ZigBone Farm Retreat
  • About
    • The Owners
    • Building ZigBone
  • Weddings
    • Wedding Details
  • Retreats
    • Work Retreats
    • Group Getaways
    • Winter Creative Writing Retreat
    • Summer Novel Writing Retreat
    • Catoctin Mountain Cycling Retreat
  • Buildings & Accommodations
  • The Farm
    • The Animals
  • Gallery
  • Contact & Reviews

Building ZigBone Farm Retreat Center

Sustainable Building Materials

The three ZigBone Retreat buildings were built with straw bale insulation and hand covered with clay from our farm's soil and lime plaster hydrated on the farm. We also old beams, wood siding, and brick salvaged from a nearby barn, and restored vintage furniture to fill our many rooms.

Local Labor

The B&D Woodworks crew and Piney Ridge Timber Framers -- hailing from the Catoctin area -- have hung in there years, through sweltering heat, frigid cold, our nutty new ideas, and all manner of setbacks that come with a large-scale renovation. They arrived expert craftsmen and left artists, having contributed not only the timber framing and carpentry but many of the aesthetic details that make ZigBone the extraordinary place it is.

Natural Building Workshops

Many hands (and feet) built ZigBone Farm Retreat. Our architect and creative engine Sigi Koko led or co-led eight natural building workshops over three years on everything from building with straw bales to mixing and applying natural plasters. Hundreds of people from all over the country spent weekends learning to "stitch" and stack straw bale walls; mix clay, straw, and sand for plasters; and build our frog clay oven. These intrepid souls, who never hesitated to put their hands into a bucket of freezing clay when the weather didn't cooperate, got us through the long renovation; we consider them part of the ZigBone family.

Renewable Energy

Seven geothermal wells, super insulated walls, high-efficiency HVAC, and a large solar array -- yup, we are conserving energy at ZigBone. And that doesn't even include our state-of-the-art, uber-Bay-friendly septic system.
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Location

What Our Clients Are Saying

"Zigbone is heavenly and down-to-earth at the same time. I just revelled in a superlative writing retreat there, where our host and Zigbone co-owner, Dena Leibman, made us all feel at home. The accommodations are perfect and comfy, the setting is splendid, and every detail was attended to. Food was out-of-this-world and our brilliant writing instructor/muse taught us craft and more with kindness and warmth. I can't wait to go back to Zigbone. " - Patti

"
My son and daughter-in-law just had their wedding at the end of July at Zigbone.  What a magical and charming venue!  The setting was breathtaking!  The wildflower display and lush green surroundings were spectacular!  Everywhere you looked, it was so picturesque."  - Trudy

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  • About
    • The Owners
    • Building ZigBone
  • Weddings
    • Wedding Details
  • Retreats
    • Work Retreats
    • Group Getaways
    • Winter Creative Writing Retreat
    • Summer Novel Writing Retreat
    • Catoctin Mountain Cycling Retreat
  • Buildings & Accommodations
  • The Farm
    • The Animals
  • Gallery
  • Contact & Reviews