Hope Merkel Builds A Bear Mud Oven, Part II

When we last left our Ms. Merkel, of Los Osos Valley Nursery (201 Los Osos Valley Rd., 528-5300) and the intrepid workshoppers under the guidance of  Jordan Josea, mud oven builder extraordinaire and his partner in mudability, Meleah (of Ncredible Edibles Sustainable Solutions in SLOTown (http://www.ncredibleeedibles.com/, 234-7779), they had finished round one of building a mud oven (Pics and story posted in the 2/14/22011 Can(n)on) that looked like this.

On top of the original shell, would be added another 9-10" layer of clay and straw.  Alas, rain ensued, then some injured hands, then more rain, until Saturday came and work began again. 

More wheelbarrows of mud and straw were mixed and piled on to the original form until there was the bear all roughed in and looking very bearish even with an oven in her tummy. 

When the bear was finished, the entire base was given a second and third coat of stucco. The bear itself will be left to dry, then lightly coated with a stucco-ish finish.  There'll be further finishing and staining of the stucco coating when it dries. 

After Sunday's work, a small fire will be built in the bear's tummy to help the oven dry.  Then it will be time to party.  Next Sunday, April 3, starting about 11 a.m. the nursery will be hosting a pot-luck, do-it-yourself pizza party. 

So, bring your favorite pizza toppings. Ms Merkel will have plenty of pizza doughs ready to go, and the bear will be taken out for a Community Pizza Party & Official Test Run.  Come join us.