Toothwort

Trout Lily

We talk about the Stewardship Center being for our stewardship volunteers. What do stewardship volunteers do? Here's evidence from the Stearns Trail. After many years of dedicated stewardship volunteers removing invasive non-native plants such as myrtle, garlic mustard, and english ivy, this is what comes up out of the seed bank in the soil. Hillsides of glorious native trout lily and toothwort. Thank you to all of our volunteers!

Remember , we're signing up volunteers now to work on the Stewardship Center in May and June. Call Marissa Patsey at 216 321-5935 ext 225 or email patsey@shakerlakes.org

water + straw + sand + clay = cob

recipe: 

mix three parts clay to one part sand

add several handfuls of straw

add water to desired consistency

mix well

application:

take a handful of cob, slap it onto the top of the existing cob wall, work it in quickly with your thumbs

repeat

Sign Up to Volunteer!

May 10th to July 12th

Saturdays and Sundays

8:00am-12:00pm and 1:00pm - 5:00pm

call Marissa Patsey at 216 321-5935 ext 225 or email patsey@shakerakes,org to sign up.

Cob: How it's made

Time to Volunteer Again!

Susan Clellen demonstrating cob technique

VOLUNTEER TO BUILD A COB BUILDING!

The Stewardship Center is a natural construction project using straw bale and cob. You can learn an art of homebuilding that dates back to the ancient communities of Mesopotamia and is found in contemporary buildings in Europe, Africa and the U.S. The project was started last summer and as an all volunteer crew project will continue this year and next.
We’re eager to get back to work. During the months of May and June we will be finishing up the cob walls. Once the cob walls are finished there will be a hiatus for several weeks while the cob dries thoroughly before the next steps which include a bond-beam, sealing the top of the “porch area”, electrical work, installing a door and doing the finish earth plaster on the cob. There are week-end shifts available for volunteers who want to help on the project and get some very hands-on training in natural construction. We are also looking for some week-day volunteers to assist Susan Clellen, our designer/builder, with prep work, mixing cob, carpentry, etc. For information call Jan Zorman, project manager, at 216 321-5935 x229, or email zorman@shakerlakes.org


Join the FUN, bring a FRIEND

Build and Craft the Cob Walls

Initial Target Dates: Saturdays and Sundays May 10th to July 12th 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. OR 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Volunteers Needed: Age, over 17; 4 per shift

Description: Volunteers will learn about preparing cob and will hand build Stewardship Center walls; prep and clean up projects as needed.

To sign up call Marissa Patsey at (216) 321-5935 x 225 or email patsey@shakerlakes.org