusual bi-fold doors and a fake fireplace in the "good room".

The cottage is built from stone bonded together with an earth mortar. In conservation, there is a concept that the materials used to carry out repairs should be as similar as possible to the original. In short, replace like with like. This makes technical sense too. As long as the source of the problem can be identified and resolved (e.g. rotten roof timbers pushing out the tops of walls, missing slates and gutters allowing water to pour into the tops of walls and wash out mortar, etc.), using materials that match the original ensure that the repairs will expand and contract, absorb and release moisture, react to salts, etc. in a similar manner. This puts less stress on the repair and it is more likely to survive longterm.

Therefore, it was clear from the outset that this cottage would be repaired using earth mortars. It also made sense that the earth would be harvested from the site, as they must have done years ago. However, it would also be important to ensure that the characteristics of the new earth mortar would match the original as closely as possible.

Fig. 2

Roof Removed from Cottage

Samples of existing mud mortar were taken from a number of locations within the walls. The mortar is clearly quite gritty with plenty of small stones evident. There are also some white lumps present, which can be an indication that some quicklime is also present in the mortar.

Fig. 3	Stone Wall with Earth Mortar (and Earth Plaster)		Fig. 4	Sample of Earth Mortar

Earth used for building is always harvested from below the top soil (unless you are dealing with turf construction ... but that is a whole other story). You want your building material to be as inorganic and "dead" as possible. You can't build walls with a material that is still breaking down. We took sub-soil from the site so that we could run some tests on it and see if it was suitable for building with. The site was full of rushes and was poorly drained, indicating that there was probably quite a high clay content in the soil. When we dug up the soil, the spade left a shiny, slick mark behind (Fig. 6) - another indicator that there was a lot of clay involved.

Fig. 5	Digging Up the Sub-Soil		Fig. 6	Slick Surface = High Clay Content

Back at Mud and Wood, I carried out a whole range of tests on multiple samples to see exactly what we were dealing with. The first test was the drop test. A golf ball sized sample of the original mortar was dropped from a height. There was some flattening of the base, but it held its shape well and there were no visible cracks in the ball. This is what we would expect from a good building mix.

After testing a number of original earth mortar samples, I looked at the sub-soil from the site. You can see (Fig. 9) that the golf ball flattened considerably and did not hold its shape. It was sticky and took some effort to peel off the table ... all signs that the sample was too rich in clay to use for building.

Fig. 7	Mortar Sample Drop Ball Test		Fig. 8	Underside of Mortar Sample		Fig. 9	Site Soil Sample Drop Ball Test		Fig. 10	Underside of Site Soil Sample

Earth basically consists of two components - stones/gravel/sand/silt (these are all essentially the same thing, just at different scales) and clay. The aggregate (stones/gravel/sand/silt) is the skeleton. This material is inert. It provides the strength. The clay is the binder; it provides the stickiness that glues the material together. For good building earth you need the right combination of both - enough strength and enough stick.

The next thing I looked at was the distribution of particle sizes within the earth mortar samples and in the site sub-soil sample. The mortar samples all featured a significant amount of larger particles, something you might not expect to find with a contemporary mortar mix. There was also a significant amount of fines, between 60% and 70%. The soil sample displayed somewhat similar characteristics, but there was a lack of mid-range particle sizes, particularly in the 4 - 8mm range.

Fig. 11	Particle Size Distribution - Original Mortar Sample		Fig. 12	Particle Size Distribution - Site Sub-Soil Sample

When considering the range of aggregate sizes within the material, another thing to consider is whether or not they are well graded. This means that there should be some large particles, some medium particles and some small particles. The space or voids in between two large particles can be filled with medium particles. The space in between those can be filled with small particles. The bigger the range of sizes, the more the voids will be filled and the stronger the material is. The void to material ratio in a good mix is 33%. Void ratio tests were carried out for all of the original mortar samples and they all displayed excellent grading, measuring at exactly 33% or just 1 % over or under.

First the material is dried in an oven to remove all moisture. It is then measured (Fig. 13). An equal volume of water is then measured out (Fig. 14). The water is poured on to the dry sample until it becomes completely saturated but no more. This point is reached when the sample is fully wet, but just before ponding would start to occur on the surface (Fig. 16 and Fig. 17). The amount of water remaining in the jar is measured (Fig. 15), which informs how much water has filled the voids, i.e. what is the volume of the voids in comparison with the overall volume of the material.

Fig. 13	Volume of Dried Mortar		Fig. 14	Volume of Water		Fig. 15	Remaining Volume of Water

Fig. 16	Saturated Mortar Sample		Fig. 17	Saturated Mortar Sample

Another test that can tell us about the aggregate and the clay content of a sample is the squeeze test. A sample that has a lot of aggregate will feel really firm in one's hand when squeezed. Under compression, it will not budge. As the amount of clay in the mix increases, the sample will feel more malleable and it will be possible to extrude it (Fig. 18). When the clay content is high, it is much easier to squeeze and it will extrude easily and quickly from one's fist (Fig. 19). A good building mix will feel strong and firm in the fist, but there should be enough give to allow a small amount of slow extrusion.

Fig. 18	Original Earth Mortar Sample - Some Slow Extrusion		Fig. 19	Site Sub-Soil Sample - Excessive Extrusion

Another test to find out more about the properties of an earth sample is the palm test. This is a favourite of ours at Mud and Wood. The sample is smeared on to the hand about 2 - 3mm thick (Fig. 20), which is then held out horizontally (Fig. 21). Keep the fingers straight, while bending at the first knuckle (where the fingers join the hand) (Fig. 22). Return the fingers to horizontal (Fig. 21). Repeat the move, counting each repetition.

If the sample falls off between 1 - 3, there is too much aggregate and not enough clay. A good building mix will fall off between 4 and 8 counts. Above that and there is too much clay. The original mortar samples were coming in around 7 to 8. The original sub-soil sample came in around 30, clearly much too clay rich to be used in its natural state.

			Fig. 21	Hold Hand Out Horizontally
Fig. 20	Smear on Sample		Fig. 22	Keep Fingers Straight. Bend at Knuckle.

The results from the tests indicated that the original mortars displayed good building characteristics. However, the samples of earth dug from the site were too clay rich to be used for building. This soil needed to be modified so that its characteristics were in line with the original mortar. In matching the performance of the original mortar, this satisfies the conservation principle of repairing "like with like". It also prevents the repair from putting stress on the original materials or absorbing excessive stress itself. It allows harmony between the old and the new.

High clay content in the soil sample had been established. To balance that out, to provide more skeleton and less binder, additional aggregate was required for the repair mortar. As discussed above, the particle size distribution is important. And we know that the mortar sample contained more aggregate in the 4 - 8mm range compared with the site soil sample. A number of sands and combinations were tried and all of the tests (drop ball test, void ratio test, squeeze test and palm test) were repeated. A mix which incorporated additional coarse sand proved to align most closely with the original mortar. This was no surprise as the coarser sand added to the 4 - 8mm particle range.

Fig. 23	2 Sub-Soil : 1 Coarse Sand : 2 Fine Sand		Fig. 24	2 Sub-Soil : 3 Local Plasterers Sand
Fig. 25	2 Sub-Soil : 2 Coarse Sand : 1 Fine Sand		Fig. 26	The Final Earth Mortar Mix

If you look at the ball drop test of the selected earth mortar mix and compare it with the original mortar ball drop test (Fig. 7 and Fig. 8) above, you will notice that the results are very similar. By contrast, I had looked at a sample where I added two parts sand to one part sub-soil and you can see from the ball drop test (Fig. 29) that it could not hold together. Too much aggregate had been added, meaning there was no longer enough binder (clay) to stick the material together.

Fig. 27	Repair Mortar - Ball Drop Test		Fig. 28	Underside of Repair Mortar		Fig. 29	Sandy Mix - Ball Drop Test

Likewise, with the selected earth mortar mix, the squeeze test yielded very similar results to those of the original mortar samples (Fig. 18). Whereas with the sandy mix, there was no extrusion at all, indicating that the clay content was lacking in this sample.

Fig. 30	Repair Mortar - Squeeze Test		Fig. 31	Sandy Mix - Squeeze Test

The specification for the repair mortar was now known. There was one more ingredient, however. As there was evidence of quicklime in the original mortar samples, a small amount of kibbled quicklime was also added to this mortar mix ... between 2% to 3%.

* * * * * * * * * *

The cottage was in a very dilapidated state. The first task was to remove the roof. It was amazing to stand in a room filled with light which up to now had always been so dark. Then the chimney, which had become destablised by vegetation growth and water ingress, had to be carefully dismantled.

The outshot is a feature of these cottages. It is an alcove which extends beyond the external wall of the building and is situated beside the fireplace and as far away from the front door as possible (typically diagonally opposite, as it is here). A bed or settle was located in the outshot, the warmest place in the house, often reserved for the grandparents.

Fig. 32	Chimney Breast in Cottage		Fig. 33	Roof Removed		Fig. 34	Chimney Dismantled

In the photo below (Fig. 35) you can see the remains of bog timber collar beam trusses. Others in the cottage survived relatively intact. Much of the original scraw from the thatched roof remained, along with some lovely examples of straw rope.

