Posted by Ivy Fife on Wed, Aug 25, 2010
“You paint WHAT?!”
Typical response. Whenever I tell someone about my job, they do a bit of a verbal double-take. Because, actually, my job is a bit unusual. I paint tipis.
When I first took this job, I had done a bit of a life-direction double-take. I left my corporate job with a good company in the Midwest (Hallmark Cards) and moved my family to Montrose, CO. Western Colorado has always been an awesome place to live, but never an easy place to make a living. At first, I was teaching art and freelancing, but these were not really bill-paying-jobs. So, when the opportunity to work for Colorado Yurt Company came, I was happy to have a “real” job. At first, I was intimidated by the size of the paintings (a 28’ tipi is HUGE), and I was a bit (ahem) puzzled by the turn my career had taken.
Now the initial apprehension has faded, and I am having fun. I learn about Native American design and traditions. I get to know our customers and their stories. I still take a deep breath when I see a large tipi spread out on the floor. But, this job is educational, exciting, and, yes, unusual, three years later.
Since I started, the process has changed. We now have an online design catalog, where customers can try out different elements. Even with this tool, I usually customize the tipi with color, additional animals or symbols or logos. And, many people want a unique custom design that tells their unique story.
Some memorable designs:
A customer in Louisiana chose our “Sioux horses” design for his 28’ tipi. There is a different horse to represent each member of his family- and a purple and gold top to pay homage to the LSU Tigers.
A Girl Scout camp in Texas chose to create a memorial tipi for a family that was killed in a traffic accident. The tipi has horses to represent the parents and their three daughters. This design also has the Girl Scout friendship rings at the top. Now, campers enjoy a beautiful tipi, and learn the touching story behind the art.
I’ve done one-of-a-kind pieces of art like a Viking ship, a bear with polka-dotted pants, a pot-bellied pig and a Scottish crest.
Tipis are very cool. A tipi is a huge personal statement. A painted tipi makes it intensely more personal. Whether you choose something simple or totally tricked out, your tipi will say something about you.
So, let's get painting!
Ivy Fife is our new marketing manager. She's also been our artist for the past three years- and will continue to paint tipis.
Posted by Sam Kigar on Fri, Aug 13, 2010
Our web developer Adam Silverstein grows things. He recently grew our web page, matured its navigation and improved it's search-ability. But websites are far from the only thing Adam grows. In addition to Earthbound Website Development and Hosting, Adam owns and operates the Round Earth Farm here in southwest Colorado.
Round Earth is a sustainable and organic farm, located on a fertile mesa above Hotchkiss, Colorado; and Adam's work on the farm is a community service. He sets to work each day with enthusiasm for working the land and the desire to get good local food to the inhabitants of his valley. Part of this service is passing his knowledge about farming onto eager young people. For this reason Adam brings on several interns (in addition to five employees) each growing season. He houses his interns in an Earthworks tipi and a Colorado Yurt.
Together Adam and his crew work the 25 acres. "We grow vegetables from a to z. That's artichokes to zuchinni. Plus," Adam says, "we just put in a 1/2 acre of mixed fruit and a 1/2 acre of raspberries and blackberries." In exchange for room, board and a modest stipend, the interns get to see the farm through an entire growing cycle. They are involved in all aspects of the farm--from planting to sale. The produce is sold to retail and wholesale outlets as well as through Adam's CSA (Communitee Supported Agriculture), called Turkey Hill.
The interns say good things about staying in the tipi and the yurt. While farming restores a connection with food, living in these structures allows interns to nuture their relationship with the land.
Round Earth is part of a growing trend among farms that find yurts and tipis present a viable solution to a variety of needs. Turns out that these structures are both philosophically and practically suited to these types of farms.
- They’re low-impact: Like sustainable farming methods, they leave a small footprint on the land.
- They’re (semi-)portable: As the demands of space change on this relatively small parcel of land, the structures can be moved to accommodate.
