Visit to Kebun Kaki Bukit to Build a Mud House

I've taken forever to write this overdue post.

We first visited Kebun Kaki Bukit (E101 17' 6.6" N3 20' 50.0) in January when Adrian Wong invited us. We accepted the invitation at once, when we heard that the main goal was to check out the cobb oven there by making our own pizzas, topped with fresh Salmon which Adrian sells on his Seafood Group Buy page.

But before feasting, first work!

We went round looking for fresh veges which we could harvest to use as toppings on our pizza.

In between, children helped rake freshly cut grass...

and helped harvest calamansi. This grows in abundance there, and on our later visit we bought

enough to make our own Calamansi jam.

Work done, it was time to make pizza!! Using Lebanese bread as a base, kids topped it with fresh produce from the farm, Salmon and of course, lots of cheese.

Pizza ready to go into oven.Toppings...fresh mushrooms, herbs and vegetables from farm, Salmon, olives and cheese

This is how flaming hot the cobb oven is! Pizzas were ready in 3 minutes max.

Hugel Pyramid, elevated bed for plants.

We had a really great time! Thanks to Adrian!

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2nd Visit ~~ February

We read on Kebun Bukit's Facebook that they were launching a mud house project. That's something we've always wanted to try, especially after reading about mud house from historical time.

Hay, from dried stalks of paddy (rice.)

First layer had been laid by other volunteers when we  arrived.

Model of what the completed mudhouse would look like

We helped make mud bricks by stepping on a combination of sand and clay. Every now and then, the tarp on which work is done, is pulled on all sides to bring the mixture to the centre (they called it "making a burrito"), and then stepping continues. Sand is added quite often till clay reaches correct texture. Once completed, hay is added to the mixture and then shaped into bricks.

Bricks completed, we helped arrange them on the previous layer. Holes are made so that the next layer of bricks will fill these holes allowing layers to merge.

VIDEO
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When work was done, we were served a delicious lunch of pumpkin-vegetable curry with rice. Yummm....

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3rd Visit~~ June

When we visited again, the walls had been built high and volunteers were working on the final phase before putting on the roof (which will be bamboo and palm leaves).

A new mud house ...partially bamboo, partially mud.

Wet the top of the dried walls with sponge before laying new layers of mud.

The clay pool had grown so large that it was a tempting mud pool. Needless to say after a time of making bricks, chopping hay, sifting sand and all.....the children had a total mud bath, top to bottom!!

@poundthegarlic.blogspot.com 2015

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