The cottage had been extended and modified a number of times. There used to be an opening on the left hand side of this wall, which was blocked up. At high level, there had also been a window, also blocked up. This is evidence that this used to be an external wall and that there had been a sleeping platform in this half of the room. There also used to be another external door opposite the front door (just visible on the extreme right hand side of the photo). This had also been partially blocked up and a window was inserted into the opening (Fig. 36 and Fig. 37).

Fig. 35

Transverse Wall

(Note: Large Cracks on the Left where Previous Opening was Blocked Up)

It was known that there were structural problems with the rear wall. Some were caused by rotten roof timbers pushing the top of the wall outwards. Some were caused by the extensive root system of an ash tree beside the rear wall of the cottage. Some were caused by historic repairs to the stonework. There was a significant bulge to the left of the window where the outer layer of stonework was not tied into the inner layer.

Fig. 36	Roof Removed		Fig. 37	Wall Around Opening Propped

As is often the case with projects like these, opening up an old building is like opening up a can of worms. It had been hoped that this rear wall could be stablised with spot repairs and minimal intervention. As it turned out, large sections of the wall had to be dismantled. The stones were laid out in sequence as they were removed. While the reconstructed wall could never be built exactly as the original (and it would now bear the signature of these modern masons), it would be as faithful as possible to the original.

Fig. 38

Rear Wall Partially Dismantled

Stonemasons Seán, Brian and Séamus from Tir Conaill Conservation are very experienced, well used to working with lime. However, they had never worked with earth before. They took to it like ducks to water. Typically masons will mix earth mortars in a trough with spades. However, these guys found that the clay in the sub-soil was so strong and the tiny percentage of quicklime made the mix so stiff, that it was easier to mix by foot - literally dancing the mortar into existence. What a great way to build!

Fig. 39

Rear Wall (including Outshot) and Blocked Up Opening Rebuilt

The major rebuilding of the walls is now nearly complete. Next on the list will be the chimney (in the foreground - Fig. 39). Once the walls and chimney are stablised, the new roof will be erected to provide protection.

In the photos below, you can follow the progress made on the rear wall of the cottage. The root system belonging to the ash tree (Fig. 40) severely destablised the walls. Removing it proved one of the more difficult tasks on site.

Fig. 40

Rear of Cottage

Note: The Outshot Extending Beyond the Cottage Wall (to the Right of the Window)

Fig. 41	Rear of Cottage with Roof Removed		Fig. 42	Dismantling of Rear Wall Underway

Fig. 43	Dismantling of Rear Wall Complete		Fig. 44	Putting the Finishing Touches to the Rear Wall

There is still a way to go. But it is extremely satisfying to see the building being restored with such care and expertise ... and using the resources from the site in the traditional way. It is also great to see the earth mortar making such a good impression on these veteran stonemasons. They love building with it. To me, that is the best seal of approval.

Copyright 2016 Féile Butler - Mud and Wood

 

 

10 Reasons to Book for the 9-Day Intensive Mud and Wood Course, 14 - 22 May (€810)

14th April 2016

It's exactly one month to our 9-Day Intensive Mud and Wood Course and if you would like to come on this natural home building workshop, it is time to let us know. This year we decided to run it early on in the season so that you will have the whole summer to practise what you learn and maybe even cut your teeth on a small project of your own. If you are trying to decide if this is the course for you, here are our top ten reasons to choose Mud and Wood.

1. Experienced Teachers
Cob is a very democratic material. Anybody can build with it. That's what we love about it. However, cob alone does not make a whole house. Colin Ritchie is a carpenter apprenticed by his father (it's in his blood) and has been working in the building game for 30 years. Féile Butler is a practising registered architect and an executive of Earth Building UK and Ireland (EBUKI's first ever Irish director) with almost 20 years of professional practice under her belt. So between them, they have decades of combined experience regarding the practicalities of getting a real house built. They have both been researching and working with cob since 2005 and teaching in Ireland and abroad since 2009.

2. Working Knowledge of Planning Regulations
One of the questions we get asked most is how we got planning permission for the Mud and Wood House. The answer is that it went very smoothly, but we put in a good deal of work beforehand. There is a lot of misinformation out there about the planning process in Ireland. We have plenty of tips to help you get the most positive outcome possible for your plans.

3. Working Knowledge of Building Regulations
Many cob building courses have little or no regard for building regulations. Even if you manage to build your home very cheaply, it will still probably be one of the major financial investments of your life. At Mud and Wood we believe it is important that you are taught how to build a house that is legally compliant. Otherwise, you will have problems getting it through building control, applying for a mortgage or selling your home in the future. Regulations cover everything from how much insulation needs to be in your roof/floor/walls to the size and location of your toilet, from what type of hot water/heating system you can install to the dimensions of your stairs. We also discuss the current challenges of building a legally compliant cob house and how you might go about dealing with them.

4. Working with Cob on a Big Scale
On the 9-Day Intensive Mud and Wood Course, we start by teaching the traditional method of foot-mixing and hand-building cob. We believe that it is really important to get a good feel for the material. However, for anything bigger than a tiny cottage, this method is not practical. It is painfully slow. At Mud and Wood we developed our own way to mix and build with cob on a much bigger scale. This system, using digger-mixing and plywood formwork, allowed us to build the walls of a 1,400 sq. ft. house in less than one building season (April - September). On the course, we spend a lot of time teaching you how to make the forms, how to make your own specialised tools of the trade and how to get large cob walls up quickly.

5. Theory to Back Up the Practical
At Mud and Wood, we believe it is as important to understand why you do something a certain way as well as simply learning how to do it. So while you will spend a lot of time building and practising on our course, you will also spend plenty of time in the classroom. When you understand how certain materials work together, it will empower you to make good choices about your own building project. When can you substitue one material for something else a little cheaper or when could that decision actually be harmful to your building? Why do certain details work the way they do and what happens if you get rid of some of the layers/components? The theory will really stand to you when you begin your own project.

6. It's Not Only About Mud - There is Wood Too (and Straw Bales)!
The Mud and Wood House is not only built with solid cob walls. We also invented our own detail for a timber-frame wall insulated with straw bales (and this is only one of a number of details we will teach you to help get your cob building through the building regulations). Learn how you can modify cheap and easy-to-find/salvage materials to build this type of wall. For anyone who is not a master lime-plasterer, this is a great way to use straw bales in our rainy climate.

7. Tips on How to Use Salvaged Materials
A lot of this comes back to the theory (See No. 5 above). It's all very well salvaging lots of free building materials. However, if you do not use them correctly in your building, they can end up causing damage to your structure. Get some really practical tips on how you can use all of this free stuff safely in your home.

8. A Course Developed by Mud and Wood specially for Our Part of the World
The 9-Day Intensive Mud and Wood Course (and accompanying handbook) was developed as a direct consequence of Colin and Féile's experiences working and building in Ireland and the UK. The guidance from international cob building books and experts has been adapted to suit the local climate and local legal requirements. This has been possible because of Colin and Féile's wealth of knowledge and experience in practical house building.

9. It's Not Only About the Walls
From personal experience, Colin and Féile encountered gaps in cob building courses. Some important stages of house-building were left out. Mud and Wood students have the opportunity to set out a building on the ground, to physically build a simple roof, to make timber beams, etc. Colin and Féile are always available to answer students' particular queries if a topic has not been covered adequately during the course.

10. It's in a Beautiful Part of the World
Sligo is home to Yeats' Isle of InisFree and to the Warrior Queen Maeve's tomb on Knocknarea. World renowned surf breaks are on our doorstep, as are miles of glorious beaches. There are more megalithic sites per acre in Sligo than anywhere else in the country. If all that seems too active, chill out in the local seaweed baths, catch a trad session in the pub or pass the time of day fishing some of our great local rivers. And the sunsets on this northwest coast have to be seen to be believed!

11. The Craic
Okay ... so I know we've added an extra one here ... But it's an important one. Nine intensive days together is pretty intense, so you will get to know your fellow natural builders very well. As well as working hard, there will be plenty of time to hang out, get to know each other, have the craic and be inspired. It's an opportunity to establish a good network of like-minded folk and it's highly likely that some of your classmates will go on to help you with your projects in the future.

So this is not just any old cob workshop. This is a Mud and Wood Wokshop. Realise your dreams of building your own natural home and come on our 9-Day Intensive Mud and Wood Course. Click here to book your place or to find out more information. And if you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch.

See you here in May!

Copyright 2016 Féile Butler - Mud and Wood

 

 

Inspiration for Upcoming Courses

22nd March 2016

Last Thursday was St. Patrick's Day and who can resist an opportunity to dress up (certainly not Colin). We took part in the parade in the local village, where Colin discovered that he had the super-power of terrifying small children and making them cry. I wonder why? At least the Easter Bunny decided to make an early appearance to help soothe the traumatised onlookers. If you would like to meet up with some of the glamorous folk in this photo, then it's time to sign up for one of our courses ... or even two or three! Approaching fast, we have the Weekend Design Course (09-10 April) which is filling up nicely. The Natural Edge Wood Course (23-24 April) is also just a month away. And if you think you need more convincing about whether or not to take a design or wood course, take a look at our new video on YouTube. That might be inspiration enough.

 

Thanks to everyone who came along to the open day. We had about 80 or 90 through the door. As always it is so great to meet up with like-minded people or people about to embark on a similar journey to ours. If you want a reminder about how our story began - click here or click below.

