Ever been in a Yurt? They suck balls. I stayed in one at Rose Creek Campground, Maryville, TN. Oh, don't go to Rose Creek. That place blows too.
Not true, many pine log cabins in the Apalachians are 250 years old. The log design affects splitting, and how the walls shed water. Forget a kit, and round logs on the east coast, go with flat side logs (8x12), heart cut, 3.5 inch spacing, w/dovetail joined corners. A local lumber yard can usually cutfairly cheap, and any good timber framer can dovetail and assemble.
Call these guys: http://www.mysheds.net/ They're an Amish outfit in SE PA. They prefab buildings and have shipped as far away as Colorado. I got a 2 car, 20x24 garage with 400 square feet upstairs for ~$16,000. Granted, that's just the structure, with delivery and installation. I had them leave off the siding, because I didn't like the look. I finished it myself with Hardi Shingle siding, and Azek trim board. I had another crew do the foundation, roofing, and drywall. I did the electrical, and also installed the windows and garage doors. If you cut out all the 'extras' I threw in: poured foundation, extra thick concrete pad (insulated w/ radiant tubing), standing seam metal roof, big gutters, Hardi siding, Azek trim, spray foam insulation, double glazed, low-e windows, man doors on either side, triple layer insulated garage doors (even if they are from Costco) You could cut the total cost down to ~$40k. I did a lot of extras because I'm getting to the Idontwanttohavetofuckwithitforalongtime stage. Granted, this is a garage, not a cabin, but fill in the garage doors, and go with windows, and it could easily be a really nice small house. But, the company I bought from, Stoltzfus, also does cabins. They aren't on the website, but you could probably get a 2BR, 1BA prefab with a kitchen for about $30k. If you call, ask for Jonathan. Nice guy. Even though he's Amish, he does phones, and e-mail. Only down sides are having to understand the thick Amish accent, and the fact that he likes to call you back early in the AM. Really effing early.
+1, they come in some pretty good sizes. Good enough for thousands of years for Mongolians, good enough for ADVers!! I seriously doubt they'd get blown away down south, there are ass kicking winds on the Mongolian Steppes!
Dude!! I went to school with part of the Stolzfus clan!! But, they are a HUGE freaking family. That's all. Not everyday you see their name.. Carry on..
It's also worth mentioning that the pine of 250 years ago (or even 100 years ago) was VERY different from what you'll get today. Long leaf (probably heart) pine is a far superior wood to today's fast-growing yellow pine. I've seen log homes out of Florida made out of cypress; I'd think that'd hold up well.