Schedule a private workshop at your own convenience
Want to Learn Something Weirdly Useful?
We love sharing what we’ve learned while building Talking Water.
And we’ve learned a lot – mostly by doing, experimenting, messing things up, fixing them, and slowly getting better.
Now, we offer private earthbuilding and land-based workshops for groups who want to learn together, spend time outside, and try something hands-on.
These workshops are led by Bobbie Such, director, designer, and primary builder at Talking Water. Bobbie works directly with each group to choose a topic, set dates, outline a project, and make sure the experience actually fits your people.
No building experience required. Seriously.
You just need clothes that can get dirty and a willingness to jump in.
*Quick note: These workshops are primarily intended for groups renting out the entire Talking Water site for a minimum of 2 nights. That setup gives your group time to settle in, enjoy the property, and make the workshop feel like part of the whole retreat experience – not just a quick activity squeezed into the day. We can sometimes offer workshops for groups who are not renting the full site, but those workshops will not be as heavily discounted.
How Does It Work?
Your group picks a topic you’re interested in, and Bobbie helps shape the workshop around it.
Some groups want a fun, low-pressure day where everyone gets muddy and learns the basics. Some groups want more details – materials, tools, ratios, sequencing, design choices, and all the practical “how does this actually work?” stuff.
We can keep it broad and playful, or we can get nerdy.
We enjoy both.
Workshops can be set up as:
- Half-day workshops
- Full-day workshops
- Weekend workshops
- Multi-day retreat-style experiences
- Custom hands-on projects
- A mix of earthbuilding, trail work, creative reuse, and land stewardship
These are usually offered as an add-on for groups renting the whole site for at least 2 nights. If you are planning a corporate retreat, family gathering, church retreat, school trip, or group getaway, this can be a really fun way to give your people something memorable to do together while they are here.
If you are not renting the full site, reach out anyway. Bobbie can still talk through what might be possible – it just may be priced differently.
Basically, we’ll talk through what your group is hoping for and see what makes the most sense.
What Can We Learn?
Lots of things! Your group can choose from topics like:
Cordwood
Cordwood uses short logs, mortar, and a good bit of patience to create walls full of texture and character.
It’s a great fit for groups who like woodworking, masonry, natural materials, or buildings that look like they have a story to tell.
Hempcrete
Hempcrete is a natural insulation material made with hemp hurd, lime, and water. It’s lightweight, breathable, and fascinating if you’re interested in healthier buildings or alternative construction.
Natural Plaster
Natural plaster is one of our favorite things to teach. It can be practical, beautiful, artistic, earthy, smooth, textured, colorful, or all of the above.
Your group can learn about clay, sand, lime, fibers, pigments, base coats, finish coats, and how natural walls come together.
Cob Building & Adobe
Cob is clay, sand, straw, and water mixed together and shaped by hand.
Adobe is all about earthen bricks. Depending on the workshop, your group can learn about soil testing, mixing, brick-making, drying, and how adobe has been used around the world for a very long time.
These methods are earthy, sculptural, and pretty joyful. Great for walls, benches, shelves, niches, and projects where you want people to really feel the material, but are not looking for high insulation value in our humid environment.
Bottle Logs & Creative Reuse
We love turning old materials into something beautiful.
Groups can learn how glass bottles, reclaimed wood, stone, and other salvaged materials can be used in creative building projects.
Trailmaking & Land Stewardship
Not every workshop has to be about walls.
Groups can also help with trailmaking, path clearing, erosion control, stone placement, native plant support, and other hands-on outdoor projects around the retreat. Plus, petting goats and watching them chew through brush is generally just a great way to spend your time 🙂
Who Is This For?
These workshops can be a great fit for:
- Corporate teams
- Families
- Church groups & religious communities
- Homeschool groups
- School groups
- Youth groups
- Retreat groups
- Friend groups
- Organizations interested in sustainability, teamwork, or creative problem-solving
Some groups come for team-building. Some come for education. Some come because they want to try something completely different together.
All of that works.
Is This Super Intense?
It can be, but it does not have to be.
Bobbie will help your group figure out the right level. We can keep things relaxed and beginner-friendly, or we can pack in more practical instruction for groups who really want to learn the details.
Earthbuilding is physical, but it is not competitive. Creative, but not intimidating. Educational, but not lecture-heavy.
You can ask questions. You can take breaks. You can laugh at yourself. We do that a lot.
Can We Make It a Retreat?
That is actually the ideal setup.
These workshops are primarily meant for groups renting out the entire Talking Water site for a minimum of 2 nights. That gives everyone time to arrive, relax, learn, eat together, wander around, sit by the fire, and enjoy the place without rushing.
Talking Water is located on 82 acres on Suck Creek Mountain in Chattanooga, with handmade cabins, forest trails, creek access, outdoor gathering spaces, and plenty of room to slow down.
Your group can turn the workshop into a fuller retreat with cabin stays, shared meals, hiking, creek time, campfires, and downtime in the mountains.
Bobbie can help you think through the workshop topic, project scope, dates, lodging, meals, and how hands-on or information-heavy you want the experience to be.
What If We Are Not Renting the Whole Site?
Reach out anyway.
We may still be able to offer a private workshop for your group, depending on timing, topic, group size, and what is happening on the property.
Just know that the best pricing is generally reserved for groups renting out the full site for at least 2 nights. Stand-alone workshops or smaller bookings may be priced differently.
How Do We Set One Up?
Reach out to Bobbie with your group size, general dates, and what kind of workshop sounds fun or useful.
If you have no idea yet, that’s fine too. Bobbie can help you talk through the options and figure out what might be a good fit.
Bobbie Such
423-713-3641