Become A Workshop Host

Now Accepting 2026 Host Applications

✍🏼

Now Accepting 2026 Host Applications ✍🏼

Have you dreamed of building a straw bale structure on your land?

Do you like the sound of a large labor force, under the guidance of a master baler, completing the baling of your home for you?

Do you have a piece of property that can support up to 40 participants?

If you said "yes" to all these questions then hosting a seven day comprehensive workshop may be for you. Imagine having 20-40 people working on your project for 7 days straight. There is no faster, less expensive or more enjoyable way to get your dream structure built!

On this page you will find the information you need to help you decide if you want to apply to host a 7-Day Straw Bale Workshop. Please review the details, and if you want to pursue the possibility of hosting further, please complete your "Host Application" below.

The information on this page may seem overwhelming. We are not trying to scare you away from hosting; however, we want you to be clear of what you are signing up for. Hosting is most definitely a rewarding experience, but it is not easy. It will take proper planning and execution, all of which will be MORE THAN WORTH IT in the end.

Andew Morison,Dainella Nartker, Timbo Scursso

Andrew Morrison, the Co-Founder, with current Caretakers of the Strawbale.com Community and Workshops, Dainella Nartker & Timbo Scursso.

Please watch this short video interview of a past workshop host. It will help you get a feel for how amazing hosting can be.

After spending 2022 and 2023 seasons with Andrew, Timbo & Dainella are continuing StrawBale.com's community approach and carrying on the workshop traditions!

Learn more about Timbo's 20+ years straw bale-focused background as a straw bale Design-Builder and see his portfolio here [click here to view].

And, read about Dainella's construction, workshop leadership, and experiential education background [click here to read blog.]

Host Requirements

  • The host must attend a workshop prior to hosting their own. It is important to understand how the process works before committing to hosting. One tuition payment shall be refunded (minus food cost) once your workshop is completed.

  • A site that can accommodate up to 40 people and their tents. (Class size is a minimum of 20 and a maximum of 40 on most projects.)

  • Shower (minimum of three, can be a mix of "on-demand" outdoor and/or indoor tank-heated) and bathroom facilities (portable restrooms with a mid-week servicing, per the company recommendations for the number of participants attending).

  • Electricity for tools on the job site (land power is best but a generator is acceptable).

  • 3 healthy meals a day plus snacks.

  • Water for drinking and construction.

  • Travel expenses for Timbo & Dainella (Don’t worry we fly coach!). This includes hotels (typically one before and one after the workshop), airfare, food while traveling, mileage, and other associated costs.

  • Accommodations for Timbo & Dainella during the workshop: let’s face it, we aren't getting any younger 😊 please have in place a comfortable bed in a private room/location. This can be a camper, a private room in a house or rental, etc.

  • Tools and materials for the job.

  • Fabrication of straw bale-specific tools (Timbo & Dainella supply shop drawings and guidance on where to have them made). Tools can likely be sold to participants after the workshop.

What Timbo & Dainella Bring To The Workshop

  • Our expertise and professional construction and design experience.

  • A warm, cheery, and ready-to-work attitude.

  • Our professional teaching experience and workshop leadership.

  • $100 contribution per attending, paying participant towards the total Host-provided food budget.

  • Free attendance for the host and one guest (no financial compensation for the host or guest is provided).

  • Help to find a designer for the structure in question.

  • Help with pre-and post-workshop questions about the structure.

  • Initial Design Concept Consultation and a Construction Document Plan Set Review.

  • Detailed instruction on all aspects of straw bale construction from toe-ups to plaster.

  • Tool list and sample menu plan.

2024 Westcliffe, CO 7-Day Hands-On Host Testimonial

How It Works

We can hold the workshop on structures from 800 square feet to around 2,000 square feet (exterior dimensions). Of course, how far we get on the structure depends on the group size and motivation level. Timbo & Dainella are strong motivators and can keep the group focused and productive; however, we cannot guarantee any specific amount of completion. Ultimately, the host is responsible for the completion of the structure after the workshop. If all goes well, we will apply 1 coat of plaster to the inside and outside of the building. That said, if we do not get that far, Timbo and Dainella will make sure that at least one section of the structure is completed from toe-up to the first coat of plaster so that the participants and the host can see the entire process.