Copyright 2016, Féile Butler - Mud and Wood

 

 

The Full Story of Colin's Trip to Calais

8th January 2016

To protect their identites, I am not using my Syrian friends' real names nor showing their faces. Some of their families are still in Syria and if it could be proved that these men had escaped to the West, those left behind could be in grave danger. The outlook for these men could also be very grim if they were to return from the West during the current regime.

I used to read a lot about the world banks, global capatalism, corporate greed and the exploitation of developing countries assets. I experienced some of it first hand fifteen years ago, when Féile and I spent a few months in Laos meeting local people who were beginning to fight back against corrupt logging and energy companies stripping their forests and hijakcing their rivers. But too much negativity in the media can be too much to bear. So I gave up watching the news and reading the articles and retreated back to my own little world. Just as I did as a kid, I watched the cycles of nature, the birds and the trees. They don't get hung up on global politics, inequality, war or recession.

However, some stories are just too big ... and too human. And so it was with the refugee crisis. Images of capsized boats, dead children washed up on beaches and families being driven from their homes filtered through ... and couldn't be ignored. We were comfortable in our lovely home, looking forward to Christmas. Meanwhile, thousands of other families were embarking on dangerous, desperate journeys with no certainty of a happy ending. Féile wanted to pledge a bed. I wasn't sure. Would it be awkward to have two families living on top of each other? Would it be tough on a foreign family to live so rural with no-one else from their culture nearby? Then one day at breakfast, she asked me if I would be willing to go to Calais to help build shelters for the refugees who were camped there.

I needed some time to process the idea. I knew it would open up that world of politics that I had chosen to ignore to preserve my sanity. And I knew that I would find the task very emotional. But I have 32 years' experience as a carpenter and 10 years' experience of childhood shelter-making and I figured I could be of some use. So after 24 hours of mulling it over, I decided to go.

Féile had already been communicating with a few different groups who were running projects out in Calais. We were both committed to ensuring that whatever I did out there would provide the best value possible. And cost was, of course, the first stumbling block ... the cost of getting over there ... and staying there ... and eating there. But we have a great following on www.mudandwood.com and within 15 hours of first asking for help online, we had met our target for getting me to Calais. And people kept on giving. But more about that later.

There was a small Irish team heading over on the 2nd December to erect a communal refuge for the women and children in the camp. It was to be a safe place where they could seek relief from the weather and the mud, and seek support and companionship from each other. The team had sourced a kit-building in England that was highly-insulated, could accommodate a solid-fuel stove and could be assembled in a matter of days.

I liked the idea that this was a project that had a beginning and an end, and that it would be possible to see it through to that end while I was in Calais... and the result would benefit many and not just a few. Having a small team around me would also give me the emotional support and camaraderie that I felt would be essentail to get through the project. So I booked my flight and within a few days was on the 1:00am bus from Sligo to Dublin Airport.

I was supposed to travel with two of the team and share a hired van from Paris to Calais. But Gerry and Mags ended up diverting to Gatwick ... where they rendezvoused with Elaine and Liam who were collecting the kit-building in the south of England. It was only 20 years since I had spoken French ... how bad could it be on my own? After a bit of a train, planes and automobiles mission (largely speaking Spanish with a French accent) I eventually made it to Calais by tea time. The rest of the team were travelling by ferry from Dover ... and it was actually only an hour or two after my arrival when the five of us met up together for a much needed pint. The following morning our final team member, Freya, joined us too.

Colin, Gerry and Mags

My first stop was a huge warehouse in Calais where most of the aid supplies are taken; food, clothes, tents, tarpaulins. It is a massive operation supervised by a team of volunteers, everyone contributing their time, energy and compassion to the cause. There is also a carpentry workshop housed in another warehouse, where basic shelters are prefabricated and then erected in the camp.

The camp itself is known as the Jungle and this was to be the next stop on my tour. Walking into the Jungle for the first time brought up a lot of emotions. The previous week had seen constant, torrential rain. Most of the camp inhabitants live in tents designed for summer festivals. They were half-collapsed with extra tarps thrown over them wherever possible to minimise leaks. Many were pitched in sodden hollows. But despite the shocking conditions, I was surprised at how many smiles and welcomes were directed at me.

The Jungle, Calais

Elaine, who was the main organiser for our trip, brought me to meet two Syrian men. They were in very low spirits. It was the day that Britain had decided to join in the bombing of Syria. Abdullah's family are still in Damascus and as I talked to him, he collapsed in floods of tears. His two children are the same age as mine and it brought the reality of his situation home to me. Before long, I had a lump in my throat and tears welling up. Over the next few days, this happened a lot. Ibrahim's family are in a refugee camp on the Turkish border. The pair joined our building team. After a few days. Abdullah got word that his family were safe for now and the lads' spirits lifted as they got on with the building project ... something to keep their mind and bodies active during the day. Mobile phones are a vital link to the families left back home or elsewhere. It is devastating if they got lost or damaged, as happened to one of my friends during my stay.

When I first met Abdullah and Ibrahim, they were tired having spent the night trying to stow away on any of the numerous trucks travelling to England. This is the main goal for many of the Jungle's inhabitants, as it is generally believed among the camp's population that the UK is a good country in which to seek asylum with the opportunity to repatriate your family too. Also, many of the asylum seekers already have extended family members with businesses and work opportunities in the UK.

Colin, "Abdullah" and "Ibrahim"

The would-be stowaways know how much trouble the truck drivers can get in to if unofficial passengers are found on board. There is a tradition in the camp that if you make it, you leave a message behind for the truck driver saying sorry and thank you. Border security has been ramped up in recent months. Massive new fences have been built. All undergrowth beside the Channel Tunnel Railway has been cut to minimise hiding spots. It has become much, much harder to sneak on board transport. The stakes are high. Some get injured. Some have died; a Somali man was killed while I was there. Most fail. But all are desperate.

Partly due to the increased security and, therefore, decreased chance of making it to England, the numbers in the camp have fallen recently from 9,000 to 7,000. The approaching winter probably had something to do with that too. 7,000 people ... that's approximately the size of Lusk in Co. Dublin, Edenderry in Co. Offaly or Buncrana in Co. Donegal.

The Jungle is loosley divided up into many different "neighbourhoods". During my time there, I met Afghans, Iranians, Iraqis, Sudanese, Somalis, Libyans and Sryians. These people are so thankful for the help of the volunteers and for the aid they are receiving. It lets them know that they are not forgotten and that people care. As the week went on, I realised how much a smile and a "hello" was appreciated. Most of them had been living in fear for years in their home countries. Their own families had been killed or presecuted by groups such as ISIS or the Taliban, or by western bombs and missiles. In the camp, all of these different groups live side by side. They have to get on with each other; they have no other option. There are daily meetings to ensure that grudges are dealt with before matters escalate out of control.

There are amazing people in the Jungle. Many of the volunteers camp with the refugees. They have established a theatre, a flue vaccination station (imagine the dire consequences of catching the flue while living in a sodden, cold summer tent), a doctors' surgery, a language school, a library and even a (very impressive) church. In a mainly Muslim environment, it was some feat to set up a church in the camp. But Solomon is a an amazing man and a wonderful diplomat with a very special way about him. He helps everyone.

Solomon's Church

So ... I wasn't in Calais just to have the chat or to observe. I had work to do. Our team was great. The refuge was so important as it would be a heated, well-insulated communal space for the women and children in the camp. There are make-shift restaurants and coffee shops in the Jungle (all with amazing food), many of which are heated. But culturally, these are where the men hang out; they are not places where the women go.

The kit-building was bought at a massively discounted price. There were glitches with erecting it ... For example, there were no vents, the floor had minimal structural reinforcement and the roof section was not designed for heavy rain. My skills and experience were definitely of massive benefit to the team. Some of the additional funds that we raised covered the materials needed to address these shortcomings.

We were building opposite Solomon's church. One day, there was a meeting there discussing the need for new gas bottles for the food stations. They needed three, but they could just about raise the money for one. I bought them the three.

We completed the job on time. Within 24 hours, the refuge was being used. I left a set of tools, screws and timber with the Syrian lads who helped on the build. They planned on adding a porch to the refuge, so that there would be a place to leave shoes outside and additional protection from the weather. It was very empowering for them to have the tools. It gave them a sense of purpose. It helped them to have a focus and to keep busy. It allowed them to help their fellow camp-mates.

People's generosity has been overwhelming. I think many of us have seen the images and are at a loss as how to help. The fact that I was going over to do something tangible and real, with my bare hands (as one of our friends said) ... encouraged people to donate. But it also meant that I felt a huge responsibility to spend that money wisely and well. Scroll to the end to see a full breakdown of how the money you helped raise has been spent so far.

We have raised €2,419 so far. €1,294.86 has been spent. Thanks to your generosity, I am now trying to decide what is the most beneficial way to spend the remaining funds (€1,124.14).

In the Jungle, I noticed that a lot of the sleeping shelter buildings are quite big but can only accommodate a few. They are not insulated. There is no electricity to speak of on site or many heat sources. Lighting fires and gas burners in tents is common, so outbreaks of fire are a constant danger and feature of life in the camp. Since coming home, I have been wondering if the sleeping shelters could be sub-divided and insulated, so that body-heat alone would be enough to spend a relativelty comfortable night. But it comes back to the basic problem ... there are thousands in the camp and the sleeping shelters can only help a few at a time.

