Girl Sprouts

In my sister's 1955 Girl Scout handbook are nine proficiency badges listed under Agriculture -- Animal Raiser, Beekeeper, Dairying, Farmer, Fruit Raiser, Home Gardener, Landscaper, Poultry Raiser, and Truck Gardener.  With the rise of backyard chicken coops, knowing how to candle an egg is regaining importance.  But knowing the difference, in females, between a calf, a heifer, and a cow, and the quantity and type of feed for each?  Not so much.  I haven't seen many backyard Bessie's.

As in the general society, Girl Scouts are returning to the land.  One of the new badges is Locavore.  Girls will become knowledgeable on everything from the business of food to what’s in season in their area.  Eating local and in season tends to be cheaper and better for the environment.  If the produce is trucked in from a farm three counties away rather than a country in the other hemisphere, you'll save money because you won't be paying for all the various modes of transportation between farm and table.  Less transportation means less pollution.  It's a win-win.  Even better would be just walking out your back door and harvesting your own turnips.  But back to the Girl Scouts...

To earn the Locavore badge, five steps are required:

1. Explore the benefits and challenges of going local
2. Find your local food sources
3. Cook a simple dish showcasing local ingredients
4. Make a recipe with local ingredients
5. Try a local cooking challenge.

Each of the steps includes specific challenges such as interviewing chefs who specialize in locally grown foods, taking a favorite recipe and making it local, or, for the local cooking challenge, preparing a three-course meal based on local ingredients.

The Girl Scouts are returning to our roots.  Think it's easy?  I challenge YOU to the five badge requirements.  I'll participate as well and report back with my progress.  Can YOU earn the Girl Scouts Locavore badge?