- They're round: The shape of these structures resonates not only with the name of Adam's farm but also with the cycles that support and sustain his farm.
It has been wonderful working with Adam, getting to watch his farm develop, and, of course, eating his delicious produce. Thanks Adam!
Thinking of a farming (or any other) yurt?
Here are some good things to think about!
Posted by Sam Kigar on Wed, Jun 16, 2010
My boss (and pal) Jennie has a Cimarron Platform Tent in her backyard. The tent sits a mere ten yards from her lovely little home Montrose, CO. Montrose, as it happens, isn't far from the mountains from which this line of tents takes it's name. The Cimarrons!
As Jennie points out, her wall tent or "canvas bungalow," solves a variety of space needs and adds a level of richness to her daily life. Jennie uses her tent as:
- A dinning room. Her home is less then 1000 square feet so; when she has a bunch of folks over for dinner it makes sense to seat all or some of them in the tent.
- A kitchen. She cooks on a wood stove and on her Coleman gas range.
- An escape to the great outdoors. The filtered natural light and breeze (when the side walls are rolled up) make guests think they're miles from civilization.
- A screened in porch. When it's hot out Jennie likes to roll up all four sides of her tent and let the breeze drift through while she lounges in her rocker... Being a southerner it makes her feel right at home.
- A guest bedroom. When she has guests, Jennie folds out her futon and lights the stove. Her friends and family are happy year-round.
But don't take my word for it, get a tour from Jennie herself!
Jennie's tent is 14 ft by 16 ft. The platform tents come in:
- 10'x12', 4'6" tall at the side wall, 9' at the ridge
- 12'x14', 4'6" tall at the side wall, 9' at the ridge
- 14'x16', 5'0" tall at the side wall, 10' at the ridge
- 16'x16', 5'0" tall at the side wall, 10' at the ridge
- and 16'x20', 5'0" tall at the side wall, 10' at the ridge
- custom sizes are also available
Folks use these semi-permanent tents to solve all kinds of problems. Outdoors men and women use them as hunting stands that they can return to season after season. The "Tent and Breakfasts" Mary Jane's Farm and Huckleberry use them as unique accommodation for their guests. But these structures don't need to be far from home... putting one in your backyard can bring the far out a little closer in.
Order a brochure to learn more...
Posted by Sam Kigar on Tue, Jun 01, 2010
Yurts run the gamut from DIY (do-it-yourself) to pre-fab. Most people who live in a yurt purchased a kit from a professional company. Recently though, I was looking at some pictures from a Colorado Yurt Company customer when hit me: all yurts, to varying degrees, are do-it-yourself. While some of our customers contract out bits and pieces in and around their yurt (e.g. site preparation and deck) the vast majority play a large role in giving shape to their yurt. Each customer builds a unique yurt; we just facilitate. Take the case of Samantha Swenson and Duncan Masters.
Envisioning
The first step in the building process for the Swenson-Masters began with a stroll across their land in eastern North Carolina. When they imagined a home there, they saw a yurt.
Actually they saw two
The Swenson-Masters wanted their yurt to be a physical expression of their ideals of economy, ecology, and luxury.
Samantha says their love of reading guided their use of space in the yurt. Between the newlyweds’ two collections there were a lot of books. Samantha says, “We figured out all the possible places to put shelves and then added everything else.” Using the bookshelves as functional walls, they divided the big yurt into quarters: the kitchen, the living room, the bedroom, and the office/craft area and future nursery.
Luxury
Moving into a yurt was obviously a step into an “alternative” lifestyle but not as much as you might assume. In Samantha’s words,
"We are still interested in maintaining a relatively average lifestyle inside eccentric surroundings, finding balance between being eco-friendly and being your average active working individuals who love high-speed internet and crime drama TV shows..."
In addition to crime TV they love having people over. They left the front half of their yurt, the kitchen and living room open and inviting, while moving the clutter of everyday life to the back of the yurt.
