Learn & Laugh With Us

Hands-On Workshops

Are you excited about living in a straw bale house or doing your own natural plastering but unsure how to make your dream a reality (or terrified even to get started)?!

You’re in the right place. We’re so glad you’re here!

Upcoming Hands-On Workshops

2025 Workshop Locations
will be announced Nov 29, 2024.
Join our Straw eNews to get a chance to
attend for free!

Which Workshop Is Right For Me?

Have questions or want to connect with an actual human before registering? That seems reasonable to us.
Reach out to Dainella at info@strawbale.com, or choose a time to chat with her here.

Straw Bale Construction Workshops

Our hands-on straw bale construction workshops are designed to meet the needs of a novice builder to an experienced contractor.

Get a well-rounded educational experience so that when it is time for your build, you have the confidence to handle anything that comes up, from construction hiccups to personal stress management.

By interfacing with so many over the years, we've learned an undeniable truth: people of ALL ages and abilities, when given the proper instruction and support, are capable of building and plastering their own dream straw bale home.

Our 7-day experiential education-based workshops are rewarding, engaging, highly informational, and an absolute blast!

Timbo's grasp of construction technology, with over 18 years as a professional straw bale designer-builder, comes through in his ability to explain each detail in a way that benefits all participants.

Speciality Workshops

How to use Natural Plasters, Straw Bale Home Design, Framing For Straw Bale, and More.

Our Specialty workshop topics are inspired by requests from this incredible straw bale community, from our returning alumni to the thoughtful (and kind!) emails we receive from around the world.

These workshops are announced as they come available. Posted both on this page and in our community Straw eNews (subscribe for free.)

A mix of hands-on or virtually, to support our community members who are unable to travel to a hands-on workshop — Our speciality workshops ALWAYS include live Q&A and learning materials to help you succeed!

2024 Straw Bale Home Design Workshop Participants in beautiful Santa Fe, New Mexico

2,500+ Graduates since 2006
View Graduates Gallery

Our Approach

Meet Your Mentors

We focus on education for all aspects of the home construction process. Our education does not stop at straw bale construction. We discuss other aspects of the home that can be built Green. Flooring, cabinets, construction adhesives, and other items all play a part in the health of the home. 

Our commitment to the transparency of the process allows you to have behind-the-scenes views of our real-time decision-making, pivots and changes, and even stress and relationship management as part of the construction process. We want to EMPOWER you with a well-rounded education to support the success of your learning and build process!

Most importantly, we have fun. After all, for us, building without fun is like living without breathing. We love what we do, and that is what makes the difference.

The friendships created during the week are a huge part of the workshop's success and why we have alumni return year after year. We've even had folks include workshops as part of their honeymoon vacation! It’s much much more than just a construction workshop!

Empowering Straw Bale Builders Since 2004

What we learned will benefit us for years to come.

What we experienced will benefit us for the rest of our lives!
— Jeff J., Workshop Graduate