Mud Talks

In our seventeenth Mud Talks podcast, we listen to architect Mark Chalom deliver his keynote address "Building with Earth - Past, Present and Future from my Street Corner" at the Earth USA 2022 Conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Mark specializes in blending handcrafted Traditional and Contemporary styles with sustainable technologies. Mark's experience spans both design and construction of environmentally appropriate buildings. Since 1975, Mark has taken his architecture beyond Passive Solar and looks at the total structure, site, materials, systems, water, landscaping and their interaction with each other and the environment. His sensitivity to the historic cultures has blended these new technologies with the traditional forms and materials that have evolved in Northern New Mexico out of common sense and appropriateness. Mark is known for his expertise in the development of the “Solar Adobe” based on the past but adaptive and relevant to the future.Earth USA 2022 was the 11th International Conference on Earthen Architecture & Construction hosted by Adobe in Action. More information about the conference can be found at www.earthusa.org.

In our sixteenth Mud Talks podcast, we speak to Jim Hallock of Earth Block International / Native Earth Block. Jim left traditional construction methods nearly 30 years ago for a life devoted to building with a healthy, sustainable, and superior product - Earth - and has since become the Western Hemisphere's preeminent expert in Earth Block creation and construction. Due to the chemical sensitivity of his wife, Nora, Jim left California for rural Colorado in search of a non-toxic building material. After attending multiple seminars and presentations on various “green” systems, he found the answer right beneath his feet, leased a machine from New Mexico, and built what he now refers to as Earth Block One: his first of hundreds. The rest is a long and dirty history, spanning eight states and nine countries. Join us for this episode as Jim gives us an in-depth overview of his personal preferences when designing and building homes with CEBs.

With Mud Talks 15-8 we wrap up a special eight-part miniseries dedicated to the topic of preserving earthen architecture. In this final episode of the series we speak to Jake Barrow, Cornerstones Community Partnerships Program Director. We speak about wood elements in earthen structures and their preservation as well as the importance of maintenance plans and cycles for earthen structures.Resources & Further Reading:Adobe Conservation - A Preservation Handbook pp. 117 to 126, 159 to 174, 191 to 208by Cornerstones Community Partnerships (Author), Francisco Uviña Contreras (Illustrator)Publisher: Sunstone Press (August 15, 2006)ISBN-13: 978-0865345270https://www.cstones.org/booksThe Mud Talks Preserving Earthen Architecture series is brought to you in collaboration with Cornerstones Community Partnerships and is made possible by the support of the US Department of the Interior, National Park Service and a National Center for Preservation Technology & Training grant.

With Mud Talks 15-7 we continue a special eight-part miniseries dedicated to the topic of preserving earthen architecture. In this seventh episode of the series we speak to Angela Francis, Cornerstones Community Partnerships Project Manager. We speak about traditional plasters & plaster/surface conservation.Resources & Further Reading:Adobe Conservation - A Preservation Handbook pp. 127 to 148, 155 to 158by Cornerstones Community Partnerships (Author), Francisco Uviña Contreras (Illustrator)Publisher: Sunstone Press (August 15, 2006)ISBN-13: 978-0865345270https://www.cstones.org/booksClay Culture: Plasters, Paints & Preservationby Carole CrewsPublisher: Gourmet Adobe Press (8 Sept. 2010)ISBN-13: 978-0984222902https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8421842-clay-cultureThe Mud Talks Preserving Earthen Architecture series is brought to you in collaboration with Cornerstones Community Partnerships and is made possible by the support of the US Department of the Interior, National Park Service and a National Center for Preservation Technology & Training grant.

With Mud Talks 15-6 we continue a special eight-part miniseries dedicated to the topic of preserving earthen architecture. In this sixth episode of the series we speak to Pat Taylor, Historic Preservation Specialist & General Contractor. We speak about basal/wall stabilization and stitching techniques as well as repairing structural cracks.Resources & Further Reading:Adobe Conservation - A Preservation Handbookpp. 99 to 115, 117 to 126, 149 to 154, 159 to 174 and 191 to 208by Cornerstones Community Partnerships (Author), Francisco Uviña Contreras (Illustrator)Publisher: Sunstone Press (August 15, 2006)ISBN-13: 978-0865345270https://www.cstones.org/booksTitan Construction Products, LLChttp://www.titanecp.com/New Mexico Earth Adobeshttps://www.newmexicoearth.com/The Mud Talks Preserving Earthen Architecture series is brought to you in collaboration with Cornerstones Community Partnerships and is made possible by the support of the US Department of the Interior, National Park Service and a National Center for Preservation Technology & Training grant.

