I have spent over 50 years learning about plants, animals, and the ecology of the natural world. My wife and I live off the land. We raise animals for meat, and grow an almost 4000 sqft garden which provides more produce than we can consume. Through hunting and fishing I supplement our domestic meat supply. For food and medicine we also forage edible and medicinal wild plants.

In 2007 I started Living Afield to teach people how to make use of and thrive in that natural world. I believe the best survival instructors are the ones who practice what they preach by living off the land. My real world training stresses using what nature provides to live your best life. Each of us must decide what that best life looks like. Because of this, I have designed my classes so that you can take from them what fits your life. Whether you are interested in camping, hiking, wilderness survival, bushcrafting, foraging for edible and medicinal plants and mushrooms, herbalism, plant based medicine, hunting, fishing, trapping, prepping, or any of the myriad outdoor activities, this website and my classes have something to make those activities more enjoyable. As you may already know...

My musings on living naturally. The Outdor Oracle blog affords me the opportunity to go into more detail about everything outdoors and living naturally. Occasionally I may even wax poetic... (Read Blog Articles)

Since the dawn of Man, plants and mushrooms have been used as sources of food, medicine, and shelter. They continue to be an important part of the natural world even today. Plants and mushrooms are the foundation for all other living things. If not for plants and photosynthesis and mushrooms breaking down organic waste, we would not have the oxygen we breath, or any place to grow. As if supplying our oxygen and giving us room to grow are not enough, many of drugs used by western medicine were originally derived from plants and mushrooms. Our plant and mushroom pages provide detailed information about various common and useful plants and mushrooms... (Learn More)

Phytotherapy

Western allopathic medicine and traditional plant-based medicine are fundamentally different. Western medicine uses chemically derived drugs to cause the body to act in a certain manner. Conversely, traditional plant-based medicines provide natural phytochemicals which support your body's innate ability to heal itself. If there is not a recognized study demonstrating the efficacy of a treatment, western medicine does not consider it to be a viable treatment. I believe wholeheartedly in science. Because of my background in science, I understand the limitations of science. I understand that the vast majority of American clinical trials and medical studies are funded by pharmaceutical companies. These companies cannot patent a plant, so they are not going to spend the considerable amount of money required to conduct and publish studies on plants... (Learn More)

"I believe those who teach survival and living naturally should actually live off the land." My wife and I raise our own meat and produce. We also harvest, butcher, and preserve all of that bounty. We make our own medicines, soaps, laundry detergent, and creams and ointments. We do all of this on 2 acres... (Learn more)

Living a grounded life. Studies have shown that by literally getting back in touch with the earth we can immediately lower our cortisol levels, and reverse many of our ills. The practice of grounding or earthing, having our skin touching the ground, can have a profound effect on both our physical and emotional health. Multi-disciplinary research has shown that sitting or walking barefoot outdoors for a minimum of 3o minutes each day significantly reduces cortisol levels (a stress hormone), increases blood viscocity, lowers blood pressure, reduces inflammation, increases wound healing, increases the immune system, and reduces chronic pain... (Learn More)

I will occasionally lead plant walks where we get up close and personal with plants. I also offer Virtual classes via my Video Learning Series...(Learn more about my classes)

You cannot change nature. Survival is about adapting to what nature provides. If you listen to many of the shows on television, certain "survival experts" would have you believe survival entails hunkering down under a tree in the forest, fighting everything mother nature throws at you, and making it through. It is all about going toe to toe with the old girl and beating her at her own game. Not even close. Nature is not sentient. It is not out to get you. Nature is oblivious to you. Visit my survival pages for information to help you adapt to, and thrive in, the natural world... (Learn More)