Episode 65 of the Jack Mountain Bushcraft Podcast, recorded on Halfway Day on the spring, 2019 Wilderness Bushcraft Semester course. We catch up with the students and get some of their insights, discuss Christopher’s love affair with his new (to him) canoe, and talk about possibly differentiating the spring and fall semesters in 2020, with the spring semester being focused on training wilderness canoe and fishing guides and the fall semester focusing on bushcraft and primitive living skills.

PHOTO: Christopher in his new EM White canoe.

Kid-Friendly? Profanity In This Episode:

Episode 64 of the Jack Mountain Bushcraft Podcast is about how all outdoor knowledge is local knowledge, and how the idea of a global expert is a myth. For the episode I was joined by old friend and frequent podcast guest Blake Towsley.

PHOTO: Allagash falls from the canoe, taken summer 2018.

Kid-Friendly? Profanity In This Episode:

Links:

For episode 63 of the JMB Podcast we gathered with the students on the current Wilderness Bushcraft Semester in the Guide Shack on a cool morning before heading down to the river. We check in with Jeremy and Anthony and get their perspective on the course, the realities of living outdoors, using hand tools, and how their experience is unfolding.

PHOTO: Anthony poling on the Aroostook river.

Episode 62 is about how to know a place. Part of what we teach on our immersion programs is how to be at home in the forest. This includes both academic and experiential components, which we discuss. We also talk about the Masardis glacier and give an update about our articulation agreement with the University of Maine at Presque Isle.

PHOTO: Ben Spencer poling on the Sebeois river.

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PHOTO: Cooking and baking on an open fire at the field school.

Links:

• Mental Toughness Is The Key To Training.

PHOTO: Shot from a fire tower in the North Maine Woods.

Links:

• JMBS Calendar.

PHOTO: From left to right: Blake, Christopher, Tim.

Links:

• Brushfire Rendezvous, October 11-13, 2019.

Scott Oeth is the owner of Bull Moose Patrol, a Registered Maine Guide, a Jack Mountain Bushcraft School alumnus, a featured speaker at Canoecopia and the Outdoor Adventure Expo and a father of 3. Raised in Madison, Wisconsin and active in scouts, Scott lives with his family in the twin cities of Minnesota.

In episode 58 Scott and I talk about balancing an outdoor business with a full time job, decision making in outdoor leadership, and the regional differences between Maine and Minnesota with regard to geography and outdoor skills.

PHOTO: Scott (in back) and Sam Larson (in front) poling canoes in the Aroostook River during the 2012 Riverman course. An hour later it started raining and the water level rose several feet overnight.

Links:

• Bull Moose Patrol, Scott’s website.
• Canoecopia, paddlesports show in Madison, Wisconsin.
• Outdoor Adventure Expo, outdoor show in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Blake Towsley is an old friend, purveyor of uncouth fire side talk (his description), and the owner of Le Club De Raquette de SRF. In this episode we discuss winter camping, winter weather trends, his line of traditional snowshoe and canoe gear, freedom cabbage, and upcoming winter camping trips.

PHOTO: Blake and Tim in the Guide Shack at the field school.

Links:

• LeclubderaquettedeSRF, Blake’s Instagram page.

Jeff Hatch is the owner of Raven Wilderness School in western Massachusetts, an ambassador for Fjallraven, has more instagram followers than we can count, and is an all-around great guy. Ed Butler and I sat down with Jeff on a breezy day to discuss his school, the role of social media in promoting small business, how he became a brand ambassador, and his upcoming events at Fjallraven stores in Vermont and New York City.

We also discuss Ed’s first fish through the ice of the winter, tell a few stories, and give advice for young people getting started in the outdoor industry.

PHOTO: Jeff Hatch, Tim Smith & Ed Butler (from left to right). Photo by Jessica.

Links:

• Raven Wilderness School, Jeff’s website. Go there for links to his Instagram and a schedule of his courses and Fjallraven events. Note: Fika event is on 1/12 in NYC.
• New England Bushcraft Show May, 2019, the 2nd annual New England Bushcraft Show.
• Global Bushcraft Symposium June, 2019 in Alberta, Canada.
• Working Class Woodsman, Ed’s website. Go there for links to his podcast and YouTube. You should subscribe to both.