Troop 7 Horticulture Merit Badge Class 

      On Friday March 10^th, the horticulture agent instructed Troop 7 boy scouts on how to obtain their Horticulture merit badge. The class consisted of 10 boy scouts and six adults present. The horticulture agent started the class with a presentation on gardening basics such as how to start a garden, gardening glossary, how to maintain your garden, gardening risks, and how to start a compost bin. The merit badge requires the boy scouts to construct a compost bin and to keep one for 90 days. They also must grow six vegetables, three from seed and three from seedlings. Next, they must grow six flowers, three from seed and three from seedings. Next, they must test 100 seeds for germination and determine how many germinated successfully. Part of their requirements is to visit their local extension office, which they met that requirement today. Lastly, they must be able to tell their counselor how honey bees are used in pollinating crops and how their population is declining. 

     The first picture is the boy scouts listening to the horticulture agent’s presentation. The second picture is several boy scouts creating their compost bins. The agent gave the boy scouts instructions on how many holes to drill and gave them the drills to get started. The older boy scouts helped the younger ones with drilling the holes. Great teamwork! The last picture is one of the boy scouts and his compost bin that he has filled with organic matter.