Packing up today for our final trip of the year-long Friluftsliv program. We’ll be heading up to the allagash wilderness waterway (with a short detour to visit the @jmbushcraft field school). Students will get the chance to live on the trail with everything they’ve learned over the last year. Lots of opportunities to pole, beautifulContinue reading “Heading To Maine For The Final Trip Of The Year Long Friluftsliv Program”
Author Archives: Christopher Russell
Family Bushcraft Week Is Underway At SOTf
We’re right in the middle of our family bushcraft week here at school of forest. We’ve been having a great time with it. Yesterday was not only the solstice but the fourth birthday of one of the little ones on the program. So we spent yesterday learning a bunch of ecology and wood skills andContinue reading “Family Bushcraft Week Is Underway At SOTf”
Trash, Turtles And Tragedy
I don’t usually get very preachy about conservation and leave no trace style practices. I think after all these years of being an outdoor educator, I’d rather instill a sense of understanding and fascination that builds up a respect for the natural world in people. If you respect and enjoy something, there’s a tendency toContinue reading “Trash, Turtles And Tragedy”
Nine Week Spring Semester Begins In Northern Maine
Jumped right in to learning how to tie snowshoe bindings and get used to being on snowshoes yesterday on the first day of the spring 2022 semester here at Jack Mountain. Still a lot of snow on the ground and more in the woods, so students will be on snowshoes for a bit while everythingContinue reading “Nine Week Spring Semester Begins In Northern Maine”
Getting On The Water For The First Time In 2022 With An Original EM White 20 Foot Guide Canoe
Really excited for open water, and looking forward to the friluftsliv program students getting their first round of canoe instruction this weekend. Went out to one of our local haunts here in Guilford, a little lake that’s perfect for students to get their first taste of paddling a canoe. Wanted to check to make sureContinue reading “Getting On The Water For The First Time In 2022 With An Original EM White 20 Foot Guide Canoe”
Weaving Pack Baskets On The 2021-22 Friluftsliv Immersion Program
Great weekend on the friluftsliv program. Let me introduce you to “Lola”, the very curvaceous basket made by Cindy, one of the students on this years program. I’ve taught pack basket making a couple of different ways, both on a mold and without one, And after this session I’m starting to lean towards always lettingContinue reading “Weaving Pack Baskets On The 2021-22 Friluftsliv Immersion Program”
Registration For The Family Bushcraft Week 2022 Is Almost Full
One of our most popular courses each year is the family bushcraft week, and as usual it gets booked up pretty quickly. We’ve got two spots remaining for this year, so if you and your family are thinking about joining us for this years session register soon. The Family Bushcraft week is a low-key variationContinue reading “Registration For The Family Bushcraft Week 2022 Is Almost Full”
Migratory Birds Are Starting To Arrive Here In Southern Vermont, And That Means Spring Is In Full Swing
Mergansers, Canada geese, redwing blackbirds are all back at weather head hollow, the lake we run a few of our canoe courses at. Feeling like spring. I woke up around 4:00 this morning to head to the dairy farm I help out at during the winter. It was below freezing when I got there, butContinue reading “Migratory Birds Are Starting To Arrive Here In Southern Vermont, And That Means Spring Is In Full Swing”
School Of The Forest Podcast Episode Twenty-Six; “Giving Death Well”: Talking about Spiritual, Thoughtful And Ethical Hunting Practices With Murphy Robinson Of Mountain Song Expeditions (Pt 1 Of 2)
Welcome, In this episode, I’m joined by Murphy Robinson, who runs Mountainsong Expeditions here in Vermont. Murphy and I talk about how they first got involved in working as a guide, what drew them to start Mountainsong, and how that’s developed since.We also touch on the culture of hunting as it exists in modern NorthContinue reading “School Of The Forest Podcast Episode Twenty-Six; “Giving Death Well”: Talking about Spiritual, Thoughtful And Ethical Hunting Practices With Murphy Robinson Of Mountain Song Expeditions (Pt 1 Of 2)”
Start Preparing For Canoe Season. Spring Is Here, And Open Water Will be Right Behind It.
In the last week we’ve been seeing all the signs of spring. The Robins showed up early last week, the broadwing hawks (A migratory species that forms large flocks or “Kettles” when they travel) arrived around the same time, and we were lucky enough to see a large group of them, and yesterday most ofContinue reading “Start Preparing For Canoe Season. Spring Is Here, And Open Water Will be Right Behind It.”