The Musical Fruit !

     I remember the first meal I ever made and the instructor that was teaching me. I was eleven years old and camping with Boy Scout Troop 184 in the Allegheny National Forest in Pennsylvania. My Scoutmaster showed me how to make soup beans in a Dutch Oven on a campfire. The Scoutmaster was Scoutmaster Herriott, Mr. Herriott, or John when no other adults were around. Or to me, Uncle John. He always insisted that we scouts address him formally in the presence of other adults. I realize now that this was not for him, but so that these other adults would see that we were respectful. The Allegheny Forest was dear to him. He owned a cabin abutting the forest that he used for vacations and hunting etc. But this trip we were not at his camp, we were in the park at a campsite provided by the forest service.
     The park service had arranged for our Troop to visit a fire tower in the park. We were able to climb to the top and see the view that the Rangers had of the area. They mentioned their primary responsibility in the towers was to watch for fires. We also visited the Park's farm ponds where they raised trout to restock their streams and ponds. These were off limits to fishing although an earlier group of scouts from Troop 184 fished there and got in a little trouble. My oldest brother Randy was in this group!
      At our campsite we set up a ring of tents around the fire pit where we cooked each meal. We used wood provided by the Park and carefully used just enough to make the meals. Later at night we would have time around the fire for stories and fellowship. One night Scout Master Herriott assigned my patrol the duty of keeping the fire going all night. This was not really necessary but a way for the scouts to learn responsibility. We each had a designated time and then had to wake up the next scout for his turn. One of the boys who I'll call "Scout" (he reads this blog and can reveal himself should he want to tell his side the way he remembers) didn't follow the directions well. He built a large fire and went back to his sleeping bag. I don't know if he got scared because of the bears that seemed to visit our site nightly or if he just thought this was a better way, but he built a raging bon fire. Wood stacked higher than his head, flames and embers shooting way up into the air. The kind of fire that is reminiscent of Football Friday night pep rallies or fires big enough to burn witches at the stake. Or maybe like earlier civilizations building huge fires to get the attention of their Gods. Well get attention it did. It wasn't long before the Park Rangers from the very fire tower we toured were on the site. They were angry of course. The whole troop had to spend the rest of the night watching the fire slowly burn it self out. "Scout" had to do K.P. duty for the whole troop the rest of the trip. That was a lot of cook ware and mess kits!
     As for the pot of beans I made it was quite easy. Soak the beans over night. Rinse them and cover with water. Add a little pork, put the lid on. A few hot coals under the Dutch Oven and hot coals covering the top. I made this early Sunday morning and we ate it after the troop returned from a trip to a local church. I know when you are camping even the worst of food seems good but I thought  these turned out very good! As for Scout, I love you man! Thanks for a great memory!