Cob Oven & Benches Workshop at Tiny Power Ranch in Eastern Texas

Date/Time
Date(s) - Sunday, November 16, 2025 - Sunday, November 23, 2025
4:00 am


OUR HOST FAMILY

La Familia Hall: our beautiful hosts!

We are the Hall family made up of Scott, our USAF veteran Patriarch and family provider,  Joanna, the Matriarch and Curandera, who is our spiritual, medicinal and educational guide, Adilena, our 16-year old daughter, whose artistic energy typically spills out into everything she touches, and Alasia and Anakin, our 8-year old YinYang twins, whose energies are intertwined in a way you have to experience to understand.  Our son Lincoln’s ashes have been growing into a beautiful Red Oak since we lost him in 2014. Our furry family members, Darth and Noel, are a 12-year old Shepherd Chow mix and a 2-year old pure bred Yorkie, respectively. They are the BEST!  Our Heritage is Puerto Rican and Black-Irish, and we have lived in many places in the US and are coming back home to Texas!

Joanna is an herbalist, with a small business in healthcare. Her classes in ErgoMechanics are required in Universities around the States. She grew up super humble in the Bronx and has always had a caregiving, nurturing role on this blue dot and continues to answer the call upon her life with joy!  Scott grew up all over the world as a generational military kid, leading to his transition into the USAF.  Now retired as a disabled veteran who specialized in IT for 20 years, he now spends his time cooking (usually what Joanna grows) and reading, anytime a quiet moment presents itself.

Adilena is our resident debater and baker while our twins train in Tae Kwon Do. Anakin also does Ninja Warrior and is a master at the spider wall and ceiling rope, while Alasia has a history of competitive cheer and passion for foraging. She’ll be the one you’ll find identifying plants the most. We have some incredible volunteer herbs, like Mullen, that grow on the ranch, and others we are looking to incorporate, like lemon balm and passion flower. If you have any seeds that you would like to plant during your stay, please consult The Host, as we have to choose a space together that would work best for your gift to flourish.

We chose the name Tiny Power Ranch because we believe in the power of “tiny”. Some of the world’s most precious and productive things are not at all big, but rather small. Super small. Tan precioso y chiquito. Y creemos que es nuestro trabajo, as stewards of this good land, to remember that tiny is powerful. A smile, a pebble, an herb, a nod… these things are powerful… and when in combination, can have a bigger impact than we could have ever imagined for ourselves or those we interact with.

We invite those who believe in the power of tiny to join us on our ranch to build a very precious space. The energy we will put into it is surely the energy that will exude from it. So it is important for anyone who joins us during this transformational build to understand that the land belongs to none of us and all of us at the same time. That every twig matters and every footprint and hoofprint represents a relationship between kingdoms. And while it may be such a “tiny and imperceivable to some” relationship, it’s actually also monumental and must be respected and honored.  We invite all who have ever experienced powerful transformational energy or all who are ready to experience it for the first time, to join us at Tiny Power Ranch.

The Magical Land

Here’s why. The first time we were able to dig into this ranch was when we installed the well and saw 450 ft of the deep beautiful Earth vertically dug out from beneath our feet and then splayed horizontally out before us all over parts of the ranch… it was GORGEOUS!! It was in that moment that we realized we were standing on millions of years of geology, evolution, history, and energy. You can’t humanly take all that beauty in all at once.  That tiny power needs to marinate a while. In that moment we knew anyone who stepped on this land would feel this power too… if they understand the power of tiny …in that grain of sand that locks with the other grain… that tiny spider not hurting anyone who is hanging out in the tree enjoying the conversation and fire …that tiny gust of wind across your cheek reminding you you’re alive, and simply look up for a beautiful galactic reminder that we are in fact sooooo freaking tiny …and powerful 😁!

So we invite you to join us for this next time we dig into our land. Come and experience the transformation that awaits you as we build “La Curandera”, juntos y con energía buena y gozada! Con permiso, as you build, accept our family’s stewardship as we pour into you our healing delicous food, uplifting song, dance under the Milky Way, meditation in the woods, and communion with the land and our people.

Remember the days of being in grade school and that one summer break was the one that you’ll never forget? The one that when you returned to school you felt renewed, energized, and ready for whatever the next semester brought? Well, it’s time for an adult summer break that you’ll never forget! The one you’ll be looking forward to all year and the one you’ll come out of renewed, energized, and ready for anything! One thing you’ll leave with for sure, other than an awesome experience and an Advanced Cobber Certificate, is that you will never forget the enormous power of Tiny 🤩!!!! Can’t wait to see you there! 😍

LOCATION

Welcome to Tiny Power Ranch in Stephenville, Texas, a place to set aside the dizziness from the tilt and spin of the world and just be still, focus, breathe and enjoy.  “La Curandera” is the name of this Tiny Power Ranch project and her goal is to be the first foundational structure that allows for our family to continue our long-term goal of planting a food forest and creating a haven for generational self-sufficiency and sustainability. A place for the healer and the healing. A place to commune with and be communed with. A sacred place where no one will find you, but where you may just find yourself. 

Tiny Power Ranch is raw and beautiful. With time, love, and guidance from land, she has become and continues to evolve into a place of full of medicinal herbs, vegetables, and fruit trees. Her overall permaculture-calling matched with zip line fun for the kids and activities for adults give her an overall sense of balance.

