Mud madness

We had a wonderful time Friday 2 weeks ago, at Bellbunya Eco Retreat,  and Sustainable Community, (at Belli Park on the Sunshine Coast) putting a mud render on a wee cob hut, with the help of a few other mud enthusiasts! 
The hut before rendering...

 The render was just clay dug out of the ground (a couple of inches down) and damp horse manure, about 50/50, with a bucket of soaked termite mound, and water, added. Once that was well stomped through, we 1/2 filled a wheelbarrow
and added iron oxide and 1/2 cup of linseed oil, plus enough water to make the mud just the right consistency - quite sloppy, but with enough body to not fall off your hand when you tipped it upside down!
Below is Linda (one of the 2 instructors) putting in the iron oxide, Tom (a local Permaculture teacher) mixing and Karyn (a Bellbunya member) stomping in the red oxide. I'm being the post to the right!

Once that was well mixed we all took handfuls and commenced rendering! Another yellow powder was added for a contrasting colour. A close-up of the wonderful red ochre coloured render...

 Applying the render...

 The end of the day...