In 2026, The Underground Center will be partnering with North East Farmers of Color Land Trust and Unshackled Alchemy to offer a natural building workshop series centered around the building of an off-grid tiny home. More information coming soon!
Photos from our First Building Workshop
Meet our Facilitators
Julia Gloninger – Program Director at The Underground Center
Julia graduated from Bard College with a degree in Environmental and Urban Studies and a Master’s degree in Environmental Policy. Since college, she has passionately pursued community organizing around principles of mutual aid and interconnectedness with the land. Over the past few years, Julia has been honing her natural building skills while helping develop several infrastructure projects at Shagbark Farm, including a cob and cordwood greenhouse, two timber-framed additions onto existing cabins, and more. She has also gained skills developing smaller scale infrastructure like chicken coops, water tank stands, rain catches, compost bins, and more. In addition to teaching these skills for free to adults in her community, she also runs a Teen Building Apprenticeship at the Saugerties Boys and Girls Club.
Desiree Lyle – Building Science Consultant and Building/Housing Justice Advisor at The Underground Center
Over the past 5 years, Desirée has taught several building science principles and tiny house design courses. She has also studied building at Yestermorrow Design Build School and worked with builders and carpenters at The Underground Center, ECS, and J’s Painting and Construction. For the last three years, she’s been developing her first residential project with the help and support of dozens of family and friends–most notably those at The Underground Center. She is so excited to be able to work with them now to share that help and support forward!
Michaela Zayas – Food Justice Advisor and Board Member at The Underground Center
Michaela (aka Mica) is a long-time friend of the UGC. In addition to her experience living off-grid for several years, Mika stayed at Shagbark farm for a year to help out with the Saugerties Free Food Program and some of our building projects. During that time, she gained experience mixing lots of cob and putting up cob and cordwood walls on the greenhouse (along with many other off-grid building skills).
“It is to weave the cloth with threads drawn from your heart, even as is your beloved were to wear that cloth.
It is to build a house with affection, even as if your beloved were to dwell in that house.
It is to sow seeds with tenderness and reap the harvest with joy, even as if your beloved were to eat the fruit.
It is to charge all things you fashion with a breath of your own spirit, and to know that all the blessed dead are standing about you and watching.
Work is love made visible.”
–The Prophet