SEVEN-DAY COMPREHENSIVE STRAW

BALE WORKSHOP DETAILS

2014 SEASON

The Morrison Group, LLC

Company Name Here

WELCOME PACKET

Hello and thanks for signing up for your Seven Day Comprehensive Straw Bale Workshop! I'm glad you have decided to join us. Please take a few minutes to review this welcome packet as it is full of important information. Please print a copy or better yet, save an electronic copy onto your computer, so you can access the information later as we approach the start date of the workshop. I have included several documents here for you to review. They are all part of "the next step" towards attending the workshop. The first part of the packet it a welcome letter from the host. In it, you will learn a little about the project from the host themselves and you'll also find directions to the site and a contact email for the hosts in case you have any questions for them directly. I have also attached a list of things to bring with you to the workshop. Some of you may be flying to the location and so limited on luggage space. In the end, you can decide what to bring and what to leave at home, but please do review the list so you have a sense of what will be needed.

We start each morning with coffee (if you drink it), tea, and breakfast at 8 am and we start work on the building each day at 9 am. We break for lunch at 1pm and dinner at 6pm. Those times may change if we are not at a specific stopping point right at 1 or 6. We're usually pretty close, but some flexibility is appreciated.

You're welcome to arrive the night before the official start of the workshop to get set up and ready for the next day. We will finish up no later than 4pm on the final day of the workshop. Once again, you're welcome to stay another night if that makes your travel plans easier. There will not be meals provided on the night prior to or after the workshop, so you will need to prepare for that.

Please make sure to send your final tuition payment in no later than 4 weeks prior to the start of the workshop. I'll send you an email roughly five weeks ahead of the start date as a reminder as well.

Thanks again for signing up. I look forward to meeting you soon. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have questions about the class.

Andrew The Morrison Group, LLC PO Box 3145 Ashland, OR 97520 USA

HOST WELCOME LETTER: Hello! Thank you for signing up for our project on Finley Point. We cannot wait to get started. Our property is located about 15 minutes north of Polson, MT along the beautiful shore of Flathead Lake in western Montana. About us We are a very busy family with three small children. Our oldest son Boden is 5 and just started kindergarten. We also have two daughters, Elle who is 3 and Neva who is 1. Mara is a cardiac nurse for a local hospital in Missoula and Jon is a local firefighter. We both spent many summers fighting fires with the Forest Service before deciding to settle down in Montana. We purchased our piece of land this past summer and have quickly fallen in love. It is amazingly beautiful and serene with endless outdoor and water activities to partake in. The water is crystal clear and perfect for swimming in early September. Not sure if you can tell, but we love it here. We have spent many months trying to decide what to build and have decided on a one and a half story timber frame straw bale home. We have been spending our fall cutting about an acre worth of pine trees to build an apple orchard. Our plan is to have the local mill cut our trees into the post and beams we will use to build our house. The home will be one and half stories, and approximately 1500 sq. ft., with an open floor plan and three bedrooms. It will have radiant floor heating, and will be set up for a wood burning stove. We are hoping to at least set the house up for solar power and if our finances allow it, will install the panels. Accommodations There are 5 acres of flat, forested land with plenty of places to pitch a tent among the trees. There are also a few areas that will accommodate small campers. The driveway is long and flat where a number of camp trailers can be parked off to the side. We hope to have a small barn built before the project starts to store hay and have a covered area for meals. For the workshop we will have a few port-a-potties. We will also bring in showers for use by participants; however, a swim in the lake may be all anyone will want after a day of work and hands-on learning from Andrew. Food There will be a large covered area for dining. Breakfast will consist of cereals, breads, bagels, oatmeal, granola, yogurt, fruit and baked goods of some sort. There will also be plenty of good coffee and teas. Lunches will be build-your-own sandwiches with salads and homemade soups. We will have large dinners with both meat and vegetarian options available. Snacks and drinks will be available all day with both wine and beer including locally brewed beer in the evenings. Mara is hoping to have a kitchen of some kind. She loves to bake bread, cookies, cakes and pies. If not, we will find ways to supplement her

baked goods. There will be basins to wash dishes and would greatly appreciate personal clean-up from all participants. Recreation We are right on the shore of Flathead Lake with a nice pebble beach for relaxing and recreation. We will provide a paddleboard, a canoe, a hard-sided kayak, and an inflatable kayak for fun on the water. We will also provide a couple of bikes to peddle around and explore the point. Finley Point and Flathead Lake are known for cherry orchards. We have also found that their apples and pears are wonderful in September. Polson is located about 15 minutes south of the workshop with an ample supply of local shops, dining, and accommodations. Bigfork is just 25 miles to the north. It has a local live theater, great restaurants and a distillery. Glacier National Park is just over an hour drive to the north. The lake and local streams provide fishing opportunities to those interested. There are amazing mountains and hiking all around the lake. We have just started exploring the local hiking trails. Transportation/Getting Here If flying, there is an airport in Missoula (75 miles to the south), another in Kalispell (44 miles to the north), or a flight might be cheaper to Spokane (217 miles to the west). Amtrak also goes into Kalispell. We do not have an exact address but have an address application in progress. Here are the directions: If you are headed North, it is the next right North of Seidentopf Lane off of North Finley Point Rd. Our phone # is 406-728-4849 and emails: jsveale@gmail.com maraveale@yahoo.com. If you would like an exact address as the date nears, please feel free to contact us. We should have an address by then.

Andrew's List of What to Bring This is only a partial list: speaking to the things I think you will need. Please pack whatever you think you'll need to be comfortable.

