Join us for an exciting 2-day hands-on workshop where we’ll construct cob pallet walls for a 24x32 foot post-and-beam barn! This is a unique opportunity to learn how to transform reclaimed pallets into a sturdy, insulated, and beautiful earthen wall system—a powerful technique in natural building.

Why Pallet Walls?

The pallet wall system is a perfect blend of sustainability, affordability, and functionality. By repurposing discarded shipping pallets, we create a strong yet lightweight framework that allows us to build high-quality, low-cost structures with minimal environmental impact. Pallet walls provide the perfect "skeleton" for infill materials like cob, straw, or light clay, making them a versatile choice for natural builders.

What You’ll Learn:

✅ Pallet Wall Framing – How to frame windows and doors within the pallet system.
✅ Wall Foundations – Understanding the essential groundwork to ensure strong, long-lasting cob walls.
✅ Mixing & Applying Cob – Get your hands (and feet) dirty while learning to create and apply the perfect cob mix.
✅ Thermal Mass & Breathability – Why earthen walls create healthy, comfortable living spaces.
✅ Natural Building Techniques – Blending tradition with innovation to build structures that are beautiful, sustainable, and functional.

Why Join This Workshop?

• Experience the magic of working with mud, connecting with ancient and modern building wisdom.

• Gain practical skills you can apply to your own natural building projects.

• Be part of a community that values sustainable, low-impact building techniques.

Accommodation:

Participants are welcome to camp on-site for the duration of the workshop for an additional $15 per night. To make your stay more comfortable, our Yurt will serve as a community space, offering:
🏕️ Access to a shower
🔥 Indoor kitchen with a propane stove
❄️ Big refrigerator to store your food
🚽 Compost toilet
📚 Cozy space for relaxing, reading natural building books, and connecting with others

This shared space allows you to fully immerse yourself in the experience, enjoy meals together, and deepen your connections with fellow workshop participants.

Workshop Details:

📅 Dates: July 12th and July 13th (8:30am to 5pm each day)
📍 Location: Brooktondale NY
💰 Cost: $350 (includes delicious homemade organic lunches)

How to Register:

To secure your spot or for any inquiries, please email MatteoLundgren@gmail.com. Spaces are limited, so sign up early!

Join us for a hands-on, Two-day intensive workshop where you’ll learn the fundamentals of working with local stone to craft beautiful, durable foundations. Whether you’re new to building or a tradesperson looking to deepen your natural building skills, this course will give you the practical knowledge and confidence to start from solid ground.

Over the course of the weekend, you’ll:
✅ Learn how to construct a rubble trench foundation — an efficient, low-impact way to start your build.
✅ Form and pour a reinforced concrete beam to tie your foundation together.
✅ Build a slip form stone knee wall, blending traditional methods with modern techniques.
✅ Gain essential knowledge in site selection, drainage, and material sourcing.
✅ Work alongside experienced builders to understand the full process from excavation to final stonework.

This workshop will lay the foundation (literally!) for our straw-based wall systems workshop later in the year. While designed to support natural wall systems like straw bale and light straw clay, these techniques are versatile and can be applied to a wide range of structures.

No prior experience is necessary — there will be opportunities for every skill level to engage, learn, and get hands-on.

Details:
📅 Date: June 28 - 29
📍 Location: Trumansburg, NY
💰 Cost: $350 for the full two-day workshop — includes delicious organic lunches each day. Early Bird $300 prior to May 1st.
⛺ Camping available for free close by in Fingerlakes National Forest

How to Register:To secure your spot or for any inquiries, please email MatteoLundgren@gmail.com. Spaces are limited, so sign up early!

Come learn how to build strong, enduring foundations with your own hands and the stones beneath your feet!

Are you ready to immerse yourself in the art of natural building? Students will learn by doing, constructing a log cabin sauna using local spruce trees in the round, building a strawbale wall changing room, experience mixing and applying natural plasters (clay and lime) and an earthen floor. Join the Fingerlakes School of Natural Building for an unforgettable two-part workshop where you'll learn hands-on techniques to construct a rustic log cabin sauna.

Dates:

• Weekend 2: July 27th - 28th

• Weekend 1: June 29th - 30th

Location: Cob Family Farm, South Road Brooktondale NY

In this unique workshop, participants have the flexibility to sign up for one or both weekends, tailoring the experience to suit their interests and schedule.

Weekend 2 (July 27th - 28th): Strawbale Wall Finishing & Stone Masonry & Earthen Floor
In the second weekend, students will learn how to mix and apply an interior clay plaster and exterior lime plaster for the Strawbale walls. Students will learn stone masonry techniques to construct a thermal bank for the wood stove, ensuring optimal comfort and efficiency within the sauna. Students will also apply and learn the basics of laying an earthen floor in the changing room. This weekend will also include carpentry skills as we do finish details in the sauna.

Weekend 1 (June 29 - June 30th): Log Cabin Sauna & Strawbale Wall Framing
Students will learn about joinery while we raise the walls of the log cabin sauna. Students will also learn basic framing skills for a strawbale wall system using innovative box columns and box beams and how to properly stack strawbales in a wall. Additionally, you'll gain valuable skills as we tackle basic framing for the roof.

