JMB Spring Term Day 1

Date: April 20, 2009
Location: JMB, Masardis, Maine, USA

Summary:
Today was the first day of the JMB Spring Term. After a breakfast of bacon and oatmeal we started on basic axe-work We worked on felling, limbing and sectioning. This also included a lot of work on stance, positioning and safety.
After lunch we got an introduction to wet weather fire ignition. This involved finding an appropriate dead tree which we returned to camp for sectioning. From this dead tree we made and ignited feather sticks.
Following this was an introduction to the nature study curriculum and a plant walk. Dinner was rice and lentils cooked in a solar oven.

Accomplishments and Observations:
1) Felled my first tree (Abies balsamea / balsam fir)
2) Limbed two trees for my shelter floor
3) Made first feather sticks
4) Added Abies balsamea specimen to my herbarium
5) Carved simple knife for spreading jam on a sandwich

Initial Reflections:
I butchered my first felling and sectioning jobs, though the second sectioning was noticeably better than the first. My feather sticks worked but there is lots of room for improvement.

Current Reflections:
This day was a big deal for me. I had spent very little time working with an axe prior to this course so spending the first day with an axe in my hand left an impression on me. Felling, limbing, and sectioning are all a lot of work and those three tasks were precursors to many other jobs around camp. It was quickly obvious that trying to live in the forest without a good axe was not a great idea. It was enough work with an axe, I would not be keen to try them with a big knife.

Note: Feather sticks are a great tool of specific importance for those of us living in wet ecosystems. If you live in temperate rainforest you should have a handle on feather sticks.