Designing the Kitchen
For their kitchen they decided on IKEA’s Varde series, which appealed to them ascetically and because it’s freestanding. The counter space is movable and the table expands.
The smaller yurt houses a bathroom and utility area. Luxury found its home in the bathroom. It has a shower with bench, deep soaker jacuzzi tub (with a rubber ducky)...
... and a beautiful, handcrafted sink and vanity.
Another wonderful thing about this yurt is that it is handicap accessible.
Like all great homes, the Swenson-Master’s is a work in progress. They are currently adding a loft to the big yurt for Samantha’s craft projects. By the time their baby-to-be is school age they hope to add another yurt to the mix.
Some folks are more hands-off in their approach to designing their yurt than these guys, others do more. Regardless of where you fall on the DIY to Pre and Post-Fab continuum, the decision to live in a yurt is the decision to live in house that reflects you. The round space and flood of natural light provide an inspiring place to build a your unique home.
Get started designing your yurt with our "
Color Your Yurt" tool!
Posted by Sam Kigar on Mon, May 24, 2010
One stormy spring evening a few weeks ago, our display yurt played host to economic development officers from across Colorado. Sandy Head, of the Montrose Economic Development Corporation, worked to bring her colleagues from around the state to Montrose for an evening of mingling, food, and wine.
We were still glowing from being selected as one of the "50 Colorado Companies to Watch"; so, needless to say, we were pleased to have members of the selection committee with us in the yurt.
Economic Officers Drink Wine and Check out the CYC Brochure
As people ducked out of the harsh wind they smiled at the immediate calm of the yurt. I watched folks move around the space. They examined the lattice and rafters, and then moved toward the center where they began introducting themselves. The space was abuzz with conversation. People were asking each other questions about the yurt, "What do yurts cost?" "Where do they come from?"
The room was primed by the time I took the floor to give a bit of history about the company and our products. The boisterous group could barely hold back questions. "Why Yurts?" "Because we believe that their circular structure and inherent closeness to nature lends itself to powerful and positive human interaction." The party around us was proof enough and people nodded appreciatively; as they did when they found out how much a yurts costs.
I demonstrate the compression/tension system
After I finished speaking, local chef Anthony Damiano announced dinner and explained his upcoming restaurant and culinary school project. As the storm raged, the group tucked into a heartily sumptuous meal. They ate and drank well into the night.
With over thirty of our state's movers and shakers nestled into the yurt, the structure was serving one of its original, intended functions: a gathering place where community members come together, share ideas and have a good time. Plus, as guest after guest exclaimed that they or someone they know absolutely needs a yurt, I realized that the best testimonial for yurts is a yurt.
Find out where you can book a yurt for your next community function...
Posted by Jennie Redwine on Wed, Apr 28, 2010
written by Colorado Yurt Owner Michael Drummy
In April 2007 we purchased about 15 acres in rural, picturesque northern New Mexico – “O’Keeffe Country” its called because the painter Georgia O’Keeffe lived there for the second half of her life. At first we were grateful just to be able to spend time there – but tent camping soon got old. After buying the property outright we didn’t have the means to build anything very expensive down there. My wife and I had spent a few winter nights in a CYC yurt in the Never Summer Mountains of north central Colorado some years back and really enjoyed the experience. So we thought – what about a yurt? After looking into it and being amazed at how affordable it was, we purchased a 20’ yurt with all the bells and whistles in the spring of 2008.
We erected our yurt in early September 2008 after hiring some locals to build our deck earlier that summer. And they did a great job – its well-built and reliable. Besides my wife and myself, there were three others who helped with the the yurt-raising – our 21 year-old son and my father-in-law and his wife. Once the materials were delivered it took us about 3 full days and we had an airy, cozy, and utterly unique space filled with light and possibility. It was truly a memorable few days – loads of fun and laughs and a great sense of accomplishment. Here is a picture of our son Bill tying up the protective sheet for the roof.
