Rainy day, but first one in ten weeks I'm not running a course. Getting excited about the canoe expedition.  

Finishing a pack basket. One of many projects being completed this afternoon, the last one on the Woodsman course.  

Making a burn bowl by the campfire. Super-productive week on the Woodsman course.  

Fire by friction with a bow drill. One of the technologies that got us where we are as a species.  

15 minutes later, some dirt and a piece of angle iron cut in half, and the new rocket stove is cooking lunch.  

Making a new rocket stove for our outdoor kitchen. Metal can, stove pipe, hammer and cold chisel.  

Making rope with hand spinners. Back to the basics.  

Building saw frames and getting ready for the rain, JMBS Woodsman Course.  

Woodsman course, tents in the field. Off to a busy start with the four axe majors and carving bow drills.  

Primitive tool kit as final project. Stick a fork in our 30th long-term immersion program, it's done.  

Crossbow as a final project. Wilderness Bushcraft Semester # 30, nine weeks almost over.  

Two epic days canoeing the Big Machias river and Pratt Stream. Big water & tons of wildlife.  

Pulling braintan buckskin on a cable. This is where the magic transformation happens: from slimy hide to buckskin.  

Beginning the braintanning process today: fleshing and scraping deer hides. Will eventually become mukluks.  

Full rain buckets, 2nd day of rain. Always amazed at the human response to weather. Can quickly crush group morale.  

Pouring rain and 49 degrees. June in northern Maine.  

Out enjoying the 2.3 miles of new trails at the field school. Aroostook river on the left.  

Finishing a pack basket. Wilderness Bushcraft Semester week 7 is full of big craft projects  

Shave horse, spoke shave, wood becoming a canoe paddle. Hand tools and going slow.  

First-time paddle maker, turned out beautiful.  

Wilderness Bushcraft Semester week 7: nets, hammocks, paddles and pack baskets.