our team of instructors leave their ego at the door

rebel with a cause

Jj Morris

J.J. is the leader of the F.T.F. Motley Crue. The rumor goes he was raised by coyotes. We hired detectives to find out he has over a decade of experience as a SAR-1 for a government funded paramilitary SAR team and that he’s been an instructor for a multitude of agencies and organizations. When we questioned him, he simply held up his hands that read FUEL on one and FIRE on the other.

Philip Winter

Philip always knew that we had what we needed around us to be healthy. He began his pursuit of health through plant medicine about 10 years ago and it has grown into his passion to help others. He is an apothecarist and mushroom forager and cultivator. He also makes some pretty awesome fermentations.

The Steak Shaman

Scott Ortlip

Scott began learning the ways of the outdoors through the Boy Scouts. While the repertoire of skills he’s learned from the other FTF instructors’ mentorship is formidable, he is best known for the magic he works any time meats are being cooked. When the Steak Shaman is in his office, you don’t want to miss the dinner bell.

not your average blonde

trent daniel

Trent is the Tall Blonde that makes Joe Dirt look good- You might see Trent and think he’s your average Blonde, but that’s not the case. Trent is always thinking of new ideas with ten projects already in the works. When talking to him you might just start up a new idea for him. He grew up in Boy Scouts, achieving the rank of Eagle Scout and decided he needed more of a challenge, thats when he met JJ….

mr. serious

clifford daniel

The Redneck with a passion for keeping everyone involved. He maybe silent most of the time taking it all in and retaining as much as possible, but when you get him talking you can tell he is going to be the old timer with the stories. Clifford is constantly evaluating every situation for the teaching and learning opportunities. The natural teacher, Clifford excels in making sure even the youngest participants – or tag alongs take something meaningful away from the experience. 

MELONIE STANGER

Somebody’s got to keep all these men straight and “Mel of the Mountains” certainly knows how to tan some hides! A Tomboy at heart, she grew up hanging out in her Dad’s shop while keeping a boa constrictor around for company. Curiosity didn’t kill this cat- it fueled her fire… A degree in Electrical Engineering, Hillbilly Blindfolds and radio announcing couldn’t tame her, much less, 16 years of baking celeb’s wedding cakes at her bakery. She couldn’t stay out of the woods though and trapping animals led way to mastering the art of preserving her prey. Now she uses delicious treats to bait us to class and we don’t mind telling you we’re ALL hooked!

Squirl Bat

bob Johnson

Rumor has it Bob’s been collecting radio signals since he was a kid building crystal radios in his bedroom from toilet paper rolls, copper wire, and parts he removed from his parents black and white TV. That interest in communication grew into his involvement in CB radio, emergency communications, HAM radio, and working with public safety to develop emergency communications systems. Boy Scouts got him interested in backpacking, survival, and bushcraft and a few years ago the interests merged into developing off grid communications plans for people not used to using anything other than cell phones. Practicality is his focus. Enabling people to solve communications problems is his ambition. Off grid is just a hurdle to be overcome. “Squirrel Bait” has nothing to do with radio. It just suggests he’s a little bit nuts.

Dustin Huddleston

Dustin grew up on a cattle farm and working chicken houses in west Georgia. He learned wood craftsmanship, electrical skills, and home and farm maintenance from his beloved grandfather, Pop. He is a OIF Army veteran where he served as a Blackhawk crew chief with a medevac unit. He also spent several years in the US Navy reserves as a construction mechanic while teaching land navigation and a multitude of other SeaBee Combat Warfare skills. He also trained as a tactical medic with a private firm and has served in both law enforcement /security and as a firefighter 

Thats what she said

Tara Beech

Tara originally hails from a south Alabama farm where she grew up chasing and being chased by cows, playing in mud puddles, building forts, chinking “cabins”, harvesting from the family garden and tending to the various wildlife she managed to convince her parents to let her take in. She landed in Georgia about 15 years ago and managed to keep her outdoor spirit while she finished graduate school and pursued a career as a mental health therapist. Often described as “adventurous” and sometimes described as “a little crazy,” Tara has continued to celebrate her love of nature through both hiking and camping and through increased focus on bushcraft skills acquisition. 

forager The Forager Chick

Anne-Marie Bilella