The C.O.B. Project - The Community Oven Building Project
Empowering Communities with Earth, Fire and Food
Food + Community = Unity
Communal ovens have been used around the world for centuries as an economical way for people to bake food and connect with their communities. Traditionally located in the heart of a community, communal ovens serve as a hub for socialization where people can share information and ideas. Inspired by this concept, The C.O.B. Project believes that creating connections through food can be used as a valuable tool in building sustainable communities by providing nurturing opportunities for individuals to connect, learn and grow together.
Project Vision
The vision is to build community supported ovens that will cultivate personal connections, breakdown social barriers, encourage community activism, provide affordable access to healthy foods and promote environmental awareness. To achieve these goals, the ovens will serve as a social network for communal baking and function as a platform for transformative programs; offering individuals with the insight to rethink what is possible and the tools needed to make a positive change in their lives, as well as, their communities.
Earthen Ovens
The C.O.B. Project promotes building earthen ovens because they are fun to construct, simple to use and encourage sustainable living practices. Made out of an natural mixture of clay rich soil, sand and organic fibers (a.k.a. cob); earth oven construction uses eco-friendly building materials that are easy to work with, which allows everyone in the community to be involved in the process. Earthen ovens are also low cost to build, making them an affordable solution to providing healthy food for disadvantaged communities. Finally, firing up an earthen oven is a captivating event, making it the perfect venue for bringing people together to share food, ideas and a greater sense of community.
Community Oven Building Workshops
Community Oven Building
Let the C.O.B. Project help build an earthen oven for your community with a hands-on community build workshop. During a workshop, participants learn all of the earth oven building essentials as we work together to create a nurturing community space. We will also explore how community baking can connect, educate and empower your community.
For more information about organizing a Community Oven Building workshop,
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