With Mud Talks 15-5 we continue a special eight-part miniseries dedicated to the topic of preserving earthen architecture. In this fifth episode of the series we speak to Pat Taylor, Historic Preservation Specialist & General Contractor followed by Calvin Chimoni from El Morro National Monument. We speak about raw material identification & testing, making adobe bricks as well as working with earth & stone.Resources & Further Reading:Adobe Conservation - A Preservation Handbook pp. 71 to 94by Cornerstones Community Partnerships (Author), Francisco Uviña Contreras (Illustrator)Publisher: Sunstone Press (August 15, 2006)ISBN-13: 978-0865345270https://www.cstones.org/booksUS National Park ServiceRepointing Mortar Joints in Historic Masonry Buildingshttps://www.nps.gov/tps/how-to-preserve/briefs/2-repoint-mortar-joints.htmUniversity of Pennsylvania Stuart Weitzman School of DesignCenter for Architectural Conservationhttps://www.design.upenn.edu/cacUS National Park ServiceVanishing Treasures Programhttps://www.nps.gov/orgs/1022/services.htmCROCKER LTD Architectural Conservation Websitehttp://www.crockerltd.net/US National Park ServiceEl Morro National Monument New Mexicohttps://www.nps.gov/elmo/index.htmThe Mud Talks Preserving Earthen Architecture series is brought to you in collaboration with Cornerstones Community Partnerships and is made possible by the support of the US Department of the Interior, National Park Service and a National Center for Preservation Technology & Training grant.

With Mud Talks 15-4 we continue a special eight-part miniseries dedicated to the topic of preserving earthen architecture. In this fourth episode of the series we speak to Jake Barrow, Program Director at Cornerstones Community Partnerships. We speak about earthen building assessments, identifying damage & structural issues as well as basic engineering principles & seismic/structural retrofit of historic earthen buildings.Resources & Further Reading:Adobe Conservation - A Preservation Handbook pp. 54 to 70 and 85 to 98by Cornerstones Community Partnerships (Author), Francisco Uviña Contreras (Illustrator)Publisher: Sunstone Press (August 15, 2006)ISBN-13: 978-0865345270https://www.cstones.org/booksEarthen Architecture and Seismic Codes; Lessons From the Fieldby Edward Crocker, Crocker Ltd. Architectural Conservation, Trustee, US/ICOMOShttps://crockerltd.net/earthen_architecture_lessons.pdfEarthen Architecture Initiative Seismic Retrofitting Project by The Getty Conservation Institutehttps://www.getty.edu/conservation/publications_resources/pdf_publications/pdf/earthen_arch_seismic_bib.pdf

With Mud Talks 15-3 we continue a special eight-part miniseries dedicated to the topic of preserving earthen architecture. In this third episode of the series we speak to Pat Taylor, Historic Preservation Specialist & General Contractor followed by Eric Liefeld, President of Mesilla Valley Preservation, Inc. We speak about capillary action, permeability and salt attack – including sources, processes and effects of deterioration.Resources & Further Reading:Adobe Conservation - A Preservation Handbook pp. 51 to 56by Cornerstones Community Partnerships (Author), Francisco Uviña Contreras (Illustrator)Publisher: Sunstone Press (August 15, 2006)ISBN-13: 978-0865345270https://www.cstones.org/booksPozzolans for Lime Mortarsby Pat Gibbonshttps://www.buildingconservation.com/articles/pozzo/lime-pozzolans.htmHot Mixed Lime & Traditional Mortars: A Practical Guide to Their Use in Conservation and Repairby Nigel Copsey (Autor) Publisher: The Crowood Press Ltd (July 1, 2019)ISBN-13: 978-1785005558Mesilla Valley Preservation, Inc. Websitehttp://mvpres.orgSalts of the Earth: When Salts Attack!https://youtu.be/ntPbiZOnpGgThe Mud Talks Preserving Earthen Architecture series is brought to you in collaboration with Cornerstones Community Partnerships and is made possible by the support of the US Department of the Interior, National Park Service and a National Center for Preservation Technology & Training grant.