Teachers: Our lead instructors: Jamie Carestio and Nate LaFond: Owners of the Natural Building Collective “Live Edge Building and Design” and Matteo Lundgren of “Cob Therapy”

Our enthusiasm for natural building is contagious. Our teaching style focuses around empowering participants to really “go for it” and learn by doing. Throughout the workshop we will weave stories of the natural world and dive deeply into “The Why”

In this workshop you will have ample hands-on experience with guided instruction from Jamie Carestio and Nate LaFond, professional timber framers and strawbale builders along with Matteo Lundgren. We will cover the whole range of comprehensive information on the world of Natural Building.

Details:

• Dates: Weekend 2 (July 27 and 28th)

• Location: Brooktondale New York

• Time: 9am to 5pm each day

• Cost: $275 per student for each weekend (Discount for signing up for both weekends)

• Accommodation: Participants are welcome to camp on-site for the duration of the workshop and organic homemade lunch will be provided on each work day.

How to Register: To secure your place or any inquiry in this fun Sauna Building workshop, please email MatteoLundgren@gmail

Are you ready to immerse yourself in the art of natural building? Students will construct a log cabin sauna using local spruce trees in the round, building a strawbale wall changing room, experience mixing and applying natural plasters (clay and lime) and an earthen floor. Join the Fingerlakes School of Natural Building for an unforgettable two-part workshop where you'll learn hands-on techniques to construct a rustic log cabin sauna.

Dates:

• Weekend 1: June 29th - 30th

• Weekend 2: July 27th - 28th

Location: Cob Family Farm, South Road Brooktondale NY

In this unique workshop, participants have the flexibility to sign up for one or both weekends, tailoring the experience to suit their interests and schedule.

Weekend 1: Log Cabin Sauna & Strawbale Wall Framing
Students will learn about joinery while we raise the walls of the log cabin sauna. Students will also learn basic framing skills for a strawbale wall system using innovative box columns and box beams and how to properly stack strawbales in a wall. Additionally, you'll gain valuable skills as we tackle basic framing for the roof.

Weekend 2: Strawbale Wall Finishing & Stone Masonry & Earthen Floor
In the second weekend, students will learn how to mix and apply an interior clay plaster and exterior lime plaster for the Strawbale walls. Students will learn stone masonry techniques to construct a thermal bank for the wood stove, ensuring optimal comfort and efficiency within the sauna. Students will also apply and learn the basics of laying an earthen floor in the changing room. This weekend will also include carpentry skills as we do finish details in the sauna.

Teachers: Our lead instructors: Jamie Carestio and Nate LaFond: Owners of the Natural Building Collective “Live Edge Building and Design” and Matteo Lundgren of “Cob Therapy”

Our enthusiasm for natural building is contagious. Our teaching style focuses around empowering participants to really “go for it” and learn by doing. Throughout the workshop we will weave stories of the natural world and dive deeply into “The Why”

In this workshop you will have ample hands-on experience with guided instruction from Jamie Carestio and Nate LaFond, professional timber framers and strawbale builders along with Matteo Lundgren. We will cover the whole range of comprehensive information on the world of Natural Building.

Details:

• Dates: Weekend 1 (June 29th and 30th)

• Location: Brooktondale New York

• Time: 9am to 5pm each day

• Cost: $275 per student for each weekend (Discount for signing up for both weekends)

• Accommodation: Participants are welcome to camp on-site for the duration of the workshop and organic homemade lunch will be provided on each work day. If you would prefer to rent our 30ft diameter Yurt or our Tiny house for the Weekend please inquire through email.

How to Register: To secure your place or any inquiry in this fun Sauna Building workshop, please email MatteoLundgren@gmail

Who:  professional builders and novices alike who want to learn in a hands on environment about building with locally available materials including round wood, clay, sand, and straw, and salvaged or surplus material.

What:  We will construct a small building from foundation to roof using natural material.  We will select and process round wood poles for the frame and clay, sand, and straw for the walls.  Students will also work with rammed earth tires, slip form stone and salvaged wood. 

At the end of the workshop, students will retain a baseline knowledge of the basic materials needed to create a natural building.

Discussions will include:  wood species and selection, natural plaster and cob formulation, foundation and roof design, and site selection/ passive solar design.

We will also tour completed natural buildings on site including a large barn, smaller outbuildings, and a strawbale timber frame home.

When:  Wednesday - Sunday 9am-5pm

Where:  Backbone Farm, Trumansburg N.Y. 

Cost: $555 earlybird: ($600 after June 1st)

(this includes lunch each day and a Saturday night BBQ)

to register or more info: email your name to matteolundgren@gmail.com

Where to stay: here are some options

• There is free rustic camping in the Fingerlakes National Forest 5 minutes from site

• Camping at Our Friends at Hawk Meadow Farm Hip Camp

• Camping at TAUGHANNOCK FALLS STATE PARK

* work clothes, water bottle, footwear, etc.   

*parking, toilet and wash facilities, water, food.

*respecting location: this is a working farm