I'm happy to announce my upcoming Spring & Summer 2026 Cob & Straw Building Workshops are open for registration. Come and join me in beautiful eastern Tennessee for our next Introduction to Cob and Straw Workshop! We will be constructing both a cob building and a straw-clay building, and pouring an earthen floor! These workshops are perfect for beginners and experts alike! You will get the expert knowledge to build with cob and straw! Either for small-scale structures or large-scale projects like homes and buildings. Please click the link below to get the schedule and class details. Click Here for Schedule and Workshop Details I have NOT raised class prices, and I've added even more great benefits to the classes. So, you can still enjoy the low pricing and incredible value ratio! I look forward to meeting more of you here in 2026! Alex

I'd like to do some live question and answer chats with you guys this Winter. Let me know what time/days would be best. We'll do them based on reaching the most people here.

Here's some research I've compiled. Feel free to discuss below! **Build a Cob House For $58K Instead of Paying $400K For a Mortgage (Full Breakdown)** The average American paying off a $200,000 house will hand over $343,000 by the time they actually own it. $143,000 just vanishes into interest payments. But there's a proven alternative that eliminates debt entirely: building a cob house with your own hands. Let's break down the REAL numbers behind debt-free natural building and show you exactly how regular people on normal incomes are opting out of the mortgage system. **The Brutal Reality of Mortgages:** A $200,000 home financed at 7% interest = $1,331 monthly payments Total paid over 30 years: $478,000 Pure interest paid to banks: $278,000 First year breakdown: $14K interest vs $2K toward equity **Cob House Cost Breakdown ($58K Total):** • Land: $10-15K for 5 acres (rural areas) • Permits: $3K (varies by location, can be $15-50K in strict areas) • Foundation: $6K (with DIY labor + equipment rental) • Roof: $12-15K (metal roofing, quality materials essential) • Walls & Structure: Under $2K (clay, sand, straw) • Interior Finishes: $2K (earthen floors, clay plasters) • Total: $58K with ZERO interest payments **Where The REAL Savings Come From:** ✓ Wall materials: $2K vs $10-15K for conventional lumber framing ✓ Interior finishes: $2K vs $9-12K for tile and drywall ✓ Contractor markup eliminated: Save $20-50K in management fees ✓ Labor costs eliminated: Save $60-80K by doing it yourself ✓ Interest payments eliminated: Save $278K over 30 years **30-Year Total Cost Comparison:** Conventional $200K house: $658K-748K (mortgage, taxes, insurance, maintenance) $58K Cob house: ~$109K (taxes, insurance, minimal maintenance) **Difference: $549K-639K stays in YOUR pocket** **Realistic Timeline & Savings Plan:** Year 1-2: Live cheap, save $1,500/month = $36K saved Year 2: Buy land ($15K) + build tiny 250 sq ft starter cottage ($12-15K) Year 2-4: Live rent-free in cottage while building main 800-1000 sq ft house