In the past year and a half we’ve made it more our own. We’ve installed a 40-watt DIY solar system, a composting toilet, and ventless propane heaters. We have a little kitchen area, a big convertible dining table, the de rigueur futon, several rugs, and we even created a space to hang and store our clothes. It feels roomy and cozy at the same time. We are completely off the grid, but we’re able to run laptops, watch DVDs, charge cell phones, and run the nearly silent exhaust fan for the toilet. By adjusting the windows, dome, heaters, roll-up wall, and a simple tower fan we can regulate the temperature in the yurt to make it comfortable year-round. Opening the windows from the
outside took a little getting used to, but once we did we began to enjoy it. Spending time in a yurt you are much closer to the elements and to the natural cycle of things. We’ve been there during pretty severe snow-and thunderstorms as well as spring days when the dry wind can be unrelenting. The yurt has withstood everything and we are absolutely thrilled with it.
Watch a video about a yurt in the mountains of Durango Colorado surrounded by hand crafted musical instruments.
Posted by Sam Kigar on Mon, Apr 12, 2010
I love my yurt! It is a beautiful structure that evokes a kind of special magical feeling.
Last spring, I erected a 24 foot yurt in Evergreen Colorado, to house my 15 foot therapy pool.
I use the pool to give Watsu sessions to my clients. Watsu is a kind of water therapy that combines Shiatsu with water. I float people in a pool of warm water. I support their bodies while I move them through the water giving them gentle stretches and twists. It is both relaxing and rejuvenating. In July of 2009, I opened for business as Sweetwater Watsu.
When I was getting ready to establish my Watsu practice, I looked at a variety of structures that would work as a housing for my therapy pool. I chose to erect a yurt because I loved the round shape. I am so glad that I made that choice. The interior of the yurt is incredibly beautiful with the ceiling pattern of beams radiating out from a central dome. And the clear ceiling dome provides a view of the blue Colorado sky.
When people first step through the door of my yurt, their eyes light up when they see the inside of the structure. They frequently comment on the beauty of my space. As I work with my clients, the yurt lends to the calm feeling of healing energy. When people lay back in the warm water of my pool, they look up at the clear dome surrounded by radiating beams. It is a beautiful sight. My clients frequently comment on the shape of the yurt and the wonderful feeling they get when receiving a Watsu in the warm water inside of the peaceful yurt. It seems magical. The shape and energy of the yurt definitely lend to my Watsu practice.
For more information about my yurt or my Watsu practice, visit http://sweetwaterwatsu.com or become a fan of Sweetwater Watsu on Facebook.
Susan Lange
Sweetwater Watsu
http://sweetwaterwatsu.com
303-638-9843
Posted by Sam Kigar on Tue, Mar 30, 2010
We get the question all the time: is there financing available on yurts? The answer, in most cases, is a regretful “no”. Some people have used non-traditional finance companies, others are able to finance with credit cards; but most traditional banks turn down loan requests for yurts. They just don’t know how to classify them.
All that just changed
There is a new option for yurt financing. It’s called peer-to-peer or social lending. In simple terms, social lending is a financial transaction between two people without the intercession of a bank. If you’ve ever loaned $5 to your little brother, you’ve participated in social lending.
These days, thanks to the internet, social lending is taking place on a larger and more complex scale. Websites have emerged that connect people that want to borrow money with people that want to lend it. The largest and most well-respected sites are www.prosper.com and www.lendingclub.com. There are some important things to know before you jump into social lending. So, keep on reading...
It works like this
- Social lending sites vet potential borrowers for good credit and a favorable debt to income ratio.
- Borrowers make a loan request (stating the amount of money they need and what they need it for)
- Interested lenders get together to fund the loan at an agreed upon interest rate*
- The site consolidates the loan and deposits it into your bank account.
