Clay/Earthen Oven Workshop June 8th 2013 Rhinebeck NY

Come join us for Mud Hen East's Clay Oven workshop led by John Corcoran inRhinebeck NY. 

This workshop  will lead participants through all the stages of building an earthen wood-fired bread/pizza oven. 

In this workshop we will begin with a discussion of the basic elements of building with earth.  This will cover aspects of soil composition, suitability for construction, and methods for testing.  Next, we will go through the steps of design and construction of our project, culminating in  hands-on work as we mix local mud and actually construct the earthen oven.

Come prepared to get your hands - and everything else -  muddy.

 This year's workshop will be held at the home of Georgia Dent 27 Lamoree Rd, Rhinebeck, on June 8th, rain date June 15th. The workshop will run from 10AM-3PM,  and  includes a delicious lunch made by Georgia.  Please RSVP info@johncorcoran.net and to hold your place, send check to John Corcoran 225 Kidd Lane Tivoli, NY 12583. 

We will meet again  later in the summer to fire up our oven and make pizza.Date to be announced. Bring friends, drinks, pizza dough and/or toppings. 

Cost of workshop:  $45

Last year participant Wes Fordyce building his own oven in St Louis

Finished Creation.  Nice work Wes!

The Backyard Chicken July 3

 Please come to our suggested donation workshop that we are offering together with the Tivoli Library, Tying Knots, Coiling Cords and Sharpening Tools. Sat July 16th Tivoli Day 9-12  Tivoli Library, bring a dull tool to sharpen. 

This is an introductory class to help you get ready to keep chickens in your backyard. We will be building a simple light weight predator proof chicken tractor that will fit in even a small urban backyard. We will go over early care of chicks, feeders, waterers and learning how to allow the chickens  to free range safely. Class participants will leave with plans for the tractor we will build during the workshop.

Solar Hot Water/ Tying Knots,Sharpening Tools

This workshop was a great success we built a  simple breadbox batch heater that is making water so hot you need to add cold. We met some interns from Bard's Office of Sustainability, a division of Bard we didn't even know existed! We look forward to learning more about that office and sharing what they are up to, more to come.  I really encourage all you out there in the north east to consider making a simple batch heater for a outdoor shower, not only do you get hot water from the sun you have the pleasure of showering outside. We will offer this class again next spring.

Solar Hot Water

2 Sessions

Session one will offer an overview of solar water heating for the home, covering basic concepts and systems including: batch heaters, flat panels and evacuated tubes.  The processes of thermosyphon and heat exchange will be explained, with emphasis on simple and basic technologies that can be applied by the homeowner.  We will look at an operational on-site hot water installation that was built from ordinary materials, some of them salvage.  Finally, we will apply some of the concepts we have covered, working on a simple water heater constructed from a salvage tank.  Participants will leave this session with the basic knowledge to plan for their own solar hot water systems.

Sessions two is optional for those who wish to gain more knowledge of solar heating and to further plans for their own systems.  Together we will problem solve individual systems and, hands-on,  cover basic skills, such as soldering pipe, iron pipe fittings and the simple construction involved in installing hot water panels.  Limited to 6 participants

Cost:  Session One :  $35   Saturday, June 18    10-3   Lunch Provided

Session Two:   $50  Saturday, June 25    10-3  Lunch Provided

       

Make a donation to Tivoli Library 9-12 July 16th Tivoli Library

Tying Knots, Coiling Cords and Sharpening Tools

We'll learn by heart the 3 basic knots that are needed for anything you might want to do, from tying up a bundle of  newpapers to lashing down a  boat in a hurricane.  Other knots will be demonstrated, but are optional.  We will also learn how to coil up an extension cord so that it will uncoil easily and flat when pulled from one end.

In the same workshop, we will learn to sharpen various tools found around the home:  knives, pruning shears, lawnmowers, chainsaws, chisels, etc.  Bring your favorite dull tool.

Earthen Oven Workshop this Spring Saturday May 28th

Full. I will be posting a short film of this workshop and the building of the oven soon.

Come join us for Mud Hen East's first East Coast workshop led by John Corcoran. 

This workshop  will lead participants through all the stages of building an earthen wood-fired bread/pizza oven. 

In this workshop we will begin with a discussion of the basic elements of building with earth.  This will cover aspects of soil composition, suitability for construction, and methods for testing.  Next, we will go through the steps of design and construction of our project, culminating in  hands-on work as we mix local mud and actually construct the earthen oven.

Come prepared to get your hands - and everything else -  muddy.

Workshop is at 225 Kidd Lane Tivoli New York 10AM-3PM,  lunch included. RSVP liza@lizamacrae.com

On June 11th we will meet again to fire up our oven and make pizza. Bring friends, drinks, pizza dough and/or toppings. 

Cost of workshop:  $35

Coming workshop:  How to Build a Simple Solar Water Heating System  

tentative date June 25 

Phebe's Room

Beginning in April we will be building a small room of our house. Anybody interested in learning adobe building, mud plastering, earthen floor or the likes is welcome.  Each Sunday weather permitting we will be firing up the horno. If interested please email. cabras@bmi.net