NATURAL BUILDING AND PERMACULTURE FOR FAMILIES
JULY 9 - 12, 2025
Join us for this Natural Building and Permaculture class designed for families with children ages 5-16.
If you prefer to pay via a direct deposit or check please fill out a registration form and send proof of payment to info@ranchomastatal.com. For information on payment details go here.
DESCRIPTION
Join us for this Natural Building and Permaculture class designed for families with children ages 5-17.
Learn and get inspired by our experienced team of natural builders and permaculture practitioners for this transformational family friendly experience. The class covers the basics of natural building and permaculture with a focus on movement, play, connection and fun.
Utilizing Rancho Mastatal as a living classroom, the class will focus on hands-on work (75%) with a bit of theory (25%).
WHO SHOULD TAKE THIS COURSE?
• Families who want to expose their children to outdoor living.
• Families who own their own land, dream of owning land or are actively looking.
• Families who are interested in living a more regenerative lifestyle.
• Professionals (eg, architects, designers, farmers, educators, community development workers, social workers etc…) who wish to bring natural building and permaculture into their homes.
This course is applicable to anyone with an interest in designing resilient and regenerative futures. The introductory class will inspire participants to use new tools to improve their surroundings; from gardens, farms and homes, to livelihoods, relationships and communities.
WHAT IS NATURAL BUILDING AND PERMACULTURE?
Natural building is using local, natural materials to build your home. Our focus here at the Ranch is the use of earth, bamboo and wood.
Permaculture is something you use, not something you do. While practical skills and applications of design principals are incorporated into the short course, the learning outcomes revolve around getting a taste for the ethics, principals, and methodologies of permaculture design.
WHAT YOUR WILL LEARN and TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
DAY 1
NATURAL BUILDING
We will take some time in the morning to get to know one another and will then get down and dirty with learning how to wattle and daub and make adobes.
DAY 2
NATURAL BUILDING
We will spend the day learning how to make and apply clay plasters.
DAY 3
FARM TO TABLE PERMACULTURE
We will learn how to harvest and prepare our own food and cook with local ingredients as well as the basics of how to asses soils, make compost and manage water.
DAY 4
FERMENTATION
On our final day we will learn to make natural, live fermented sodas and lacto-fermented vegetables. .
Learn about some of the natural buildings at Rancho Mastatal during this video
GENERAL COURSE ITINERARY
Here's a quick look at the daily class schedule:
6-7.30 am: Organic, local coffee, fruit and hard-boiled eggs
7.30-10 am: Class
10-11.30 am: Brunch
11.30-2.30 pm: Class
2.30-3.00 pm: Snack
3.00- 6.30 pm: Freetime, downtime, playtime
6.30 pm: Dinner
start and ARRIVAl dates
The intensive begins at 7.30 a.m. on July 9. The night before the course begins, July 8, is included in the cost. You must arrive before 6.00 pm the night before. We will not be able to accommodate you after this time.
departure dates
The last day of the intensive is July 12. The night of July 12 is included in the cost.
COST
Costa Rican Citizens (cédula holders): $300 per adult, kids younger than 6-yo free, kids 6 and older $100.
Residents/DIMEX holders: $500/adult, kids younger than 6 free, kids 6 and older $200.
Non-Citizens and non-residents: $600/adult, kids younger than 6 free, kids 6 and older $300.
These prices include lodging, all meals, course instruction and full access to Rancho Mastatal and its private wildlife refuge.
If you prefer to pay your deposit or full course fee via a direct deposit or check please fill out a registration form and send proof of payment to info@ranchomastatal.com. For information on payment details go here.
These prices include shared dorm style lodging, all meals, and full access to Rancho Mastatal and its private wildlife refuge.
LANGUAGE
This intensive will be in English, though all of the teachers are fluent in Spanish to help facilitate the learning for non-english speakers.
ACCOMMODATIONS
All food and lodging is included in the cost. Participants will stay in one of the Ranch’s naturally built structures. We provide high quality mattresses, linens and blankets. Please see our Accommodations page for more information.
CANCELLATION POLICY
Please see our cancellation policy here.
GETTING TO RANCHO MASTATAL
Please see our Directions page for detailed information on how to get to Rancho Mastatal.
QUESTIONS
For more information about this class and Rancho Mastatal please contact us at info@ranchomastatal.com , call us at +506 2200-0920 or text/WhatsApp us at +506 8539-1404.
