Gardening Merit Badge Requirement 6

6. Do ONE of the following:

1. Build a compost bin and maintain it for 90 days.
2. Build a vermipost bin (worm compost bin) and maintain it for 90 days.
3. Build a hydroponic garden containing three vegetables or herbs, or three ornamental plants. Maintain this garden through harvest or flowering, or for 90 days.
4. Build one water garden, either in a container (at least 12 by 6 inches and 6 inches deep), or in the ground as a small, decorative pond no larger than 6 by 3 feet and 24 inches deep. Maintain the water garden for 90 days.

We are going to focus on requirement 6c.

Items needed:

• Small plastic container with a lid
• Aquarium Pump, Air Tube, Air Stone
• Liquid Plant Food
• Water
• Plants (we used strawberries)
• Small Plastic Cups (2 inch)
• Pocket Knife
• Power Drill
• Hole Saw Atachment (1 3/4 inch)
• Marker

Start by marking on the lid of the container where your plants will go.  With the container we used, we were able to place 5 strawberry plants within the lid.  Using the power drill with the hole saw attached, drill the holes where the plants will be placed.  Also drill a small hole in one of the corners for the air supply tube to go in.  Next you will need to prep your cups.  With your pocket knife, start making slits and medium size holes all through the cup to allow water to freely flow through. Now time for plants.  Take your plants out of the container that they came in and rinse off all the soil from off of the roots.  When the roots are clean, place the plants within the cups.  Place some straw or small gravel in the cup to support the plant if it is moving too freely. 

Time for the life support system.  Feed your air tube through the small hole you created on the lid.  Connect the tube to the air stone and the aquarium pump, this will circulate the water and plant food mixture.  Add water to your container and mix in the liquid plant food as directed on the label.  Place your cupped plants into the 1 3/4 inch holes you created on the lid.  Place the lid on top of the container and remove/add any extra water.  The water level must reach the roots of the plants in order to sustain life. Maintain the system for 90 days or until you have a harvest.

Camp Fires

Throwback Thursday - Ninth edition-third printing-March 1980

Building the fire.

Tepee Fire Lay. This fire is great for a quick, hot fire. Place a handful of tinder in the middle of your fire ring and circle kindling in a circle facing up. The center of the sticks should come together forming a tepee.

Lean-To Fire Lay. This is a modified version of the Tepee fire. Push a green lean-to stick into the ground with the tip pointed into the wind. Lean the kindling on both sides.

Fire Stick Fire Lay. Place your fire stick down and pile your tinder on top. Lay a number of kindling sticks against the fire stick.  Build up with thicker and thicker fuel.  Ignite the tinder. 

Crisscross Fire Lay. Perfect for getting quick hot coals. Place two sticks on the ground parallel to each other. Put tinder them. Then lay thin kindling sticks crisscross over the two supports. Continue with more layers. Increase thickness from layer to layer. 

Dutch Oven Mountain Man Breakfast

Cooking this meal can complete requirements for the Cooking Merit Badge along with your rank advancements.

This is a favorite for my scouts on camp-outs.  Needless to say, we do not make this while backpacking.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound pork sausage
• 1 onion - chopped
• 1 green bell pepper - chopped
• 1 red bell pepper - chopped
• 1 clove garlic - Minced
• 1 (2 pound) package frozen / shredded hash-browns
• 12 eggs - beaten
• 1 pound cheese - shredded

Directions

1. Build a campfire and allow the fire to burn until it has accumulated a bed of coals. Or use charcoal briquettes.
2. Cook and stir the sausage, onion, and garlic in a 12-inch cast iron Dutch oven with lid, raised over the coals to medium-high heat, until the sausage is no longer pink and the onion is tender. Stir in the red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and hash brown potatoes until evenly mixed. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the hash browns are hot and the peppers are tender, about 15 minutes.
3. Pour the beaten eggs evenly over the top of the potatoes, allowing them to sink into the potatoes. Cover the Dutch oven, and place 6 to 9 coals underneath, and 12 to 18 on top. Allow to bake until the eggs are firm, about 40 minutes. Sprinkle with Cheddar cheese, cover, and continue cooking until the cheese has melted, about 5 minutes.

Servings: 12.... 'ish (scouts are always hungry!)

Total prep and cook time: 1.5 hours

Budget: (full price) $17.00  - $1.42/serving

Mother's Day 2013

Mother's Day is this weekend! Below are some great ideas to show your appreciation to Mom on her special day.

• Clean your room (should be done every day!)
• Make her breakfast
• Have a mandatory "No work for Mom day"
• On the Saturday before, take her out to a dinner and a movie. She will be very impressed that her scout paid the bill!
• For Cub Scouts - make some Mother's Day coupons that don't expire.  Examples are doing the dishes without complaining, cleaning items around the house that are not usually on your list..
• Maybe the perfect day would just be having family time at the park, or playing your families favorite board game.
• On Saturday, make a special hand made Mother's Day card to give to her on Sunday morning with her favorite chocolate bar or a small potted plant.

What ever you choose to do to show Mom your appreciation, make sure to give her one of the best gifts she could ever ask for... Make sure to say that you love her.

Have a wonderful Mother's Day to all you Den Mom's and Scouter Mothers out there.

Photo: Urbana Cub Scout Pack 114

Fingerprinting How-To Video