Thousands are sleeping in tents. As someone who does this regularly myself, I know how cold it is to lie directly on the groundsheet. So one option is to source thermorest-type mattresses at cost price and distribute these among the camp inhabitants. If they decide to move on, for whatever reason, they can take them with them. Also I noticed that while there are plenty of generous clothes donations, people rarely donate socks. Good thermal socks, if I can source them at cost price, could make a massive difference to their daily comfort.

I don't have any political answers to the problem. I went over there to help provide shelter for those in need. But I do know that if we don't start bridging our cultural divides, if we keep listening to the fear mongering of governments and media, then the problems are only going to escalate, both in Europe and in the Middel East. The Jungle showed me the power of a friendly smile and greeting ... no matter what the race, belief or skin colour. If enough of us stopped fearing each other and started to communicate and accept and love each others' differences, the world would become a better and safer place. Instead of looking the other way I , for one, am going to try to nod and smile at more strangers. This is as true for those in difficulty in Ireland as it is for those struggling abroad.

Some people may complain that I went abroad to help when there is a homeless problem here. This is the cause that found me ... and extending the hand of support and friendship across nations and cultures has never been more important.

I could not have done it without your generous donations. And I really do think that your kindness has made a real difference to the people of the Jungle. So thank you.

Breakdown of Spending

Bus	Sligo - Dublin Airport - Sligo		€ 26.12
Plane with Checked Bags for Tools	Dublin - Paris - Dublin		€ 102.89
Bus	Paris (Beauvais) - Amiens - Paris		€ 30.00
Train	Amiens - Calais - Amiens		€ 55.56
Accommodation x 5 nights	Calais		€ 150.00
Accommodation x 1 night	Paris (Beauvais)		€ 60.00
Food x 7 days			€ 175.00
3 no. Large Gas Bottles	Solomon's Food Stations, The Jungle		€ 120.00
60m Black Jack Flashing	Women and Children's Refuge, The Jungle
Handles and Door Locks	Women and Children's Refuge, The Jungle
4 no. Open/Close Vents	Women and Children's Refuge, The Jungle		€ 220.00
1 no. Box 70mm Screws	Women and Children's Refuge, The Jungle
1 no. Box 100mm Screws	Women and Children's Refuge, The Jungle
8 no. 2x2 Sectional Timber	Women and Children's Refuge, The Jungle
Donation to Abdullah and Ibrahim to complete porch.	Women and Children's Refuge, The Jungle		€ 170.00
1 no. TYPE Cordless Screwdriver	General Contstruction, The Jungle		€ 120.00
Generator Diesel	The Jungle		€ 10.00
PayPal Fees (3.4%) on € 1,626.00			€ 55.29
		TOTAL	€ 1,294.86

I am in the process of setting up a dedicated bank account, Colin's Calais Camp Fund for the remaining € 1,124.14. When I know exactly what will happen to that money I will let you know. And if any of you have any ideas you would like to put forward, I would be interested to hear them too (colin@mudandwood.com) ... but I am leaning strongly towards socks and camping mattresses.

If you would like to donate, you can do so here.

Thanks again.

Copyright 2016, Colin Ritchie and Féile Butler - Mud and Wood

 

 

Please Help Cover the Costs of Getting Colin to Calais

28th November 2015

****** UPDATE ***** 4th December 2015 ***** UPDATE******

The current total now stands at €1,552.67. Thanks a million for being so generous.

Colin has put in a few days work now. This picture was taken on Wednesday, when the walls of the library/refuge were being erected. This building was bought in kit-form and delivered to site. For all of the other shelters, there is a large warehouse which is being used as a fabrication workshop. The walls, roofs and floors of the shelters are built there and then transported to the camp site where they are erected in situ.

Speaking to Colin, he has found it quite an emotional experience so far. Two of the construction team are Syrian men from the camp. They are seeking asylum in Britain and left their wives and children, who are of an similar age to ours, behind in Syria while they made the journey across Europe. Knowing the France and now Britain are are bombing the hell out of their home country must be unimaginably harrowing.

But at least, the team are all working together to achieve something good in a desperate situation.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. We are really overwhelmed ... and glad to see that there is still plenty of good and love in a world that currently seems such a dark place.

 

******************** UPDATE **********************

Colin Ritchie is heading off on Tuesday 1st December to the refugee encampment in Calais to help build much needed shelters. Winter is closing in and worn-out and vulnerable refugees are arriving every day to the camp where the population has exploded in recent months.

He is travelling out with an Irish team of four who are completing building work to a library/refuge for the women and children in the camp, somewhere warm and safe for them to retreat to. The team expects to complete that work in only a matter of days, so Colin will be redeployed wherever he is needed the most.

For this trip he will be staying out for 6 days, returning on the 7th. Depending on what he finds out there, he may be going back out in January for a more extended period. We'll let you know when we know.

Colin has to cover all of his own costs and all of the work he will do in France will be voluntary. So we are looking for your help. Here is what we need to cover:

Return Bus: Sligo - Dublin Airport - Sligo Flights to Paris (with checked bag for carpentry tools) Shared Car/Van Hire: Paris - Calais - Paris Shared Fuel Expenses Shared Accommodation at €30 per person per night for 6 nights Meals at €25 per day for 7 ½ days SUBTOTAL PayPal Fees (Donate Button) 3.4% TOTAL

€ 26 € 109 € 95 (estimate) € 100 (estimate) € 180 € 190 (estimate) € 700 € 25 € 725

A few months ago, we felt powerless to help out in the midst of the refugee crisis ... but this a really tangible way that Colin can use his skills to make a real difference to real people's lives. Any of you who know Colin know what a hard, fast worker he is, what a genius he is at building with whatever materials he has to hand, what a people person he is, and what a team player he is. So I think he will have a really positive experience out there and also, hopefully, have a positive influence too.

If you can support him, you will know that some of this has been down to you. Every donation, no matter how small, will help. A lot of fivers can go a long way.

We'll let you know how he got on when he gets back and give daily updates on the amount raised. Should we get more than we need, we will either save it for the January trip or donate it to L'Auberge les Migrants who are coordinating much of the aid work in Calais.

Copyright 2015, Féile Butler - Mud and Wood

 

Earth Building Ireland 2015: 13 - 14 November, I.T. Sligo

13th October 2015

You have probably noticed that our blogs are getting fewer and farther between. That's usually a sign that we are pretty busy. There has been a lot of great things happening recently ... which hopefully we will find the time to tell you about in more detail in the future, e.g.

• Colin's beautiful work on the interiors of acclaimed eatery Pudding Row, Easkey which got a few mentions in the The Irish Times recently;
• Planning permission has been granted for renovations and extensions to a cottage in Co. Leitrim. The cottage has earth mortars and earth plasters. The extension will be hempcrete. We are just getting ready to put that out to tender;
• Colin's recent week-long trip to Sweden where he learned how to built mass earthen stoves;
• Preparations are underway to start on site with the conservation of another earth-mortared, earth-plastered building in Co. Sligo. Earth floors will also be reinstated in this 300 year old cottage and barn;
• Our recent workshops including the Cob Oven Workshop at the Organic Centre, a very mucky session with 5th and 6th class from High Park National School (great kids!) and our Natural Edge Wood Course;
• Our earth building stand at the annual IGS Heritage Skills Weekend - the first time ever that earth has been represented.

But the big news is that as a project officer for Earth Building UK and Ireland (EBUKI), I have been organising Ireland's inaugural earth building event, with help from Shirley Markley, archaeologist at I.T. Sligo.

So what will be happening at Earth Building Ireland 2015?

The morning is dedicated to presentations. After a formal welcome of Ireland into Earth Building UK and Ireland (EBUKI) from Dan, our chairperson, we start with the ancient world of earth building. Shirley Markley will present examples from Medieval times (1100 - 1600) and even earlier. Ireland's leading stone mason and author of 'Lime Works', 'Stone Buildings' and 'Irish Stone Walls', Pat McAfee will talk about his many encounters with earth when working on old buildings.

Moving forward through time, Anna Meenan will share some of the Heritage Council's experiences with mudwall buildings dating from the 18th Century. Jim Barrett received a grant from the Heritage Council to rebuild the collapsed mud wall of a farm outbuilding on his property. He came to us for training and will tell us how he got on with project.

Very little has been written about the earth-built heritage on this island. Hugh McConville co-authored one of the only books, 'Ireland's Earthen Homes'. He will give a presentation on his journey archiving this almost-invisible vernacular tradition. I will be talking about a project where I asked all of Ireland's current stakeholders in earth building to share their stories and thoughts with me on the present situtation, including perceived barriers (from others) and the many (often surprising) benefits of working with earth. Then Gareth Phelan and Ciara Barett (no relation to Jim) will talk about their experience of building a contemporary earth home.

For those of you who are more hands-on, we will kick off the afternoon with a practical session with one of EBUKI's project officers. Over a series of ten simple experiments (aided by lovely volunteers from the audience) he will illustrate the science of earth building. What are the constituents and forces at play in earth which allow it to be used as an enduring building material?

Then, you will have an opportunity to really get to grips with mud .... literally. Workshops in a variety of earth building techniques will be led by Colin Ritchie of this parish and Paul Dillon of the Mud Bandits and Cob Cottage Company. And depending on numbers, I may run a workshop too. Bring your wellies!

Click on this link for more information.

Click on this link to buy your ticket ... only €25 - bargain!

