WOODS FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENTAL RETREAT

When we dreamed of creating the Environmental Retreat our goal was to educate and inform people on ways to conserve and protect this planet's wildlife and wild places.  By doing your part in this preservation, it will ensure a safe and healthy environment.

The most exciting part of the retreat is that it will be built by YOU!   We will be working with an alternative building organization.  They will provide the blueprint and your hands will do the creating.  Come with a willingness to learn building skills and attain knowledge on alternative and environmentally safe building.  The process of building and the process of being together are as important as the final product.

What are alternative buildings?

Straw Bale - Bales of straw are stacked like blocks to form the walls of a structure.  The bales are then covered with plaster.  Straw bale walls are highly insulative (up to R40) and soundproof.
Slipstraw - Loose straw is tossed into a clay slip and then stuffed into temporary forms for infill of a wood frame structure.
Cob - A mixture of sand, clay and straw - wet enough to mold yet dry enough to build up without forms.  Cob invites creativity to be expressed:  Build curved walls, arches and niches!
Bamboo - A multitude of uses from floor to ceiling.

In this age of environmental degradation and dwindling resources, doesn't it make sense to return to natures abundant, inexpensive and healthy building materials?  These earthen homes are a sampling of what will become Woods Friendly Environmental Retreat during the next few years.  We will conduct hands-on workshops to construct these earth friendly buildings on our property.  Our three-year plan includes a strawbale retreat center, two slipstraw cottages, a cob building nature exhibit (this workshop will allow children to participate), and a nature education building.  These buildings, once constructed, will allow our guests to see how easy and efficient it is to lead a sustainable lifestyle.

Please watch the website for building workshops and information as the retreat develops!

For additional information on alternative buildings, contact Barefoot Builders at www.rawfoodsbible.com/barefootbuilder (850) 982-2597 or Kleiwerks at www.kleiwerks.com (828) 252-7701.

Once a month we publish an environmental bulletin that informs our friends of the latest issues that are a threat to our environment.  These issues range from saving the Arctic Wildlife Refuge from oil drilling, to reintroducing threatened grizzly bears to wilderness areas in Idaho, to voicing your opposition to the government's energy plan (or lack of one).  All we ask is, if you feel as strongly as we do on certain issues, simply write a letter to the government official directly responsible.   We will inform you whom you should write to and provide you with a sample letter and address of where it should be mailed.  If you have friends that may want to join our mission - by all means include them.  (Think of this as a worthwhile chain letter).