Cordwood Construction Class, July 31 - August 6

   Alternative building methods are becoming more popular, especially with the rising costs of lumber. Balsam Moon Preserve (BMP) is offering a Cordwood Construction Workshop July 31 (Sunday) – August 6 (Saturday), 9 a.m.-4 p.m. each day.  This method uses cordwood cut to length (10” – 24”), depending on its end use, and a lime mortar for creating walls for a building structure. The project that will be completed in the workshop is an 8’x19’ combination shower/sauna/outhouse building at BMP.   

   This workshop is for ages 16 and up. Participants are welcome for the full week, a few days, or even a few hours to learn the basic technique of construction filling in a post and beam framework and cement foundation already in place. For those coming full days be sure to bring a sack lunch, water bottle, wear work clothes and closed toe shoes. Should you need overnight accommodations, there are rooms available. Register by calling, 218-587-3808 or emailing at [email protected].

   Cordwood Construction is an ancient building technique where walls are constructed of short logs laid transversely in the wall the same way that a cord of firewood is stacked. The mortar used is a lime mortar that as it’s drying takes CO2 out of the atmosphere vs a Portland cement mortar that releases CO2 into the atmosphere as it dries. Buildings using this construction method are economical, beautiful, energy-efficient and ecological.  

   BMP had a virtual workshop on Cordwood Construction at the 2022 Back to Basics event held last January and is available via this YouTube link:  https://studio.youtube.com/video/-NmqohBtz3E/edit.

   BMP operates on reciprocity meaning no fees are charged for classes and activities. They welcome giving in accordance to what you receive.

   They are located at 3148 Bungo Creek Ln SW, Pine River and is a non-profit organization sharing an alternative, sustainable, spiritual place of peace, honoring the earth and all living things. They offer trails, workshops on site and on-line, demonstrations of solar uses and alternative building methods, gardens, a labyrinth, a children’s story walk along one trail, overnight stays, pizza nights in the summer and opportunities to gather in community sharing our common humanity.

    For more information about Balsam Moon Preserve visit the website at: https://balsammoonpreserve.wixsite.com/balsam or FB, email [email protected] or call 218-587-3808.