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

B.E.L. Post # 219

This morning started with Leo and Melissa heading off with Stephen to fill up the two turtle water tanks and bring them to the Abbey. While they were there, Stephen answered their remaining questions about irrigation and the water pump, and they helped with the other tasks he had planned for the day.

Back at basecamp, I tasked Kathy with continuing to sand the patio picnic bench while Jesse worked on chop and drop. I spent the morning irrigating Lightning Hill before pairing up with Matt to rebuild two junkpole fence panels at basecamp. One of the rock jack's legs had failed, so we disassembled the two panels along with the damaged rock jack. I then walked Matt through building his very first rock jack, explaining each step as we went. It was great getting him some hands-on experience with that style of construction.

After lunch, I had Leo and Kathy continue working on the basecamp junkpole fence panels before moving over to the firewood rack project. Melissa picked up where Kathy left off on the picnic bench, watered the garlic patch, and began putting away the sprinklers and hoses before the end of the boot day.

Meanwhile, Matt, Jesse, and I headed to the Abbey to continue irrigating and work on the junkpole fencing. Jesse finished filling in all of the fence panels that Leo had framed, while I completed another panel from my section. That leaves just one more panel remaining from the section I framed, and we'll have that stretch wrapped up soon.

B.E.L. Post # 220

This morning I started the day by doing some chop-and-drop along the back of the Solarium and Library. Once I had a good amount of material collected, I spread the mulch onto the berm across from the Library to continue building organic matter and help retain moisture.

Afterward, I took Chapito for a walk around Basecamp, making our usual rounds and enjoying some fresh air before getting back to work.

Later in the morning, I had a meeting with Paul that I had set up earlier in the week. We discussed my personal development, long-term goals, and ways I can continue growing both during my time at Wheaton Labs and beyond. I really appreciated the opportunity to get his perspective and advice.

Following the meeting, I spent some time processing aluminum cans before shifting my focus indoors. I worked on organizing and expanding my portfolio of projects I've completed here at Wheaton Labs, documenting my progress and the skills I've been developing over the past several months.

To wrap up the day, I spent some time journaling and reflecting on my experiences, the progress I've made, and the goals I'm continuing to work toward. It was a productive day that balanced physical work, personal growth, and planning for the future.

Esteban Ademovski wrote:...

Hi Esteban. I love such a well-organised computer screen! (comment on the last photo)

B.E.L. Post # 220

This morning started with a delightful walk around Basecamp with my little doggo, Chapito, enjoying the morning before the commencement of the blitz.

The blitz went by quickly as usual, especially with Melissa's joyful, loud, and thundering personality bringing plenty of energy and laughter to the work. There is always a lot of enthusiasm and good spirit during these busy moments!

Afterwards, I moved on to a little personal project I've been wanting to establish—a cover crop demonstration garden. I selected a site nearby Basecamp that was easily accessible but far enough away from the hugels so it could develop into its own small planting system.

The idea behind this project is to create a living demonstration area focused on soil building, plant diversity, resourcefulness, and observation. I began by processing used aluminum cans into upcycled plant labels. Using simple hand tools, I transformed discarded materials into functional markers that will help identify the different plants as the garden develops.

After preparing the labels, I planted the first round of sunflower cover crops. I then used a sickle to cut surrounding vegetation and applied it as chop-and-drop mulch around the planting area. This will help retain moisture, add organic matter back into the system, and continue building the soil.

I finished the installation by watering the newly planted area and giving the seeds their first start.

This is only the beginning of the demonstration garden. Over time, I plan to add additional cover crops and useful plants, including walking onions and other species, to increase diversity and observe how different plants interact within the system.

Tomorrow, I plan to guide a few fellow Boots through the process of creating their own upcycled aluminum plant labels and contribute to expanding the demonstration area. My hope is that this small project becomes a hands-on example of how discarded materials, simple techniques, and thoughtful planting can come together to create something useful and productive.

Every project is another opportunity to learn, experiment, and leave the land a little better than I found it.