Tennessee Complete Cob Cottage For ALL in the Fall!

Date/Time
Date(s) - Sunday, September 6, 2026 - Sunday, October 11, 2026
8:30 am - 5:30 am

OUR LOVELY HOSTS

 

River & Mike will welcome us with open hearts and smiles into their sanctuary home for this southern-style US workshop! Born in South Dakota, River has travelled throughout the States constantly,  led by her deep hungry passion for learning all kinds of primitive, survival and natural wilderness living skills. She loves attending workshops and as a host she will be very well-prepared after attending her first full-build cob workshop taught by CruzinCobGlobal in Tasmania in 2026. Her partner, Mike, is an Ohio native. He is a full-time dentist who loves carpentry and building with his hands, and taking care of people’s teeth who can’t afford it. Together, Mike and River enjoy gardening and spending time in nature, whether it’s kayaking the local rivers, hiking mountain trails, or foraging for mushrooms.

Our home in the woods is set on a 30-acre plot in Decatur, TN, halfway between Knoxville and Chattanooga. This cozy homestead is one-third relaxing forest and two-thirds rolling grassy pasture. Deer and many small forest animals call this place home. The host site will have many beautiful and varied camping spots in the woods and open pasture for the students, as well as outdoor compost toilets, an outdoor and indoor shower, a massive outdoor movie screen with firepit, a beautiful vegetable garden and much more as we grow this year. We plan to use the cob house as a center for learning and healing.

Here there is no shortage of ways to spend time in the great outdoors on the weekends. We are about an hour’s drive from The Great Smokey Mountains National Park, America’s most visited park and only 17 minutes from the Hiawassee River for kayaking. This region is home to some of the best hiking trails you can find, with caves, waterfalls and gorgeous views. River will be a great guide for those who want to explore every weekend.  For those who want to ditch the hiking boots and explore the city life, both Chattanooga and Knoxville are rich with art, culture, rich cuisine, and entertainment.

 

THE PROJECT

 

Workshop students will be building the first COB structure on the Land and we are honored River & Michael have chosen COB to represent the start of his project, to be built in an intimate, sacred and soulful way and created, as always, with 12-15 pairs of loving and passionate muddy hands and feet.  Starting with the “boots”, symbol for the stone foundation, to the “hat”, our indestructible, gorgeous trademark reciprocal green roof, we will cover EVERYTHING important in between!  You will leave blissed out, confident, transformed, inspired, motivated, excited, and ready for more.  Be prepared for a total life makeover, and renewed strength and empowerment to fearlessly lead a life TRUE to yourself!  We see this in every workshop year after year.  It’s called “Cob Therapy” and it happens organically whether you intend it or not:)

We will be building a 14m2/154ft2 round building (final size is always dependent on class number but this is usually the outcome). The breathtaking reciprocal roof structure we build in all of our workshops is the strongest roof there is, due to its interlocking spiral structure, which holds itself up with no outward pressure on the monolithic round wall of the building. In addition, it mirrors the horizontal social structure favored in indigenous societies, who meet under these types of roofs for council circles, as we will do weekly throughout the 5 weeks, to support all the inner and outer work happening.  

Students in this Advanced Cobber Certification training will, as always, learn all the steps to building a complete Cob Building from scratch.  In week 1, we dig the foundation trench and fill it with landscape-wrapped drainage rock/gravel followed by a sturdy 30cm-wide aesthetic natural stone stemwall to support the cob wall and roof.  We finish the week off by pouring the first layer of adobe/cob floor on a layer of insulation underlain by a gravel drainage base and wrap up with the door(s) installation.  In weeks 2 & 3, we build the monolithic cob wall, layer by layer, with all its detailed insertions (windows, shelves, electrical housing, hooks, niches, bottles, desk/counter, anchors and roof connectors), and finish week 3 off with 2 days of relaxed sculpting.  In week 4 we plaster our beautifully-decorated and solid wall with an earthen/fermented manure scratch coat mix.  On Friday we build and install the Reciprocal Roof primary rafter structure and in week 5 we complete the structure and sheathing to support the impermeable Green Roof covering.  On the final days we will finish the top of the wall as well as the second finish floor coat, ready for Graduation and the Celebration on Saturday evening.  Sunday morning is our Closing Circle followed by our final Lunch together and before the afternoon public Open House, when the final project is revealed to the outside world!

We encourage non-White and multiracial students who are curious or already interested and passionate about earthen construction to come learn the art and technique of cob building with CCG.  We want a workshop that feels comfortable for non-white students, and aim for a healthy balance of races, cultures and languages.  CCG has taught in many countries of the world and our mission is to create access to everyone interested, especially the local people, so we can create international cob building families where all students grow and learn on a personal and interpersonal level.  We aim to create intercultural and interhuman bonding experiences through our Cob building workshops to heal the world one Cob house at a time.  So please follow your Heart & Soul, listen to the Call, and embark on a life-changing adventure in 2026!

