Summer Camp with Patrol Cooking

[Gonzo1]

I've looked on several websites to find a summer camp with patrol cooking. I know that the mess hall can be convenient, and the argument about not having to clean up and do dishes and that mess hall camps allow for more time for badges.

 

I've seen camps like Camp Freeland Leslie (in Wisconsin) have patrol cooking and still offer 5 or 6 merit badges and Camp Shands in florida offer patrol cooking at a reduced rate back in the mid 90's.

 

So, where are the summer camps in the Southeast with patrol cooking AND what was your experience like?

 

Thanks,

Gonzo

[John-in-KC]

I'm not disagreeing with Gonzo, patrol cooking is a good thing.

 

I'm coming to this lamentable opinion, though: Until the National Advancement Committee puts Cooking MB back on the Eagle required list, some Scouters and many Scouts just won't care about cooking their own food at camp.

 

More's the shame. For three summers, including one of truly camping at a Scout Camp (Whitsett, now owned by Western LA Council, then by San Fernando Valley Council), and two on the trail, we cooked.

 

Rich-Moor pilot biscuits, peanut butter, root beer Fizzies and Hershey's Tropical Chocoloate bars have a certain stick-to-the ribs quality in the back-country.

[Gonzo1]

My son returned from summer camp last week, I stayed for 2 nights, I had a good time and I know he did too. There seemd to be this rush to get the the parade field, hear "enrighments" and wait, wait and wait some more. The excuse for these troop method summer camps is how efficient it is. Hog wash, I could have cooked and cleaned in the same time and probably had better chow than what came out of the slop chute.

 

Patrol cooking seems to REINFORCE the patrol method. Don't worry dad (and moms), scouts cook for you, their ration includes the proper amount for boys plus adults.

 

 

[moxieman]

Well, it's not the southeastern USA, but southwestern...

 

South Plains Council has two camps: Camp Post and Camp Tres Ritos. Camp Post is in Post, TX and is a traditional summer camp with dining hall.

 

Camp Tres Ritos is in the mountains in New Mexico at an elevation of 9,000 feet. All cooking at Tres Ritos is by patrol and can be a challenge at times due to the high elevation--it's sometimes hard to keep your fire going--less oxygen at that altitude and all that.

 

Info on the council with links to the camps:

http://southplainscouncil.org/

[Beavah]

The excuse for these troop method summer camps is how efficient it is. Hog wash, I could have cooked and cleaned in the same time and probably had better chow than what came out of the slop chute.

 

Yah, I gotta agree with Gonzo here. My experience is that any troop that's used to patrol cooking can do much healthier, tastier (and personalized) meals in less time than a dining hall camp. More time for fun!

 

Patrol Cookin' options seem pretty limited SE. None listed in NC, SC. In GA I show three camps that offer a patrol cookin' option:

 

Camp Blue Heron in Riceboro

Woodruff Scout Reservation in Blairsville

Bert Adams Scout Reservation in Covington

 

All of them also have a dining hall.

 

This data's from a few years back, so you'd want to check to make sure the option was still available, but I expect yeh'd have good luck.

 

Beavah

[Lisabob]

Gonzo I don't know how far north you're willing to go and still consider yourself in the "south" - I see that camp Saffran at Broad Creek Scout Reservation in Baltimore Area Council offers patrol cooking. Camp Marriott and Camp Bowman in the Goshen Scout Reservation (National Capital Area Council in DC region) also offer patrol cooking as an option.

 

I agree with your assessment of patrol cooking vs. dining halls.

[Be_Prepared]

Woodruff Scout Reservation - Blairsville, GA ( North GA Mountains )

 

Three options for food

 

1) eat in dining hall

2) cook in campsite - camp provides food

3) cook in campsite - you bring food ( food discount given by camp )

 

Camp has large propane cooking stoves for insite cooking

 

Most units that choose option 3 are those with dietary needs ( ex. kosher )

 

Many weeks at the camp are probably already full for summer 2008, though.

[mtm25653]

Several of the special programs at the Blue Ridge Mountain Camps (Ottari and Powhatan) in Virginia, feature patrol cooking - Mountain Man (late 18th century living history, cook over open fires using cast iron), High Knoll Trails (5 day backpacking with several program outposts), Voyageur (4 day canoeing trek plus 1 day rafting trip).

[ccjj]

Tall Pine Council's Camp Tapico in Kalkaska Michigan is a patrol cooking camp. There is no dining hall. My sons troop has gone there many years, and has had plenty of time for cooking and merit badges and camp-wide games and events.

Last summer they went to an out of council camp with the choice for dining hall or campsite cooking. They were one of 2 units that cooked their own food. (Both out of council.)

As of now, our boys seem to prefer campsite cooking. They get to pick their meals, and experiement with different cooking styles.

 

ccjj

[EagleInKY]

Camp Roy C Manchester on Kentucky Lake in Western Kentucky does patrol cooking. I haven't been there, but I've been told they have an excellent sailing program for your older scouts.

[scottteng]

Our council camp canceled a week of summer camp this year due to no interest. An enterprising camp director might offer a patrol cook week and see what kind of interest they get. Maybe a big camp-wide covered dish dinner/cooking for Friday.

[ManassasEagle]

We just returned from a week at Camp Bowman of Goshen Scout Reservation (NCAC camp in VA). Been going to Goshen for years. There are six camps there: PMI and Ross are for Webelos I & II; Olmstead is for Boy Scouts although, since it has a dining hall, it's really for Webelos III; Bowman and Marriot offer a choice of "heater stack" or patrol cooking; Baird is the base camp for the Lenhok'sin High Adventure trekkers.

[spider]

Our troop has been to both types of camps. The boys that have been to Camp Freeland Leslie (patrol camp) cook more on their regular weekend campouts(alot less requests for hot dogs and pop tarts). This year we went to Napowan with a "dining hall". The boys who had gone to CFL previously were not happy with the quality of the food in the dining hall experience. The parents of the first year scouts really liked the dining hall idea because it gave their boys more opportunity to do merit badges. Average number of merit badges at CFL was 4-5, average merit badges at Napowan was 7-10.

Most camps with dining halls also will do outpost cooking. You can make arrangements to get the food from the commissary and cook it yourself in the campsite. I think troops need to consider why they go to camp -is it for the camp experience (cooking, swimming, boating, etc.) or for getting merit badges?