1. Sleeping Bag (at least for average temps. given) 2. Sleeping Pad 3. Tent 4. Plate, Bowl, Cup, Silverware, Water Bottle 5. Camera 6. Sun Hat and/or Sunscreen

7. Flashlight 8. Long Sleeve Shirt (This keeps the straw from aggravating your skin while baling.) 9. Long Pants (Same reason as above.) 10. Work Gloves 11. Swim Suit (you never know!) 12. Evening Camp Clothes (if you are camping) 13. Rain Gear (again, you never know!) 14. Notebook and Pen 15. Towel 16. Hiking Shoes/Boots 17. Skin Cream for Dry Plastering Hands 18. Folding Camp Chair 19. Musical Instruments 20. Knee Pads 21. Insect Repellant or Equivalent 22. White Vinegar (to neutralize lime plaster in cuts!) 23. Knee Pads

Required Tools

1. Plaster Hawk and Trowel (no notched trowels) 2. Utility Knife 3. Tape Measure 4. Hammer 5. Safety Glasses 6. Dust Mask 7. Hearing Protection

In the past I have asked people to bring simple tools like tin snips and wire cutters if they felt so inclined to bring something other than those items listed above; however, the last few workshops have made it clear to me that I should ask people to bring whatever tools they want. If you have something you think would be useful, you're welcome to bring it. Please be aware that other participants in the workshop may use any “extra” tools you bring. I recommend marking your tools in some fashion so that they are easy to collect at the end of the week. I've also attached a tool list below to give you an idea of what we'll be likely to use. Again, you don't have to bring anything other than the required tools noted above; however, the more tools we have, the easier and faster the build!

Workshop  Tool  List  (Recommendations  Only)   The tools listed below are those required of the host (partial list). If you have any of these tools or others that you think would be helpful for the class, please bring them if you are

so inclined. Be aware that other people will be using your tools so be sure to mark them so that you can easily identify them when the workshop is over.

• Masonry Hammer Drill (1) • Wrench for tightening foundation bolts/nuts (1) • 4 Shovels for gravel in toe ups • Circular Saw (1) • Miter saw (1) • Sawzall (reciprocating saw) (1) • 4 ¼” Angle Grinder with 25 metal cutting wheels (not grinding wheels) • 2 pairs Tin Snips (be sure to get those that cut both directions (right and left side

cuts. Some cut straight and a set or two of those would be good too) • 2 Pairs Linesman's Pliers • Chalk line (1) • 4 Chainsaws (2 gas chainsaws and 2 electric) • Chainsaw Sharpening File (1) • Framing nail gun capable of shooting 8d and 16d nails (1) • Minimum 50' air hose (4) (100' are great too and help reach different directions

from the compressor) • Air Compressor capable of running 4 air tools at once • 16 Gauge Staple Guns that shoot 7/16" crown x 1 3/4" long staples • Hammer staplers (4) for applying roofing felt • Multiple Extension cords • 2 sets of saw horses • 2 String Trimmers (Weedwhackers) • Garbage cans • Ikea Shopping Bags (Big Bags, Perfect for Stuffing Straw) • Rakes and brooms for site cleanup (blower/vac is better if available...in addition) • Four 8” Plate Tampers • Mortar Mixer (Paddle Mixer) NOT a concrete mixer • Wheelbarrows (2) • Plaster Scratch Tool “Scarifier” • 5 gallon buckets (4) • Old Yogurt Container Lids (4) • Scaffolding as required for the building (2 @ 2x12x 20’ + bales is okay for low

walls) The tools listed below are those required of the host. If you have any of these tools or others that you think would be helpful for the class, please bring them if you are so inclined. Be aware that other people will be using your tools so be sure to mark them so that you can easily identify them when the workshop is over. If you would prefer not to bring any of your tools (other than those listed in the "what to bring" section of this welcome packet) that is fine too.

Masonry Hammer Drill (1) 4 Hammers Wrench for tightening foundation bolts/nuts (1) 4 Shovels for gravel in toe ups Circular Saw (1) Miter saw (1) Sawzall (reciprocating saw) (1) 4 ¼” Angle Grinder with 25 metal cutting wheels (not grinding wheels)

2 pairs Tin Snips (be sure to get those that cut both directions (right and left side cuts.

Some cut straight and a set or two of those would be good too)

2 Pairs Linesman's Pliers Chalk line (1) 4 Chainsaws (gas chainsaws are best, electric are acceptable. best to have at least 2

electric if the others are gas) Chainsaw Sharpening File (1) Framing nail gun capable of shooting 8d and 16d nails (1) Minimum 50' air hose (4) (100' are great too and help reach different directions from the

compressor)

Compressor capable of running 4 air tools at once

AT LEAST 3 of the following gun: 16 Gauge Staple Guns that shoot 7/16" crown x 1

3/4" long staples and compressor This can be hard to find. Look for it early! (be sure to have a box of at least 10,000 staples for these guns as well)

Hammer staplers (4) for applying roofing felt Multiple Extension cords 2 sets of saw horses 2 String Trimmers (Weedwhackers) Garbage cans Rakes and brooms for site cleanup (blower/vac is even better if available...in addition) Four 8” Plate Tampers

Plaster Tools and Materials:

Mortar Mixer (Paddle Mixer) NOT a concrete mixer Wheelbarrows (2)

Plaster Scratch Tool “Scarifier” 5 gallon buckets (4) Old Yogurt Container Lids (4) Scaffolding as required for the building (2 @ 2x12x 20’ + bales is okay for low walls)