Into the Wild: Bushcraft Skills Immersion Weekend Campout w/ Jason Drevenak

Escape into nature and immerse yourself in a weekend of bushcraft, hands-on nature skills, and deep connection to the land at Fox Haven Farm. This experience is designed for adults looking to build confidence outdoors, explore traditional skills, and rediscover the rhythms of the wild—all while enjoying the camaraderie of a like-minded community.

Through expert guidance and practical experience, you’ll engage in shelter building, fire-making, foraging, water sourcing, and crafting, gaining a deeper understanding of the natural world. Whether you’re new to the outdoors or looking to expand your skills, this retreat invites you to slow down, connect, and engage with the landscape in a meaningful way.

What’s in Store

Expert instruction in bushcraft and traditional nature skills
Hands-on learning—build shelters, craft fire, and forage for wild foods
Guided plant walks to identify edible, medicinal, and useful plants
Swim breaks in the refreshing creek to cool off after lunch
Community-cooked meals and shared conversations around the fire
Navigation and wayfinding techniques for reading the land
Crafting projects, including natural cordage and buckskin pouches
A chance to disconnect from screens and reconnect with nature

Weekend Schedule

Friday

8:30 – 9:00 AM: Arrival, Sign-in & Welcome Check in, meet your instructors, and get acquainted with Fox Haven Farm and its beautiful surroundings. Bring a snack to enjoy.

9:00 – 11:00 AM: Bushcraft, Cutting Tools & Risk Awareness Discuss the principles of bushcraft, land-based skills, and safe tool use for the weekend ahead.

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Emergency Shelter Building Learn techniques to construct emergency shelters using natural and improvised materials.

12:00 – 12:45 PM: Community-Cooked Lunch Enjoy a Build Your Own Sandwich bar served with fresh fruit

12:45 – 2:00 PM: Shelter Building Continued

Put theory into practice and refine your shelter-building techniques for warmth and protection.

2:00 – 4:30 PM: Firecraft Essentials Explore different fire-starting methods, including friction, flint & steel, and modern tools.

4:30 – 6:00 PM: Camp Set-Up & Meal Prep Choose a spot and set up your individual or shared campsite, using tarps, hammocks, or tents.

6:00 PM: Community Dinner Gather for a hearty meal including a grilled protein, soup, and bread as we share stories around the table.

After Dinner: Optional Evening Activity Wind down with a fire circle, storytelling, night walk, or other guided activity (TBD)

Saturday

8:00 – 9:00 AM: Breakfast & Morning Gathering Start the day with a nutritious sweet or savory porridge and intention setting for the day ahead.

9:00 – 11:00 AM: Firecraft, Advanced Techniques Build on yesterday’s skills with advanced fire-making techniques and real-world applications.

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Water Purification & Wild Sourcing Learn how to find, filter, and purify water in different environments.

12:00 – 12:45 PM: Community-Cooked Lunch Enjoy a Build Your Own Sandwich bar served with fresh fruit

12:45 – 2:30 PM: Edible & Medicinal Plant Walk & Creek Swim Explore the land with a guide to identify wild foods, medicine, and useful plants along the path to swim in the creek

2:30 – 4:30 PM: Navigation & Rescue Signaling Practice wayfinding techniques, reading the landscape, and signaling for help.

4:30 – 6:00 PM: Wild Harvest & Meal Preparation Gather ingredients and learn about wild food preparation before dinner.

6:00 PM: Community Dinner Enjoy a meal featuring freshly harvested wild ingredients.

After Dinner: Optional Evening Activity Relax with an evening gathering, fire circle, or celestial navigation lesson

Sunday

8:00 – 9:00 AM: Breakfast & Morning Gathering A final meal over the fire to reflect on the weekend and prepare for the closing session.

9:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Cordage, Crafting & Reflection Make natural fiber cordage and buckskin pouches, weaving together the skills learned over the weekend.

12:00 PM: Lunch & Closing Circle Share a light snack, reflect on the experience, and exchange insights before departing.

Whether you’re looking to deepen your connection with nature, build confidence outdoors, or simply spend a meaningful weekend on the land, Into the Wild offers a space to slow down, learn, and experience the natural world in a new way.

All skill levels of interest and experience are welcome.

Email alecks@foxhavenfarm.org to set up a payment plan.

Meet your Wilderness Guide, Jasin “Drev” Drevenak

Jason has some 15+ years of teaching survival and outdoor living skills like friction fire, bow building, hide tanning, stone tool production, and leather craft. Inspired by the joy of figuring out how our ancestors learned to thrive in their perspective environments, Jason is here to share survival skills for beginners and experts alike.

Jason has studied with long-time Earthskill instructors such as Dr. Errett Callahan, Nancy Basket, Richard Cleveland, Doug Meyer, Ishi, Otzi, and Russel Cutts. This path also led him to become the Manager and Head Instructor for The Nantahala Outdoor Center’s Wilderness Survival & Primitive Skills School for several years, as well as the Lead Instructor for the Outdoor Leader Degree’s Primitive Living course offered at Southwestern Community College in Bryson City, North Carolina. For fans of National Geographic, you may recognize Jason from the 2016 wilderness exploration TV show, Mygrations.