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

Post # 7

    Yesterday Monday 10/20 .... started bright and early with our usual morning boot meeting - coffee in hand, brains slowly warming up to match the pace of the day ahead.  Afterwards, I made my way to the shop to light up the trusty rocket mass heater (my morning ritual by now).  Once the warmth kicked in, I spent a good chunk of the morning bucking and splitting logs from the tree we felled a few days back.  Nothing like the smell of fresh-cut wood and the satisfaction of stacking a neatly squared pile of firewood.

    Next stop was the Abbey, where I joined Stephen in laying mulch over the greenhouse roof - a simple but deeply grounding task.  Later on, I took on kitchen duty and made some tomato sauce from all the ripe beauties we've been collecting.  There's something about cooking down garden fresh tomatoes that makes you feel like a proper homesteader.  In the afternoon, Stephen and I headed out to pick up some T-posts to help protect those remaining young trees with another fencing project - gotta keep those little guys safe from the those deers and other critters.  Then it was on to some shop work, helping with repairs on the dehydrator.  We switched out the bottom wooden base plate where the glass sits and scraped off the old sealant before laying in some fresh.  A bit of patience, a bit of precision, and another project checked off the list.

    The day wrapped up in the best possible - with the High Commander himself whipping up some killer vegan banana pancakes.  I'm not exaggerating when I say every boot should try them at least once- they're that good.  All in all, it was a solid, well-rounded day of hard work, good food, and great company - the kind of day that reminds you why being part of this place is something special.

Post # 8

After lighting up the rocket mass heater this morning and checking on the dehydrator repair job with my high commander, we made our way to the Abby to kick off the usual routines.

Once the daily rhythm was rolling, we dove into adding a whole lot of mulch up on the greenhouse roof — it’s starting to look like a proper living blanket up there. It’s always satisfying to see how much difference that layer makes in insulation and moisture control.

Back at base camp, I tucked into lunch and then got the tomato sauce put up from the latest batch of ripe reds — nothing beats that deep summer aroma filling the kitchen. Afterwards, it was time to harvest some of those delicious plums that have been calling my name for days. Juicy, sweet, and absolutely worth the wait.

Rounded out the day by getting ready for the famous Taco Tuesday feast — because after a solid day of lab life and good work with the crew, tacos are the perfect victory meal. 🌮😄

Esteban Ademovski wrote:     Next stop was the Abbey, where I joined Stephen in laying mulch over the greenhouse roof - a simple but deeply grounding task.

Oh this made me laugh - not many places where this would be a regular task!

Nancy Reading wrote:

Esteban Ademovski wrote:     Next stop was the Abbey, where I joined Stephen in laying mulch over the greenhouse roof - a simple but deeply grounding task.

Oh this made me laugh - not many places where this would be a regular task!

Oh I bet so 😆  .... but I'm highly glad this is the case over here, certainly builds character and I marvel at the genius reasoning behind it .

Post # 9

🔥 Three Days of Adventures — Oct 22–24

Wednesday – 10/22

Started the morning like any proper Wheaton Labs day — by firing up the work shop’s rocket mass heater. There’s something deeply satisfying about hearing that first whoosh as the dragon wakes up.

After warming up my hands (and soul), I headed over to the Abbey with the high commander, to check on the junk pole fencing. Found some fresh deer tracks, which means our four-legged freeloaders are still keeping tabs on our progress. Those sneaky critters always seem to know when the buffet is open.

Next up, we played "Wheelbarrow Doctor" — two patients, both critical. One with a misaligned axle brackets,  the other with a busted handle. After a little creative surgery and a few chosen words, both are rolling again and ready for duty.

Rounded off the day fencing in a few baby fruit trees and tossing down some alfalfa seed around them — a little protection and a little green goodness for the soil.

Thursday – 10/23

First task, same as always — fire up the rocket mass heater at the shop. (I think it’s starting to recognize me by now lol)

We headed over to the Abbey and added another round of mulch to the roof — it’s starting to look like a cozy blanket up there. If roofs could purr, this one would.

Also put up more cages around the young fruit trees, keeping the deer at bay — or at least making them think twice that this is no free salad bar.

Then gathered a big batch of foliage for the main base rocket mass heater, because winter’s coming, and those dragons get hungry.

Friday – 10/24

Guess what the morning started with? That’s right — another rocket mass heater lighting. (At this point, I could probably do it blindfolded.)

Then it was back to the Abbey, where we finally finished mulching the roof — mission accomplished! Always nice to see a project come together layer by layer.

The High Commander showed me an upcoming gutter installation project — looks like it’ll be a fun one, with plenty of ladder-climbing ....

After that, we went to the boneyard to gather some gravel and finished up the rock socks for the sawmill’s in-ground supports.

Wrapped up the day by helping the High Commander with the junkpole project at basecamp, then gave our faithful work rig “Roy" some overdue love. A full vacuum job on the floors and seats — he’s practically blushing now.

Three solid days of fire, fences, and a fair bit of dirt under the fingernails. Every bit of work out here feels like it adds a little more heartbeat to the land — and there’s always something new on the horizon.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I think my next appointment is with a warm mug and a long sit by the rocket mass heater

I think we did some excellent work over there at the lumber mill today.

Stephen B. Thomas wrote:I think we did some excellent work over there at the lumber mill today.

Yes we did and thank you for explaining the plans/processes of the saw mill project to me .....

October 25–26

This weekend was one of those rare stretches of calm and quiet that make you fall in love with the land all over again. I took the time to wander a bit farther than usual, letting curiosity guide the way. The air’s been getting that crisp edge that whispers of winter on the horizon, so I figured I’d better take advantage of the mild days while they last.

Little Chapito was my adventure partner as always — tail wagging, nose buried in every patch of grass and pile of leaves along the way. We covered some new ground, following deer trails through the tall pines and watching the shadows shift across the hills as the sun made its slow autumn descent. There’s something grounding about those moments, where you’re just walking, breathing, and noticing.

In between our treks, I spent time journaling — scribbling thoughts about the rhythm of the place, the small victories of the week, and a few dreams for projects to tackle before the snow comes. There’s a quiet satisfaction in capturing the mood of the season on paper — like bottling up a bit of fall to open later when the world turns white and still.

All in all, a weekend well spent — exploring, reflecting, and soaking in the last golden glow of October before the boots get traded for snow gear. Chapito agrees — though I think he’s mostly in it for the extra walks and the chance to chase every rustling leaf.