6-5-10

WHO LIVES HERE?

WALK THIS WAY

SALAD EATER

COB KITCHEN

LIVE ROOF

TWO STORY, TWO-TONED COB HOUSE

ODOMETER MILESTONE!

There is a small intentional community about 45 minutes from Dave's place known to most as "the homestead." Mickyle used to live there, and while he is now living at Dave's, there are about eight current residents at the homestead. Today they had an open house and we decided to check it out. Mickyle didn't come for a reunion.

En route we encountered a parade sponsored by the local chamber of commerce, titled "The Gay 90's." We didn't inquire who selected this for a name, but what kind of name is that?!? (Please read this with the intonation of Rodney Dangerfield.) Apparently, it is actually a celebration of the 1890s in the area...or something. Again, we didn't inquire for details, but there were plenty of American Graffiti-type cars, and alleys of street food and a craft fair. We got some fresh kettle corn on the way back from the homestead that was slightly addictive.

Back at the homestead, they served lunch as we arrived. Ren and some of the other residents cooked up a feast. Pizza was baked in the cob oven and it was unique and perfectly cooked. After lunch Chip, the founder, took us on a tour of Cobville. Cobville is a mini-village of cob buildings. It kind of seems like you walk into Super Mario Brothers or some gnome village as you walk through Cobville; all the houses are small and mushroom-like, with brownish walls and most have live roofs. A live roof is one where there are no shingles, but instead there are sod, grass, flowers and plants growing, making these houses seem forest-like. Yanto and Linda are the owners and developers of the Cob Cottage Company, who live on land next to the homestead. They sponsor apprenticeships and workshops to teach the fundamentals of cob building. Cob utilizes lumps of earth that has been mixed with sand and straw and mashed with hands and feet into organic shapes. Cob is not limited to angles and there are no pressure points, architecturally speaking, so most of the buildings have curved walls and are free form. To be honest the tour, while interesting, was a bit too long for us. Overall, that specific community may not be the one for us...but community living is something we are experiencing more and more on this trip. And it's something we've never thought about before this trip...but it's making us think.