Adventures of an Imperfect Man In Search of a Handmade Life
I began version one of my Vardo Caravan eleven years ago this month. As I published updates and details along the way people have for a detailed "how to" for building a vardo. Since everyone's needs, skills, and resources are different, I will leave the task to others. My suggestions are this. Decide on your … Continue reading Building Your Own Vardo
Here's a wonderful old photograph of a "Tinker Family in Scotland." It is believed to be taken sometime in the 1920s but the location was not identified. The wagon could just about pass for a western American sheep camp. Even thought they had the wealth to own a wagon it was still a pretty tough … Continue reading Tinker Family in Scotland
Today, it's sheep camps from Wyoming from the Wyoming Tales and Trails webpage. Great photos and some good information about Western history. Note the important things; wood stove, wash pan hanging on the door, the big tub sitting outside, and a fiddle for company. I could spend a good chunk of my life like this! Another … Continue reading Wyoming Sheepherders
It was a lonely life on the range. “Even if a herder does not particularly care for reading, he will be driven to it in self-defense." I wanted to re-share a good story about sheepherding life. Gilfillan was a shepherd for 20 years and went on to become a well-known humorist, author, and speaker. "Archie … Continue reading A Story of an Old Time Sheepherder
I love these the old sheepherder camps. I've seen quite a few parked on ranches from Colorado to Idaho and even a few in Arizona. I know they aren't highway capable but it seems they could provide a real housing alternative for low-income minimalists who have access to land. Far better than a housing complex … Continue reading A Fine Old Sheepherder Wagon
(from the Paleotool vault) I love these things. I saw quite a few parked on ranches from Colorado to Idaho last week. I know they aren't highway capable but it seems they could provide a real housing alternative for low-income minimalists. Way better than a housing complex or apartment for sure. The photos link to … Continue reading Yet Another Sheepherder…
(from the Paleotool vault) A lonely life on the range. “Even if a herder does not particularly care for reading, he will be driven to it in self-defense”. This is a good story about sheepherding life. Gilfillan was a shepherd for 20 years and went on to become a humorist, author, and speaker. "Archie Gilfillan … Continue reading A Sheepherder in South Dakota Magazine…
(from the Paleotool vault) Here's a great story I read years ago about being raised in a family of six in a sheep camp measuring about 7 x 8'! (I think that's the floor space). I recently relocated the article in Mother Earth News. Here's an excerpt: "The canvas-covered sheep wagon was roughly about seven … Continue reading Growing Up on the Range…
(from the Paleotool vault) Sheep camps from Wyoming from the Wyoming Tales and Trails webpage. Great photos and some good information concerning everything "western." A self-contained base camp in a sheep wagon provides a cozy home on the prairie. A beautiful culmination of cultures a innovations created this iconic American living arrangement. We can learn a … Continue reading Wyoming Sheepherders Again
They are everywhere right now. He must get some rain down that stove pipe.
A Tumblr follower spotted my interest in sheep wagons and other classic mobile lifestyles. They sent me this excellent link to a short (20 minute) documentary from faircompanies.com. It's a nice overview of sheep wagon design old and new by a couple making and selling old-fashioned Sheep Camps. https://youtu.be/I0m6MpjFvS8 And here are a few older … Continue reading Even More About Sheep Wagons!
I love these old sheep camps. There are many on ranches from New Mexico to Idaho and beyond in old sheep and cattle country. They aren't highway capable but it seems they could provide a real housing alternative for low-income minimalists. For many of us, living this way would be far better than a housing … Continue reading A Classic Sheep Wagon in a Modern Setting
Here are a few classic Sheep Camps from the Wyoming Tales and Trails webpage. There are some great photos and some good information on their web page. I personally took a lot of inspiration from these resourceful and low-cost housing solutions. There's a lot of other information and photos of western history here too. Have a … Continue reading Sheepherders’ Camps
"Victor Croley grew up with a sheepherder father, his family of six lived happily in a wagon like this, entertained by the outdoors and a fiddle." Victor Croley describes growing up in a nomadic family of six with a sheepherder wagon for home and how years down the road he felt the urge to build … Continue reading A Story of Growing Up in a Sheep Wagon
I have posted quite a few images and links to classic old-time sheep camps here over the years. If you travel the small byways of the Mountain West you will still see plenty of old sheep camps in use or parked around ranch houses today. But the sheep camp isn't just a thing of … Continue reading Sheep Camps are Alive and Well in the West
Cruising the interwebs this morning, looking for some images of caravans I came across this nice sheep wagon on Blacksmith Angel's Tumblr blog. I love the photo but there's no information with it.
вардо, that's Russian for Vardo; and it certainly looks more interesting in Cyrillic. Searching some Russian pages for vardo information yielded a wealth of photos and some interesting information about Traveler culture in Eastern Europe. There's as much fascination with the Traveler lifestyle in the largest country on Earth as there is on this side … Continue reading Vardo News, Russian Style
Kent Griswold posted another fine link to sheepherder wagons. The community provides the few essentials not found in the wagon itself; shower, full kitchen, internet, etc. Watch the video here. Or see it on AOL's website.
Mick's bowtop is coming along nicely, and has even hit the road for an extended camping trip. The canvas cover is attached but, unlike it's historical cousins, there is wood all the way around the roof for strength and security. Mick's cabinet-making skills are paying off in the details including the hand-built bay window, dutch … Continue reading Mick’s Bowtop Progress
What a great wagon. I wish my creativity could approach this level of beauty.
Preindustrial Craftsmanship 