guest post from batman

In July I spent 2 weeks at Yestermorrow Design/Build School taking their core Design/Build class.  It was my Christmas present, and I was hoping to learn some basics to assist with future planning for our Vermont house- it certainly met all my expectations!  We spent half the time in the classroom learning about drafting, site analysis, basic architecture concepts, and all worked on a design project of our own. In the afternoons we went to the job site, where we learned basic construction skills and built a 8'x15' garden shed with wood storage. In addition, we escaped to the local swimming hole, ate delicious and nutritious meals, and  had a chance to meet lots of new (young) people.  We also had a chance to visit several local homes that illustrated the concepts we were learning in class. At the end of the 2 weeks we all presented our projects, and got additional advice from a panel of local architects. We now have a possible expansion plan for "Bit of Earth" which may be the "dream" scenario but at least is getting the conversation started!  It was a great alternative vacation and I highly recommend Yestermorrow if you are interested in woodworking, design, construction, sustainable building, and many more related topics.