Stephenville itself is known as the Cowboy Capital of the world, so expect horses lol. On our ranch we do have deer, rabbits, and some other friends who lived here long before we arrived, so our goal is always to maintain harmony with our wildish friends. If you’re wanting some fun in the Texas sun on weekends in between building weeks, there are many nearby watering holes, public pools, wildlife safaris, sporting events, concerts and food, all ranging from 10 minutes to 90 minutes away, in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area. Either way, you’re sure to have a place

Sunset from the top of the Ranch

 

to enjoy some down time after class days and on weekends. The ranch itself is located within a larger gated ranch community, so it is extraordinarily safe and secure to sleep outside and enjoy nature all the time!

Students should prepare to bring any camping gear they need to have for their own comfort. While we do have a running well and electricity, the facilities will be primitive.  There’s lots of space though, so if you’d like to group camp there will be a designated spot.  If you’re more of a lone camper, you’re welcome to scout out a place that calls out to you to rest your head and enjoy over the 5 weeks you will be with us on the ranch.

THE PROJECT

Eight students will come together for 6 days to build a communal pizza/bread/anything oven & sculpted unique complementary benches that will embellish the wild land with its new Cob Apothecary (built in the previous 5 weeks) and provide a comfortable outdoor gathering space to commune and share food.

Both oven and benches will be built simultaneously as the oven is built in phases that need to set before continuing, which will free the students up to create their artistic benches AND a personal cob sculpture that they will work on all week and bring home to gift someone special on Father’s Day!

SIX-DAY SCHEDULE

Sunday, June 8:  Opening Circle, Site Orientation, Dinner, Introduction to the Workshop
Monday, June 9th:  Foundations for Oven & Benches/ Insulation/ Cob Oven Pad
Tuesday, June 10th:  Brick Oven Floor/ Intro to Cob/ Benches
Wednesday, June 11th:  Sand Form/ Inner Cob Shell/ Benches & other Additions
Thursday, June 12th:  Oven Insulation/ Outer Cob Shell/ Sculpting
Friday, June 13th:  Empty Oven Sand Form/ Plaster & Burnish Oven & Benches
CELEBRATION & GRADUATION NIGHT!
Saturday, June 14th: Finishing Father’s Day Cob Gift & Embellishing Oven
PIZZA PARTY & CLOSING CIRCLE
Workshop ends after Brunch around 2pm

DAILY SCHEDULE

The daily schedule (subject to slight modifications due to climate/time of year) will be:


7:30-8:15 Breakfast


8:30-1:00 Class


1:00-2:30 Lunch


2:30-5:30 Class (Lecture on MWF’s)


5:30-7:00 Rest/Yoga


7:00-8:00 Dinner


8:00-9:00 Slides/Videos/Discussion (once a week)

Students are expected to be on time and participate in all sessions and required activities as the goal of completing the project depends on the whole group working together!

 

 

MEALS & ACCOMMODATIONS

 

Host Nicole’s layout in Pescadero, CA, 2024

 

We will serve three meals a day from Monday through Friday including the Welcome and Celebration Dinners and Farewell Brunch.  Weekends students will be on their own for food and may use the onsite kitchen.  Meals will be  vegetarian and locally-based as much as possible, including farm produce and eggs! Carnivores & pescatarians & omnivores will, if desired, be offered non-vegetarian options of meals a few times a week and/or supplemented reasonably with canned fish, dried meats, cold cuts. They are also welcome to buy additions to cook on the side.

We will attend to vegan and gluten-free diets if needed, but any other restrictions & allergies that require extensive preparation needs will probably not be able to be honored. And kitchen will only be accessible on weekends for students.

Camping with your own tent and bedding is free and the only option unless someone lives nearby or wants to rent an AirBnB and drive in daily.

 

TRANSPORTATION

 

Students can fly in to Dallas/Ft. Worth 90 minutes away.  There are shuttles, carpools with other students, and the Hosts can organize airport pickups  on Saturday and Sunday as well.  More info will be provided in the Welcome Letter sent a month before the workshop starts and a Whatsapp group will be created so students can organize rides.

 

REGISTRATION & PAYMENT

 

Very Early Bird Rate: USD$600, paid in full by April 16th, 2025

Early Bird Rate: USD$650, paid in full by July 16th, 2025

Standard Rate: USD$700, paid in full by October 16th, 2025

We are offering 2 work trade positions which give you a $60 discount for working one hour each weekday from 6:30am to 7:30am either on the site prepping materials and other work as guided by the Instructors or preparing & putting away breakfast. One person for each service.  These are the first options to go. Depending on when you pay in full, the discount is taken off the appropriate amount.

Payment can be made using Zelle, Paypal and  Venmo to claudinedesiree@gmail.com. Europeans and other international students can pay in USD using the Wise app/website using same email.

Please contact claudine@cruzincobglobal.org or Whatsapp +1(831) 212-7225 to register and ask any questions.

To hold one of our 8 spots, you can make a 50% deposit.  The balance owed depends on the date of payment in full. Final payment deadline is October 16th, 2025.

 

CANCELLATION POLICY

 

Students who have paid and cancel by September 16th, 2025 can get a full refund minus a 5% administrative/inconvenience fee on the amount they have paid.

Students who have paid and cancel by October 16th, 2025 will receive a credit for a future workshop within two years minus a 10% administrative/inconvenience fee.

Students who have paid and cancel after October 16th, 2025 will not receive a refund or credit unless they have proof of an emergency situation or other reason out of their control, in which case they will receive a credit for two years minus the 10% admin fee.

 

SEE YOU IN THE MUUUUUUD!

 

 

Location: Tiny Power Ranch

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