Instructors

Ty Barker

Ty has led an incredible career in law enforcement and has experience serving on various specialized units such as the Central West Virginia Drug and Violent Crimes Unit, K9 Unit, detective unit, school resource officer, CIU unit, SEU unit and US Marshall task force. Additionally, he is a dedicated volunteer firefighter. Recently, Ty pursued a dream of teaching others as a Pathfinder School instructor and completed the program in November 2023, and received his Tan Hat, and received his Black Hat in June 2024. He now teaches at the Pathfinder School in Jackson, Ohio and loves sharing his passion for the outdoors and passing on valuable skills to both his family and students.

Wanda Priday

Owner of Gemini Survival School – Blacksburg VA

Came up in a family that gardened and canned, raised chickens, hogs, cows, hunted, fished, trapped, and foraged for everyday provisions is the base she continues to grow from.

Traveled the outback studying indigenous cultures.

Author of Survival Tips, Tricks and Traps she co-wrote with her late husband William Priday.

Gene Miller, No 8 Forge

Gene Miller is a dedicated Blacksmith and professional Bladesmith that has an extensive background in metalworking with more than 30 years experience.

Gene is committed to preserving and sharing methods of creating functional art as well as knowledge of his craft through teaching.

His core values stand with tradition, the ability to be self sufficient and service to others. You can find him in the mountains of Virginia making a living doing what he loves.

Nathan “Bigfoot” Jenkins

The Bodging Bigfoot – Nathan blends traditional woodland crafts with sustainable forestry to create tomorrow’s antiques from nature’s castoffs. By working with diseased, dying, or storm-fallen trees, he helps conserve native woodlands while crafting functional, lasting pieces rooted in the past and built for the future.

Paul Christopher

Paul grew up in the woods with parents who taught him to build stuff, grow his own food in the garden, how to preserve food through canning.

Paul said he was 21 years old before he knew there was canned tuna in the store, we canned our own fish.”

Paul is now homesteading on 5 acres with a limited budget. “We figure out ways to build and do things we need with very little money in it.”

Becky Christopher

I have been involved in the outdoors in different ways for the last 22 years. From performing Search and Rescue with the Rescue Squad I worked for. To my involvement with my husband Paul Christopher and myself in the process of starting a Bushcraft/ Homestead school on our land we recently purchased. I have 32 years background in the medical field, with the last 22 of those being in Emergency Services. I am looking forward to sharing my knowledge of medical along with the outdoor setting and combining the 2 together for a First Aid Class.

Chad Redding

Chad Redding grew up in a forested region known as the Pigeon Hills. Located in the western part of York County, Pennsylvania. A lifetime of roaming the woods, hills, and hollows lead Chad to develop his passion and skills as a woodsman.

This drove him to learn from others. Such as Steve Jennings, Kevin Estela, and Tom T.D. Cusack. Whose lineage of learning is Marty Simon, formerly of the Wilderness Learning Center, and Ron Hood.

Truly believing in Horace Kephart’s saying “In the School of the Woods. There is no graduation day.” He is a perpetual student. Constantly seeking new knowledge of the craft. Be it foraging, ax and knife skills, fire making, or other ways to live with the Woods.

This enjoyment of learning . Has inspired him to teach, share and demonstrate Wilderness craft. Throughout the Mid-Atlantic area.

Also as a lover of forgotten history and Folklore. Especially the weirder aspects of these. Chad became involved , through a quirk of fate , with Timothy Renner and the Strange Familiars Podcast. Using his skills and knowledge to bring a different perspective to the world of Paranormal Research. 

His love of history also extends to the enjoyment of using antiques and heritage items. Especially gear,  clothing and items used in the outdoors.

This eventually materialized into him becoming the creator and proprietor of Ruck Rabbit Outdoors. A company which supplies an assortment of crafted, curated, and refurbished traditional and surplus gear to the Woodsfolk community.

Ruck Rabbit Outdoors also serves as a  Multi-media entity. Documenting wilderness skills, equipment, and his adventures through the wilder places.