We live in a world that likes to chop things up into bite-size pieces and analyze each part in order to understand the bigger picture at play. This method of engaging with learning material works well for some but has one downfall that I find pretty severe. It’s easy to get bogged down in individual […]
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For episode 98 of the JMB podcast, we discuss the process of developing wilderness instructors and guides. We outline the following steps to the process: Take a course and get the Journeyman certification Take a medical class, first aid or wilderness first responder Take and pass the test to become a Registered Maine Guide Go […]
Read more
This minidocumentary walks through the 2020-2021 Friluftsliv Forest Program students’ experience as they prepare for, and participate in their “halfway point” culminating exercise. Students on the FFP take part in a winter overnight, with only a fire and shelter they’ve built to stay warm. This experience shows the students how far they’ve come over the […]
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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...
We live in a world that likes to chop things up into bite-size pieces and analyze each part in order to understand the bigger picture at play. This method of engaging with learning material works well for some but has one downfall that I find pretty severe. It’s easy to get bogged down in individual […] Continue Reading...
After struggling to keep up with a wide variety of different communication channels over the last few years, I’ve decided that it’s too much and have decided to simplify the channels I stay current with. Social media messages, email, texts, comments, messenger, whatsapp, etc. – it all adds up. These days every website seems to […] Continue Reading...
We had another signup for the inaugural family bushcraft week at the SOTF campus in southern Vermont. That brings the course registration to half its maximum, so if you’re interested in spending a family vacation learning outdoor skills, cooking over a campfire, and sleeping under the stars, register soon. We’ve cut the maximum number of […] Continue Reading...
The instructor-student relationship needs to be based on honesty and verifiable facts. If someone asks me a question as to whether I’ve eaten a certain plant, I can tell them yes or no, as well as what I thought about it. If someone asks me about the medicinal properties of a plant, the waters are […] Continue Reading...
Our next online course topic will be part of a series on outdoor cooking, and will be focused on thermal cooking. I want to make people’s transition to life at the field school, or life in general for those who will never join us at the field school, easier. Being efficient with food preparation, and […] Continue Reading...
We’re adding a new program this summer; a 3-week introductory course for those who want to learn to live and travel safely and with style by canoe in the back country. After a decade of running our 4-week Wilderness Canoe Expedition Semester, we’re changing things up a bit, shortening it by a week, and adding […] Continue Reading...
In this episode, we chat with Jenna Rozelle. Jenna is a homesteader, professional forager, and member of Back Country Hunters and Anglers. Through all of her work she aims to bring people to a place of greater understanding about the ecosystems they inhabit, and as we discuss in the podcast, brings a sense of art […] Continue Reading...
Today I put the final coats of varnish on an ash paddle I’ve been making on and off in downtime for the last few months. It’s been a joy to watch it come to life after getting the ash board from a local fellah who mills his own material for his cabinetry business. That means […] Continue Reading...
For episode 98 of the JMB podcast, we discuss the process of developing wilderness instructors and guides. We outline the following steps to the process: Take a course and get the Journeyman certification Take a medical class, first aid or wilderness first responder Take and pass the test to become a Registered Maine Guide Go […] Continue Reading...
It’s near the end of the fall semester, so we invited some of the current Wilderness Bushcraft Semester students into the Guide Shack so you could hear directly from them about their thoughts about the course. Listen in as they describe their experience and answer a few questions about it. PHOTO: Spring semester students at […] Continue Reading...
We offer several different types of programs, and in this episode of the podcast we describe and define what they are and who they’re for. Two weeks to go in the fall, 2020 Wilderness Bushcraft Semester. PHOTO: Big breakfast in camp. Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 96 | Differentiating Professional Training Programs Kid-Friendly? Kid friendly, […] Continue Reading...
Minimalism in the wild. In episode 95 of the JMB Podcast Christopher and I discuss the idea of minimalism as compared and contrasted with ultralight in the backcountry. We often discuss our traditional approach to camping, characterized by heavy gear and lots of it. But we also enjoy going light with improvised gear. Going light […] Continue Reading...
In episode 94 of the JMB Podcast Christopher and I discuss the concept of transference; where lessons learned in one space are applied in a different space, in a different way. Sometimes called lateral thinking, it’s about developing deep knowledge. It’s also about developing deep knowledge of problems to be solved. PHOTO: Frost on the […] Continue Reading...
This minidocumentary walks through the 2020-2021 Friluftsliv Forest Program students’ experience as they prepare for, and participate in their “halfway point” culminating exercise. Students on the FFP take part in a winter overnight, with only a fire and shelter they’ve built to stay warm. This experience shows the students how far they’ve come over the […] Continue Reading...
A short video about the Solo experience that students on our long term wilderness living experiences take part in. Video taken at a remote lake in the north Maine woods over the course of three days. Continue Reading...
In this short video, we walk through our newly built group shelter. We’ve been consistently having nights below freezing, so having a warm space for people to dry off and defrost their bones is a big bonus for our students. Just based on the general shape and color of the structure, we’ve started referring to […] 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...
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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.
