Matt & Sara of Stomping Moose Farm near Bonners Ferry, Idaho had planned for months to host a cordwood workshop. They had everything prepped and ready when we arrived in August and along came 15 interested, excited people to learn how to build using cordwood.
A wonderful camaraderie developed and most folks were reluctant to leave.
Here are some photos of this wonderful workshop in the Selkirk Mountains.
Three days of instruction and hands-on mortaring sessions produced a significant amount of completed wall (approximately 140 sq. ft.).
The weather was perfect and folks were helpful and kind to one another. 
We learned the cordwood construction secret handshake (a fistful of wet mortar) notice we all are holding a mortar snowball:0)
Focus, cooperation, and log placement skills are essential to a good looking cordwood wall.
Tuckpointing is a learned art form that helps to reveal the magic in the wall.
Don brought a moisture meter and we learned how to use it to determine if the wood was dry enough (12% is good) to use. [It was!]
If you enjoyed this post please make sure you click on Follow to receive these blog posts as they are created. This is the 218th cordwood construction post in the last 5 years. Lots of information is available if you take the time to scroll through the blog.
If you have a question, please email me at richardflatau@gmail.com or check out my website at www.cordwoodconstruction.org
If you want to read more, check out the latest book on cordwood: Cordwood Construction Best Practices, available as an ebook, print or CD.
Use a Best Practices approach to building. Watch current, up to date videos, read the latest literature, ask questions on cordwood social media sites. Get the right wood, dry it to it’s lowest moisture content, mix a workable mortar, let it set and cure properly and so on and so forth.
The following books and videos are the best on the market and will give you the opportunity to build a sturdy, tight, well-insulated cordwood home. If you follow the recommended guidelines, for much less than a conventional home.
Should you wish to learn how to build a cordwood cottage, cabin or home, please visit www.cordwoodconstruction.org While you are there, click on the pictures, read the brief articles, check out the latest workshops and newsletter and if you are interested click on the Online Bookstore to see all the cordwood literature available in print and ebook format. If you have questions that aren’t answered on the website you can email me at richardflatau@gmail.com 
Readers have requested a brief bio, so here goes:
Richard & Becky Flatau built their mortgage-free cordwood home in 1979 in Merrill, Wisconsin. Since then, they have written books, conducted workshops, facilitated the 2005, 2011 and 2015 Cordwood Conferences and provided consultation for cordwood builders. Cordwood Workshop DVD (2018), Cordwood Construction Best Practices (print 2017) and Cordwood Conference Papers 2015 are the newest publications available from their Online Cordwood Bookstore. The books & DVD are also available as ebooks for a quick and easy shipping free download. www.cordwoodconstruction.org
This is our current Cordwood Workshop DVD. It will show you how to build a “best practices” cordwood home. It’s like taking a workshop from your easy chair.
