11-yr Old Campout (Sept 14-15)

Another enjoyable night in American Fork canyon, next to a creek. We were fortunate to have guests, Machiel, David, and Sam with us.

For several of the scouts, this means they have achieved 3 nights of camping for First Class (requirement 3).

After an almost full-night’s rest, we drove up the canyon to explore other good places to camp and to find a good tree on which to hang our traditional Pinada. In the pics you can see how anxious the boys are for when the candy falls.

Scout Camp (June 29-30, 2012)

What an amazing experience for the boys ! Thank you primary presidency for making this possible! Here are some of the highlights.

The Secret Angry Chickens –their unit flag and name.

What the boys learned

First Aid (bite, serious burns, heat exhaustion, …the list goes on)

Knots and lashings

The details surrounding our national anthem

                  

Mother gets to teach son

Other pictures

Porter and Connor enjoying a bowl of chicken soup.

Troop 660 Campout (May 4-5, 2012)

Troop 660 went camping on May 4-5. We camped at American Fork Canyon. Thank you parents for letting your children experience the adventure of scouts!

The troop gang!

Thank you Brady Mitchell for coming with us and adding your experience with camping!

What was accomplished for advancement?

• Principle of leaving no trace.(2nd Class)
• Meal preparation and cleanup (Tenderfoot)
• Plan and cook 1 meal (use food guide pyramid) (2nd class)
• Use the tools listed in requirement 3c to prepare tinder, kindling, and fuel for a cooking fire. (2nd Class)
• Spend at least one night on a patrol or troop campout. Sleep in a tent you have helped pitch. (Tenderfoot)

Here are some photos and some brief commentary.

Scott and Connor caught fish!

We celebrated Cinco De Mayo!

The Unicorn’s head became a trophy.

The Unicorn’s hoofs were used for "capture the Unicorn’s hoofs”…akin to Capture the Flag.

Thank you scouts for planning and cooking breakfast!

Seasoned camper & father (Brady) and son (Joe)

How-to Garden Boxes

Several neighbors have asked about our garden boxes. So I’m sharing how we did this and some tips for growing tomatoes. I don’t think it’s too late to plant –if you purchase the plants. There’s nothing like having home-grown tomatoes! With some ambition, you can create a place for them.

An Option for Making Garden boxes

The first thing we wanted to do in our new backyard is create long-lasting garden boxes. Thankfully brother Richard Anderson at Home Depot became our master gardener expert. He guided us with the following steps.

1. Cut your 2x8x? boards to the shape you want. Ours boxes are 4 x 8 feet.

2. Coat the boards on both sides so they don't rot over time. Br. Richard Anderson suggested applying Henry 107.

  It might look like this after you coat the boards.

3. Put them together. I used steel board connectors. Note: Your boards will be black with the coating.

4. (optional) Nail or staple cedar boards to the outside of the boxes- for better looking boxes.

5. Put good soil into them. We ordered from a local soil company. No weeds!

7. I put stakes around the sides so I could run pvc tube over the boxes and place plastic over our plants. Water drenching from our NW weather can mold your seeds  (even potato seeds) and cause them not to grow.

Note the light circle of slug powder around my basil plants

8. Plant and fertilize.

9. Cover with plastic in early Spring or Late fall to extend your growing season and protect from too much rain (and blight for tomato plants).

Sources:

eHow - Build a Raised Garden Box