 

DETAILED WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION

 

The 35-day Advanced Cob Building Workshop consists of 25 days (Monday through Friday) of learning & construction for 4 hours in the morning and 3 hours in the afternoon with theoretical instruction (lectures with graphics) on most Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons to complement the hands-on experience.  Students arrive on Saturday before dinner and Sunday by 12pm and settle in. The two meals offered on Saturday (dinner) and Sunday (brunch) are optional and an additional fee of 10€ each.  The Workshop begins at 4pm and ends on a Sunday, 5 weeks later, after the morning Closing Circle & Brunch, around 2pm. Students can arrive a day before (Saturday) to acclimate and settle in (please let us know) but will need to cover their own food
 needs, or pay the extra meal fees . The Opening Circle begins promptl

y at 4pm, followed by a Host Site Orientation at 5:30pm, Dinner at 6:30pm and an Introduction to the Project by the Instructors at 7:30pm.  We require that students arrive Saturday before dark or Sunday by 12pm AT THE LATEST!!! We need to begin ALL TOGETHER, as the most important information for the success and smooth-running of the workshop and the well-being of the students will happen on Sunday between 4pm and 8:30pm.  It is very inconvenient for students, Host, Instructors and the group, when someone arrives late and misses any of the opening sessions.  Please be punctual because Monday morning at 9 am we begin digging the trench for our Cob Building and students need to be prepared and ready to go!!!!
 
Following Breakfast from 7:30-8:15am, the morning learning/building session begins at 8:30 am and lasts until 1pm with a 20-minute snack pause at 11am. Lunch break is from 1pm to 2:30pm, which includes a rest time before the 3-hour afternoon session begins, from 2:30pm-5:30pm. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays there is a 60-minute lecture at 2:30pm, followed by construction time. Tuesdays and Thursdays students begin building again right after the rest time. After class in the afternoon there is a 90-minute break before dinner (served from 7pm to 8pm), in which students are encouraged to stretch, do some type of relaxation/movement practice, go swimming, walking and just relax.

There is sometimes a work trade student officially or informally leading yoga and movement practice in the mornings or afternoons (depending on student preference). There will also be 3-4 evenings throughout the workshop after dinner for showing slides, videos and having Course-related discussions. Other evenings except Tuesdays are mostly free and sometimes students offer informal courses in their specialties and passions. Tuesdays are reserved for our weekly Council Circle, where we do a deeper sharing and listening to attend to the inner worlds of our students, staff & Host(s) during this intense experience.

On weekends students are free to explore the area, rest onsite, and even continue building, subject to Instructor approval.  All weekend meals are provided by students who are welcome to use the kitchen.  Host and/or other students can carpool into town for weekend food provisions.

The 35-day Course will offer practical learning by building a complete 14m2 curvilinear building from foundation to roof, as 
described in the “Project” section. Those who complete the 35-day Workshop will receive an Advanced Cobber Certificate of Completion for Foundation, Cob Walls (which includes Door, Windows, Shelves, Bottles, Niches, Art, Electrical Housing & Plumbing preparation, Sculpting), Floor, Plaster & Roof.
 
 

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)

5:30-7:00 Rest/Yoga

7:00-8:00 Dinner

8:00-9:00 Council Circle (Tues) & Slides/Videos/Discussion (Thurs)

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

COURSE CONTENTS

 
Students will learn every phase of building a cob building from foundation through the reciprocal roof in hands-on building and lectures/theory. In addition to the lectures,
 slideshows and videos will be shown to support and enhance their understanding of cob materials, cob building, design, geography, budgeting, business options and legal issues.

Our hands-on practice will include:

digging foundation trench


pouring gravel and inserting drainage pipe (if applicable)


building foundation stemwall


analyzing soils and materials


making test bricks


deciding on correct mixture


deciding on best location


making cob w/ partner and solo
 building with cob


preparing and inserting the door


preparing and inserting fixed and opening windows


preparing and inserting shelves


inserting bottle windows, glass and other objects


inserting electrical housing and outlet/switch boxes (when applicable)*


insert PVC pipe for plumbing in walls (when applicable)*


sculpting


preparing and applying earthen plaster (1 coat)


pouring an earthen floor (2 coats)


preparing walls for roof connection


building reciprocal roof frame


putting on roof sheathing and other elements


installing impermeable liner and green roof components


making small-scale cob designs of future projects (time permitting)

 

In addition to Cob Building practices, the Course material 
also includes:

legal cob construction practices & the international cob code (Appendix AU in the IRC)


cost analysis


creating a cob business (building/teaching)


assisting, building and teaching with CruzinCobGlobal

*While the insertion of electrical housing and one or more outlet/switch boxes and PVC pipes to hold plumbing are always included in the workshops, the simplicity or complexity depends on the host’s design and preferences. There will be no electrical wiring or plumbing pipes installed during workshop. That is beyond the focus of this course and requires professional experience and certification/licensing.
 

