Thomas & Jasmene Rhem
THOMAS & JASMENE RHEM met in 1981 and had their first date climbing a mountain in Huntsville, AL, blazing their own trail. It was then that they realized they both had a love for the outdoors and began to work with a group called Pathfinders, very similar to the Girls and Boy Scouts program, where many outdoor activities are taught. They began teaching as counselors and moved up the ranks to Conference Coordinators where they were responsible for several southern states, teaching outdoor camping skills, wilderness survival, etc. It was while conducting a 10-hour weekend session in 1991 that they introduced wild edible plants.
The response was so positive that by January of 1992 the Wilderness Survival Camping 4-Phase program was born (with a Christian twist). Geared toward those somewhat reluctant or inexperienced in the outdoors, each phase built off of the previous and helped individuals to slowly integrate the outdoor lifestyle. They started by going to national forest and state parks, utilizing the primitive areas for camping skills, and ended up being blessed to live and teach wilderness camping, wild edible plants, and all things outdoorsy on over 570 acres of virgin wilderness. That’s where their love of wild plants was immensely enhanced. And they, especially Jasmene, traversed the land, “their big backyard” daily.
They lived as Rangers on this private wilderness area for 15 years… after which they moved and began traveling throughout the US sharing their knowledge to “anyone who would listen” and their enthusiasm and joy was and still is being rewarded with numerous seminars and workshops monthly.
Jasmene Rhem’s experience with the outdoors, camping, and wild edible/medicinal plants began almost a decade before meeting her husband Thomas. It was birthed by her father who took the whole family of 7 children camping the old way, with canvas tents, digging trenches, etc. every summer as a young child. She began studying wild edibles on her own, however as a teenager, in her words, “wherever there was a bit of greenery, whether in a school, church, or home… anywhere, she was out there with her one book, which she carried everywhere.” She now has well over 400 books in her library on wild edible/medicinal plants, including tasting, testing, and identifying. When she met her husband she began to share her “hobby” with him, and he enthusiastically joined her on her quest to share with others the wonders of nature and the innumerable free foods and medicine in one’s backyard.
This joining of the minds lead to a ministry, called “Outdoor Education” which they have been doing collectively for over 37 years. Jasmene has been studying wild edibles for over 45 years, and the medicinal aspect for over 25 years. That journey began when her son was sick with asthma and seemed to get no help from traditional remedies, as well as numerous other medical products in her home, while natural and alternative methods helped tremendously.
They currently do a lot of traveling teaching seminars and workshops on wild edibles, and still conduct the wilderness survival 4-phase camping program. They teach and do rappelling, spelunking, primitive camping, exploring, horseback riding, canoeing, and whitewater rafting; they do just about anything outdoors, except bungee jumping.
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