2005 Eastern Conference

Our Eastern Conference will commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the Guild's 1st conference. Enjoy the fall colors and join us in Burlington October 13-16.

In 1985 the Guild held its first conference at Hancock Shaker Village in Massachusetts. We will celebrate the 20th Anniversary of that event at the Sheraton Hotel and Conference Center in Burlington from October 13-16.

Pre-Conference Events

Pre-Conference activities include tours of historic Shelburne Farm and the nearby Shelburne Museum, highlights of our Conference held here in 2002. We will also have all-day certification workshops in rigging, crane use and site safety based on our new Curriculum content led by Gordon Macdonald and Steve Lawrence; a compound roof framing workshop taught by Wil Dancey and Tony Wall; and a presentation by Al Wallace targeted to individuals and company principals who are interested in completing a house apart from physically erecting the timber frame. More Pre-Conference information.

The Main Event

We have an educational and entertaining line-up of speakers and presentations for you this anniversary year. Click here to read about details of the conference on a day-to-day basis. Here are some highlights:

Keynotes

Keynote Speakers for the main Conference include John Abrams, David Eisenberg and Tom Hubka. John Abrams is the founder of South Mountain Company and the author of a new book, The Company We Keep. In his keynote, he will discuss how a craftsman addresses the challenges of a progressive small business.

David Eisenberg was a highlight of our 2005 Western Conference in Oregon, and his keynote will be titled “Moving Toward Sustainable Building and Development.” He is the Director of the Development Center for Appropriate Technology and co-author of the Straw Bale House Book.

Tom Hubka is Professor of Architecture at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and award-winning author of Resplendent Synagogue: Architecture and Worship in an Eighteenth-Century Polish Community (subject of a breakout session) and Big House, Little House, Back House, Barn: The Connected Farm Buildings of New England, which he will discuss along with his most recent work in our keynote address.

Presentations

Our popular Natural Building Track will return with all new presentations and will conclude with the Natural Building Forum, when you'll have a chance to ask questions of all these experts.

An extensive Engineering Track for both beginners and experienced designers will include topics ranging from general engineering considerations to a detailed review of member design and joinery design.

Sponsors

We want to thank the following for their contributions to help make the Conference more affordable for all of you:

• Major Sponsor: HSB-CAD ($5,000 sponsorship)
• Trade Show Sponsors: Timberwolf Tools
  Winter Panel
  Dietrich's NA
  Clarks Fork Timber
  
• Contributing Sponsor: Timber Home Living
• Auction Sponsor: Creative Home Concepts
• Summerbeam Bookstore sponsor: Duluth Timber

Please support our sponsors both during the conference and afterward, too.

Special Events

In addition to our excellent lineup of speakers, we plan to have special events, including a dance with the Cajun/Zydeco band Planet Zydeco, sponsored by long-time Guild supporters Bensonwood Homes and Dreaming Creek Timber Frame Homes, and ongoing screenings of Stone Rising, the work of legendary New England stonemason Dan Snow, and a recently released film of the TFG's Kicking Horse Covered Bridge in Golden, BC.

The Children's Discovery Workshop will return for the third straight year, and we are seeking volunteers to assist at this remarkable event.

We will also continue with our regular Conference features, including the Summerbeam Bookstore, the Slide Show, our Benefit Auction, the Trade Fair, and the annual Membership Meeting.

About Our Venue

The Sheraton Burlington Hotel is less than a mile from the Burlington (VT) airport, making the free shuttle quick and easy for those flying in. For details on the Hotel and convenient online booking of your reservation, click here or call 802-865-6600. Be sure to mention Timber Framers Guild to get the special rate of $99 per night, single or double.

This Conference will be a month earlier than our last trip to Burlington, so we can look forward sharing some fall color instead of a blizzard. See you there!