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

B.E.L. Post # 174

This morning began with Melissa and I venturing into the shop, gathering the tools of our trade like travelers preparing for a quest. With our treasures in hand, we made our way toward the Abbey beneath the watchful sky.

Upon arrival, our paths divided with purpose. I sent Melissa forth to bring life to the thirsty berms and young baby trees, her work flowing like a gentle blessing across the landscape. Meanwhile, I remained at the Abbey’s front entrance, where timber and determination awaited.

Junkpole by junkpole, measure by measure, the entrance slowly revealed its form. What had once been scattered pieces became something more deliberate, more whole. By the day’s grace, I was able to completely frame an entire panel — another piece of the Abbey’s story firmly set into place.

After lunch, the tale continued with JR joining the adventure. Together we returned to the Abbey, this time turning our attention to the backdoor. Hammers rang and hands stayed busy as we worked in steady rhythm. Though the task still holds chapters yet unwritten, we made quite a bit of progress, leaving the Abbey a little stronger and our spirits pleasantly worn from honest labor.

Another good day in the realm of boots and builders, where every board and beam whispers of the shelter slowly coming to life.

B.E.L. Post # 175

This morning the Abbey called once more, and I was fortunate to have Melissa and Jesse by my side as our little crew ventured forth.

Upon arriving, I guided Melissa to continue breathing life into the land through irrigation, tending to the thirsty earth and young growth that patiently await each drink. Meanwhile, Jesse took to the junkpole panel that I had framed up the day before, filling it in piece by piece as though weaving together part of the Abbey’s wooden tapestry.

While their good work carried on, I journeyed to the other side of the Abbey’s front entrance where the old wire fencing had long stood guard. With tools in hand and purpose in heart, I carefully brought it down, making way for something sturdier and more fitting for this evolving place. In its stead, I raised two posts standing 9 feet apart like quiet sentinels, and began the satisfying task of framing them together.

After lunch, the day’s tale carried me alongside JR, and together we returned to the Abbey to continue work upon the backdoor. With steady hands and shared determination, we came ever so close to completing it, watching another chapter of the Abbey slowly emerge from timber, effort, and teamwork.

It was one of those days where each task felt like adding another verse to the Abbey’s growing story — the water flowing, the panels filling, the posts rising, and the doors slowly finding their place.

B.E.L. Post # 176

Morning started with irrigation duty—Apricot Alley, Lightning Hill, and Raspberry Rock all got their rounds under the hoses. Good rhythm work to begin the day, moving through the zones and making sure everything was set up right for the heat.

After that, I had Jesse continue pushing forward on the trail building at the horseradish berm. Steady progress there, just inching the path forward and shaping things as we go.

Melissa and I then headed over to the Abbey. She took care of irrigation first, getting water where it needed to go, and then shifted into building more trail sections on site. While she was working through that, I stayed focused on the front entrance build. I was able to get all the top and bottom horizontal supports set in place for all four panels. It’s starting to really define the structure now. Tomorrow I’ll keep moving forward on the build and start tightening things up.

After lunch, JR and I met up at the root cellar site. We peeled three logs and staged them properly off the ground so they can start drying and staying clean for future use. After that, he walked me through how to operate the tractor. Once I had a feel for it, I drove it over to the Abbey, which felt like a solid wrap to the day—putting a few new skills into practice right away.

B.E.L. Post # 177

This morning I was with JR working on the Abbey’s greenhouse door hinges. After he marked out the areas on the hinge baseplates that needed to be cut, he walked me through operating the acetylene torch for the first time in that context. I used it to cut out the reliefs for the hinges, which was a good learning moment for me working with metal in a more precise way.

After lunch, Melissa, Jesse, and I headed back to the Abbey. I had Melissa continue irrigating the berms and trees to keep things progressing on that side of the system.

Meanwhile, Jesse and I focused on the front entrance area. Jesse finished filling in one panel of junkpole fencing, and I continued framing out three additional junkpole fence panels. Slowly but steadily, that whole entrance is starting to take shape and feel more defined as a structure.

