*Builders mix hempcrete by hand at a Permatours hemp-building workshop in Georgetown, ME. Photo courtesy of Permatours*

Hemp Building Returns to Maine for 3rd Year

By Scott Guzman

Colorado-based hemp-building pioneer John Patterson of Tiny Hemp Houses returns to “Pine Tree State” of Maine for his third hemp building workshop at the Diggers Cooperative in Georgetown, ME.

Our firm Permatours is an educational non-profit based in the Northeast that travels from place to place facilitating hands-on, learn-by-doing experiences with delicious shared meals, fireside jams, yoga, ecstatic dance, plant walks and a variety of other workshops and offerings.

After meeting the prolific Hemp educator: John Patterson, we decided to host a hands-on hemp building workshop, constructing a Solviva Hemp House, at my private home. The experience grew to include a family-friendly arts and wellness-focused festival, dubbed “It Takes A Village,” with 250+ participants.

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Americhanvre

South Bend Industrial Hemp

Sativa Building Systems

Hillside Center for Sustainable Living

CannaVision

US Heritage Group

Right Coast Hemp

Gradek Contracting and Design

*John Patterson poses in front of a backyard greenhouse in Fort Collins, CO converted with hempcrete. Photo courtesy of Jean Lotus*

Homeland Hempcrete

Verdant Structural Engineers

Boardwurks

Aggricrete

At last year’s Hemp Build Experience, participants made major progress mixing, filling, tamping and plastering on the Solviva Hemp House - a combination greenhouse growing space / living space which incorporates innovative heating solutions including a thermal mass water wall, ground air heat transfer system (GAHT), hot tub, fish tanks, and food production.

Through a system of fans and ducts, the sun-heated air at the top of the greenhouse is directed underground to a bed of crushed stone two feet below the earthen cob floor - storing the day’s heat and, therefore, warming up the structure during cooler nights. Heat is also stored in the thermal mass water wall, hot tub and fish tanks, helping to further regulate air temperatures.

Written by the brilliant author, educator, farmer and designer, Anna Edey, Solviva Greenlight, teaches us “the art of living well without causing harm to our planet and ourselves.” This comprehensive how-to guide highlights the Aquaponics Plus Design which was the initial inspiration for our Hemp Build at Diggers Cooperative.

*Permatours workshop participants plaster a hempcrete wall. Photo courtesy of Permatours*

Aaron Grail Construction

IND HEMP

Hemp Building Directory 2025

HempBLOCK USA

John has shared a great deal of knowledge on the history of hemp and its benefits for food, textiles, and industrial applications. He also creates a culture that encourages asking questions and making mistakes as a means of empowerment in the process of learning. As a result, many students left the in-person experience with a well rounded hemp education, as well as a plan in hand to go and build their own tiny hemp house. These events have already activated several other hemp building projects around the Northeast and a network of hemp builders is forming!

We’ve also embarked on a research project we’re calling “charcrete” with Kevin Bernard from Local Biochar LLC, a participant of our 2024 Hemp Build. We’re exploring utilizing biochar and ash as environmentally-friendly alternatives to clay and hydrated lime in hempcrete.

The binders in our hempcrete recipe (hydrated lime and clay) can have a negative environmental impact, so we aim to replace those ingredients with things that can be made with free, renewable, readily available resources (like lumber waste). We’re currently seeking funding to test the strength of the blocks and prove the concept.
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Parsons Healthy Materials Lab

Hemp Building Institute

Hempitecture

Hempire

We are also offering an online hemp building course that will be available this spring/summer as a stand-alone course and as an add-on for people attending the in-person weekends.

We’re excited to see where our natural building quest will take us next. Stay tuned at Permatours.org.

Patterson will also be hosting workshops in Fort Collins CO September 5-7 and in Princeton, IL October 10-12.