Over the last few months, we’ve been helping to build a research database for a friction fire study. If you’ve been following along with this process, either on our online network at Bushcraftschool.com, or on the School Of The Forest Podcast you’ve seen the basic outline of what our friend Richard is aiming for with […]
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In episode 86 of the JMB podcast Christopher and I discuss the effect the coronavirus has had on each of our lives, I rant about national canoe certifications and how they’re meaningless to me after getting burned by them a few times, I explain how we’re creating our own standalone canoe certifications, and then we […]
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This video was shot a few years ago (notice the slow introduction), and features Paul Sveum demonstrating how to sanitize water (ie. make it safe to drink) when you have no pot. You need to boil it, which is why a pot is such a valuable item to carry, but you should have a backup […]
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It’s been ten years since I took this photo. The kid is now in middle school. The basket has been retired and sits in a corner of the guide shack holding fishing gear. Of all the photos I’ve ever taken, it remains in my top ten. And a reminder that life happens fast. Continue Reading...
Shot this on a northern Maine lake at the end of the fall semester. It’s a campsite on a big lake that we revere for epic sunrises. It took a while for the sun to burn through the fog, giving us the mist effect. Continue Reading...
It’s still August but the nights are getting cool. When the night air is cooler than the river water we get dramatic morning mists. I shot this on the morning of August 23, 2019, as the sun was just peeking over Squapan Ridge and the river valley was full of mist. I stood there for […] Continue Reading...
When made well, a grass mattress is portable luxury. Unlike thin sleeping pads, grass mattresses can easily be made to rival a modern mattress in thickness and comfort. They can also easily be transported, unlike bough beds. And they can be made from a variety of materials including grass, weeds, cattails, reeds, and more. They […] Continue Reading...
Smudge pots are a way of life at the field school in June and July. Take a metal coffee can, punch a few holes in it, attach a piece of chain to the rim and keep a small, smoky fire going. The smoke keeps the bugs at bay. It’s getting harder to find a metal […] Continue Reading...
Over the last few months, we’ve been helping to build a research database for a friction fire study. If you’ve been following along with this process, either on our online network at Bushcraftschool.com, or on the School Of The Forest Podcast you’ve seen the basic outline of what our friend Richard is aiming for with […] Continue Reading...
Our next live video event is scheduled for Wednesday, 4/15/20, at 11 am eastern time. It is a live video event on BushcraftSchool.com – a virtual office hours for those people taking our online courses. If you’re a member of Bushcraftschool.com, click on the Events tab. If you’re not a member, it’s free to join. […] Continue Reading...
We’ll be doing our first live video event on BushcraftSchool.com – a virtual office hours for those people taking our online courses – on Friday, April 10th from 7-7:30pm EST. If you’re a member of Bushcraftschool.com, click on the Events tab. If you’re not a member, it’s free to join. This will be our first […] Continue Reading...
If you’re taking part in our online community at bushcraftschool.com, you likely saw our first youth track course about backyard botany. It’s the first in a series of programs that will guide young people (and adults too if they’re interested) through the basics of real-world, hands-on nature studies. Another set of those courses is going […] Continue Reading...
We’re finishing up the preparations for our next online course: Introduction to outdoor cooking (Skill 117), available for free in our online community at BushcraftSchool.com. The goal is to make you an efficient outdoor cook capable of feeding yourself under a variety of conditions, NOT to make you a professional cook or chef. This will […] Continue Reading...
I’m coining a phrase today and calling it The YouTube Effect. It’s about how watching experts do something makes us overconfident, but does not make us more skilled. I was listening to the Hidden Brain podcast, specifically the episode titled “Close Enough: The Lure Of Living Through Others.” One of the segments was based on […] Continue Reading...
A lot of families are stuck indoors these days, and parents are looking for interesting things to do with their kids. Here are two things you can do right now. First, watch the Local Living Video Project from our friends at Koviashuvik Local Living School. They are posting a series of videos on outdoor skills […] Continue Reading...
Have you joined our online community at BushcraftSchool.com yet? We’re currently live with our weather understanding and observational forecasting course and adding a lesson every day. We are also about to add a few more online courses. We’ve pushed our spring semester back a few weeks due to the virus, and as such should have […] Continue Reading...
In episode 86 of the JMB podcast Christopher and I discuss the effect the coronavirus has had on each of our lives, I rant about national canoe certifications and how they’re meaningless to me after getting burned by them a few times, I explain how we’re creating our own standalone canoe certifications, and then we […] Continue Reading...
Back from a long hiatus, for episode 85 Christopher and I discuss his new project: The School Of The Forest Podcast. He’s interviewing people who are not directly in the bushcraft business, but their work can help us learn more about our world. Want to learn more? Listen to the episode. PHOTO: SOTF Podcast Page. […] Continue Reading...
For episode 84 of the JMB Podcast I sat down with Seth Walton from the Mid-Coast School Of Technology’s Outdoor Leadership Program in Rockland, Maine. We talked about his work with the program, which is currently in year one. We discuss the challenges of logistics in outdoor programming, how the realities of the job match […] Continue Reading...
For episode 83 I was joined by Christopher Russell for a discussion of upcoming programs, changes to the way students can receive college credit for their time with us, and how short shorts are making a comeback. PHOTO: Pack and axe hanging in an axe. Kid-Friendly? Yes, no profanity. Links: Jack Mountain credit through UMPI […] Continue Reading...
For episode 82 of the podcast I spoke with Ron Waline. Ron runs the Wilderness And Wellness Podcast and the Coyote’s Path website. We have a rambling discussion about education, the importance of experience, and how life is busy. Ron will be releasing this episode on his podcast as well. If you’re interested in the […] Continue Reading...
This video was shot a few years ago (notice the slow introduction), and features Paul Sveum demonstrating how to sanitize water (ie. make it safe to drink) when you have no pot. You need to boil it, which is why a pot is such a valuable item to carry, but you should have a backup […] Continue Reading...
Video by Bosum Media & Photography of our March, 2020 trip to northern Quebec. We’ve been running trips with our friends David and Anna Bosum, through their cultural tourism business Nuuhchimi Wiinuu, for 20 years. The experiences there have all been amazing. But don’t take my word for it, watch the video. Continue Reading...
The first lesson from our new Household Handcrafts course, available for free at BushcraftSchool.com. This lesson teaches how to make a folded paper or bark drinking cup. The point of the course is to learn some crafting techniques using common household items. Continue Reading...
How we manage the academic side of our professional training programs. We manage the day to day via a private group on our online community at BushcraftSchool.com. We manage the academic work and documentation via a private Google Classroom via Google Docs. Students use a tablet to complete their academic work. Continue Reading...
Featured Posts
We’ve put up a lot of posts over the years. These are some of our most popular.
– Ago Puteus Foris –
We’re a bushcraft, guide training and wilderness expedition school founded in 1999. We help people become more self-reliant and connected to the natural world using traditional skills and a few simple tools. This is our media hub, consisting of our blog, podcasts and videos.
