Crow’s Nest: Behind the scenes of the Edible Scat fundraiser

By Daniel Barringer, Preserve Manager. Photos by Pete Smyrl.

You may have read elsewhere on the internet about the edible scat samplers that we sell to raise money for scholarships to summer camp at Crow’s Nest. You can even order them online (for a very limited time!) here: https://natlands.org/scat/

And if you’ve ever been gifted one, you know how memorable these are. It’s probably the best way to learn animal scat identification that there is.

But you may not know what the preparation looks like. Molly obtains the temporary Health Department permits, sets up the order-taking process, recruits the volunteer “elves,” and buys the materials. You can imagine the looks she gets in the checkout line of the supermarket. Molly also coordinates the video product promotion and arranges the choreography.

The scat is “made” using very specific recipes and procedures to ensure the finest quality. Aubrey and Molly organize the teenagers who are recruited to prepare the delectables.

At the end of each workday, the results are tallied and compared with the orders coming in.

I am so grateful that these teens, who have attended our Nature Clubs, summer camp, and Teen Naturalist programs, are willing to spend their time assisting with this important project.