Cobbling Together a Cob Oven

Lily Herold ‘22

Paulson Initiative Intern 2019-20

During my internship with the Paulson Initiative, I sought to connect more deeply with the physicality of Appalachian soil. A cob oven -- or a sustainable cookstove cobbled together from a mix of clay, sand, and straw -- appealed to me for several reasons, namely because the idea of cob-fired muffins. Muffins aside, I wanted to leave an indelible mark on my surrounding landscape and hopefully inspire others to explore the realm of sustainable cooking. Since building a cob oven requires a fair amount of physical labor, its construction presented ample opportunity for collaboration. My dad helped me harvest the clay and build its concrete foundation, and my mom helpfully threw parcels of clay at me while I worked to ease the building process. Post-pandemic, I hope to have many a cob-fired pizza gathering with my neighbors on cool Summer evenings….. 

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