- Borrowers pay the site a small percentage of the loan
- Borrowers send loan payments to the site, which then distributes the payments to lenders
It turns out that interest rates on these sites tend to be favorable compared with your average bank. Unlike credit cards, they don’t change your interest rate halfway through payment. But remember: every loan is different, so be sure you’re getting a good deal!
To get a peer-to-peer loan you need (at minimumm) to
- Live in the US or be in the US military
- Have a US bank account
- Be able to use the internet (if you're reading this, you're covered)
- Have good credit
Jump in:
Research the different sites. When you’re ready, put a loan request out and see what kind of interest rate comes back. Sites let you leave your loan request up for 7 to 14 days, so you’ll know if you’re going to get a favorable deal in a short amount of time (with some sites you’ll know immediately) and you can always reject the offer if you don’t like it. Be careful with this: Some sites lock you in as soon as your loan is 100% financed.
- Know the rules of your site
- Check to see what (and when) the site charges you for their service
- How it determines your interest rate
- At what point you are locked in to the loan and obligated to pay it.
- Monitor your loan carefully!
Don’t accept any loans you can’t pay off but see peer-to-peer lending as a positive and unique way to get your yurt financed. With a bit of luck and a lot of good credit you won't have to shell out much interest!
I will stop short of recommending any one site in particular because every loan is different (I can’t emphasize that enough) but i do think peer-to-peer lending is a great idea. Who wants to give more money to the banks anyway? Peer-to-peer also fits well with the philosophy of yurts and our company; it’s outside of the box and personable. Give peer-to-peer a try. Maybe it will make your yurt-dream a yurt-reality!
Sam Kigar
Colorado Yurt Company
www.coloradoyurt.com
*Some sites allow the potential borrower to set his or her own interest rate while other sites set the interest rate on each loan based on the borrower’s credit score and current market trends.
Posted by Heather Martin on Tue, Mar 23, 2010
Former State Senator Jim Isgar presents a symbolic check for $13,071 to the Colorado Yurt Company
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Renewable Energy Program for Small Rural Businesses is offering grant monies to offset up to 25% of your overall project cost. Last summer, the Colorado Yurt Company submitted a grant application and four months later we received a call from our local USDA office congratulating us on our nomination for the award! Our project: a 5kw Solar Photovoltaic System to be installed on the rooftop of our existing yurt and tipi manufacturing facilities. The $13,000 grant will help us shed 27% of our energy usage.
How to Write a Successful USDA Grant
1. Attend grant writing workshops offered - USDA holds workshops in many locations, making it easy for you to attend one that literally walks you through the process.
2. Get to know your local grant office and use their assistance - USDA Area Director Pattie Snidow and Area Rural Development Technician Dan Hays from the office in Delta proved to be a wealth of assistance, even meeting me to walk through our grant application package page-by-page.
3. Submit early - If the granting agency will allow your early submission for feedback and recommended changes, use it!
4. Be very, very organized - If your grant application requires a hardcopy submission, put it in a binder with tabs and be sure it's organized to the "n"th degree. Don't add anything that the application doesn't ask for.
5. Use photos, but don't overdo it - Photos should be of high quality, should carry lots of white space with a short description, and should be completely relevant and well-organized within your application
6. Don't miss crossing a single "T" or dotting a single "I" - With spell and grammar checks available within your Word Office software, and the ability to have multiple sets of eyes read through it (again and again - including your own), there's no excuse!
7. Ask questions, assume nothing - If you don't quite understand what's being asked of you in the application, call your local representative and ask. But be sure you've done your homework because asking questions that are easily answered without their assistance can send the wrong message
8. Use someone else's expertise when necessary - Don't expect to be the expert at everything. The local company that was ultimately selected as our solar provider for this project, Alternative Power Enterprises, Inc., was a key player in our grant application.
Granting agencies often make the application process easier than ever by offering application documents and instructions that can be filled out on-line and the capability to print your entire application when you're done to mail in. Some can even be submitted on-line. Even further, previous grant awardees are typically posted so you can see what's been successful.
