Alderleaf Wilderness College

02/04/2026

Most people think mushrooms are mysterious or risky.

In reality, they’re one of the easiest and most rewarding foods and medicines you can grow — even in a small apartment or backyard.

We’re hosting a free online class with Chris Gilmour (Chris Outdoors & Wild Muskoka Botanicals) where you’ll learn:

• How to grow edible and medicinal mushrooms at home
• How to recognize mushrooms in the wild
• How fungi fit into healthy soil, forests, and human health

If mushrooms have ever made you curious, this is a great place to start.

👉 Join the free class here: https://www.chrisoutdoors.ca/mushrooms_webinar_feb10?sa=sa024795184437b1b534a49d36d14ec2949508eca2

01/19/2026

We're looking forward to Peter's upcoming Pack-Basket, Bow-Making, and Leather-Working Courses here at Alderleaf! Spaces are available. Please help spread the word. Details are via the link in the comment below.

12/11/2025

Learn how to make a wooden long bow!

https://www.wildernesscollege.com/make-a-wooden-bow.html

Wooden Bow Making Course with expert craftsman & instructor Peter Yencken in February here at Alderleaf.

Build and take home a hickory bow and the skills to make more!

11/19/2025

2026 Course Dates Are Now Live! 🔥

https://www.wildernesscollege.com/alderleaf-calendar.html

Registration is open for these fantastic wilderness skills classes.

And for those looking for holiday ideas, our courses make for very popular gifts!

Visit the calendar page to see the full list of 2026 course dates, learn more, and register for a spot before they fill! Space is limited.

https://www.wildernesscollege.com/alderleaf-calendar.html

We hope to see you at a class next year!

10/25/2025

Come out to the Introduction to Wildlife Tracking presentation with Alderleaf Cofounder, Jason Knight, in November at the Northwest Stream Center. Learn more below:

09/28/2025

The Road Map to Resilience:

https://www.chrisoutdoors.ca/resilience?sa=sa024795184437b1b534a49d36d14ec2949508eca2

Alderleaf cofounder Jason Knight will be a guest instructor in this holistic emergency preparedness course led by Nate Summers (author of "Resilient by Nature") and Chris Gilmour (outdoor educator & resilience trainer).

This course is all about building practical preparedness for uncertain times. Not fear-based, not overwhelming—just step-by-step strategies that will make you and your family more resilient in the real world.

Over the course of several months, you’ll learn how to:

● Train awareness skills so you see problems before they escalate

● Create systems for shelter, water, food, energy, and communication

● Use planning templates and checklists that simplify the process

● Connect with a community of people who share your goals

● Learn directly from guest instructors like Jon Young, Dana O’Driscoll, and others

The course begins October 2025.

It’s live online, with replays provided if you miss a session.

We're honored to be part of this program and to share the virtual classroom with Nate, Chris, and such an incredible lineup of instructors.

Learn more about this course here: https://www.chrisoutdoors.ca/resilience?sa=sa024795184437b1b534a49d36d14ec2949508eca2

If you’ve been wanting a practical way to feel calmer and more capable in these times, this is it.

Join the Roadmap to Resilience course and learn holistic preparedness for modern times. From disaster survival and emergency planning to homesteading, permaculture, and self-reliance skills, Chris Gilmour and Nate Summers guide you step-by-step to protect your loved ones and thrive in uncertain time...

09/24/2025

Practical Emergency Preparedness for Uncertain Times:

To celebrate the launch of the book "Resilient by Nature", our friends Nate Summers ("Resilient by Nature" author) and Chris Gilmour (survival & emergency preparedness consultant) are sharing a FREE online training this week on how to meet challenges with a holistic perspective that is proactive about preparedness, builds a resilient lifestyle, and helps your family and loved ones to be ready for whatever the future may hold.

They are joined by Jon Young, visionary author and deep nature connection mentor, in a special two-part FREE webinar series called:

"Resilience Begins with Connection: Practical Preparedness in Uncertain Times"

Learn more here: https://www.chrisoutdoors.ca/resilience_webinar_sept25?sa=sa024795184437b1b534a49d36d14ec2949508eca2

📆 Dates: September 25th and 30th
🕖 Time: 5pm Pacific time (8pm Eastern time)
🎥 Replay available if you can’t attend live

Nate, Chris, and Jon bring decades of experience in survival, awareness, and resilience. Together, they will help you find practical steps you can take right now so you feel more prepared, grounded, and connected no matter what comes next.

Don't miss this opportunity! It is rare to have these voices together in the same series. We highly recommend joining.

