Boy Scouts?

[Reb_Cav2]

Thank you all for the support. We are working towards making this happen and the boys are getting excited also. Seems they love the Hawks and are looking forward to the throwing knives.
Would have never thought of the soap making. Will have to work on the more simple meals so we can cook over cooking fires more and not the stove so much. I love cooking in my Dutch Ovens so I am sure we could change that to a light weight pot.
Thank you again for all the help and look forward to amy other ideas that might be floating around out there.
I am thinking about getting them ready for a float down a river for a few days living like a trapper trying to get his pelts back to the forts.
Alos am thinking about touring a local fort that was used during the fur trade are for other ideas.
Respectfully
Reb_Cav2

 

[ravenousfishing]

Really. Scouts are using coleman stoves to cook on now. Guess alots changed in 30 years. We always cooked on open fires except when we were in the occasional campground that didnt allow them, in which case we used charcoal. What fun would a camping trip be without fire. Of course the adults used the Colemans.

 

[crockett]

On mountain man cooking- A pot hung on a tripod was pretty common and a hump roast or ribs propped up against a fire, or even bits of meat put on a stick. Marrow bones were eaten. I think you can get a section of lamb(not much meat) with ribs that could serve the purpose, as well as marrow bones. You could pound/shred some jerky and mix it up with the marrow bone fat to make pemmican.

 

[Sean Gadhar]

So in reading about snares, I got to thinking about cordage. The one I like is milkweed.(easy to get) “ Mr. Landowner can I have a group of Boy Scouts come out & pull weeds? Please?” If you have not made it before, I’m sure there is a YouTube on how to make milkweed cord, (if not yell & I’ll walk you through it).
There is something about a skill that makes something out of nothing, it almost seems like magic to an 11 year old. :shocked2:

 

[mooman76]

What about casting a few RBs over the fire from a cast iron pot?

 

[daboone]

Pick up a copy of Ernest Thompson Seton Two Little Savages. Seaton was not only a founder of the BSA he also wrote the most amazingly fun book filled with ideas for boy out camping!

My grandsons are the 4th generation to be captivated by Mr Seaton books. I will not swear it but the first BSA handbook had to be filled with ideas from Two Little Savages.

 

[Reb_Cav2]

Thank you to all that have posted. I apologize for not replying sooner but I have been super busy. My oldest son is now wanting to work at a camp that has Lewis and Clark as a theme and his troop/ patrol have named them selves he Mountainmen so I think it is time to rejuvenate the plan and so get all the help we can.
As for cooking over Colman stoves I am working to get the Dutch oven as our primary cooking tool just taking time due to enthusiasm.
Again thank you all who have helped out

 

[gearheart]

Dutch oven and a fry pan and fire and there ain't much that you can't make. :thumbsup:

 

[Reb_Cav2]

Could not agree more and I am working on making that happen. The scoutmaster is on board now working on the boys. Think we are well on the road. Just need to get them motivated and we are starting some competitions for that so should have it on the right road soon. Trying to get away from hamburgers an hot dogs and in to more stews am the such.
We had a stew challenge at scout camp last week and that was awesome. Some scouts used pancake mix to make dumplings. Pretty cool.

 

[ravenousfishing]

Still find it hard to believe kids need prodding to cook over an open fire. Much more fun poking a stick in hot coals than a gas burner. Gotta love the dutch oven. Beef stew, fried chicken and I'm sure plenty others I've forgotten. Cherry cobbler really hit the spot as desert.Even took a cast aluminum dutch oven backpacking the Appalachian Trail once just to prove I could do it. Cooked plenty of meals with regular aluminum pots and pans over open fires. Just remember to coat the outside with dish soap before cooking so the soot will wipe off.

 

[Reb_Cav2]

Well we are on our way to making this happen I am looking at some recipes that require or are best suited for a Dutch Oven.
We just finished a week long scout camp and I think the scouts are a little more motivated so we are going to capitalize on that and get the youth leaders to start making plans for more over the fire cooking especially since the weather will turn here and fire dangers will drop.
The other great part is the scouts love the tomahawks and we always have those for competition.
Please keep the ideas coming so we can let these scouts have the best troop/patrol and more importantly the most fun they can while learning all these awesome scout stuff.

 

[gearheart]

In Canada the sections are divided differently. Cubs are 8-10, Scouts are 11-13, and Venturers are 14-17. I was with the Cub pack for 6 years and then the youth asked me to switch to Venturers. I had eaten a lifetime allowance of hot dogs when in Cubs and I knew the kids needed to learn how to cook "real food". The Troop Scouter was big on keeping it simple and so the boys only knew propane stoves and Kraft dinner. I decided to push dutch oven cooking and fire. Our most memorable camp meal was pot roast with potatoes carrots and onions in one D/O and cherry cobler in the other. The boys raved about never having eaten so well in camp.
There is a book called "Cooking the Dutch Oven Way" by Woody Woodward, a Scouter from Indiana. I got mine at a BSA store in OK. It's worth every penny. The BSA leader resources on cooking are also a good read. Have fun.

 

[jdw276]

one of my challenges to the scouts that I worked with was when cooking over an open fire is you have to start it with flint and steel. Or ya eat it cold!

6 years later some of em still talk about how proud they were and happy at getting that fire started! Took three patrols from 5 to 15 minutes to get the hang of it and got a fire started.

gave themselves a real big cheer and pat on the back. it was a good team building exercise as well as they all kept positive about it and encouraged each other to keep trying.

maybe because they did want to eat their dinner cold?

 

[Reb_Cav2]

Love the idea and our scouts are getting better at starting fires with flint and steel. Might have to make that part of the deal start the fire with F&S or eat cold. (now to keep some of the Dads with matches and gasoline away from the fire pit) Again thank you to all that have shared their experiences and knowledge so out troop can grow. Looks like we will now be tanning some donated hides aslo. could be fun?