This lovely timber framed cabin was built by and for the Moondogs cooperative, a group of friends who share this land in Corinth, Vermont as a retreat space. In the long run, it may be one of several cabins where members of the cooperative live and share land, but for now, this simple space will serve as a way for these friends to gather, stay warm overnight, and chart out the cooperatives’ future. TimberHomes played a small and satisfying part in this wonderful project – cutting the timber frame and running the raising.
One Moondogs cooperative member contacted us with a fully formed design. We offered advice and tweaks to the plans, and then set to work ordering timbers. This client was involved in all aspects of the project, from felling trees and sawing boards long before we got involved, to making the doors and windows himself. In line with that spirit, he spent a week working in our Vershire shop on the timber frame, learning the craft and contributing to the labor. It was a delightful experience in both directions.
When the frame was ready, members of the Moondogs cooperative came to assemble sections of the building, and raise it. For a cabin or any similar sized building, hand raisings are an efficient way to get a frame up quickly, and can be cheaper and safer than hiring a crane. TimberHomes has a long and happy history of directing hand raisings, and the format worked perfectly for this group. The cooperative took back over the project from there, insulating, enclosing, and finishing it before snow started to fly. The cabin has no electricity or running water, but can be a cozy, indoor place to be in Corinth’s chilly winters. We look forward to seeing how the Moondogs project unfolds from here, and love their design of this small timber frame cabin.