REQUIREMENTS & IMPORTANT INFORMATION
 

Students will need to come prepared for demanding physical work from Day 1.

This includes bringing:

Work clothes appropriate for the country and climate we are in


Work boots or other closed-toe shoes (for foundation and roof)


Flip-flops or Crocs (for cobbing/plaster days)


Rubber dishwashing gloves (for lime mortar)


Work Gloves (for stone work)


Tool Belt

Tape Measure


Box Cutter
/Straight Edge

Wood Hand Saw with medium teeth (cheap)*


Level (2ft)*


Hammer*


Japanese plastering trowel(s) (order online)

Basic pointed steel mortar/plastering trowel

Ear Plugs (roof week)


Safety Glasses
 

Wood Chisel*


4”-6” Diameter Round Plastic Container Lids (for plastering)


Good Moisturizer
 for Hands & Feet

Hat


Sunglasses


Water Bottle


Notebook/Pen/Camera


Carpenter Pencil & Sharpener


Sample of your Soil (optional)

Any other power tools like skillsaw, grinder with metal blade, cordless drill, chop saw, extra hammers, trowels, saws, levels…will be very welcome if you have them and are driving in.  Some students fly in with only carry-on luggage and can’t bring some of these tools.

*These tools will be very helpful to bring if you can, to minimize sharing and waiting, but if you can’t the Host will provide them.

 

 ***PLEASE READ THIS IMPORTANT INFO!***

Everyone is essential to the completion of the build!  These workshops are designed for people that want to learn how to build a complete structure from start to finish in a professional manner and amount of time. They are very intensive and, while we make time for yoga, stretching, dancing, music, relaxing….all students are expected to be present and participating in all building and lecture learning hours unless absolutely incapable due to illness or have some other significant/emergency reason. This is because we design the size of the building
 and organize the structure of the workshop in accordance with the number of students and when people are absent, it impacts the whole group and the other students have to work harder and it disturbs the integrity of the group. It takes the whole village to see the building through from start to finish!  In addition, Instructors set up building work according to students’ strengths and learning needs.  In short, if you don’t feel that you will be able to be present every day for every session, please re-think your readiness for our Advanced Training.  We attract serious and highly-motivated students so if that’s you, you will be surrounded by others with the same desire to learn and build!  Everyone has a role every day all day!

We need and depend on everyone’s full participation in each day of the workshop.  This is a total group effort on all levels:  physically, mentally, emotionally and energetically. If someone is physically absent from the site and lectures due to illness or other urgency for more than one full day, they will need to make up the days missed in a subsequent workshop to receive the Certificate (only paying food costs).  If physically injured or ill (and capable), it is requested students still be present at the site and for lecture and other required evening activities, so as to not miss out on information and keep learning by observation, and thus still qualify for the Certificate.

The workshop intensity changes from week 1 to week 5 with the focus of the week. The first foundation week breaks people in with the work of moving, lifting, rolling and placing rocks and is a new and demanding physical and mental experience for most students. It also includes 
the first layers and coat of cob floor. The second week and part of the third week of cob-making and building are similar to the rock foundation week in physical demand, but are more flowing, multi-faceted and cardiovascular in movement. On Thursday & Friday of week 3, the workshop takes a turn and slows down and the body can rest as students connect with their creative source now to design sculptures and beautify the walls around niches, shelves, windows, etc.  This is a very special rewarding experience and time of the workshop, decorating the walls with personal meaning as expressed by each unique student.  Usually there is an overarching theme decided on by the Host(s).  Plastering follows sculpting and is another enjoyable more lightweight physical experience, that lends itself to talking and sharing at the wall in a meditative rhythm as the students have bonded and shared deeply through a variety of experiences for a month. On day 5 of week 4, after the wall has been plastered, the roof begins.  This part is the beginning of a change of pace from the earthen building work to carpentry skills, power tools, measuring, sawing, drilling, hammering, screwing, trimming, etc. But now the workshop is in its final stretch and there is a boost of energy to wrap up the roof, close the top of the wall, and tend to finishing touches….the grand finale!

For students wanting a more mellow slow-paced cob experience, along with time for personal exploration and experimentation following their own rhythm, these workshops are not for you! However, you can find a more suitable workshop online with other organizations that offer a
 shorter period, focused on building a garden wall, a bench, a compost toilet or some other smaller scale project.

