one-day course

building an earth oven


venue: Hackney City Farm, London

This course will teach you how to build a small cob oven suitable for cooking pizzas and dishes requiring a cooking time of up to one hour. You will learn about:

  • assessing your soil
  • making it suitable if necessary
  • mixing soils
  • proportions of the oven
  • materials required to build it
  • putting the materials together
  • building the oven
  • different layers of the oven
  • decorative plastering
  • firing up the earth oven, and cooking in it

You will also be given some ideas of what else can be built of cob in your garden.

This is a practical course involving the handling of wet earth so you should bring clothes that can get muddy, a stout pair of boots or wellingtons and gardening or waterproof gloves.

more on earth ovens


how to book:
 

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arrive:
 
for a 10am prompt start
depart:
 
after the course finishes at 5pm
directions:
 
click here for directions to Hackney City Farm
what to bring:
 
work clothes; pen and notebook; packed lunch (if you're not using the cafe)
let us know:
 
if you have any special needs
price:
 
£60
Refundable up to two weeks prior to course (minus £30 admin fee)
No refunds for cancellations within two weeks of course
lunch:
 
bring a packed lunch, or you can get lunch at the cafe
discounts:
 
car sharing:
 
visit our car sharing forum to offer or request a lift
 

 

 

 


adding the insulation layer of clay slip and straw to an earth oven; more layers will be added on top of this one

 

 

 


a 'dragon' earth oven with smoke coming out of its mouth, appropriately enough

 

 

 



high-tech method of mixing cob!