Hello again from the Fall '17 JMBS semester. This week was supposed to be spent on the trail, but due to inclement weather, we've pushed it back. So I figured I'd share an observation I've had over the "course" of the -heh- course. I spent the spring and most of the summer running youth programs, and […]
Read More
In episode 25 we talk about crafting as a necessity for a self-reliant lifestyle, touching on three reasons why craft matters: freedom from consumerism, deep knowledge and appreciation of the land, and confidence that you can make what you need.
Update about appropriate pot systems for the Wilderness Bushcraft Semester. We've solved the problem of lids for the 2 quart stainless pails. As a result, we recommend bringing two of these to field school programs. From the Wilderness Bushcraft Semester Gear List: • Cook pot with a bail handle Will be used for cooking food […]
Read More
Cold cracking. Epoxied three of our royalex boats over the weekend that cracked last winter. Fleet back at 100%. #fulltanglifestyle Continue Reading...
Oiling a canvas pack, DIY waxed canvas. Equal parts boiled linseed oil and wax, heat until the wax melts, brush it on. Dry it for a few weeks. #fulltanglifestyle Continue Reading...
Hello again from the Fall ’17 JMBS semester. This week was supposed to be spent on the trail, but due to inclement weather, we’ve pushed it back. So I figured I’d share an observation I’ve had over the “course” of the -heh- course. I spent the spring and most of the summer running youth programs, and […] Continue Reading...
Late summer of 2017 has been marked by extremely dry weather and low water in the Aroostook river. We have a USGS monitor station here in Masardis just upriver from the field school, and today (September 3rd, 2017) it showed the river flowing at 74 cubic feet per second. That’s the lowest I’ve seen it […] Continue Reading...
Just a quick update on life at the Jack Mountain field school. We’re two weeks in, and things are starting to pick up speed. Students have taken to camp life quickly, learning the ins and outs of cooking over an open fire, processing firewood, etc. We’ve been having a lot of fun getting to know each […] Continue Reading...
Many people these days are interested in learning how to go off the grid; to learn the systems needed to be self-sufficient in a remote location. These systems can include a humanure toilet system, rocket stove and open fire cooking systems, food storage systems, grey water systems, homemade solar power and hot water systems, and […] Continue Reading...
I have had the good fortune to learn from and call friend many of the titans of bushcraft and wilderness guiding. Knowing and learning from them has had a huge impact on my life and career. I won’t name names, but I don’t have to; if you’re reading this you probably already know half of […] Continue Reading...
Hey everyone, Christopher Russell from Jack Mountain and School of the forest here, This summer I got to help out with Jack Mountain’s summer woodsman course at our field school in Maine. Two fathers took part in this course with their sons, and it was really great to watch them learning together, as well as […] Continue Reading...
People who write books or teach usually base their writing or instruction on one of three sources: Imagination: They write or teach what they imagine something to be like. Purely hypothetical. Research: They interview others in person or via what they’re written, and then draw conclusions from other’s experience. They don’t have the experience themselves. […] Continue Reading...
Summer’s in full swing, and so is School Of The Forest. We’ve just finished up a weeklong “Outdoor Skills” course at Squam Lake Natural Science center, and next on our list is another outdoor living class at the Libby Museum in Wolfeboro, NH. It’ll be a fun week, with teens in the course learning basic […] Continue Reading...
In episode 25 we talk about crafting as a necessity for a self-reliant lifestyle, touching on three reasons why craft matters: freedom from consumerism, deep knowledge and appreciation of the land, and confidence that you can make what you need. Continue Reading...
We talk about our approach teaching the Wilderness Bushcraft Semester course, discuss the role of framing, how honesty is crucial, the difference between teaching kids (pedagogy) and adults (androgogy), as well as recap what we did during week 1 of the fall '17 WBS. Continue Reading...
In episode 23 of the podcast Ben Spencer and I discussed what veterans attending the Jack Mountain Bushcraft School using the GI Bill or Vocational Rehab need to know about using their benefits, how to prepare for a course, and what to expect while on a course. For our list of topics we covered the […] Continue Reading...
For episode 22 I spoke with professional forager Jenna Rozelle Darcy about wild food, foraging as a business, and using wild plants as part of a daily lifestyle. Jenna has been a professional forager for 5 years, selling what she gathers at farmers markets, to chefs, and direct to clients. She also teaches foraging classes […] Continue Reading...
On episode 21 I speak with my old friend Chris Knapp of the Koviashuvik Local Living School in Temple, Maine. Chris has two decades of experience homesteading, teaching, guiding, and living close to the land. During our talk we discuss their Simple Life Internship, which is coming in 2018. At the end of our discussion […] Continue Reading...
About JMBS Media
– 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 and blog.
Update about appropriate pot systems for the Wilderness Bushcraft Semester. We’ve solved the problem of lids for the 2 quart stainless pails. As a result, we recommend bringing two of these to field school programs. From the Wilderness Bushcraft Semester Gear List: • Cook pot with a bail handle Will be used for cooking food […] Continue Reading...
Short video of poling a canoe in fast water, shot during the spring Wilderness Bushcraft Semester. The expedition canoe skills we teach are a long way from a short paddle on the pond. Professor Ben Spencer was coaching from the bow in this shot. The water was fast and deeper than it looked; challenging conditions […] Continue Reading...
I was recently in touch with Thomas Clayton from Wander & Roam Media. Ten years ago he came out the field school and shot this video. We’re talking about collaborating on another project in the future. This video is the favorite Jack Mountain video of a few people I’ve heard from, and this version is […] Continue Reading...
Older video of a hand drill coal being made with a closeup on the fireboard. This is from 2007 (and rocking that 240p resolution), but demonstrates that with the right materials and a some experience, getting a friction fire coal doesn’t need to take a lot of time or energy. Remember that it is very […] Continue Reading...
A show and tell of three options for personal pots for the Wilderness Bushcraft Semester, as well as the 8″ dutch oven we recommend. There are lots of other options that will work, these are just the most common. Links to where you can purchase them are on our Wilderness Bushcraft Semester gear list. Continue Reading...
