Natalie terrill

Hello and Greetings to all VA Cobbers!!!

So, as you all know, back in Jan of this year I talked of starting the build of this years project and low and behold VA had typical VA weather, unpredictable at best!! So needless to say there was a couple of months of delay, however, that time was not wasted. There were several and I mean several different designs that I went through before I landed on my dream design. It is true what they say that cob building is 90% planning and design and 10% building!! Though we are currently about a month behind on my self imposed deadline due to the sheer size of the project, we are making it up with hard work and determination!! Yay!! I include some images of the new projects foundation and will update as I remember to here over the course of the build season. And to answer everyone's question, there are only the four of us ( as stated in previous post) working on this project. I figure that if we as a family can do this, really anyone can!! Happy Cobbing VA!!! 2016!!

Hello,
Someone asked about permits in the county we built our cobs in? When I first started seriously considering building my cob house, I made it a point to contact the county building inspector and speak with them first hand about the codes for cob in that county, that is after I looked it up myself before. In the county we are in, the inspector had never even heard of cob! So, there was my confirmation about codes and permits right there!! Of course I had to take my time and explain it in detail to them and surprisingly they were very open to the whole concept and seemed genuinely interested. There is also a regulation for the county that any building 120 sq ft and under is allowed as a agricultural structure. But mostly we decided to take a more "renegade" approach and bury ourselves deep 8n the center of our wooded property away from the road and neighbors. Our own little sanctuary amongst nature. Which ever way you decide, merry cobbing and all the cob joy imaginable.

Hello All Fellow VA cobbers!!!
I am so stoked to see so many people excited about cobbing!!! Especially in VA!! It is my hope that more and more people will see the value in building with natural, green materials as well as mindful conservation of the environment while doing so as time moves on! My family and I(myself, fiance, two small sons) have been living in our owner built cob home for 4 years and counting!!! Right here in central VA. We are expanding the farm this year with my new round cob office and meditation studio as well as beginning on a larger cob home being as we started with a small cob cottage. We never attended any workshops or had any outside help. We are proven individuals that cob can be done with only a couple of determined minds and some know how!! I did study for approximately 4 months from books, web, etc. on the methods and I spoke with the local counties on building regulations of cob prior to construction and purchase of our 16 acres. My fiance has a background in conventional house construction and is a trained mason. I have some training in sculpting and a strong creative background. However, the best learning was to just get out there and do. We did decide to build off grid and simply with solar power and well water, but that was a matter of personal choice. To put it plain, I was sick of paying rising utility bills!! We love our cob so much that we have decided to start beginning in 2017 to host workshops and classes on our land for the benefit of allowing individuals to experience cobbing in VA. We will be working on a few smaller buildings to give curious individuals the opportunity to experience not only what it is like to build with cob, but to also see what it is like to stay in a cob building off the grid and in a country/woodsy setting. I look forward to hear or rather reading all about everyone's wonderful cob adventures and I' ll bring my adventures too!!
Peace, Blessings, and Happy Cobbing!!!
All of us @ Barefootmedicines!!!