!! In the quiet hours of the bootcamp grind, I found myself: Esteban's Bootcamp Experience

Yesterday (03/02/2026) was a good, full-spectrum kind of day here at Wheaton Labs.
First thing in the morning, Stephen, Harry, and I headed over to the lab to do a full sweep of the trail cams — collecting memory cards, swapping in fresh ones, and making sure everything was still positioned and behaving as intended. Always a little treasure hunt waiting to see what the wild neighbors have been up to.

From there we stopped by the Abbey to feed the cats (they were very clear about their priorities 😄). Stephen took some time to assess the condition of the junkpole fencing and give the Abbey itself a careful look-over. It’s always valuable having another set of experienced eyes on these natural structures — especially ones built with love, grit, and whatever materials were on hand at the time.

We made the rounds after that — Cooper Cabin, the tipi site, and the Dogstar — just checking in, observing, and making mental notes for future tweaks and improvements. These little inspection loops really help keep the whole system feeling cohesive.

After lunch, Harry and I headed back to the Abbey and turned our focus to some of the damaged flooring. There’s something deeply satisfying about tending to an older structure — pulling back the tired pieces, reinforcing what can be saved, and giving it another stretch of life. Natural building isn’t static; it’s a relationship. You listen, you respond, you adjust.

All in all, a day of stewardship — cameras, cats, cabins, and careful repairs.

Slowly but surely, the place keeps getting a little stronger.

B.E.L. Post # 101

Today was one of those full-spectrum Wheaton Labs kind of days — hiking boots to hand tools to needle and thread.

The morning began with a solid hike up to Raspberry Rock and beyond, with Stephen Brooks guiding and giving Harry a proper tour of the land. It’s always different seeing the place through fresh eyes — sharing stories, pointing out projects past and present, and walking the land that hold so much history.

After the hike, the three of us spent about an hour tidying up Complexity Trail — clearing bits here and there, making it a little more welcoming and a little less… complex.

Late morning shifted into shop mode. While Stephen had his 11:00 a.m. meeting with Paul, Harry and I got after tidying the workshop. During that stretch, a box of woody bits was processed and squared away — small progress that always adds up.

After lunch, we headed to the Laboratory. Stephen made his way to Cooper Cabin to clean windows and tend to a few details there, while Harry and I focused on door baseplates at the Abbey. Steady, hands-on work — measure, adjust, secure, repeat.

By late afternoon, we made our way back to basecamp to prep for Taco Tuesday. Good food after a full day always hits different. 🌮

And to round it all out, the evening brought some sewing lessons — trading tools for thread and expanding the skill stack just a little more.

Trail miles, shop cleanup, building improvements, tacos, and stitching — a well-rounded day in the books.

Christopher Weeks wrote:It's got to feel a lot more "community" with Harry and Stephen there. And super-congratulations on ringing the BEL! Are you interested in sharing your expected timeline for hanging out at Wheaton Labs?

I really appreciate that — it truly does feel more like community with Harry and Stephen here. There’s something grounding about sharing the work, the meals, and the momentum together. It shifts the energy in a good way.

And thank you for the congratulations on ringing the BEL! That meant a lot to me. It feels like a meaningful milestone — not just a personal one, but something earned alongside everyone who’s been part of the journey out here.

As for my timeline at Wheaton Labs — I’m honestly just going with the flow right now. I don’t have a fixed end date. I’m here to learn, contribute, and see where the path naturally leads. For now, it feels like exactly where I’m meant to be.

Inge Leonora-den Ouden wrote:I am glad to see you are three boots now!

Thank you 😊

It feels really good not to be the only boot anymore. For a while there, it was just me holding that title at Wheaton Labs — which had its own kind of growth and lessons — but having three boots now definitely brings a stronger sense of camaraderie and shared momentum.

There’s something special about knowing others are walking this path alongside me.

B.E.L. Post # 102

After the morning meeting, Harry and I started the day with a heavy but necessary task. We cleaned out the cat box in the Solarium after finding one of the cats had passed away there last night. It felt important to give the space some care and reset the energy a bit. We fully cleaned and tidied the Solarium so it feels fresh again.

After that, we shifted gears to something constructive and creative — working on the bamboo stake holder that Stephen drew up. It’s always satisfying bringing one of Stephen’s sketches to life. We made good progress before lunch, then came back to it afterward to dial things in a bit more.

From there it was straight to the Abbey to work on the door — steady improvements, one piece at a time. We wrapped up the day planting seeds along the hugel berms, which felt like a fitting way to close things out. After tending to endings in the morning, it was good to focus on new beginnings in the soil.

Esteban Ademovski wrote:...after finding one of the cats had passed away there last night.

I've never thought to wonder this before. What gets done with dead cats at WL? Bury? Compost? Toss into the woods for coyotes? Hugel-blotch?

B.E.L. Post # 103

Today was a good mix of projects and a satisfying sense of completion.

Harry and I spent a good part of the day working on the bamboo stake shelf project, and by the end of it we were able to wrap it up. It’s always nice when a project moves from the “in progress” pile to the “done” pile, and the shelf should make storing and organizing the bamboo stakes much easier going forward.

After that, we took care of a quick maintenance task and replaced the candy can at the Willy Wonka feeder so it’s ready to keep doing its thing.

Later we headed over to Cooper Cabin, where we got a fire going and spent some time processing cardboard. It felt good to work through that pile and turn it into something more manageable.

To round out the day, we stopped by the greenhouse and did a bit of work there before calling it a day.

A nice steady day of getting things done.

Christopher Weeks wrote:

Esteban Ademovski wrote:...after finding one of the cats had passed away there last night.

I've never thought to wonder this before. What gets done with dead cats at WL? Bury? Compost? Toss into the woods for coyotes? Hugel-blotch?

Thanks for the curiosity! At Wheaton Labs we bury them on Raspberry Island. It feels like a respectful way to return them to the land. The spot has become a quiet little resting place for the cats over the years, and it seems fitting that they end up nourishing the soil there. Not the happiest task, of course, but it’s part of the cycle of life out here.