What is really exciting about this day is the recognition that it is being given. The event is being sponsored by I.T. Sligo, Sligo Co. Co., the Heritage Council and ÉASCA (Environmental and Sustainable Construction Association) - big, big thanks. A network of organisations has agreed to help spread the word, such as the Irish Georgian Society and the Irish Architecture Foundation ... and more. And the Intitute of Architects (R.I.A.I.), Engineers Ireland (I.E.I.) and the Institute of Archaeologist (I.A.I.) are all giving Continuing Professional Development points for the event. It is the first time that earth building is really going mainstream. Hooray!

If you fancy staying overnight, four local earthen buildings will be open for visits on Saturday morning (14th November), 10:00am - 1:00pm. Both our own Mud and Wood House and Ciara and Gareth's cob house will be open as examples of contemporary earth construction. If old school is your thing, Shirley Markley will be on hand at the site of a Medieval church with earth mortars. And you can find me at a 300 year old cottage with earth mortars and earth plasters. You will be given directions to each of these sites when you register for the conference and workshops on Friday.

The intention is that Earth Building Ireland will be repeated every year, travelling around the country to highlight our regional earth-built heritage and local contemporary projects. So if any of you reading this would think that your county is the place for Earth Building Ireland 2016, let me know now!

It has been organised for November this year, simply because Ireland only officially became part of the charity EBUKI in the summer and we really wanted to have an impact on earth building in this country straight out of the starting blocks. However, the hope is that future events will take place at a more benign time of the year.

So, put the date in your diary: 13th November 2015 and buy your ticket before it's too late.

See you there!

 

Copyright 2015, Féile Butler - Mud and Wood

The Final Courses of the Year are Fast Approaching

8th September 2015

The kids are back at school, a chill is in the air (although it seems that the sun has decided to make an appearance for more than a few minutes at a time) ... we are in the home stretch. There are only three Mud and Wood Courses left for 2015. Which one will you do?

Natural Landscaping Course: 26 - 27 September

This is a new course run by Colin Ritchie. How can you use your garden or yard more effectively, even in Irish weather? Over the weekend, Colin will show you how to build walls and fences from stone, earth and wood. He will give you ideas for dividing up your garden into a series of outdoor rooms, taking account of sunlight, wind and shelter. No planning permission required!

You can read about some of Colin's landscaping work here.

To find out more about the Natural Landscaping Course and to book your place, click here.

Natural Edge Wood Course: 03 - 04 October

If planning and building garden walls is more than you want to tackle, but you would still like to learn how to incorporate some of that flowing style into your home, then the Natural Edge Wood Course is the one for you.

Over the weekend you will make your own shelf and stool, as Colin takes you through all the steps to turn a tree trunk into a beautiful piece of furniture. If you need some inspiration, check out some of Colin's work here.

If you need more information on the course or would like to book your place, click here.

Design Course: 07 - 08 November

Have you ever wondered why there are some rooms in your home that you love to spend time in ... and some that you don't? No matter how nicely you have done up the sitting room, you just never really seem to hang out in there. Do you always use the back door ... or the front door? Is there one room that is always dark? And one that is flooded with light?

These patterns in your home are the direct result of design decisions. On this course, we will look at how your home should respond to your site, to light and, most importantly, to you. This course is suitable for anyone planning an extension, renovation or new-build project. You will be very welcome to bring information about your own real life project (if you wish) to use as an example during the workshop.

For more information check out this blog.

Click here to book your place on the Weekend Design Course.

So hopefully there is something there that tickles your fancy.

See you here over the next few months!

 

Copyright 2015, Féile Butler - Mud and Wood

 

EBUK Clayfest in Errol, Scotland: 8th - 13th June 2015

7th July 2015

Last month, we were involved in the UK's first week-long dedicated earth building festival - Clayfest. It took place in the village of Errol in Scotland, not too far from Dundee and Perth - not exactly a typical conference or festival venue; but over 40 historic buildings here are built from earth.

Organised by Earth Building UK (EBUK), people from 18 countries attended over 60 events. They came from places as far flung as Malawi, Botswana, Arizona, Slovakia, Brazil, Argentina, Cyprus, Iceland and Sligo! And they learned how to ram earth, build with turf, plaster with clay, sculpt with cob and much, much more besides.

And then, just like that, the week was over. And the buzzing workshop space was suddenly empty and quiet; the rammed earth columns and the serpentine cob wall remaining after everyone was gone.

And then .... they were gone too. And there was no evidence of the amazing energy, creativity and activity that had taken place behind Errol Village Hall. It was just a car park again.

But if you stroll down to the park, there just might be a crazy bench-creature or two waiting in the wings ........ maybe.

This is Your Last Chance to Book for the 9-Day Intensive Mud and Wood Course, 4th - 12th July

15th June 2015

We are just recovering from an amazing week teaching and giving talks at Clayfest 2015 in Scotland. Over 5 days, a few hundred earth building experts and enthusiasts from 18 different countries passed through the festival. With many participants camping on site, there was as much discussion and craic after hours as there was during the official programme. I will write more about it soon. But for now, we need you to let us know if you want to attend our 9-Day Intensive Mud and Wood Course.

We are sorry to say that bookings for the course are currently low. If we do not get more numbers confirming by the end of this week (19/06/2015), we will have no choice but to cancel. After such an energetic and inspiring week in Scotland, this is the last thing we want to do.

So please contact us at feile@mudandwood.com and let us know if you want to attend. At this late stage, we will require full payment to confirm your booking. If the course will not run, we will refund your booking in full within a few days of cancellation. We will be making our final decision this weekend (20th June), as there is a lot of preparation required for the course.

If you want to find out more about the 9-Day Intensive Mud and Wood Course, take a look at some of the subjects we will cover:

Day 1 is all about soil testing...		foot mixing cob...		and hand building
Set out a building on Day 2 ...		and learn to make formwork.		Day 3 covers digger mixing....
foundations, ground floors & more cobbing.		Build a plinth wall on Day 4 ...		and learn how to insulate cob.
Day 5 is all about timber frame.		Make a design model on Day 6..		... tackle some more cobbing....
and learn to sculpt with mud.		Make beams and joists on Day 7		and each day there will be theory classes too.
Build a pitched roof on Day 8.		Day 9 will cover plastering ...		.. and natural edge woodwork.

There will plenty of laughs, good food and the odd social night too. At the end of it all, you will probably be exhausted but satisfied (it's not called "intensive" for nothing) and you will have a really good grounding in what is involved in building a regulation-compliant natural home .... This is the real deal.

So, if you think that this is the course for you ... please get in touch at feile@mudandwood.com or book your place through the 9-Day Intensive Mud and Wood Course Page.

We hope to hear from you (before the end of the end of this week, remember) ... and to get building with you on 4th July.

Copyright 2015, Féile Butler - Mud and Wood

 

Runners Up in RTE's Home of the Year 2015

27th May 2015

It's almost two weeks since the grand final of Home of the Year first aired on RTE. I have been meaning to write about it for a while, but we have been really busy. So I am finally getting around to it now.

The final took place in Carton House, Co. Kildare; an imposing and impressive historic house. The seven finalists were to meet for the first time as the judges deliberated over who should win the title (and the trophy) of Home of the Year.

As we arrived, the kids were asking if this "house" was in the competition too. Thankfully not; somehow I think Carton House is in a slightly different league.

While we were settling in and getting to know the other homeowners, the three judges were holed up in another room, running through the seven houses and summing up what was special about each one.

There were a lot of really great comments about our home during this segment. The house had a big impact on Declan, "That feeling you got from the connection between the homeowner and this house was actually very, very powerful when you were walking around." Helen was captivated by it. And Hugh, the lovely Hugh, wanted to get squashing cob with his toes! As well as being a really functional family home, he loved the detail in it, particularly our sculpted wall lights. He was inspired by our home.

What great feedback!

After a while, all of the competitors were brought into a room where photo-boards of each house had been set up on individual stands. This was our first time seeing most of the houses, as it was still quite early in the season and only a handful of programmes had aired.

There was a nice connection for me. I found architecture school quite difficult and stressful (as I think many students do). I didn't really enjoy it that much. However, along the way there was the odd tutor who "got" me and made college all the more bearable. One of my favourites was Ger Carty ... and lo and behold, he was in the final too with his striking open plan mews. It was good to catch up ... and to thank him for keeping me sane during those long, hard years.

There was a real mix ... some of it was stunning architectural design, but some of it was just about home-making and place-making ... and they all had their place in the final. I suppose that's what was interesting about Home of the Year, rather than House of the Year ... it was not always about a grand statement, but rather something more elusive and intangible. It's about a feeling.

We were interviewed at one point and Colin talked about how our home is curvy and soulful and that living in it is like being in a hug.

Meanwhile in the judging room, Hugh, Declan and Helen were getting on with the business of trimming the numbers. The first house for elimination had been selected. Then Helen reached across to propose the next house to go. She picked ours! The shock!!!

Oh Helen .... You obviously weren't captivated enough!

But Declan came to the rescue immediately. As quickly as Helen put the photo down, Declan picked it back up. Elimination was out of the question and he was not going to compromise over it.

The lads staunchly defended our corner. Hugh said, "This house had amazing design detail, yet it was free form."

Declan said, "Things like we would specify like how to light a staircase properly, howto negotiate between rooms, all these details that we would be using, this (house) actually had it but it was in a very free flowing form."