With Mud Talks 15-2 we continue a special eight-part miniseries dedicated to the topic of preserving earthen architecture. In this second episode of the series we speak to Francisco Uviña, Project Consultant and Director of the Historic Preservation and Regionalism Certificate Program at the University of New Mexico's School of Architecture and Planning. We speak about typical architectural styles, features & materials found in earthen structures in the Southwest USA.Resources & Further Reading:Adobe Conservation - A Preservation Handbook pp. 19 to 37by Cornerstones Community Partnerships (Author), Francisco Uviña Contreras (Illustrator)Publisher: Sunstone Press (August 15, 2006)ISBN-13: 978-0865345270https://www.cstones.org/booksEarly Architecture in New Mexicoby Bainbridge BuntingPublisher: University of New Mexico Press; First Edition (June 1, 1976)ISBN-13: 978-0826304353The Mud Talks Preserving Earthen Architecture series is brought to you in collaboration with Cornerstones Community Partnerships and is made possible by the support of the US Department of the Interior, National Park Service and a National Center for Preservation Technology & Training grant.

With Mud Talks 15-1 we begin a special eight-part miniseries dedicated to the topic of preserving earthen architecture. In this first episode of the series we speak to historical architect Randy Skeirik and Jake Barrow from Cornerstones Community Partnerships about the use of the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties in connection with earthen structures.Resources & Further Reading:US National Park Service WebsiteThe Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Propertieshttps://www.nps.gov/tps/standards.htmThe Mud Talks Preserving Earthen Architecture series is brought to you in collaboration with Cornerstones Community Partnerships and is made possible by the support of the US Department of the Interior, National Park Service and a National Center for Preservation Technology & Training grant.

In our fourteenth Mud Talks podcast, we speak to Lisa Morey of Colorado Earth - Colorado's own Compressed Earth Block Maker. Lisa is a professional engineer and architectural designer who has been working in the construction industry since 2000. Join us for this episode to hear more about Lisa's mission to scale the natural building industry in Colorado by offering an affordable wall system made from locally obtained material.

In our thirteenth Mud Talks podcast, we speak to Mike Lopach, the original founder of Adobe in Action. Mike has moved on to a new project in Scottsdale, Arizona called Brick by Brick. He and his team are using a manual block press to make CEBs (compressed earth blocks) together with people experiencing homelessness. Mike introduces us to some of the key differences between adobe and CEB production as well as his complete CEB production workflow - from raw soil to cured block.

In our twelfth Mud Talks podcast, we tackle one of the more challenging topics for the adobe owner builder - plumbing & electric. Quentin Wilson gets this topic started for us in Part I by focusing on essential planning and logistics questions. In an upcoming Part II episode on this topic we'll continue the conversation with Ethan Novikoff about his recent owner builder plumbing & electric experience with some good advice on what you can realistically do yourself and where to look for assistance when needed.

In our eleventh Mud Talks podcast, we speak to Ethan Novikoff about his owner builder adobe experience. Ethan has gone through all phases of owner builder support at Adobe in Action - he has taken all 8 of our online courses, participated in our remote owner builder support program and even served as a volunteer for our biennial earthbuilding conference called Earth USA. Ethan recently became a board member at Adobe in Action. Listen as he walks you through his personal owner builder adobe journey.

In our tenth Mud Talks podcast, Adobe in Action Board President Quentin Wilson takes us through the basics of installing different floor types in adobe structures.

In our ninth Mud Talks podcast, Adobe in Action Board President Quentin Wilson takes us through the basics of finishing adobe structures with interior and exterior plasters.

In our eighth Mud Talks podcast, Adobe in Action Board President Quentin Wilson takes us through the basic design and materials of typical roofs used on adobe structures in New Mexico.

In our seventh Mud Talks podcast, Adobe in Action Board President Quentin Wilson continues our discussion on the planning and construction of adobe walls with a special focus on lintels & bond beams.

In our sixth Mud Talks podcast, Adobe in Action Board President Quentin Wilson takes us through the first steps of planning and constructing adobe walls.

Our fifth Mud Talks podcast is dedicated to Richard Levine - the founder of New Mexico Earth Adobes - who passed away on September 30, 2018. This guest interview with Richard was recorded in the spring of 2012 during a work session at Swan House in Presidio, Texas (home of The Adobe Alliance).

In our fourth Mud Talks podcast, Adobe in Action Board President Quentin Wilson talks all things foundations for adobe structures.

In our third Mud Talks podcast, Adobe in Action Board President Quentin Wilson introduces us to the raw materials used in adobe construction as well as the basic adobe brickmaking process.

In our second Mud Talks podcast, Adobe in Action Board President Quentin Wilson takes us deep into the topic of passive solar design - the first step in any successful adobe home build.

In this first episode, Adobe in Action Board President Quentin Wilson introduces himself and the basics of adobe as a building material.