Two brothers with a deep love for the outdoors built an idyllic yurt deep in the woods of Maine that appears to be the perfect getaway- but there’s a big drawback.
Jason and Matt Duff had no background in construction when they started working on their dream yurt. ‘Neither of were builders at all,’ Jason Duff admitted.
Undeterred, the brothers decided to build their sustainable paradise anyway, drawing on their wealth of knowledge in the environmental sciences.
The Duffs spent time tracking down the perfect piece of land on which to create their yurt that would have minimal impact on the surrounding environment and resources.
Two brothers with a deep love for the outdoors built an idyllic yurt deep in the woods of Maine that appears to be the perfect getaway- but there’s a big drawback
Beginning the project in March 2023, the brothers worked tirelessly over the next four months and completed the yurt in July
Beginning the project in March 2023, the brothers worked tirelessly over the next four months and completed the yurt in July.
When it was finished, the yurt was 20 feet in diameter and weighed more than 500 pounds.
Although the Duffs’ creation was grander than anticipated- equipped with a solar-powered outdoor kitchen and shower- there was one major catch:
Dwellers would have to use a composting outhouse.
A composting outhouse is one that does not use water for flushing. Instead, human waste is treated and turned into compost.
Given Maine’s icy weather and snowy conditions, this means that the inhabitants will have to endure the elements in order to use the bathroom.
What’s more, the bathroom walls don’t appear to be insulated, which means that using the bathroom in the winter, when the average temperature plunges to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, would be an ordeal.
A composting outhouse is one that does not use water for flushing. Instead, human waste is treated and turned into compost (fertilizer). Given Maine’s icy weather and snowy conditions, this means that the inhabitants will have to endure the elements in order to use the bathroom
What’s more, the bathroom walls don’t appear to be insulated, which means that using the bathroom in the winter, when the average temperature plunges to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, would be an ordeal
Finding potable drinking water has also been a challenge- one that has required ingenuity to solve.
Another caveat is that the yurt is remote and only accessible via a narrow path that takes five minutes to travel.
The distance between their piece of land and the rest of the world posed a challenge for the brothers when undertaking construction of their yurt.
‘We had to carry that a solid ways into the woods just on a narrow forest path,’ Matt Duff told elsworthamerican.
He added: ‘Literally foot by foot, it took us quite a while.’
But the Duffs were smitten with their remote piece of land. It was situated alongside a stream and a pond, and by purchasing it, the brothers hoped to forestall any other kind of development on the property.
‘It was just a beautiful but totally undeveloped piece of forest land,’ gushed Jason Duff, who worked for the Portland Water Quality District and studied aquatic ecology in graduate school.
Jason (left) and Matt (right) Duff had no background in construction when they started working on their dream yurt
‘We were really excited about the possibilities,’ Jason added.
Not long after the brothers started documenting the construction of their yurt, they were contacted by producers at Discovery Network’s ‘Building off the Grid,’ a reality show that focuses on sustainable building projects.
The television series wanted the brothers to appear in an episode, which was a dream come true for the Duffs, as they are supporters of the show.
‘We had been fans of that show,’ Jason said, before adding, ‘we had already watched like every episode.
Matt, who has a degree in earth science and hydrogeology, said that it was their shared love for the reality series that inspired them to build their yurt in the first place.
‘[The show] pushed us to look for land,’ Matt said. ‘It kept inspiring us to keep going.’
The program’s tight filming schedule compelled the brothers to work at a faster pace and pushed them to devote their weekends and downtime to working on the yurt.
When it was finished, the yurt was 20 feet in diameter and weighed more than 500 pounds
Around the yurt, the Duffs built a deck of about 100 pieces of wood. With solar-powered tools, the brothers also constructed a greenhouse and garden box fashioned from reclaimed wood
‘It worked out well because it forced us to get it all done quickly,’ Jason said.
While most yurts are made from kits with milled lumber, the brothers opted for a more environmentally-friendly option that comprised harvested and dried saplings.
‘You can tell it’s very unique,’ Matt said.
The brothers assembled the pieces of the yurt like they were parts of an accordion and concluded construction by covering the structure with a robust canvas sheet.
Around the yurt, the Duffs built a deck of about 100 pieces of wood. With solar-powered tools, the brothers also constructed a greenhouse and garden box fashioned from reclaimed wood.
Since its completion in July 2023, the yurt has endured one winter, emerging with only minor damages.
‘It was totally fine all winter long,’ Jason said, noting that it managed heavy snowfall.
While most yurts are made from kits with milled lumber, the brothers opted for a more environmentally-friendly option that comprised harvested and dried saplings
The Duffs are quick to acknowledge the tremendous help and support they received from their family, girlfriends and friends.
Before their episode of ‘Building off the Grid’ aired on June 6, the brothers spoke of their fear that it would appear like they had constructed the yurt on their own.
‘My biggest concern with the show is they’re gonna make it look like Matt and I did it all,’ Jason said. ‘That’s just not true at all.’
‘I’m just really appreciative of all the help we had for the whole thing,’ Matt added.