So they got on with the business of choosing their winner, with a lot of dicussion about how difficult it was and how emotionally attached they had become to the homes. Helen had her favourite and was not going to let it go ... but I think the boys were quite taken with ours.

After a long wait (and we have to say, the kids were so good throughout the day), the door to our room opened and in came the judges. It was our first time all being face to face.

They announced that they had chosen three homes that stood out for them. The winner would be chosen from one of these three.

The first house they announced was .... The Cob Home. Hugh expounded, "(it) was full of passion and design creativity. It was charming and magical. There was an energy that came out of this home and it oozed out of every single corner". High praise indeed (overlooking the fact that our house does not actually have any corners)!

			0			The next house into the top three was the Eaton's 1970s inspired semi-detached home. This was Helen's home of choice and she lauded the attention to detail and the commitment to the design ethos throughout the house.

The last house into the top three was the Split Level Home in Cork. The judges agreed that this house embodied elegant simplicity.

And so it was time to reveal the winner .... and for a split second I felt a bit panciky when I realised that we might actually win this thing .... But it was not meant to be. Helen made the announcment. The Split Level Home was Home of the Year.

Andrew was delighted and Ita was genuinely shocked and quite moved to have won. It meant a lot to her, as her son designed the house and did a lot of the building work too.

Personally, I loved their home. The house has a large concrete spine wall, which had been cast with leaves, bamboo and grasses in the formwork. The resulting patterns made something which could have been quite stark and brutal into something very delicately beautiful. The grand statement of the cathedral-like volumes was balanced by a very pure, simple plan. The shelving running the entire length of the building brought texture and colour into otherwise relatively bare space. And, of course, the amazing windows on to those amazing views meant that nature provided all the artwork needed. A worthy winner and a lovely couple. We hope to go down and see it in the flesh some time soon.

So there we have it - runners up in Home of the Year.

We settled down in the bar in Carton House that evening to watch the next episode of Home of the Year with some of the other finalists. And while we may not have won the official trophy, we were presented with a pretty fabulous cup from Fia's playschool. Don't tell anyone, but we actually think it's better than the "real" trophy.

All in all it was a great experience. We have been getting great feedback since. One thing that is coming across quite strongly is how helpful the programme has been in explaining the possibilities of cob construction to the uninitiated. We regularly hear from people who want to build with cob and are having trouble convincing their friends and family that it is a genuine option and that they have not lost the plot completely. Now, they can point the doubters to the programme and it has opened up a lot of peoples' minds to its potential.

We are delighted that our naturally-built home could stand proudly alongside all the more conventionally built homes. It's another step towards putting natural building materials on the map, which has to be a step in the right direction.

Copyright 2015, Féile Butler - Mud and Wood

 

Morocco - Built of Earth

12th May 2015

		Over the May bank holiday, a group of friends and neighbours (17 women, to be precise!) travelled to Marrakech in Morocco. While we were only there for three full days, we managed to see a lot and get a great taster of what this amazing city and country has to offer. One of the Earth Building UK project officers, Rowland (a rammed earth expert who works a lot in Africa), advised that I should go to Ait Benhaddou, an earthen village and UNSECO World Heritage Site about three hours outside Marrakech. How could I resist? So practically fresh off the plane, my sister and I headed off to the desert. First we had to cross the Atlas Mountains via the Tizi n' Tichka Pass. This is the highest pass in North Africa at 2,260m. The scenery was amazing, so barren except for a ribbon of green following the river bed. There are over 1,000 Berber villages scattered throughout the Atlas Range. Initially, you may not actually notice them. Built from the earth underfoot, the buildings blend in perfectly with their surroundings. But as your eyes scan the landscape, you begin to notice more and more of them perched on hillsides and nestled in valleys.

In my research on the UNESCO site, I had stumbled across another location worthy of a visit. By leaving the main Marrakech-Ouarzazate road and taking the winding Salt Road, we could stop in to the kasbah at Telouet on our way to Ait Benhaddou. Kasbahs were fortified dwellings, homes for the wealthy. Often, the kasbah was also the seat of power for the local ruler; a palace fortress. This was the case at Telouet.

There are a string of kasbahs along the Salt Road. This was the route from the Sahara Desert to the souks of Marrakech (historically and still the largest market in Morocco - a warren of covered streets boasting almost 3,000 separate stalls). Caravans of camels plied the trail, transporting spices, gold and slaves. I had believed that the Salt Road had been so named because salt itself was an incredibly valuable commodity (Roman soldiers were paid in salt, hence the word "salary") and I had presumed that this was one of the goods being transported. But as we travelled alongside the Oued Mellah (Salt River), we began to notice all these white deposits in the landscape. Sure enough, it was salt ... and there were lucrative salt mines nearby.

The kasbahs sprung up along the Salt Road because the traders needed a place to rest on their journey, and a place to keep their wares safe and secure. Telouet was founded relatively recently, not much more than 100 years old. Although our guide at the kasbah said that some of the more ruined parts date back to the 1700s. Indeed, a lot of the structure is in very poor condition and in danger of disappearing altogher. I didn't care though. I was just happy to be among so many earthen walls.

One of the reasons that Telouet has been allowed to degrade so much is because the Pasha (local ruler) had been very unpopular and eventually turned traitor. Glaoui was violent and brutal and much of his vast fortune was amassed through the exploitation and oppression of his people. Just before Morocco gained independence in 1956, Glaoui was involved in a conspiracy with the French to overthrow the sultan. He had chosen the wrong side and was cast out by the new Moroccan government. A broken man, he died the same year. The goverment made a point of allowing the Telouet Kasbah, a symbol of Galoui's former ill-gotten wealth and power, fall into disrepair.

My first impression was of a former great palace now falling apart. There were the odd hints that this had been a place of great beauty, such as the arches in the photo above left, still standing almost perfectly among the decayed walls. Much of the detail was still intact in the plasterwork of these arches.

One thing I love about weathered walls is that they reveal themselves. I could see that this building had been built with a mixture of adobe (sun-dried mud bricks) and rammed earth. There were also a lot of stone walls with mud mortars. I came across this wall (photo above right) where the adobe bricks had been laid in an interesting herring bone pattern.

Kasbahs were traditionally laid out around a courtyard. As we entered into this part of the palace it was clear that, while dilapidated, this part of the structure was much more intact. Our guide told us that this courtyard doubled up as the village square. This was where the market was held, where musicians came to play and where court proceedings took place. It was also where the villagers, who were slaves of the Pasha, took refuge when under attack. On the left of the photo above, you can just make out the beginning of a balcony (timber extending from the first floor of the tower). The Pasha and his family viewed events from here. Glaoui had four wives, seventy-five concubines and a thousand people living within the walls of the kasbah. A further ten thousand lived in the village beyond the kasbah walls.

The main door into the building off the courtyard had an almost mediaeval feel to it. Decorated, but quite simple, defence was clearly a design consideration. Other similarly robust doors led to numerous corridors but it was not possible to see them; much of the building is in too dangerous a condition. Apparently the kasbah corridors were labyrinthine and it was common to get completely lost. There were also massive dungeons which had many unfortunates incarcerated under the cruel reign of the Glaoui Clan. These have now been filled in to prevent the ground floor from collapsing.

Passing through the doorway, we entered into a series of wide, bright corridors. They were plastered white. Having come in from the ruins, I was impressed enough. Then we came to a carved, painted door and our guide led us through.

I was not expecting the opulence waiting for us beyond that door; mosaics and intricate plasterwork, moulded ceilings and carved timber. Out in the middle of the desert, within the walls of an apparently ramshackle ruin, was this palace on a par with the best that Morocco has to offer.

Every inch of the space was covered in decorative detail.

Concealed Fireplace		Wall Mosaics		Carved Double Doors		Mosaic Ceiling

Below are just some of the examples of door and window arches. This intricate work was all carried out in lime plaster.

In the main lounge, the walls were decorated with a series of individual, silk panels. Our guide told us that this was where Glaoui was entertained by his wives and concubines. Legend has it that the women were rotated every ten minutes ..... I suppose the plus-side for them was that they only had to endure his company for a few moments every week.

The women were forbidden to go outside the kasbah. They could look out on the beautiful gardens, but the delicate metal grilles ensured that they could not be seen by outsiders looking in. The window below right looks out on to the village, where Glaoui's slaves lived. The slaves' descendants still live there today, eking out a living from the village's communal garden, goats and sheep, and tourists.

Back outside, we wandered around the perimeter of the building. It really was quite awe-inspiring in its remote desert setting; a testimony to one family's lust for power and wealth, their fall from grace and ultimate demise.

I was very excited to discover that the earth mortars displayed almost identical characteristics to those I find in old Irish stone buildings. There was evidence of popped lime kernals, a phenomenon found in earth mortars which have had a tiny amount of quicklime added to them. Two cultures, a few centuries and almost 4,000km apart, understanding the same fundamentals of building with the materials that nature has provided.

After Telouet, it was time to get back on the winding road, passing more villages and even some cave dwellings in the sheer cliffs that bordered the river, until we came to the oasis town of Ait Benhaddou (photo below).

Since 1987, Ait Benhaddou has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built of earth and wood, construction styles and techniques dating from the mid-8th century are represented, although the oldest buildings do not appear to pre-date the 17th Century.

