Scouts put timbersport techniques to the test at Fall Camporee in South Deerfield

SOUTH DEERFIELD — More than 100 Boy Scouts converged on the Eve-Cowles Family Tree Farm for a weekend of timbersports as part of their Fall Camporee.

“I like coming because I get to hang out in the woods,” said Cole Dumas of Chicopee Boy Scout Troop 1849.

During the Camporee, 102 Scouts learned different skills, engaged in competitions using those newfound skills and camped with their troops. Twelve troops of Scouts ages 11 to 17 came from as far away as Pittsfield, said Kenny White, vice president of communication with the Western Massachusetts Council of the Boy Scouts of America.

The theme of timbersports was planned by Camporee Chief Michael Zlogar.

“I love axes and crosscut hand tools,” he said.

The skills the Boy Scouts learned are used in typical relays and competitions that are often seen at fairs. Saturday’s competitions were “less extreme” versions of these activities, Zlogar explained.

The Scouts have used Eve-Cowles Family Tree Farm on three other occasions. This 380-acre forest is used for timber harvesting as well as for habitat improvement for birds and other species. Owner Laura Eve often shares the farm with the community for educational purposes.

“We view this as an opportunity to learn about conservation and promote a love of the woods,” she said. Eve noted the American Tree Farm System named her family farm the Regional Outstanding Tree Farmers of the Year for the Northeast in 2016. She said this was mostly due to the community outreach the farm performs, with hosting the Boy Scouts as a prime example of this work.

On Saturday morning, the Scouts learned wood stacking, different methods of cutting wood and chopping logs, sharpening tools, fire building and throwing wood. In the afternoon, they put their skills to work. They competed in timed relays, picking representatives to compete for the winning title of fastest wood chopper or log mover.

One of the most complex timed relays consisted of a three-part competition. Six Scouts tied a cable around a log. They then pulled the log up the hill using the cable. Once that was complete, they rolled the logs using a tool called a peavey. Finally, the Scouts tied a knot called a timber hitch to the log, bringing it back to the starting place.

Kason Fellow of South Hadley’s Boy Scout Troop 303 recently joined the troop and said if he is ever out in the wild, he would use the skills he learned at the Fall Camporee. He said his favorite part of being in the Boy Scouts is “doing stuff like this.”