Join us in creating a more sustainable Phoenix!
Making an earth/cob oven...
I just got this wonderful book called "Build your own earth oven" By Kiko Denzer.
The books is wonderful and is written with the mindset that the author’s job is to educate the reader, but also to remember that these things are supposed to be fun. It’s full of inspirational essays, great information and great step by step instructions on building an earth oven. It even has a helpful chapter on baking better sourdough/artisan bread. Most important to me, the author remembers that everything we do should be sustainable so there is a lot of information about obtaining free materials to use to build your oven, and he even recommends that we all do that. There’s no reason to spend tons of money just to build an oven!
I'm going to find out more about obtaining materials and such, and will like to start construction soon, before it get too hot. Perhaps anyone that may be interested or have any knowledge on the subject would like to participate?
The books is wonderful and is written with the mindset that the author’s job is to educate the reader, but also to remember that these things are supposed to be fun. It’s full of inspirational essays, great information and great step by step instructions on building an earth oven. It even has a helpful chapter on baking better sourdough/artisan bread. Most important to me, the author remembers that everything we do should be sustainable so there is a lot of information about obtaining free materials to use to build your oven, and he even recommends that we all do that. There’s no reason to spend tons of money just to build an oven!
I'm going to find out more about obtaining materials and such, and will like to start construction soon, before it get too hot. Perhaps anyone that may be interested or have any knowledge on the subject would like to participate?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Casey Christian on -
Hi Ivette,
About 10 years ago, I stumbled upon cob buiding...see www.cobcottage.com for inspiraton. I have a couple books on the subject, including The Hand Sculpted House, and The Cobber's Companion. I also have The straw Bale House--cob can be used as the "stucco." At any rate, I fell in love with cob building. The books I have contain lots of directions on how to make cob, but not the ovens. Although I think Denzer was featured in one of the books. One of the reasons it was easy for my husband to convince me to move to Portland Oregon, where we lived for over four years, was due to the lush gardens and the alternative building movement. I had dreamt of a lovely cob house with a lovely garden. Unfortunately, the weather didnt suit me...pretty much brought me to my knees. I hadnt realized how solar powered I really am....born and raised in Miami, Florida. I didnt deal well with the dreary grey weather, which was very cold for someone raised in the tropics, and lived for the summers, which are gorgeous, but 4 months goes by pretty fast. At any rate, here we are in the phoenix desert where we only have 4 months of misery and lovely weather the rest of the year...with plenty of sunshine. I've not made anything out of cob, but have spent countless hours sketching and dreaming. Since my yard is pretty much 100% clay, I've dreamt of making a lovely little cob playhouse for my son, Kai, and want to incorporate glass bottles into the construction, for a stained glass effect.
So, if you need help...I'm in. Just let me know. I'll be out of town on business the week of July 13th, so the weekends flanking wouldnt work for me.
I'm excited about your project, and finding others interested in cob. " )
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Permalink Reply by TCarmichael on -
I'm definitely interested in learning and helping!
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Permalink Reply by Jennifer on -
Hey Ivette - start a work party, girl!!! Get the materials together, set a date and send me info and I'll post it to the Events calendar!
(and yes - eventally there will be a cob oven here or at my neighbors too!)
Permies Rock!
Jen
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Permalink Reply by tenacity on -
She gets extra love if it isn't on Saturday - but that seems to be the most convenient time for everyone... :(
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Permalink Reply by Ivette on -
Wow, thanks everyone! I fugue we can have a little cob building party, and just have fun :o)
It does not have to be on a Sat, how about on a Sunday?
Casey, perhaps we could get together, and I could borrow your books? Let me know...
Cob Party!
Thanks a lot...
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Permalink Reply by TCarmichael on
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Ivette - I will be out of town Jun 25-Jul 23... If I miss it please take lots of pictures!
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Permalink Reply by tenacity on
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Wheee! Sunday would be great - but I really don't want to inconvenience people. I'm in. I'm on Glendale & 17th st.
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Permalink Reply by Lindy Ross Barnes on -
Hi Ivette, I also have Kiko's book along with a few other cob building, straw bale building, and earth bag building books and have wanted to build such an oven but . . .! Where are you located - where are you planning to build your oven? The one problem with this oven - it is not 100% sustainable as it uses wood to create the heat. I've had bread baked in such an oven and it is beyond remarkable :-D
Casey mentioned glass bottles - I have lots of lovely colored wine bottles (albeit it empty:) which I'm collecting to incorporate into such a project. Since I'm planning to leave AZ next summer I will no doubt need to get rid of them as I am not going to haul them across the country. I'll just have to begin collecting more wine bottles after I get where I'm going:) Also, like Casey, I've lived in the Sonoran Desert most of my adult life and have a few misgivings about being able to handle the long cold, icy, snowy winters in northern MI - where I'm originally from.
Lindy in the AZ Outback
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Permalink Reply by Jennifer on
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Lindy - perhaps you'd better come down for the "cob party" and bring your empties with you (and maybe a couple of fulls as well).
I, too, thought that the wood burning aspect of this type of stove might pose a problem, but then, there is always scrap wood being generated AND one can also burn mesquite pods which I hear burn quite hot. Perhaps this is an option (kind of like the corn ovens that they use in the upper midwest).
Jen
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Permalink Reply by tenacity on
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That's another recycling gig- every BigTrash day there's wood out everywhere, plus Home Depot throws all their broken pallets and all theri sawdust into their dumpsters. HD gives away theri sawdust for free- chemical, maybey, but wouldn't it break down after a while? If the permies had a Permiemobile they could cruise Big Trash days - or the dump - and probably get loads for free.
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Permalink Reply by Ivette on
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Hi Lindy, we live in Mesa, in the Lehi area. This was one of the first Mormon settlements in AZ. It is a beautiful area, most of the houses are on 1+ acre lots. People can run businesses out of their homes, they have horses, sheep, chickens, and other animals. Our lot is about 1 1/3? almost 2 acres. I'm planing to build the oven in our back yard.
Now about the use of wood...For what I have read, the amount of wood needed to heat this ovens is not a lot, specially if the oven is done right and insulated properly. I'm not building a massive commercial oven. I just want a small one that can bake a couple of loafs of bread, and a couple of pizzas at a time. I've also read, that most of these ovens retain heat for many hours at a time, plenty of time to cook a meal or two :o)
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