The following observations from the February 2nd Milkweed for Monarchs Kick-off event were written by Owen M., a Webelos in Pack 1188, and submitted by Brian McDougal. Thank you, Owen, for supporting this important conservation effort, and for your reporting on this event.
Hi my name is Owen, I am a Webelos Scout. I went to the Milkweed for Monarchs 2019 kickoff event on February 2, 2019. The National Capital Area Conservation Committee held the event in Washington DC at George Washington University. There were a lot of Scouts and Scouters there.
First, Will Roger, chair of the NCAC Conservation Committee told us what the committee does. They encourage conservation. Conservation is when people appreciate the world around them and take care of it. They want it to stay nice. He told us about lots of different awards Scouts can earn, like the Hornaday awards, Conservation Good Turn award, Messengers of Peace, Scout Ranger Patch, Hometown award, and some others.
Next, Alex Echols told us about Monarchs and why we should plant Milkweed. We should plant it because there aren’t enough Milkweed plants for the Monarchs to lay their eggs on and it is the only plant Monarchs lay their eggs on. The caterpillars eat the milkweed and that is what makes them toxic to predators.
We watched a video by national Monarch expert Peter Berthelson of Conservation Blueprint and learned how to plant Milkweed. We learned some tips, like if you want to buy Milkweed, don’t buy the tropical kind because it blooms at the wrong time for the Monarchs and doesn’t help them. You should buy native kinds like common milkweed, butterfly milkweed, and swamp milkweed.
Everyone got a packet of Milkweed seeds (for the caterpillars) and a packet of seeds of nectar producing plants (for the adults). All the Scouts got a special patch for the participating in the Milkweed for Monarch program. For more information about Monarchs, please visit https://www.monarchwatch.org/ and https://journeynorth.org/
Owen M.
Webelos Scout
Pack 1188
Looking for more info on planting your milkweed? Check out this step by step guide and tip sheet.
Milkweed Seed Planting Instructions
- In March plant seeds indoors to grow seedlings for later transplant
- Punch holes in bottom of cup a Solo cup (Support interior of cup when punching holes)
- Use potting soil for growing medium and fill cup and lightly pack down
- Plant seeds, approximately 3 to a cup, plant half inch deep. Lightly water and keep slightly Overwatering will kill plants. Check daily – may only need watering every few days. Place in south facing window – with something under cup
- Seeds will germinate typically in 15 – 35 days. Not all seeds will germinate. Be patient and provide consistent attention – slight watering and sun
- When seedlings are 6 – 10 inches high and the outside temperature is warm start to put outside during day (commonly late April but depends on weather)
- Use common sense – don’t “sunburn” your seedlings by putting them out directly into really hot day
- Bring indoors and protect from frost and heavy rains
- Plant milkweed seedlings (typically May – around Mothers Day good target)
- Select plot free of grass where milkweed can grow throughout year
- Dig hole just slightly larger than cup seedling is growing in
- Plant – gently pressing soil around seedling – plant level with ground
- Gently water and track for moisture for the next month
- Manage Monarch Plot and watch for monarch caterpillars on milkweed throughout year. They may appear as early as June or as late as August
- Plant your additional pollinator plants near the milkweed – again May is good time to plant those seeds directly into the ground
- In fall you may want to collect seeds after milkweed seed pods dry
- Milkweed plant should re-emerge next year and hopefully may even spread
You can always check other recommendations on milkweed and monarch management. There are plenty of resources. Here is the link to today’s video.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/x4h09burhqv8r7d/Boy%20Scouts%20-%20How%20to%20Grow%20Milkweed.mp4?dl=0
Wow! This years’ Klondike Derby was a fantastic, record-setting success!
The Klondike staff and volunteers developed 36 challenging stations set out across all of the Harpers Ferry KOA. Twelve stations were brand new, another four stations weren’t offered last year, and al-most every station had a new twist on it so returning scouts didn’t have a leg-up on first timers.
To compete in the Klondike, a patrol must manage their time wisely. They have seven program hours and a choice of stations of varying difficulty and pointes. The planning and leadership challenge is to earn as many points as possible, quickly, and move through as many stations as possible.
The 2019 Old Dominion District Klondike Derby welcomed troops, crews, and volunteers from the following districts: Aquia, Baltimore Area Council’s Capitol District, Colonial, Occoquan, Patriot, Patuxent, Piedmont, Po-tomac, Powhatan, Seneca, Washington DC, and Western Shore. Don’t see your district listed? Join us next year: Friday, January 31 to Sunday, February 2, 2020. Once again, we will offer discounts for units that leave Saturday night for religious observances!
In 1897 a gold discovery near Klondike, a region of the Yukon territory in northwest Canada, triggered the Klondike Gold Rush, which lasted from 1897 until 1899. Around 100,000 people decided to travel there, but only about 30,000 have been reported to have made it there.
In 1949 Boy Scout Troops from the Northern United States and from Canada started their reenactment of the Klondike Gold Rush to test their winter Scout skills and called it the Klondike Derby. It has since been adapted by Troops all over the United States, especially those with snow in their winters.
On Saturday, January 26, Units from the NCAC Potomac District met at Little Bennett Campgrounds in Germantown Maryland, to compete in the annual Potomac Klondike Derby. Despite most of the snow from the previous week washed away by Thursday’s rain, the freezing temperatures ensured the genuine Klondike winter feel, and most of the Scouts earned their Potomac District Polar Bear Patch for overnight camping below freezing point.
On Saturday, February 2nd, the National Capital Area Conservation Committee will kick-off the 2nd year of Milkweed for Monarchs, Inspiring Conservation in Scouts and Their Families. This year’s program is again presented by the National Capital Area Council, Boy Scouts of America, and will be hosted by George Washington University.
The youth-friendly presentation is sure to inspire attendees to take action to help save the vanishing monarch butterfly through the building of a healthy and sustainable pollinator habitat. In addition, Scouts and others who attend will receive a free Milkweed for Monarchs patch, plus an easy-to-use seed packet of milkweed and other native, nectar-producing plants that nourish monarch caterpillars and butterflies throughout the growing season.
Powhatan District has hosted a Chess Classic for a decade under the direction of Roger Claff and Peter Snow. This year, they are expanding the Chess Classic to be Council-wide. This is a tournament with 5 rounds. Scouts need to register for their age appropriate bracket. Please see the links below for tournament rules and additional details.
Thousands of girls registered in Scouts BSA will be participating in 2019 summer camps. To help you find out all you need to know to ensure you are ready for Family Scouting in the outdoors, BSA will be offering a livestream webinar on Monday, February 25th at 7pm CST (that’s 8 pm for those of us in the DMV). Best practices from around the country will be shared, as well as Q&A time with a panel of BSA professionals from the Scouts BSA program team, Youth Protection, and Outdoor Programs. Anyone serving in camp leadership this summer is invited to attend. Mark your calendar and save this link to join the livestream broadcast.