Host Application

If you are truly interested in hosting, the next step is to complete the Host Application. 

Your Application helps us quickly get up to speed on your vision and project scope and be best prepared to answer any questions you may have.

After reviewing your Host Application, we will reach out to schedule a call to explore what your Workshop might look like!

Host Application & Questionnaire


If your project is accepted as a workshop:

  1. We will send you a contract written between you and Straw Bale Resources, LLC, detailing the Host Agreement.

  2. Once you review, we meet on a call again to get any last questions answered, and then sign the Host Agreement.

  3. Upon signing, the host pays a refundable deposit of $15,000 to Straw Bale Resources, LLC, to secure the workshop date and location. The deposit is due with the delivery of the contract agreement to Straw Bale Resources, LLC. The deposit is refunded in full to the host (assuming that the host upholds the provisions of the hosting agreement) in two stages, as follows:
    – $7500 is returned upon the start of the workshop.
    – The final $7500, minus Timbo & Dainella’s travel expenses, the host’s own tuition from their original workshop attendance, and the food expense for that week is returned within one week of the completion of the workshop. If the potential host attends a workshop along with more than one person, only one tuition shall be refunded to the host.


Once your construction begins, photos of the construction process should be emailed to Straw Bale Resources, LLC at info@strawbale.com, along with monthly progress updates to confirm that the necessary progress has been made and the structure is on schedule for the workshop dates. We ask that the hosts send such updates on the first of each month at the very least, and you can expect us to check in on a monthly basis, plus answer your questions along the way. If the building is behind schedule and the workshop dates cannot be met, Straw Bale Resources, LLC retains the right to keep the deposit and cancel the workshop. We want to be clear about the importance of having the building ready for the workshop participants at the scheduled time. Should the host cancel the workshop for any reason or otherwise be unable to fulfill the requirements of the hosting agreement, Straw Bale Resources, LLC retains the right to remove the workshop from the schedule and keep the deposit in full. Additional conditions and details are given in the hosting agreement.

Building Permit

Check with your local building department. If the structure requires a building permit and periodical inspections, those inspections need to be completed before the workshop. If the host has an inspection that cannot be performed ahead of time and must take place during the workshop, for example partial electrical service, they will need to let us know at least three (3) weeks prior to the start date. Communication between Timbo and the inspector is recommended to improve the flow of the workshop and limit or eliminate any delays to the workshop process.

Tool Requirement

Basic tools for construction, including utility knives, nail guns, chainsaws, and other tools must be on-site two (2) weeks prior to the workshop. Click HERE for the full list of required tools. Click the tool icon for a downloadable list.

Workshop participants are asked to bring small hand tools, gloves, hearing & eye protection, a plaster hawk, and a trowel with them. We also ask them to bring whatever tools they think will be helpful on the build. After all, the more tools we have, the faster we can build.

It is best to have someone on site who can run errands during the week. Materials for the construction site or the kitchen may have been forgotten ahead of time, and it is ideal to have the host on site for last-minute questions to keep the project moving forward. Plus, they won’t be missing out on the workshop!

Host Tool List

What Happens If No One Signs Up?

If not enough participants sign up for the workshop, it may be canceled. This is a risk to the host as he or she will likely have completed significant construction on the building before such determination is made. We work hard to fill every workshop and so far have managed to be 99% successful. We advertise workshops in general all year long on StrawBale.com, Facebook, Instagram, and we also place announcements in other pertinent areas. Specific workshop marketing launches with proven processes at the Community Annual Sale in November of the year prior to the workshop date.

We also supply the host with a PDF file of a workshop flier to be printed and distributed around the local community. We strongly encourage our hosts to help fill their workshops as it’s in everyone’s best interest. To give you an idea of enrollment, the average participation in 2018 was right around 32 people per workshop!

When To Book The Workshop

We prefer to book our workshops a minimum of 9-24 months in advance. This gives the host ample time to prepare the site and us time to advertise and fill the workshop; however, we are also open to booking under a shorter timeline if the project makes sense. Please email us at info@strawbale.com to discuss your timeline if you are uncertain.

In addition, all future hosts must attend a workshop before hosting their own to get a good feeling of the workshop flow and know how to make their workshop a success. If you attend a workshop, we’ll refund your tuition (minus the food expense) in the final deposit return. Note that if multiple members attend a workshop prior to hosting the same event, only one tuition will be refunded to the host.

