When the Peterson family needed a beautiful yet practical guest accommodation for their farm in Vermont – and after considering everything from yurts to Airstreams – they found their answer in two beautiful shepherd’s huts from Plankbridge…
Can you tell us what inspired you to buy your Plankbridge huts?
On our Vermont farm we have a very small house; we like to think of it as cozy – but not much in the way of guest accommodations. Having three adult children and friends we are always encouraging to visit, we needed an easy, aesthetic solution that did not require the time and expense of constructing a traditional “guest house” or addition to our existing house. We also wanted something unique – our huts are certainly that!
How did you hear about us and why did you choose Plankbridge over other hut makers?
We looked at all sorts of solutions: yurts, tiny houses, even iconic vintage Airstream travel trailers. For various reasons from climate resilience to cost and efficiency to local zoning regulations the hut concept seemed to make a lot of sense. It helped that they are in theory moveable and not permanent construction. We learned of Plankbridge while doing this research – we found an online article about the company – their approach and product resonated with us.
Tell us about your trip over to visit our workshop in Dorset…
Given the investment in the huts and our specific customizations, we felt it prudent to visit Plankbridge to inspect them under construction – we wanted to avoid any surprises! We were able to tie our adventure in Piddlehinton with some European travel, which was fortunate. To see Plankbridge’s craftmanship in action was great, as was the ability to make some small changes to our specs based on observation. We stayed at The Pig in Dorset and slept in Plankbridge huts at the hotel, which was fun. We also attended the Chelsea Flower Show in London to see several Plankbridge huts there.
Can you describe your huts and how you use them?
We have two identical units from an internal layout, features and construction standpoint. They are aligned north-south to take advantage of the incredible eastern view of our pasture and apple orchard, dropping away to the Green Mountains in the distance. We have friends and family stay in the huts when visiting. Our son and daughter-in-law actually lived in the huts for a couple weeks straight (taking their meals in the house).
How was your experience of shipping your huts from the UK to Vermont?
Setting aside the tragedy of the Baltimore bridge collapse (that was our huts’ intended port of discharge) the actual logistics i.e. movement of the huts went very smoothly. We opted for roll-on/roll-off vessel carriage which necessitated the temporary installation of rubber treads to the huts’ iron wheels – the Plankbridge team were very creative in developing a workable solution. The haulage on each end of the voyage went very smoothly, including the much longer trucking from an alternative port (Brunswick, Georgia) to our farm.
What logistics were involved in getting the huts to your property?
The climate in Vermont, with its huge variations in temperature from summer to winter necessitated some special site preparations – concrete pads to eliminate frost heave, deeply buried water and sewer lines, electrical/internet conduit and a gravel access road to the site. Once soil conditions supported construction (after Vermont’s infamous “mud season”) our contractor got to work. The trucking company delivered both huts to a nearby large, level farmyard where they were unwrapped and inspected (no damage!). A smaller ramp-deck truck then shuttled the huts one-at-a-time to our site where a crane placed them (it was decided crane placement would be easiest). The utilities were then hooked-up and we placed our soft goods and furnishings, making them ready for guests!
How do your huts fit into the Vermont landscape?
Vermont, being part of New England, is primarily rural—farms, dairies, villages, gravel lanes connecting them all. Our town, Cornwall, has a history of sheep farming. From that perspective, the huts are a “perfect fit” (although the shepherd’s hut concept is not indigenous to the area). But more importantly, the huts’ design, our choice of finishes, placement on the property and landscaping helps them blend in and appear natural in the environment.
How well do the huts handle the seasons?
One of the innovations with our huts is the installation of “mini split” heat pumps for climate control. We increased the wall, floor and ceiling thickness as well, and built an insulated chase to protect the utilities run from hut to ground. This being our first winter with the huts (and not anticipating visitors), we had the huts “winterized”—plumbing drained and blown out, etc. Plankbridge made this easy by installing drain valves and air hose connections to the water supply plumbing. Next year, we plan to keep the huts heated and used over the winter!
What’s your favourite feature in the huts?
We love the coziness of the huts, their uniqueness and readily visible craftsmanship. It sets the tone for our guests’ visit. The huts are an amazing combination of practical, efficient and charming – the layout, the finishes and conveniences inside make for a very comfortable and unique stay for our family and guests.
- Read our blog ‘Handcrafted in England, delivered to the US’
