WEBSITE: JayNoone.com/mancamp

What Mancamp Is

Mancamp is Jay Noone's ongoing project to put real tools in the hands of young people. Jay speaks about it at events, and hosts small and large Mancamp gatherings whenever the opportunity lines up — a weekend at a friend's property, a week at a larger festival, or something in between.

The core never changes. Kids work a real forge, make functional iron tools, try a little oxy-acetylene gas welding, and clean up their projects with files and stones — no electric grinders, because the quiet matters as much as the work. Seasoned blacksmiths work alongside the campers so nobody is left guessing, and so the forge always has steady hands on it.

The idea for Mancamp started back in 2014. A big gathering ran at Porcfest in 2018, Jay fundraised for another round in 2023, and it continues on Jay's terms — wherever there's room for an anvil and a few kids willing to swing a hammer.

What We Do

Traditional Blacksmithing

Forge-and-hammer work making real, functional iron tools. The same craft that built every farm and frontier town on this continent.

Oxy-Acetylene Welding

Hands-on gas welding for the older kids, supervised by experienced welders. A skill that pays for itself for the rest of your life.

Hand Finishing

Files and mill stones instead of electric grinders. It takes longer, it teaches patience, and it keeps the camp quiet enough to actually talk to each other.

Mentors at the Forge

Volunteer blacksmiths — including Derrick and Ernie — work alongside the kids so the forge is always staffed by someone who knows the trade.

Safety First

Every camper gets safety glasses, ear protection, gloves, aprons, and leather chaps — most kids don't show up with the right boots and jeans for forge work, so we cover that.

Built on Volunteers

Mancamp runs on donated time and donated dollars. If you want to teach, sponsor a kid's safety kit, or help run the schedule, get in touch.

Mancamp 2026

This year's Mancamp runs for a full week at Jay's place, timed to the week of Porcfest. It's a quieter, more focused companion to the festival, just a smaller room around the forge for folks who want more time at the anvil.

A Day at Mancamp

Mornings on the farm, afternoons at the forge. The week builds toward Saturday's pig roast.

Monday & Tuesday

9 AM — chicken butchering. 2 PM — at the forge, hammering out iron coat hooks.

Wednesday

Pig butchering. The centerpiece of Saturday's roast starts here.

Thursday & Friday

Prep for the big Saturday party.

Saturday

The pig roast.

Two workshops fold in as the week settles: build your own coal forge — the group builds one together — and rooster to can, pressure-canning rooster meat for the pantry.

Dates

June 21 – June 28, 2026. A full week at the forge.

Location

Jay's house in Henniker, New Hampshire. Timed to the week of Porcfest — come to one, both, or split the week. Porcfest is a short drive away.