Students are required to read “The Hand-Sculpted House” and “Essential Cob Construction” (see website Resources page) before the workshop begins, and any other books they find or are listed on our Resources page, ideally on plastering and reciprocal roof building.  We ask that you watch the many videos on our our “International Cob Workshop” playlist on Claudine’s YouTube channel, the new educational YouTube series “Building a Mud Home” by Cooper Green, posted by Natural Buildings and created from our North Carolina workshop footage, and the ones posted on CruzinCobGlobal’s website under Gallery, to get an idea of what is expected. Also it is a great idea to watch as many other videos on cob and reciprocal roofs as you can to come mentally prepared. Please bring your book(s).

Students must tend to their own personal needs, drink alot of water, rest when needed and exert themselves at a steady pace. Students who cannot do the strenuous physical work should let us know when registering, so we can make sure the workshop is a good fit. If approved before the workshop begins, we will aim to adjust appropriately. There is alot to do to support making and building with cob, while respecting your physical limitations!!!

Finally, please bring a watch or use your phone to be prompt and ready for each part of the Course, including mealtimes. Please make sure you share your dietary restrictions/allergies with CCG in your registration form. Note that very demanding dietary needs will not be
 able to be met (vegan & non-gluten ok) and those students may be recommended not to participate, unless they are willing to meet their special needs on their own, which will not include kitchen access on weekdays. Please discuss with Claudine at time of desire to register. Also please bring your essential snacks and foods, pillow and whatever you NEED to be comfortable and happy. Feel free to also bring playlists, speaker, slides, videos,
movies and books to share, as well as a sample of your soil to test.

We look forward to opening you to a whole new world of experience, skill, growth and transformation as you bond with your new COB family for life!

 

MEALS & ACCOMMODATIONS

 

We will serve three meals a day from Monday through Friday including the Welcome and Celebration Dinners and Farewell Brunch.  On 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 with canned fish, dried meats, cold cuts. They are also welcome to buy or bring their own supplements.

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 or hammock and bedding or and in your vehicle are free. There may be indoor sleeping options at neighbors’ houses. We will have more info on that in the Spring.

 

COB INSTRUCTOR

CLAUDINE “COB QUEEN” DÉSIRÉE

Learning to build cob houses has been an unexpected gift in so many ways.  The joy I see on people’s faces at my workshops when they roll up their pants for the first time and stick their toes in the cool soft mud, the laughter and heart-to-heart conversations ignited while mixing and building with a partner, the meditative concentration of working on a sculpture, the satisfaction of stepping back and seeing your beautiful trimmed wall section, the excitement at embedding bottles and sculpting an art window, the bliss of relaxing with good food and a cold beer after a full day’s building in community, and the gratitude of leaving confident in starting a dream project….are why I do this work.  Over and over again, all over the world, cob building creates childlike joy, love, community, and empowerment.  It has shown itself to be much more than a building technique.  It is a remedy for a better Life on Earth.  It creates Happy People living in Happy Houses. May the legacy of CruzinCobGlobal continue to heal the World one workshop at a time, one new cobber and one more cob house at a time. Aho.

 

TRANSPORTATION

 

Students will get to Decatur, TN by car and rideshare/carpooling, bus or train/plane to Knoxville or Chattanooga or if necessary for international flights, Atlanta. Airport pickups will be organized by hosts and among students diving in from similar direction  We will setup a Whatsapp thread once we are a month out for students to organize carpooling and povide info on airport pickups..

 

REGISTRATION & PAYMENT

 

Very Early Bird Rate: $2600, paid in full by January 6th, 2026

Early Bird Rate: $2700, paid in full by May 6th, 2026

Standard Rate: $2800, paid in full by August 6th, 2026

We are offering 4 work trade positions which give you a $250 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. Two persons 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 in USD (convert to current exchange rate) can be made using Zelle, Paypal and  Venmo to claudinedesiree@gmail.com. Europeans and other international students can pay in Euros at the current conversion rate using the Wise app/website using same email.  You can also use this link for a free transfer up to 500€:  https://wise.com/invite/ihpc/claudined

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

To hold your spot (there are 12 for new students and 3 for returning students), you can make a 50% deposit.  The balance owed depends on the date of payment in full. Final payment deadline is May 1st, 2026.

 

CANCELLATION POLICY

 

Students who have paid and cancel by June 6th, 2026 can get a full refund minus a 5% administrative/inconvenience fee on the amount they have paid.

Students who have paid and cancel by July 6th, 2026 will receive a credit for a future workshop within two years minus a 10% administrative/inconvenience fee.

Students who have paid and cancel after July 6th, 2026 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 MUD!

Location: River and Michael's Farmstead