Alô! I’m Tom, in 2020 I started living and learning in farm settings. Fascinated by humans, history, materials and shelter, I set out on an exploration of the connection between these, learning many techniques with masters of their crafts in different countries. What really get’s me going is working with clay and lime. The last years I dove deep into COB, building houses from top to bottom, as well as COB ovens, rocket stoves and benches. I find it important that ancient knowledge, developed over centuries and proven to work by time itself keeps on having a voice. I derive meaning from opening towards that knowledge and passing it to the next generation. My devotion for the coming years is in clay and lime plastering, becoming a craftsman carrying the knowledge and awareness of the past to build better homes for the future.

O Tom da Terra Teaching a COB workshop in Portugal
A wise person once told me, ‘don’t worry, they have anything you need anywhere’. Designing my backpacks according to this over the years made me pack only 3 thirts and a sweater, and then there was snow. Besides finding helpful peop
Field trips! We visited the top japanese trowel blacksmiths in Japan (the louis vuitton of plastering), one of the two is already in the fourth (!!!) generation of blacksmiths. The other day we went to an earthen plaster producer, some years ago ther
Yay! A bit of everything, working on all sides of the Kura in the narrowest spots, mixing a big batch of brown coat, cooking like wizards and new friendships. Big wall or 0.5 cm wide opening, I don’t really mind what I’m plastering, just
Techniques developed over centuries, old and proven to work by time itself. Grateful to spend my days learning and conserving lessons from the past to share and put them to use in the present and future. We’ve been working on… an earth
The Japanese plastering course and the days after have been awesome. Bamboo lattice, base coats, brown coats, Japanese finish coats, tadelakt, exposed aggregate, a lot of difficult words, amazing food and new friends. Thanks @kyleholzhueter , awesom
My first flirt with earthen plastering at @ecoaldeiadovale some years ago. At the eve of my long-awaited 3-month japanese plastering / permaculture journey to Japan I look back at this bloke with love and admiration, no idea what was awaiting him in
[ENGLISH TRANSLATION ARTICLE IN COMMENTS] Last week the provincial newspaper, @delimburger , came by for an interview. Thanks to journalist Joos Philippens for skillfully and without any fuss typing this. I feel aknowledged and proud! p.s. I think
[𝗡𝗔𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗔𝗟 𝗕𝗨𝗜𝗟𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗖𝗔𝗠𝗣 | 𝗖𝗢𝗕, 𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗡 𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥, 𝗟𝗜𝗠𝗘 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗕𝗜𝗟𝗜𝗭𝗘𝗗 𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗛 & 𝗧𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗟𝗔𝗞𝗧 | 𝟳-𝟭𝟬 𝗔𝗨𝗚𝗨𝗦𝗧] The very first natural building camp is officially online, a platform for expl