Workshops
Get on our workshop info list and we’ll contact you with new 2010 Dates and information when confirmed.
Straw Bale with Jen Feigin & Chris Magwood
When: TBA
Straw bale buildings are among the most efficient, affordable and ecological choices available to new home owners, and well suited to our four-season climate. But in order to live up to their full potential, the bale walls must be properly designed, well built and thoroughly detailed. 
Learn with enthusiastic pros Jen Feigin & Chris Magwood (read mini-bios below on these two capable, creative instructors) as we build an artful small straw bale “writers cabin” in the back forty at Wholearth Farmstudio—you’ll get lots of theory and practical experience. Includes superb organic farm fresh meals, snacks, camping for the weekend workshops, swimming in our spring fed pond and evening bonfire (and maybe even play with the spring lambs).
*Other Events & Workshops *
- “Adobe Earth Oven“ info to come
- Back Garden Organic Beekeeping
- Upcoming Workshops & Events
- What to Bring
P A Y D I R T • D I S C O U N T S
Fees listed are per person and include superb meals and camping as listed.
Couples
A 10% discount is offered to couples taking the workshops at the same time, because we gather you may move on to build your own straw house. It’s our housewarming gift to you.
Slip Straw (Light clay straw) & Hempcrete Workshop—TBA
Fee: $325.
Includes breakfasts, wholesome snacks, homemade hearty farm lunches, and delicious dinner on Saturday, on-site camping—and feel free to jump in the spring-fed pond after the workshop and tour the farm, fields and woodlands.
When: TBA
You are welcome to come Friday evening to set up your tents for camping over the weekend, or ask about B&B options in the area if you’d prefer.
Many natural building materials are not easily incorporated into new or existing frame wall homes, but slip straw and hempcrete are both practical, cost effective, natural and insulative alternatives to commercial insulation like fibreglass. During this one day hands-on workshop we’ll mix and install both slip straw and hempcrete into existing stud wall cavities. We’ll look at sourcing materials, mixing methods, creating and using forms and installing the materials to create solid, well-insulated and air-tight walls.
Register by email to reserve your place in this limited number workshop.
Straw Bale Workshop
Fee:$350.
Includes breakfasts, wholesome snacks, garden fresh farm lunches, delicious dinners on Friday and Saturday, on-site camping—and feel free to jump in the spring-fed pond after the workshop and tour the farm, fields and woodlands.
When: TBA
Arrive Friday with plenty of time to set up your tent before the Friday evening presentation begins at 7:00 pm, where dinner will be served. Ask about B&B options in the area if you’d prefer.
Straw bale buildings are among the most efficient, affordable and ecological choices available to new home owners. But in order to live up to their full potential, the bale walls must be properly designed, well built and thoroughly detailed. During this two and a half day, hands-on workshop we’ll assess and install the straw bales into a wall system and detail and prepare the bale walls for the plastering stage. On Friday evening, we’ll cover structural issues, design of bale wall systems and answer common questions associated with choosing straw bale homes, and see a slide show of bale homes. Over the weekend, we’ll put that theory into practice by assessing, cutting and retying, stacking, and stuffing straw bales for a small writing cabin. We’ll look at creative ways to shape bale walls to achieve curved window wells and niches, and we’ll cover all the important detailing issues to ensure that the building is air-tight and ready for plastering. We will also install a moisture meter into the wall that can be monitored. On Sunday, we will work with mixing and applying base coats of earthen and lime plasters.
Register by email to reserve your place in this limited number workshop.
Our natural building instructors…
Jen Feigin is a designer, carpenter and natural builder based in Peterborough, Ontario, and operates Green Hammer Construction. She specializes in sustainable design with a strong focus on straw bale wall systems and many other natural building techniques. An artist at heart, she endeavours to build healthy, efficient, beautiful buildings that will inspire people through their thoughtful design and artfulness. She is an instructor with the Sustainable Building Design and Construction program at Fleming College, where she is the project manager for the large, public buildings the class constructs to the highest standards of sustainability and helps pass on her skills to new and experienced builders. Jen teaches workshops on natural building techniques across Ontario. Her well-organized workshops are fun, productive, full of technical knowledge and the joy of good work well done. As a teacher, designer and builder she combines practicality and artfulness in equal measures, with a healthy dose of humour and spirit too.
