Any time I mention that I live in a yurt, the second question--right after "What is a Yurt?"--is always about the weather. "How can you stay warm in the winter?" "I bet they don't have many yurts up north!" Ha-ha, say I. Think again. They're all over Canada and Alaska. Look at this:
Of course, here in Arkansas, it's a lot easier. We don't get nearly that much snow. We have our trusty woodstove:
And we wrapped the entire yurt in polar fleece before we put the cover from Yurts of America, www.yurtsofamerica.com, on the outside. When the temp outside goes below about 55 at night, we build a fire. If it goes below about 30, we add a space heater or two and put on heavy socks and a sweater. That's all it takes. We don't have too many nights here in the teens, but when we do, we just bundle up and we're comfortable. We also get most of our wood from fallen trees on our own land.
So, the answer to your question is: Yes. We're warm enough. We're toasty most nights and comfortable on practically every night. This is the way our ancestors lived. They woke up to cold mornings. They used the fuel the land willingly gave. They piled on the blankets and they snuggled. And so do we in Yurt-land. Come over sometime and I'll make a cup of soy Hot Chocolate for you and we'll put our toes up in front of the fire. It'll be grand!
