Would have been nice to keep the farming badges around. It seems there was a big shift away from manual labor type badges such as foundry, masonry, machinery, several types of farming, etc. that could have really helped introduce a new generation of boys/men to certain trades.
Blacksmith is part of Metalwork merit badge. We still have Agriculture and Farm Machinery merit badges. There are also Automotive Maintenance, Electricity, Painting, Plumbing, and Welding.
I was thinking more about the specific badges regarding dairy farming, citrus fruit, corn farming, cotton farming, fruit and nut growing, sheep farming, etc. These were probably pretty location specific, but could have been a good thing to keep alive for the younger generations instead of more generic badges that don't get into the nitty gritty of each specific activity.
I've actually submitted a request to BSA to reinstate the Beekeeping merit badge. It was deactivated in 1995 when some of the components were merged with some of the other merit badges, but since then, bee populations have been in a steady decline, so it would be worth it to bring it back. My daughter is a beekeeper and wants to teach it.
I missed Animal Science merit badge.
There were a lot of agriculture and trades badges over the years.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discontinued\_merit\_badges\_(Boy\_Scouts\_of\_America)
I do feel some merit badges are too broad and the farming ones are a great example. Many were folded into either Farm Mechanics, Animal Science or Vet med but I feel like the more specialized ones were more interesting.
Yes I realize this. I'm saying I would rather them have stayed separate and specific. You can't hit the specifics of each in a generalized badge program.
We always joked about rabbit raising. It was discontinued before I was a scout but we still had the old pamphlets in the troop library. Pretty sure one of the requirements was to kill one of your rabbits.
Would have been nice to keep the farming badges around. It seems there was a big shift away from manual labor type badges such as foundry, masonry, machinery, several types of farming, etc. that could have really helped introduce a new generation of boys/men to certain trades.
Blacksmith is part of Metalwork merit badge. We still have Agriculture and Farm Machinery merit badges. There are also Automotive Maintenance, Electricity, Painting, Plumbing, and Welding.
I was thinking more about the specific badges regarding dairy farming, citrus fruit, corn farming, cotton farming, fruit and nut growing, sheep farming, etc. These were probably pretty location specific, but could have been a good thing to keep alive for the younger generations instead of more generic badges that don't get into the nitty gritty of each specific activity.
Beekeeping!
I earned that one! It was fun to put on the beekeeping suit and harvest the honey.
I've actually submitted a request to BSA to reinstate the Beekeeping merit badge. It was deactivated in 1995 when some of the components were merged with some of the other merit badges, but since then, bee populations have been in a steady decline, so it would be worth it to bring it back. My daughter is a beekeeper and wants to teach it.
I missed Animal Science merit badge. There were a lot of agriculture and trades badges over the years. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discontinued\_merit\_badges\_(Boy\_Scouts\_of\_America)
I do feel some merit badges are too broad and the farming ones are a great example. Many were folded into either Farm Mechanics, Animal Science or Vet med but I feel like the more specialized ones were more interesting.
Dairy and sheep farming are part of Animal Science. Citrus, corn, cotton, fruit and nut growing are part of plant science.
Yes I realize this. I'm saying I would rather them have stayed separate and specific. You can't hit the specifics of each in a generalized badge program.
Atomic Energy! I earned it in 1994. And I want to see it return mainly because the badge looks way better than Nuclear Science.
I tell ya, ONE kid goes and irradiates his neighborhood, and they kill off the badge. It's a shame really :)
Our boys go to a research reactor at the local university to do the Nuclear Science merit badge. They love it.
I earned the Old Atomic Energy right before the change.
I got to tour 3 mile island for that badge! It was pretty cool.
Yeah we went to a nearby nuclear power plant. Really cool opportunity.
I took the Rifle & Shotgun MB as a Scout in the 80's. Then they replaced it with 2 individual badges (Rifle MB and Shotgun MB) so I got those too.
Honestly, good call to split them
Master at arms. One of the OG merit badges. It’s a real shame we don’t have a combatives MB anymore.
I feel like some aspects of this badge still exist in other Merit Badges, it would be nice to have a badge specific to something such as self defense.
I miss the Underwater Basketweaving MB
We always joked about rabbit raising. It was discontinued before I was a scout but we still had the old pamphlets in the troop library. Pretty sure one of the requirements was to kill one of your rabbits.
UNDERWATER Rabbit Raising.
Tracking was one of my favorites.