Inspirations

Sculpted by hand from a mixture of clay, sand and straw, building houses out of cob is a full mind and body experience; one that requires patience. But these homes are worth the wait!

Building on ancient traditions, today’s timber framers and selective loggers are forging a sustainable future. Visit the people behind some of the most intriguing wooden structures in British Columbia.

It seems counterintuitive that a framework packed with straw bales could create such a sturdy home. In fact, the straw acts as a natural vapour permeable insulation that allows these buildings to breathe.

A rammed earth wall is durable, energy efficient, and made from the most abundant material on the planet. Learn how these builders and homeowners applied this ancient technique to create timeless contemporary homes.

This course is technically my 4th Permaculture design course yet the first in this climate zone. Due to the fact it was spread over an 18 month period, it allowed time to see the same sites in all seasons.

I really can not thank Kym and Delvin enough for encouraging my participation, and teaching such a great and essential course here on the coast! Here are a few photo highlights!

 Twenty years ago, Stefan Sobkowiak bought a commercial apple orchard with the intention of converting it to an organic orchard. He did just that, but eventually understood the limitations of the organic model originating from monoculture. He then decided to tear out most of the trees and replant in a way that would maximize biodiversity and yield while minimizing the amount of maintenance required. Inspired by permaculture principles, the orchard now counts over 100 cultivars of apples, plus several types of plums, pears, cherries, and countless other fruits and vegetables.

“Micro House frame moving day was today. Was up at 5am with Mango and Dave to wait for the truck to arrive at Encuentro. Truck was two hours late so I strung the hammock at the entrance to the driveway and waited. Truck arrived at 7 am and a set of dark black rain clouds circled but passed us by. Strapping the Aluminum frames to the side of a 20 year old dump truck was a challenge. 16 Ratcheting straps were secured and a coconut found on the ground was used as a spacer between truck and frame to keep the frame from burning through the tires. A machete and a branch with a Y was used by a sentry on top of the truck to cut branches of overhanging trees and to move power lines over the frames. No permits were required for the move and we all had a great laugh about it.

Dave, Mango and the truck team were incredible today. I almost got thrown off the team for forgetting the cold beer. Will never happen again.” – Jonathan
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