Frequently Asked Questions

We hope we haven’t dissuaded you from the idea of hosting. We simply want to be 100% clear that hosting is a big commitment and responsibility and that it’s not for everyone. You’ll find us as upfront and transparent as possible so that we are all on the same page before any agreements are signed or deposits made. That said, hosts find the experience to be extremely worthwhile and positive and are amazed by how much gets done in just one week.

If you would like to email some past hosts, please let us know and we can give you some people to contact. 

In support,
Timbo & Dainella

  • These are great questions and ones we get a LOT. The food is a major part of the support a participant receives during a workshop and there’s nothing like a hearty meal to fill people with happiness after a day of hard work on your building site. That said, participants are always SO happy that they are being fed that we have found that there is no need to create a complicated or fancy menu. Good, hearty, healthy foods do the trick each time. 

    During the week-long workshop, you will be feeding people 21 times (3 meals for 7 days). Breakfasts are simple and hearty (fruit, bagels, toast, hard-boiled eggs, oatmeal). For lunches, provide a large salad and a sandwich bar with ingredients laid out so that participants can assemble their own in the way they like. This leaves only dinner as the only meal that requires cooking (besides the oatmeal and hard-boiled eggs for breakfast). Again, keep it simple. A typical week’s dinner menu includes chili, enchiladas, spaghetti and meatballs, lasagna, bean soup, etc… The great thing about each of these dishes is that you can prepare them before the workshop even begins (or at least get all of the ingredients measured out, bagged up, and ready to go) and then just insert them into the oven when it’s time.

    For clean up, it’s typical for participants to clean their own dishes (they are always happy to do so…this isn’t a wimpy, ‘pamper me’ crowd), and you’ll just be left with kitchen clean-up from the actual cooking. We have a sample menu that we send out to potential hosts; however, you are free to cook what you want.

    If your land is completely undeveloped before the workshop begins and you don’t have a kitchen at all to do the cooking for the workshop, don’t despair. We’ve successfully run workshops on plots with no water and electricity. In this case, a large grill with a side burner can certainly work. You can prepare things like burgers, hot dogs, soups, spaghetti, and chilis on the side burner.

    Regarding food allergies, we ask Participants only to share serious issues to help keep meal planning as simple as possible while still ensuring their access to nourishment and fuel for the week. We can help you create menus based on your group's requirements. Typically, this sounds harder than it actually is!

    Sometimes, hosts choose to hire a traveling chef or caterer to handle meals. This is about the best fit for your unique workshop situation.

  • Port-a-potties are the norm at workshops. It is a rare workshop in which there is a flush toilet. You’ll typically need two port-a-potties with a cleaning halfway through the workshop. A simple hand washing station can be created next to the port-a-potties by hanging a solar shower and a place to put a bar of soap.

  • Each participant is responsible for bringing their own sleeping tent and gear. Some people will bring their RV if there is space at the site. You don’t have to provide anything other than ground space for sleeping quarters. If there isn’t any shade on-site though, a couple of those inexpensive 10×10 pop-up tents work great for people to work under (bale shaping especially!) and gather under in the heat of the day. A comfortable, shady place to eat is important and goes a long way for hot workers!

  • We have found a great solution for showers. They are instant hot water showers heated by those small propane mini-tanks (like the small green ones you would attach to a small camp stove) and they work great. They draw the water from a 5-gallon bucket and it comes out nice and hot. Two to three of them are typically sufficient and you can create a privacy screen out of materials easily available in your area. We also like to have a couple of extra solar showers in case there are many people hoping to shower around the same time.

  • We know a lot of straw bale builders; however, we may not know anyone specific to your area. It is really ideal to have Timbo and the builder in contact ahead of the scheduled build. There are many things that Timbo knows from experience that can save you an enormous amount of time and money and it’s important to get those pieces conveyed before things get underway. One of the aspects that hosts seem to really appreciate is how much Timbo helps them out and answer questions through the process, from plan review to the very end.

  • We may not personally know of anyone in your area; however, there are several things we can do to help you locate bales. Timbo and Dainella have all sorts of resources that they are able to pull from!

