The story of the Blue Caddisfly

Heather-Marie built her tinyhouse from the ground up with the help of her father, Tom Bloom.

Note: Before moving to our farm in Barnum, Heather-Marie lived in a tinyhouse that she would move from location to location as she leased land where she would farm. Here is the story of that tinyhouse, named the Blue Caddisfly.

I’m sure you have two questions: what is a tinyhouse and what in the world is a caddisfly?! I’ll get to the tinyhouse question in a second.

A caddisfly is one of my favorite things from the natural world.  It’s an insect that as an adult is moth-like.  As larvae, they live under water in cases that I think resemble sleeping bags.

They make these cases of pebbles, sand, twigs and take their home with them!  Seems like a perfect name, not only for my current lifestyle of being on the move but also for the basis for my house.

Let’s just be clear, I have very few construction skills.  In no way could I have taken this task on by myself.

Heather-Marie and her father, Tom Bloom, stand next to the trailer they found that will become the rolling foundation of the tinyhouse. Tom lived in the Twin Cities when the tiny house was being built and came up on weekends and vacation days to help with the construction.

I had lots of help from generous friends and family, especially my dad, Tom Bloom.  I was more like the apprentice under my Dad’s tutelage.  My Dad and I began building the caddisfly in the fall of 2011.  I first bought a dual axle trailer.  We built a base of 2×6’s and bolted that to the trailer, which is the biggest difference between it and “normal” house with a foundation.  The house was framed up just like any house with windows, a loft and an angled roof.  This was a little beyond my Dad and I, so a couple of friends framed up the house as part of a barter (they framed up the house and I house/animal sat for one and gave a veggie share to the other).

The finished size was 8 feet wide, 28 feet long and 13 and a half feet high from ground to roof (these are to road restrictions). A layer of 1-inch foam was added to the outside and covered with house wrap.   Bright, blue metal siding was added after all the windows were put in.  We got it sided in time to move in the spring of 2012.  It was moved to Wrenshall where I farmed and ran my CSA.  Slowly throughout the summer, the bathroom and entry way walls were added.

We hadn’t put in the big window because we were afraid it might crack in the move.  That was put in over the summer, too.  Then electricity was hooked up.  It was an exciting day when I could flip a switch and a light went on!

It turned out that another move was in the stars, so in the fall of 2012, the house was moved to my friends’ place in Saginaw. Over the winter, cabinets were put in; insulation, ceiling and wall coverings added.  I have a compost toilet. Plumbing will eventually be added.

I do a lot of cooking and baking, so I decided on a full-size oven.  It feels a bit oversized but will be great to have.

Many of my materials were bought second hand or salvaged.  A friend of mine built my kitchen cabinets and a pantry was added.  All my appliances are on propane — oven, heater and refrigerator.  Eventually, we trimmed around windows and walls, built shelves in the bathroom, and installed living room bookcases. Someday, I’d like to build a freestanding porch in front of the tinyhouse.

With south-facing windows, the tinyhouse is warmed by sunlight and offers great views for watching the seasons go by.

Today, the Caddisfly has a permanent home, sitting on a small rise at the edge of our field with a beautiful view of the field, woods and wetlands. We are currently exploring the idea of renting the house to people who would like to find some peace and quiet.