The site was a trading post on the commercial route between Sudan and Marrakech. The defensive character of the town is clear, built on a hill with the agadir (community barn) at the very top. The agadir was protected by a system of fortications as well as manpower. Traders could store their valuables here. It was also the last bastion of resistance if the town came under siege. With their harvest stored here, the townsfolk had supplies to last them some time.

There are six kasbahs and fifty ksars in Ait Benhaddou, a ksar being a typical family home. The houses are all crowded together, forming narrow streets. The shaded thoroughfares are cool in the blazing desert sun; it was 40°C the day we were there. They were also laid out like a maze, which ensured that any aspiring invaders could not mount a coordinated attack. The town lies within walls and is entered via one of two gates. As well as ksars, there are community buildings, sheep pens, stables, barns, silos, market places, a meeting room for the chiefs, a mosque and a madrasa (school of Islam).

The entrances to the buildings are narrow and there are no windows in these locations. This has the effect of disorienting you on entry. You are blinded until you either move deeper into the building or your eyes get used to the light. If unwelcome intruders entered a home, this clever design allowed the occupants to disable the trespassers before they got their bearings.

				The walls of the buildings are about 500mm thick, built of rammed earth and adobe. The stone walls are laid with mud mortars. Many of the walls are finished with earth plasters, often with chopped straw throughout. The earth and stone regulates the temperature, keeping the interiors of the buildings deliciously cool in the searing heat. I loved the way earth was used for everything in the town. The streets had in-built benches, made of stone and earth. The houses had beds, moulded from the floor and into the walls, made from rammed earth. Stairs were built by laying formwork of timber poles and reed matting on a slope. Then earth steps were formed on top ... genius. Even the cookers were made of earth; simple ovens which are still used to bake traditional bread, while boiling water or stews on top. At Telouet, we saw a hammam (Moroccan steam room) built from earth ... a bit like an oversized cob oven to be honest, except that it is a person rather than a pizza getting cooked! We're toying with the idea of building one on our 4-Day Cob Playhouses, Sheds and Garden Walls Course, which kicks of this Thursday (14th May). There are still places available, if you care to join us.

The trip to Morocco was really amazing. It was wonderful to be transported into a completely different culture; one that was so rich and varied. As someone who is practically anaphylactically allergic to shopping, I could not get enough of the souks with all of their colour, smells, hustle, bustle and haggling. We visted a few other key buildings and enjoyed getting lost in the tiny winding streets (bring a small compass if you want to go off-piste ... best tip that I got). But I know that I have only scratched the surface .... and in a place where the majority of its architecture is built from earth! I will be back.

Copyright 2015, Féile Butler - Mud and Wood

 

 

We're through to the Final of Home of the Year

28th April 2015

If you were following us on twitter or facebook, you will know that we won our heat of Home of the Year. And the reaction we have been getting since has been wonderful! We really appreciate all the lovely comments and good wishes.

We had a big gang of friends and neighbours in to watch the programme and were very excited to hear what the judges would have to say and what score they would give us. There was a big a cheer when we appeared on the telly.

We were delighted with the footage of the cobbing process and thought the programme explained the material and its potential really well in such a short time.

There were some brilliant moments, many of them instigated by Hugh Wallace ... he's a bit of a hero of ours now! First, there was that scene where he ate some of our (earth) floor to figure out what it was made of! The look on Helen's face was priceless. But we are a bit concerned for Hugh's health. Does he know we have two dogs snuffling around that floor?

But my favourite scene was Hugh coming up the stairs chuckling away to himself, just really enjoying the experience of moving through our home. What a great reaction to get from anybody!

Here are some of our favourite quotes from the show:

"A self-build project takes a huge amount of commitment, never mind a project like this where you're actually building it with your bare hands. So much creativity. So much personality." - Declan

"It's just fanastic to see how they understood the materials; the knots and the colour and the textures." - Hugh, talking about the wooden kitchen units.

"This house is really clever top to bottom." - Declan

"The shape of this house is really specical." - Hugh

"It just feels magical." - Helen

"This house wasn't built; it was sculpted, carved and moulded into quite an extraordinary family home. It's been a privilege just to come and visit." - Declan

"A great family home with really good design detailing and the whole house is just seamless when you walk through it. I loved every nook and cranny of this house." - Hugh

"I was absolutely enchanted." - Helen

"It was a joyous place to be, totally magic on the inside." - Declan

All of the judges were impressed by the ingenuity of our wind-cooled fridge. The one in the kitchen is for the small items we use overy day. However, there is also a bigger one in the utility room for our weekly supply of refrigerated groceries. If you would like to find out more about our non-electric fridge, click here.

There was a great discussion in the upstairs sunset lounge, which we had chosen as our favourite spot indicated by the red dot. This is where the whole family retreats at the end of the day. The chaos of the kitchen and family room can be left behind. We have the Ox Mountains on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other ... and if the weather is good you can even see Slieve League in Co. Donegal across the bay. We love how this room embraces us. And we love the sunsets.

Declan hit the nail on the head saying, "It's an amazing kind of sensual experience to be up here and see all of these shapes coming together", as Hugh looked out over "cob-world".

The previous house had scored two nines, a really good score. Then Helen and Declan both gave us nines. We were neck and neck. Game on! Who knew a property show could be so exciting?

So, then it was time for the judges to reveal their final scores and we waited with baited breath to hear the result. Declan awarded our rivals a nine! Could we beat three nines? Then it was Hugh's turn to reveal his score.

"The house had personality and warmth and you just got the passion and love of the people who built this house. And because of that .... I just gave it a 10."

Woohoo!!!!!!!! Nice one, Hugh!

And so the fifth home through to the final is the Cob House in Sligo!

Hugh has said he would love to find out more about cobbing having visited our home. After giving us a 10, you're welcome anytime Hugh. Just bring your wellies! Check out all of our courses and see which one you would like to do. For anyone else that is interested in finding out more about cob, here are some dates for your diary: 1-Day Introduction to Cob, 14th May, €75 4-Day Cob Playhouses, Sheds and Garden Walls, 14 - 17 May, €295 1-Day Introduction to Cob, 4th July, €75 9-Day Intensive Mud and Wood, 04 - 12 July, €770 How to build a natural home from start to finish

If you would like to learn how design your home so that it is "clever top to bottom", come on my Design Course, 09 - 10 May, €165.

And if you appreciated Colin's mastery of woodwork and want to learn how to do that for yourself, come on the Natural Edge Wood, 23 - 24 May, €150.

We are also available for consultations and commissions, so get in touch.

Roll on the final, to be aired at 8:30pm on 14th May - the first day of our 4-Day Cob Playhouses, Sheds and Garden Walls Course. Maybe you can watch it here with us!

You can watch the full show on the RTE player here until 15th May.

 

Copyright 2015, Féile Butler - Mud and Wood

Archive

 

The Mud and Wood House in Home of the Year - RTE1, 8:30pm, Thursday, 23/04.

20th April 2015

Thanks to Steve Rogers - Steve Rogers Photography - for the great photos of our home looking its best.

If you follow us on facebook, you will have seen a few clues that something was up at the Mud and Wood House in recent weeks. We were doing a lot of tidying and cleaning and finishing off all those jobs that got put on the long finger for the past four years.

Colin was working really hard in the garden (in spite of the awful weather), completing the stone walls for the raised beds. A few new outdoor benches began to appear. Then he lost the run of himself altogether and built a back porch and a new treehouse for the kids.

Inside, the bedroom wardrobes finally got their sliding doors. The glass treads for the stairs were ordered and fitted. The circle of mirror, which had been stored under the basin for at least three years, was stuck on to the broken mirror in the shower room at last. The artwork, that had been lying on shelves since we returned from our travels in 2004, was framed and hung. The house was cleaned to within an inch of its life. And the children were put in straight-jackets.

There is nothing like letting a camera crew, and therefore the eyes of the nation, into your home to force you to tackle all those overdue projects. And not only were we letting a camera crew in, but also three judges who would assess our home and score it out of ten.

Home of the Year is a competition where 21 houses compete for the title. Over seven weeks architect Declan O'Donnell, architect and interior designer Hugh Wallace and homewares designer Helen James visit three homes per episode. The winning home from each heat is put forward to the final. In the final programme, the judges discuss the merits of each week's winner and the ultimate Home of the Year is crowned.

So ... our big moment is coming up this Thursday, 23rd April at 8:30pm on RTE1. We have no idea what the judges will say about our home. So it is exciting and a little bit nerve wracking, but hopefully we will get some positive comments. Follow us on twitter on the night. And hopefully all that hard work over the past few weeks will have paid off. Even if they hate it, at least we now have a finished house.

The moral of the story? If you are tired of looking at all those unfinished jobs, invite three complete strangers and a camera crew into your home to judge it. I guarantee you'll get all those jobs and more done in no time.