B.E.L. Post # 178

After this morning's meeting, I led Jesse and Melissa to the Abbey, where I tasked them with irrigating the berms and trees while I took the tractor and headed toward the root cellar site to harvest some gravel.

Along the way, I was greeted by a cool sight — Stephen breathing new life back into REX. There’s always something satisfying about seeing old tools and machines get another chance to work and serve. Once Stephen finished working on REX, he lent me a hand with harvesting gravel from the site. Teamwork made the task go smoothly, and before long I was heading back toward the Abbey with the tractor bucket filled with freshly collected gravel.

After lunch, I had Jesse continue trail building at the horseradish berm while Melissa and I headed out to irrigate Apricot Alley and a few other spots that needed some attention. It felt good making sure the thirsty plants and trees were cared for as the day rolled along.

Once irrigation was wrapped up, we made our way back to the Abbey and continued working with the junkpoles, slowly but surely adding another chapter to the ongoing projects there. Days like these remind me how much can get accomplished when good people, steady effort, and a bit of diesel-powered determination come together.

B.E.L. Post # 179

Today unfolded beneath a curtain of rain, a slower rhythm than usual, though no less meaningful.

This morning carried a bittersweet note as I said my goodbyes to JR. It was an extreme pleasure working alongside him these past days. From welding and torch work to solving little construction puzzles around the Abbey, I learned a great deal and appreciated both his patience and skill. Some folks leave behind more than completed projects — they leave behind lessons and good memories too.

Afterward, I took things a bit slower and allowed the rainy morning to settle in.

Later in the day I loaded up a chainsaw and a few batteries and headed toward the Lab. The woods were damp and quiet, carrying that earthy smell that only rain can summon. There I harvested another 20 junkpoles, adding to the growing supply for future builds and projects.

While working, I noticed something unexpected — a live tree nearly 6 feet in diameter had been uprooted. Nature had already begun the work of reshaping the landscape. I bucked about 10 feet from the top and placed it alongside the other junkpoles, giving part of the fallen giant a second chapter.

From the thickest end, I cut a 1.5-foot section that I plan to keep for a personal project: crafting some drink coasters. I enjoy moments like that — when a piece of storm-fallen wood finds new purpose rather than simply fading back into the soil.

B.E.L. Post # 180

After the morning blitz ... I spent a little time journaling and gathering my thoughts before heading back to the Abbey ...

Once there ... I continued harvesting junkpoles and managed to bring in another 25 today ... slowly but surely building up the supply ...

While working around the site ... I also tackled a little 30' uprooted tree ... bucking it up and preparing the logs to eventually be stacked in the solarium for future use ...

Before wrapping up the day ... I processed some scrap metal fencing pieces into metal ties ... setting them aside for future builds and repairs ... always satisfying turning overlooked materials into something useful again.

A slower paced day perhaps ... but one filled with steady progress ... salvaging, harvesting, and preparing for the work still to come.

B.E.L. Post # 181

After the morning meeting, Melissa, Jesse, and I raided the shop for tools and made our way to the Abbey for another round of progress.

Once there, I set Melissa up with some irrigation duties while Jesse and I tackled the junkpole fencing at the Abbey entrance. There is something satisfying about watching a pile of poles slowly transform into a proper fence panel. Before long, Melissa wrapped up and joined the fencing crew, and together we made good headway — filling in two more junkpole panels and leaving just one full panel standing between us and completion of that section.

After lunch, the crew split up once again. Jesse continued blazing ahead with trail building over at the horseradish berm, steadily carving shape and purpose into the landscape.

Meanwhile, Melissa and I shifted gears into what I like to call the “many small victories” portion of the day. We sharpened chainsaws and gave them some much-needed love, then moved into chop-and-drop mode, building mulch rings around the baby trees and helping tuck them in with a little extra organic blanket. From there we headed to Apricot Alley to get the sprinklers situated and flowing.

I also kept working through the growing pile of old wire fencing, processing pieces into useful ties for future projects. It is always satisfying when yesterday’s scrap starts looking suspiciously like tomorrow’s solution.

A delightful mixed day overall — fencing, irrigation, trail building, tree care, tool maintenance, and a little metal salvaging sprinkled in for good measure.