Chris Magwood is obsessed with making the best, most energy efficient, beautiful and inspiring buildings without wrecking the whole darn planet in the attempt. He co-founded 
“Camel’s Back Construction”, and over eight years helped to design and/or build around 40 homes and a few commercial buildings, mostly with straw bales and often with renewable energy systems. During this time, he co-authored three books on straw bale construction: Straw Bale Building, More Straw Bale Building and Straw Bale Details. He was also the editor of The Last Straw Journal, an international quarterly of straw bale and natural building. He has contributed articles to numerous publications on topics related to sustainable building.
In 2005, he started the Sustainable Building Design and Construction program at Fleming College. This exciting, 5-month course gives 26 students the task of creating and completing a large, public building using the most sustainable designs, materials and mechanical systems available. Chris is an active speaker and workshop instructor in Canada and internationally.
Learn “the Art of Living Here” on our planet with these fun, informative and interesting weekends of events & workshops covering great food, beekeeping, sustainable building techniques, gardening, livestock, photography and more. Don’t forget your swim gear and towel for a dip in the spring-fed pond.
Back Garden Organic Beekeeping—June 28 Our beekeeping workshop was a huge success and enjoyed by all, even the last late afternoon soft rain didn’t detract from our time at the hives and those who lingered for a farm tour afterward.
NEXT WORKSHOP
If you’d like to sign up for our next Beekeeping Workshop Register by email or call 705.696.2556 to be notified of the next date planned.
with Ian Critchell
Fee: $100.
Includes wholesome snacks, garden-fresh farm lunch, on-site camping—and feel free to jump in the spring-fed pond after the workshop.
When: Sunday June 28th 2009 10:00pm to 4:00pm
You are welcome to come Saturday evening to set up your tents rather than drive up early Sunday morning, or ask about B&B options in the area if you’d prefer.
“Beeman” Ian Critchell has been “enjoying the buzz” of beekeeping since the early 1980’s. He has kept bees in England and the west coast of Ireland and continues tending over 150 colonies, many of which fly the fields of Wholearth Farmstudio. In this hands-on workshop Ian illustrates how to handle bees naturally. You’ll discover the world of bees: organic versus modern beekeeping; learn the roles and responsibilities of the queen, drones, house bees and foragers; how the colony gets through a winter; flowers; pollination; the honey we love; 
what bees need in their environment; how vital they are; how to avoid the poisons, pollution, predators and diseases that kill bees; foods, products and natural medicines from the beehive; harvesting and processing products safely. You’ll get suited up in veils and gloves and take a tour of the hives to look for eggs, larva, nectar, honey and pollen; and gain an understanding of the best locations for bees in your back garden.
Course outline:
• The bee hive
• The honey Bees
• Equipment and apparel
• Beekeepers calendar
• Multiplying your bees
• Diseases, Pest and Predators
• Honey bee nutrition and feeds
• Treatments and Medicines
• Organic pest control
• Pollination
• Honey house layout
• Harvesting honey and other hive products
• Tips for re-locating the bees.
Register by email or call 705.696.2556 to reserve your place in this limited number workshop.
Take Home a Box of Bees!
Just buzzing to begin right away? Pre-order your bees and after the course you can take home your bee starter colony with you. Consists of floor, broad box, 4 frames of bees with queen + 6 frames with foundation, cover board and roof. The entrance will be sealed with foam and can be removed once located in their new home.
Cost: $120
Order Your Bees by email to reserve your own bees. You do need to order them in advance so they will be ready for you on the day of the workshop.
Upcoming Workshops & Events
- Build an Adobe Earth Oven
- Build a Solar Heated Outdoor Shower
- Build a Dry Composting Toilet
- Gardening, Food and Small-Scale Farming
- Wood Fuel – A Primer on Firewood
- Build a Purple Martin House
- Seed Saving
- Sheep Shearing
- Raising Free-Range Chickens
- Native Plant Walk
For weekend workshops here is a list of what to bring:
- Tent
- Ground tarp
- Sleeping bag
- Flashlight
- Personal stuff like toothbrush, towel etc…
- Eating & drinking utensils (Travel mug, refillable bottle for water, plate, bowl, knife, fork, spoon)
- Sun hat
- Sunscreen
- Pen and notebook
- Camera
- Weather-appropriate clothing & footwear
- Swimming apparel
- no glass please