Off-grid yurt living in Vermont
When we moved into our off-grid yurt in the spring of 2016, the first thing we built was an outhouse (for obvious reasons). We chose to employ the humanure method of managing and composting our bodily byproducts (poop and urine), so that we could reduce our waste creation, shrink our
Read More Humanure Update: What Our Humanure Compost Looks Like After Two Years of Aging
Here’s a recap of what’s happened at the yurt over the last month. March 30: Started cutting trees for next winter’s firewood. Mainly black birches so far. March 31: Planted genovese basil, cherry tomatoes, paste tomatoes, and medium-heat peppers. All seeds from High Mowing. April 7: Cut fourth birch tree
Read More April Recap: Early Spring Projects and Milestones at the Yurt
Each year we put a little more work into the garden effort, getting excited when the signs of spring hit southern Vermont. Our first season was a bit rushed because we put up the yurt in May and then most of our free time was spent building necessary things like
Maple sugaring season has come and gone and we came away with around two pints of syrup this year. Typically we make significantly more. Like, gallons of it. But we took it easy this year—nine taps and only one boiling day. We were very, very reasonable. (Here’s our backyard sugaring
Mark Sundeen’s book The Man Who Quit Money depicts the experience of Daniel Suelo, an American man who did just that. And we can cut right to the chase, if you want: I read this in three sittings. It’s a wonderfully good read. It made me think, made me want
Read More Book Review: “The Man Who Quit Money” by Mark Sundeen
One common question about yurts is if animals can get in, and if we’re worried about that possibility. People seem to be especially concerned about whether yurts are bear-proof (a fair question). Bears and Yurts In Vermont, we only have to think about black bears, which are skittish enough around
Read More Animals and Rodents in That Yurt: A Story of the Food Chain
How’s this for a fun fact: biologists have found that the desire to be alone has genetic roots and can, to some extent, be measured. The pituitary peptide oxytocin is considered the “master chemical of sociability.” And the hormone vasopressin “may suppress your need for affection.” So with low levels
Read More Book Review: “The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit”
I worry that by writing this post I am signing myself up to write the next 49 logical posts for each state. Maybe I will—or maybe it’s a Sufjan Stevens situation. We’ll have to see. California specifically came to my attention because someone commented on one of our Facebook posts,
The question goes like this: “Can you live in a yurt where winters are harsh and get lots of snow? Is it safe for the yurt roof?” And the thinking behind the question is this: “A yurt is really just a tent, right? Won’t a bunch of snow just collapse
Yurt cost is probably the most common question when people are considering the option of living in a yurt, and wondering whether they can afford it. When we were looking into yurt life, we did a LOT of research about our options, because there are a LOT of yurt manufacturers
