James Haim

Facilitators

James Haim

James has experience building with straw bales, cob, paper crete, and light-straw clay, as well as traditional construction. He co-founded the Wilderness Charter School in 1996 whose mission is to study and practice community, personal empowerment, and ecological connection with the intention of creating a sustainable future. Between 1996-2003 he served on the board of Harvest Built Homes and currently serves on boards for Earth Care International and White Oak Farm. He lives in the beautiful Williams Valley with his wife, daughter, father-in-law and friends. James believes that a key element in the environmental movement is creating an example of sustainable culture so others have inspiration to look towards as their awareness of the world's environmental and social situation unfolds.

Taylor Starr

Taylor is the co-founder of White Oak Farm & Education Center in Williams, Oregon. The Farm is a non-profit center dedicated to creating connections between people and their local ecosystems. White Oak serves as a working organic farm, children's education center, and host for adult workshops in natural building and permaculture. Taylor has spent the last six years farming, homesteading, teaching, and building. He has worked with cob, straw bale, light straw-clay, earthen plasters and floors, and round wood. Over the past two seasons he has focused his energy building a hybrid pole frame-straw bale-cob octagon to serve as the common house for White Oak Farm. Taylor believes working in community to grow food and create shelter should be empowering, inspiring and fun.