  • Whether you were getting a loan or not, we can tell you that you will want to have complete plans. Building without plans just never works out well. We have some great designers that we can recommend you to if you do not already have someone in mind.

  • We really like hearing that you have come up with your own design because it implies that you are already becoming very familiar with what is important to you in your home and getting some clarity on what is going to work well. The most successful building projects are those in which the home owners are involved in each step and know their home project intimately. The home owner is responsible for getting the plans drawn up; however, we can offer you some leads on great straw bale architects/designers to help you. (Timbo is still providing custom home designs; although it is on a limited basis he does prioritize supporting hosts where possible.)

    It is extremely important to have a good set of construction plans before you begin your project. Although an upfront cost, it is well worth the investment. Timbo will provide feedback on your plans prior to the workshop to help identify potential sticking points and details that could be done better; however, that’s not enough to make for a great set of plans. It all starts with you and the designer.

  • Think of the cost in this way, for 7 days you will have multiple hands baling your home for you at no cost to you (except for some costs which I will discuss next). At the end of the week, depending on group size, the size of the project, how ready the site is before workshop begins, and how much gets done each day, you will most likely have your whole home baled and the first coat of plaster applied at least on the outside. 

    If you were to pay a baling crew (assuming you could find one) to come in and do that work it would likely take them 3x longer, and you would be paying each of them for that entire time. Because straw bale construction is simple to understand and learn, there is believe it or not, not a huge difference in how much gets done between a professional crew and a workshop crew. At least not in our experience. Timbo is able to run the site with expertise and confidence because he knows what he is doing so things get done quickly and properly. Keep in mind, we are focused on the baling portion only (with some plaster too of course!) so you will still need someone to do the rest of the job from framing to finish cabinetry.

    The costs of running a workshop are as follows: 
    - Host pays for travel expenses which typically do not exceed $1700 (International Hosts may have higher costs. Contact Dainella at info@strawbale.com directly for more information).
    - Food costs: We pay $100 per paying participant to you, the host, to offset your cost of food. That might not cover all of your food expenses depending on what you decide to serve, but it will cover a significant portion of it if you budget out the menu well.
    -Tool Costs: The host pays for tools whether it be through a rental yard or purchasing. 

    We’ve really tried to set it up so that it’s as little “extra” work for the host as possible.

  • In a typical workshop, depending on structure size and group size, a post and beam straw bale home will be baled and have the first coat of plaster on the inside and outside. We never know how much we will get accomplished, so this is just a rough idea. That said, Timbo & Dainella always makes sure that at least one section of the house is completed through the first coat of plaster so that the host and participants get to see the whole baling process through. To give a sense of relative scale, the work a class of 30 completes in one week is equal to 21 weeks of work for two people (for example, a married couple building on their own)! Not a bad jump start to the project!!!

  • We work on a first-come, first-served basis. We try not to book more than 1 workshop per geographical area per season, so securing your spot in advance reserves that area in for your workshop. That said, typically we book out about 24-12 months before the workshop start date. We are receiving record numbers of host applications and we do our best to select the most promising candidates that will benefit the most from hosting a workshop. If you have a specific year and time of season you prefer, we encourage you to connect with us by completing your host application sooner than later!

  • Before the money is sent we will actually enter into a legally binding agreement between you as hosts and us as Straw Bale Resources, LLC. You may choose to take the agreement to your attorney to make sure that everything is comfortable for you before signing. In addition, we are happy to connect you with previous hosts so that you can hear firsthand what the experience was like for them.

  • By the time we arrive for the workshop, the framing needs to be done, the roof structure needs to be on, and the roof waterproofed (not essential for the finish material to be applied but that is best). All windows and doors need to be installed except for 1 or 2 simple windows. Ideally the interior partition walls will be framed up as well, however, all studs closest to the bale walls need to be left off until after the baling.

  • So many! Here’s a few… A straw bale house is at least 3x more energy-efficient and has a fire resistance of 3x compared to a typical conventional house. These homes are extremely soundproof, are made from a compostable “waste” material, do not off-gas like conventional homes, and have soft lines which translate into a calm and beautiful home. This last point is hard to convey in words, but there is nothing quite like the ‘feel’ of a well-built straw bale home (if you have ever visited one, you know what we mean!)