The past Yurt

Since this is my first post here, I doubt to many will be reading it... But that being as it is I should explain some of the history behind the Ontario Yurt Project.

While reading a book written about survival the author spoke about living for some time in a Yurt, curious as I had never heard the term used before I decided to do some research of my own, originally I had thought it was similar to a wigwam built by the native Canadians, much to my surprise it was much more then I could have ever imagined!

My simple research which I had originally done for my understanding took a new shape, that of obsession! for weeks to follow (my friends and family can contest!) I spoke only of Yurts, I watched every video on YouTube, read every blog, Yurt manufactures online sites, and purchased several key books. I had a new goal set in mind, to build my own Mongolian Yurt in a traditional manner.

Over the next few months I started construction, most of my design was based on which features I personally thought best from the thousands of photos & plans I had studied. Yurt design changed dramatically in the 1960's when the design was brought over to North America for the first time by Paul King. Since then it has been changed & modified to suit the conditions of the West. Building materials changed, interior design changed, and perhaps the most real change was the purpose.

Originally I wanted to construct my Yurt using the most natural and minimal of designs, cutting the Khana from small trees, using natural insulation (straw, cattail down) etc, but I found that working a 9-5 Job working for the man & constructing an all natural Yurt was not going to fly, so I decided to take the easier rout, purchase my materials but construct the yurt in traditional fashion.

After 3 months of working during evenings and weekends, the yurt started to take shape, I was fortunate enough to have received two large sheets of canvas from my Uncle for the covering of my yurt, and the door was given to me by my father who works in the industry, the rest was constructed out of mostly 2"x6" and rope.

my 12' Yurt has been set up for most of the summer, it held up exceptionally well, and was quite popular, I will be taking it down for the winter months as I wont be around it to clear off any snow that could potentially cause damages (I would like to monitor it for myself). I plan to set it back up again this Spring along with what I hope is a finished 24' Yurt for permanent residency.

The ultimate purpose of this blog is to record my process and help those who wish to start living a free and sustainable lifestyle though the means of a Yurt!

Good luck and happy Yurting!