Month: August 2024

Happy , bearded American man in the woods, leaning against a tree, wearing camouflage pattern jacket and red cap.
PK Podcast 56: Craig Caudill on Nature Reliance, Good Woodsmanship and Traditional Bushcraft

PK Podcast 56: Craig Caudill on Nature Reliance, Good Woodsmanship and Traditional Bushcraft

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Craig Caudill is Director and Lead Instructor of Nature Reliance School, based in Kentucky, USA. Craig has taught backcountry skills for many years. He’s also a seasoned writer, to date being the author of eight books on backcountry skills and knowledge. It was great to finally record an episode of my podcast with Craig as guest, to learn more about his background and teachings. Craig and I actually share some similar philosophies and it was great to riff on these a bit in this episode too…

Woodland plant with green leaves and light yellow flowers on branched stems
Wood Sage, Teucrium Scorodonia: When a Sage is Not a Sage…

Wood Sage, Teucrium Scorodonia: When a Sage is Not a Sage…

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Wood sage is the most common name for the plant Teucrium scorodonia. It is also often referred to as woodland germander or sage-leaved germander. Less commonly used names include large-leaved germander, hind heal, garlic sage, and ambroise. It’s not a “true” sage, though, and should not be confused for one, or for other lookalike plants, for several reasons, including the potential for liver damage if consumed…

Man kneeling and splitting wood with an axe but no chopping block in a winter backcountry setting
Essential Axe Techniques For Backcountry Firewood Splitting

Essential Axe Techniques For Backcountry Firewood Splitting

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In this post I highlight essential bushcraft axe skills for safe and efficient backcountry firewood splitting when you have no chopping block. In the embedded video I demonstrate three essential backcountry axe techniques using popular Gransfors Bruk and Hultafors (Hults Bruk) axes in the very common lengths of “half-axe” and “three-quarter axe”. Despite the similarities between the various aspects of these axes, there are variations in technique required to get the most out of them. I also discuss material selection, material processing and species of wood. All of these have a bearing on how these techniques work. There are also limitations and parameters to consider with each technique, both in terms of what is possible but also what is safe. I cover these aspects in detail…