A Foundation of Mud

Called #adobe or #cob here in the West, in cultures throughout the world building with mud holds a long tradition.

Either pre-made into bricks or merely piled up and left to dry in the sun, the simple combination of earth, straw as a binder and water to create mud make the locally sourced materials quite cheap for use in building, if not free but for the labor.

Mud Bricks, called Adobes, drying in the sun

Mahafaly toumb with traditional painted decoration

The Round House, Arroyo Hondo, NM

Fortaleza de Bam, Irán

The insulating qualities of that combination also make the use of mud an excellent choice

for building in any size.

Thick Adobe walls make for great insulation.

While adobe needs to be protected from rain, adding a layer to the outside every year or two keeps walls standing strong for generations. Here in arid #New Mexico, the #World Heritage Site of #Taos Pueblo has stood for more than 1000 years and is yet a living, active Pueblo.

Taos Pueblo

Another wonderful aspect of building with mud is the community it engenders in the making. Since the material is often literally underfoot, the labor of a group moves any project along with speed, and is something even little children can sink their little hands into. Who doesn’t like to play with mud?

Bringing strangers together for any kind of task is one way to build community -- a mission at the heart of a Peace of Bread.

Our gatherings and workshops strive to enrich a broader group through teaching, learning and sharing over mud and fire and #bread.

An Outdoor Oven known as an Horno.

Please join us on our website to see us in action as build outdoor ovens known as #hornos for our neighbors, show you the structures we’ve already built, consider becoming part of a workshop to take part in a build, and to learn the traditional #Pueblo way to #bake bread.

Whether you’re interested in building with mud, the traditional process of horno baking, finding new community and new interests, or just looking for something unusual to do while enjoying #Taos, please visit apeaceofbread.com for times and dates of our workshops and events.

Thank You!

Michelle and Dakota

#aPeaceofBread