amitymamaThe Attachment Parenting Community

ZenMama · 03-13-2005, 12:39 AM

Hey Mamas~

Took my family and visited the Cob Cottage Co. here in Cottage Grove Or. So fantastic to see how simple and real it all is. Built on hard work and minimal money. Yea!! I am sold. We are striving for some good green housing here in the near future.

You can visit their website here: http://cobcottage.com/

They have published several books.

miahswife · 03-13-2005, 01:04 AM

that is so cool! told my dh we HAVE to build one now. thanks for the link!

cherrysberries · 03-13-2005, 06:24 PM

I've done some research on cob building. Its ALOT of work. When you read the books they tell you its a lot but I've read from other people that you don't really realize just how much work. But its really worth looking into. I've got 4 books on the subject, 2 from cob cottage, 1 from Becky Bee and 1 cob oven book. I've read them all but its been a while.

Here are some other links if you are interested:

You've got to read the story of the 72 year old woman that built her own house. This site is Becky Bee's site and she has a book also.
http://www.cpros.com/~sequoia/

This is a site put together by a couple that built their own cob house:
http://terriaricob.150m.com/

Cob code article
http://www.deatech.com/natural/cobinfo/cobcode.html

really pretty pictures
http://www.cobincornwall.com/

Cob house near Austin, Texas
http://home.sprynet.com/%7Ecobcrew/

another place that does workshops
http://www.housealive.org/

this site has a wonderful picture of a cob building with a living roof:
http://www.skillful-means.com/projec...garden_hut.htm

Ecobusiness site that has links to several building sites with lovely pictures
http://www.ecobusinesslinks.com/links/cob_houses.htm

http://www.cobworks.com/

ZenMama · 03-13-2005, 07:16 PM

Thanks Cherry!

Awesome info. Yeah, the Cob Cottage are the origional builders in the US and they have been at it just over 15 years I believe. It's a relatively new thing here in the US but a very old tradition elsewhere. I love the living roofs, you could grow your veggies on top. It IS alot of work. Straw bale being less as with Cob you must create your bricks for the inner walls. But Cob is cheaper. Did you know Cob means lump of earth?

Now all you need is lots of great friends who are willing.

There are some communities starting up here locally doing the green building thing. Real inspiring to see folks working things out without the exchange of money and the happy harmony it creates.

cherrysberries · 03-13-2005, 11:09 PM

If you haven't had a chance, I reccommend reading some of the books. They are very informative.

Yep I knew what cob meant

They talk about it in the books.

My husband was going to go see them when he had gone on a trip for work last spring/summer. When he told them where he was coming from, they told him that it wasn't necessary and told him where he could find some cob buildings local to the area he was in. He ended up going to one of them and spending the afternoon plastering a garden shed in a park. He had a great time and really enjoyed it.