*Even if you cannot make it to the live webinar, sign up anyway and you will get the replay to watch on your own time.

https://www.chrisoutdoors.ca/resilience_webinar_sept25?sa=sa024795184437b1b534a49d36d14ec2949508eca2

Join three expert instructors as we take a HOLISTIC approach to preparing our loved ones for some of the biggest challenges of our times.

09/24/2025

New Guidebook for an Uncertain World! - Discover the ultimate roadmap to surviving and thriving in an uncertain world...

We're excited to share about an incredible new book on emergency preparedness, "Resilient by Nature: The Survival Blueprint for the 21st Century" by our colleagues Nate Summers and Eli Forest.

https://www.amazon.com/Resilient-Nature-Survival-Blueprint-Scoutcraft/dp/B0FCYHNQZC/

Alderleaf cofounder, Jason Knight wrote the foreword to it. Resiliency skills are so vital and we're dedicated to sharing them far and wide.

In a world of escalating disruptions - floods, grid failures, wildfires, pandemics, food shortages, and global instability - "Resilient by Nature" empowers you to respond to any situation with confidence, adaptability, and connection.

Drawing on decades of experience in wilderness skills, emergency preparedness, permaculture, and community resilience, authors Nate and Eli have put together the first book that spans readiness for both short-term and long-term challenges, while highlighting solutions that combine ancient wisdom with the latest modern tactics.

Through practical stories, hands-on exercises, and an innovative new framework—the Survival-Resilience Matrix—"Resilient by Nature" helps you develop the critical skills and adaptability needed for any crisis, disaster, or disruption.

You’ll find expert guidance on:

-Developing your mindset and situational awareness
-Creating home systems and emergency kits
-Learning essential skills for self-reliance
-Choosing appropriate tools to support your resilience journey
-Building strong communication plans for emergencies
-Navigating both wilderness survival and urban disaster scenarios
-Mapping out your own resilient future

Best of all, this integrative approach is rooted in the skills of our ancestors, the philosophies of working with nature, and the latest science. We've been waiting decades for a preparedness book like this to recommend!

Whether you're a seasoned survival student, a concerned parent, or someone just becoming aware the need for real-world preparedness, "Resilient by Nature" will transform the way you think about survival—and empower you to live with courage, clarity, and connection.

Go here to grab your copy of "Resilient by Nature: The Survival Blueprint for the 21st Century": https://www.amazon.com/Resilient-Nature-Survival-Blueprint-Scoutcraft/dp/B0FCYHNQZC/

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

08/19/2025

It was a great week with our Teen Wilderness Skills Camp!:

07/15/2025

Transform Your Adventures with Foraging!

https://www.wildernesscollege.com/foraging-for-wild-edible-plants-online-course.html

If you’re curious to learn about which wild plants are edible, this online course is for you!

We put together the best lessons for getting started with foraging that are tremendously helpful to all outdoor enthusiasts.

Imagine being able to:

-Quickly identify wild plants in the field with confidence, so that you know what can be harvested and what should be left alone

-Recognize the top wild edible plant species found all over North America that can be used for teas, salads, quick snacks, staple survival foods, protein sources, culinary delights, and more

-Understand safe foraging methods for avoiding poisonous plants and environmental toxins

-Put to practice ethical harvesting guidelines, so that your foraging activities not only avoid harming sensitive plant populations, but also help support native plants and improve habitat diversity

-Know amazing plant species that can support you during emergencies, and are also incredibly enjoyable to incorporate as trailside snacks on hikes, into meals while camping, and in kitchen creations at home!

We’ve spent decades training folks from all walks of life to be competent at foraging for wild edible plants. Now you can take advantage of our experience, right from home, through this incredible online course.

Get these foraging skills now, so that you are ready to enjoy wild edible plants that can also serve as survival foods if needed in an emergency.

P.S. - Don't delay, this special summer sale price expires at midnight on Friday!

P.P.S. - You can try it risk free for 60 days! This means, in the unlikely event you’re not satisfied with the course, just let us know anytime within the first 60 days and you can get a full refund. This will give you plenty of time to go through the course and see if it’s right for you.

Discover the keys to foraging for wild edible plants in this online course

07/15/2025

Unlock Cattail: Eat, Craft, Survive!

https://www.wildernesscollege.com/cattail.html

Cattails are an easy to find plant that is a friend of the forager, herbalist, bushcrafter, survivalist, and basket-maker.

Have you ever driven past a marsh, only to see a stand of tall stalks that seem to be topped with hot dogs? If the answer if “yes!” then you’ve seen a cattail stand!

Learn about some of it's many uses including food, medicine, survival crafts, and basket-making.

Summer is the time to harvest cattail pollen for food and leaves for bushcraft projects!

Information on the edible, medicinal, and survival uses of cattail; plus step-by-step instructions on plaited cattail basket making.