Oregon State University College of Engineering students partially designed an off-grid outdoor kitchen for us that includes seating for an entire classroom, solar to provide electricity for hot plates and hot water, and a greywater system. The total cost is approximately $45,000; however, we are breaking it into phases, with the first phase being construction of the structure itself. We estimate this to cost around $10,000 based on the cost of lumber, the cost of cabinetry, and the cost of contractor's hourly wage. The University has expressed interest in having their students be involved in construction as well so they can, before they graduate, get real-world experience using basic construction tools and methods.
The structural addition alone, will provide an open-air, covered outdoor classroom for which to take lessons outside and invite special guests. It will include a refurbished earthen (aka: cob) oven, seating, an storage for outdoor education materials. We plan to host guest educators for topics including: natural resources, music, culture, community. For instance, we will invite the High Desert Museum to bring animals and mammal pelts, authors to read children's books, and musicians to share song and sound with the students.
For construction, we will hire a licensed contractor to build the structure. We will solicit local lumber suppliers to inquire about donation or discounts, will shop at Habitat for Humanity for any supplies we can find, and we will also seek discounts for roofing materials and any other needed materials for this project. We are a scrappy bunch and leverage donated funds as much as possible.
