Caledon Ontario, Canada
Caledon, Ontario: May 16-22, 2011
(FOR INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT IS COVERED IN EACH & EVERY WORKSHOP, CLICK HERE)
**This workshop is FULL**
**If you’d like to be placed on the wait list, please contact andrew@strawbaleworkshops.com**
I’m coming back to Canada for another workshop! I had such a great time and a large showing at my last workshop in Ottawa in 2010, that I’ve scheduled another workshop in Ontario. This time I’ll be just Northwest of Toronto to work on a beautiful timber frame and straw bale structure. Here’s what the hosts have to say about their project:
Caledon East is only 30 minutes North of Ontario’s capital city of Toronto and is part of a greater amalgamated area consisting of villages, urban areas and hamlets. It is located in the Peel Region and was established in 1974. Funnily enough, the mayor’s last name is Morrison too, although no relation to Andrew that he’s aware of!
From our backyard, there are lots of day hiking trails that will take you through the natural settings of the Caledon Hills and the ponds therein. The trails and property back onto the Albion Hills Conservation Area, a 446-hectare park which is an outdoor enthusiast’s dream! You can do it all at Albion Hills: swim, fish, mountain bike, bird watch, hike, even cross country ski; however we hope for no snow while you’re here!
We are also only a couple of minutes drive from the Trans Canada trail which will one day allow you to hike or bike from one side of Canada to the other. The final trail will consist of 33 000 km of trail linking Canada; however, only about 50% of it is complete today.
During the workshop we will likely be entertained by the sounds coming from a large, neighboring great blue heron rookery. In fact, the rookery, which is easy to see from our property, is home to nearly 100 great blue heron nests. Bring your ear plugs because although we are not likely to disturb the birds, their “songs” may tend to keep you up at night without a way to block them out. I’m not sure if you’ve ever hear hundreds of great blue herons signing together, but it’s not the most soothing of songs!
For those who have not been to this region before, you’ll want to visit Niagara Falls and Niagara on the Lake which are both within a two hour drive from the property. he falls and lake are, of course, magnificent, but the surrounding area is also beautiful. It is a significant wine and fruit growing area and the trees in the region should be covered with blossoms during the workshop which is an amazing sight.
Our lot consists of a house that we built several years ago with as much scrounged material and personal labor as possible. We have several vegetable gardens and about 2000sq ft of berry gardens. Some of the output of these gardens and other local orchards will be used in the daily meals we create for the workshop.
The project itself is a 1200 sq ft timber frame workshop. Rainer does woodworking as a hobby, in our own home and for a few commercial projects. He has been doing this work out of the garage for some time; however, the space is no longer large enough for his current projects, and we really would like to put the garage back to its intended use. The workshop is also an exercise in resource awareness as follows.
The posts and beams were rescued from a property we rented during university days. The property is being developed and the trees would have been sent to a landfill site. Instead they have been cut with a local sawyer. The off cuts have been turned into mulch for our trees and gardens.
The wall foundation is a rubble trench using local recycled concrete. The floor will be an earthen floor using clay from the site excavation – and some may also be used on the walls. We won’t likely get to any of the earth floor construction during the workshop though.
The straw will come from a local farmer while the windows were rescued from a messed-up order at a local manufacturer. Finally, the glass block in the structure is in its second use, coming originally from a restaurant nearby.
Win A FREE Workshop!
Sign up to enter
FREE 7 Day E-Course
Sign up Today!
