Uncle Mud and Family | Mother Earth News FAIR

Uncle Mud (aka Chris McClellan) raises free-range, organic children in suburban Ohio. He uses natural building as his soapbox to preach self-reliance and community empowerment. He can be found anywhere there is mud to play in.

Uncle will be speaking at the Maryland, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Kansas, Texas, North Carolina Fairs

Workshops

Check It Out!

Making Cob: How to build with mud

Learn how the dirt under your backyard can be turned into beautiful buildings, benches, pizza ovens, and much more ... the possibilities are limited only by one's imagination! Be prepared to get muddy.

Modern Homesteading Green Building

Available In:

Maryland, Saturday 10:00-11:00 a.m., Natural Building Demonstrations

Oregon, Saturday 10:00-11:00 a.m., Natural Building Demonstrations

Pennsylvania, Workshop time to be determined

Kansas, Workshop time to be determined

Texas, Saturday 10:00-11:00 a.m., Natural Building Demonstrations

North Carolina, Saturday 10:00-11:00 a.m., Natural Building Demonstrations

Make Mud Not Foam: Is green building really green?

Sit down for a discussion of the hidden environmental footprint of high-tech, high-performance building materials, and some ways that good old mud and straw can save the day and keep your checkbook full.

Modern Homesteading Green Building

Available In:

Pennsylvania, Workshop time to be determined

Kansas, Workshop time to be determined

Kids Can Build with Sticks and Mud

Play in the mud with Uncle Mud. Use clay, straw, and sticks to build little houses and sculpt beautiful objects from your wild imagination. This is a "Hands In" workshop: hands and feet squishing and mixing and making a big mess. Talk about how we can use these same materials to build benches, ovens, and even houses. You can wash off with water, but be prepared to get dirty and have fun.

Kids Programming Green Building

Available In:

Maryland, Saturday 11:30-12:30 p.m., Natural Building Demonstrations

Oregon, Saturday 11:30-12:30 p.m., Natural Building Demonstrations

Pennsylvania, Workshop time to be determined

Kansas, Workshop time to be determined

Texas, Sunday 1:00-1:30 p.m., Kids Treehouse Stage

North Carolina, Saturday 1:00-1:30 p.m., Natural Building Demonstrations

Kids Can Build with Sticks and Mud

Play in the mud with Uncle Mud and friends. Use clay, straw, and sticks to build little houses and sculpt beautiful objects from your wild imagination. This is a "Hands In" workshop: hands and feet squishing and mixing and making a big mess. Talk about how we can use these same materials to build benches, ovens, and even houses. You can use the water at this workshop to wash off with, but be prepared to get dirty and have fun.

Kids Programming Green Building

Available In:

Maryland, Saturday 11:30-12:30 p.m., Kids Treehouse Stage

North Carolina, Sunday 1:00-1:30 p.m., Natural Building Demonstrations

Earthen Plasters You Can Make at Home

Earthen artists and natural builders of Uncle Mud & Family teach how to make gorgeous colored earth plasters and sculpted elements and apply them to your walls.

Green Building

Available In:

Maryland, Sunday 3:30-4:30 p.m., Natural Building Demonstrations

Oregon, Sunday 3:30-4:30 p.m., Natural Building Demonstrations

Pennsylvania, Workshop time to be determined

Kansas, Workshop time to be determined

Texas, Sunday 3:30-4:30 p.m., Natural Building Demonstrations

Cheap Sturdy Buildings from Straw, Clay, and Pallets

Come see how straw, an agricultural waste product, gets and wood pallets can be turned into a low cost, beautiful, eco-friendly, highly insulated wall that keeps your house comfy winter and summer.

Modern Homesteading Green Building

Available In:

Pennsylvania, Workshop time to be determined

Kansas, Workshop time to be determined

Texas, Sunday 11:30-12:30 p.m., Natural Building Demonstrations

Building with Straw Bales

Get muddy and see how straw bales can be used for a low-cost, beautiful, eco-friendly, highly insulated construction.

Green Building

Available In:

Maryland, Saturday 2:00-3:00 p.m., Natural Building Demonstrations

Oregon, Saturday 2:00-3:00 p.m., Natural Building Demonstrations

Pennsylvania, Workshop time to be determined

Kansas, Workshop time to be determined

Texas, Saturday 11:30-12:30 p.m., Natural Building Demonstrations

Build Your Own Wood-Fired Pizza Oven From Dirt

Help turn a pile of mud into a wood-fired pizza oven! See how easy it is to do this in your own backyard. Be prepared to get muddy.

Real Foods Green Building

Available In:

Maryland, Saturday 5:00-6:00 p.m., Natural Building Demonstrations

Oregon, Saturday 5:00-6:00 p.m., Natural Building Demonstrations

Pennsylvania, Workshop time to be determined

Kansas, Workshop time to be determined

Texas, Saturday 5:00-6:00 p.m., Natural Building Demonstrations

North Carolina, Saturday 5:00-6:00 p.m., Natural Building Demonstrations

Build a Rocket Mass Heater

See how you can turn a pile of old bricks and mud into a super-efficient woodburning heater for your house or cabin.

Green Building Renewable Energy

Available In:

Maryland, Sunday 2:00-3:00 p.m., Natural Building Demonstrations

Oregon, Sunday 2:00-3:00 p.m., Natural Building Demonstrations

Pennsylvania, Workshop time to be determined

Kansas, Workshop time to be determined

Texas, Sunday 10:00-11:00 a.m., Natural Building Demonstrations

North Carolina, Sunday 11:30-12:30 p.m., Natural Building Demonstrations