Copyright 2015, Féile Butler - Mud and Wood

 

Cob Oven Course

11th - 12th April
10:00am - 5:30pm, lunch included
€135 full price / €121.50 concession

Click here to book or for more info

Earth Plasters and Natural Paints Course

25th - 26th April
10:00am - 5:30pm, lunch included
€135 full price / €121.50 concession

Click here to book or for more info

Design Course

9th - 10th May
10:00am - 5:30pm, lunch included
€165 full price / €148.50 concession

Click here to book or for more info

Natural Edge Wood Course

23rd - 24th May
10:00am - 5:30pm, lunch included
€150 full price / €135 concession

Click here to book or for more info

4-Day Cob Playhouses, Sheds and Garden Walls Course

14th - 17th May (inclusive)
10:00am - 5:30pm, lunch included
€295 full price / €270 concession

Click here to book or for more info

 

Clayfest 2015 - Errol, Scotland: 08 - 13 June

22nd March 2015

Last year, a group of Earth Building UK directors headed to the Festival Grains d'Isère in France - an annual gathering of national and international earth builders who spend a week playing and experimenting with earth as a building material. The festival has been going for 12 years now and what they achieve is truly inspiring. Take a look here, here and here. In fact, the directors were so inspired, they decided to try to bring some of the ideas back to the UK. And so the seed for Clayfest 2015 was planted.

Every year EBUK (Earth Building UK) organises a conference and tour. This year, as well as hosting the conference and tour (Friday and Saturday), there will be 4 days of workshops beforehand (Monday - Thursday). So you can really get to grips with earth building, which, as far as I'm concerned, can only be truly understood by handling and working with the material itself.

There are lots of different workshops to choose from and lots of different earth construction techniques to explore - from cob to rammed earth, from plasters to turf building, from conservation repairs to mass stove construction and the very funky clay and fibre workshop.

		This year's special guest speakers and workshop leaders are Bill and Athena Steen, world renowned straw bale and earth building experts. Between them, they have authored six books and have been running natural building workshops in Arizona and around the world since 1989. They will teach Beginners and Advanced Earth Plastering at Clayfest, a rare chance to learn from true masters of the technique. Book here.					Mud and Wood (that's us!)will be teaching a 1-day Intro to Cob, 2-day Scaling Up Cob (using formwork and diggers) and 1-day Advanced Cob Workshop (openings, connections with other building elements ...) Book here.
					Cob Workshop Info
							Rowland Keable, who built the rammed earth walls at the Eden Project and at CAT's lecture theatre, will teach three 1-day workshops. Each group will build a new rammed earth column. How tall they get is up to you. Book here.
Plasters Workshop Info					Rammed Earth Info
		Becky Little and Tom Morton will run two 1-day workshops on the technical challenges associated with conservation repairs to old mudwall buildings. The morning presentation will be followed by a tour of live projects in the area. Book here.					With a different leader every day, you can take a 1-day workshop or stick around for all 4 days for this innovative and exciting way of creating funky sculptures using natural fabrics, fibres and clay. Where will your imagination take you? Book here.
Mudwall Repairs Info					Clay and Fibres Info
		Johannes Riesterer is an expert mass oven builder from Sweden. Over 3 days, he will take you step by step through the design and construction of an earthen mass oven in the very real setting of one of the homes in the village of Errol. Book here.					You may be familiar with the turf houses of Iceland. In the past, this building method was common in the UK too and the skills are being revived. Learn how to "fillet" the ground, cut sods to a variety of shapes and create a building. Book here.
Mass Oven Workshop Info					Turf Workshop Info
		Thanks to Icelandic knowledge sharing, turf building is enjoying a revival. On this 1-day symposium, speakers from home and aboard share their experiences and envision the future for both old and new turf-built projects. Book here.					The annual EBUK Conference will take place on Friday 12th June. The theme is "The Culture of Earth Building", with speakers hailing from as far afield as the U.S. and Malawi .. and someone you may know from Co. Sligo. Book here.
Turf Symposium Info					EBUK Conference Info

	If you make it Scotland for the full week of workshops, or even just for the conference itself, you know that at the end of it all earth builders like to let their hair down. After a bit of cob stomping or earth ramming, why not join us on Friday evening for a meal and a few jigs and reels at the Clayleidh. Book here.
	As with all of the EBUK conferences, the self-guided tour of earth buildings in the area will take place the following day (Saturday 13th June). Maps will be distributed with directions and approximate times for visiting a number of interesting properties. This year, there is also the option to hang on in Errol, where there will be a free community day from 11am - 4pm. There will be a tour of the village (which has many, many earth buildings), story telling, the local school's earth project, an exhibition and an opportunity to see the results of all the earth building workshops.

So ... there really is something for everyone. Camping is available at the Clayfest site, Errol's village hall. Click here to book your pitch. That's where we'll be!

Click on this link and scroll down to the bottom for other local accommodation options.

A huge thanks goes out to our Scottish EBUK director, Tom Morton, who is very much the driving force behind this epic undertaking. His staff at Arc Architects have been doing great work too, along with Becky Little. And also a shout out to the team at Historic Scotland and the Tay Landscape Partnership.

It's shaping up to be a great event. Hope to see you there ... for a day, for a week or even just for a dance!

Copyright 2015, Féile Butler - Mud and Wood

Book you place here -

Options

Full Price €165.00 EUR Unwaged/Student €148.50 EUR

 

We also accept cheques made out to Mud and Wood or you can pay via direct transfer. Contact
feile@mudandwood.com for bank account details.

On Sunday afternoon, we finish up by making a model of your dream home or extension, tying together many of the concepts you will have learned over the weekend. So if you still need some inspiration, scroll through for a look at the designs some of our past course participants have created.

"This course really opened my eyes as to the process of designing and building a house. The information is precise, detailed and very well presented. Féile and Colin are very welcoming and warm. The setting is just perfect to inspire!!"
Niamh, Dromahair, Co. Leitrim

"I really enjoyed this course. It was very relevant to the phase I'm in my own process. I feel much better informed to move forward and that my project will be improved as a result. Féile gave great information and input from others attending added a very dynamic and all-encompassing overview of design."
Karena Stannett, Co. Roscommon

"All of my initial ideas before the course went out the window and were replaced with more practical and functional ideas. Filled with a wealth of knowledge, you will be able to face the planners."
Jai Pierce, Swinford, Co. Mayo

 

"Very informative. Féile is a great speaker. She is always giving positive vibes and keeping all the class in tune. Colin's meals were beautiful. Really pleased with questions raised in relation to the pros and cons of different building materials in houses"
Damien Daly, Mallow, Co. Cork

"The course was a really good way of opening my eyes to simple things that I may not have considered when designing our home. I found it very informative and Féile was very knowledgeable. The house is a home and a fabulous example of natural building. The food was amazing too - thanks Colin!!"
Sandra, Sligo

 

 

 

 

So why not release your creative inner child and explore house design in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere. This step by step course could help you take your first step towards your dream home.

Above left - the Sunset Lounge, with the projector and screen all set up, ready for our talk about how we built the Mud and Wood House.

Above - the stairs.

Left, the Family Room looking unnaturally clean and tidy. The benches on either side of the stove double up as wood storage.

The Sunset Lounge, above and right. The glass blocks allow the light, particularly the light from the sunset window, to filter into the stairwell. At the right time of day, it is really beautiful. Additional storage is concealed in the reading bench.

Below, is the Master Bedroom and the Walk-In Wardrobe. There is a better chance of keeping the bedroom tidy and a bit more of a peaceful sanctuary when there is decent storage right next door.

The photo on the left was taken of Colin "walking" on the Dusky Sound Trail in New Zealand, back in 2003. He obviously already had a penchant for mud.

That's me above, in front of the yurt at the Hollies, Co. Cork, back in 2005. Cob Cottage Company taught a 10-day cob workshop. We had our theory sessions in the yurt and helped build a tool shed and an outdoor social area for our practical experience.

Linda Smiley of Cob Cottage Company checks that our construction is plumb with one of our fellow students (left).

Anyone who has ever met Ianto Evans will recognise his rainbow braces. You can see our traditional cob wall in the background. We were working on a bale-cob wall in the foreground. After completing the course, we were absolutely convinced that we had to build our home this way.

It was only a matter of days after finishing the cob course when Colin finally proposed ... after 5 years. Mud has some pretty powerful properties......

A year later we were married and headed off to to the wilderness of Yosemite, en route to Oregon where we wanted to do more research into cob building. You know you have the bug pretty bad when you want to go looking at mud houses for your honeymoon.

First, we stopped off in Linda and Ianto's very beautiful and very tiny (120 sq. ft/11m²) Heart House. Linda and Ianto are very big on building just big enough.

If you have ever met them, you will know that they themselves are rather tiny, and they have built this little house around them - it fits them like a glove. If you have ever met us, you will know that we are rather tall. I love this photo of Colin in the Heart House kitchen.

Then we headed on to the School of Natural Building in Coquille to spend a wonderful time with Linda. She was right in the middle of building the Laughing House and it was great to be involved in the project and to meet some of the other natural builders passing through the site.

We got to stay in the Laughing House, a very special place and a little bit of our hearts will always be there.

We got back to Ireland, inspired and convinced that building a cob house was the way to go .... and confident that we really could do it.

By this stage, we were already living in a mobile home on our site. We took plenty of time to design the house ... this is something that should never be rushed. If you intend to live somewhere for the next 40 or 50 years, if you can ... try spending all 4 seasons exploring what your site has to offer before you finalise your design.

Planning permission was granted in February 2007. But it wasn't until one bright morning in September 2007, 3 weeks after our first baby was born, that we began to excavate the ground.

You can see a lot of our raw materials stockpiled in the photos: rocks, tree trunks, stone, timber, plywood, a bath .... and of course, earth. If you intend using salvaged materials on a build, make sure you have as many of them as possible before you start. For tips on salvaging building materials, click on this article.