The photovoltaic system at Colorado Yurt Company will be installed by Alternative Power Enterprises
Posted by Jennie Redwine on Thu, Oct 22, 2009
YMCA of the Rockies’
Snow Mountain Ranch
is an incredible 5,000 acre conference and family center just outside of Winter Park, Colorado. It’s also the home of a new 20’
Colorado Yurt. We set the yurt up a few weeks ago just as the aspen were making their final statement of the fall with a fiery, orange blast of color amid billowing, low clouds that threatened to throw down the first big snow of the winter.
We stayed in Indian Peaks Lodge, one of the four lodges, numerous cabins and many campsites on the property. The rooms were very inviting and impeccably clean with a couple of beds, a mini-fridge, a sitting area and a back patio with a gorgeous mountain view. What’s that you say? No TV? Yes, no TV. Who needs television when you have 5,000 acres to explore? There is a WiFi connection, so don’t panic. An afternoon walk in the cool autumn air revealed an abundance of outdoor
activities. Hiking, biking and horse riding trails meander all over the property. One of the trails I walked skirted along the edge of
Sombrero Stables
where the horses munched happily on their dinner. Another trail revealed a soaring zip line. Not into those things? How about miniature golf, disc golf, fishing, canoeing, archery, ice skating, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, tubing or sledding? Don’t have the proper equipment? No excuse. Snow Mountain Ranch provides inexpensive rental options for just about anything you’ll require. Need something to do indoors on a rainy day? Try the rock climbing wall, swimming, basketball, volleyball, skating, ping pong, foosball or a variety of crafts.
photo courtesy of Snow Mountain Ranch
Unfortunately we didn’t have much spare time to play and explore. We had a yurt to set up before the snow flew. The talented ranch crew finished a handsome yurt platform the afternoon we arrived so we got an early start the next morning. The stairs leading up to the platform were finished off on either side with a rustic, hand-made banister. The tongue and groove wood floor inside added a rich and finished, yet rugged and outdoorsy touch.
The yurt went up pretty smoothly. Our shop manager, Clint Huddleston, came up with a great idea to combat a mild wind as we were getting the roof insulation and roof in place. We tied thin, slick ropes to the eyebolts in the circular
compression ring at the peak of the yurt frame and then ran the ropes across the
roof insulation tying the opposite end of the rope to the crisscrossing wooden slats of the
lattice wall. This enabled us to have all hands free for unrolling the
yurt roof and shifting it into place. Once the roof itself was settled, we simply untied the ropes and slipped them out from underneath the yurt roof. If you saw any clips of the
balloon boy saga
recently, that is pretty much what the roof insulation on a yurt will do if the wind catches it. So the ropes saved us a bit of chasing and avoided closure of nearby Denver International Airport.
This yurt included three of our new
operable wooden windows. There are two big benefits to the new windows. They are set in a sturdy wooden frame so it is possible to cut out the section of the lattice wall that typically covers the window in a yurt. The ends of the cut lattice get screwed into the window frame so the frame integrates into the lattice wall without affecting the functionality and strength of the yurt. The view is unobstructed by the crossing lattice wall pieces. The second benefit is that the window can be cranked open from inside the yurt. A standard yurt window has a zippered flap in the wall fabric of the yurt which must be opened by going outside the yurt. Many yurts, including the Snow Mountain Ranch yurt, are built on a
simple platform
that is only a footprint for the yurt without additional outside deck space. If the yurt is elevated, unzipping and rolling up the window flap must be done on a ladder. In this case, the ability to open the window from the inside is an obvious advantage.
We had a great time at
Snow Mountain Ranch and hope to make many trips back to play and to work. With adequate
funding, the ranch has a master plan to incorporate tipis, canvas platform tents and several more yurts over the next couple of decades. I’ll leave you with a quote from their website.