1.14 The Food Growing Badge
The Food Growing Badge tells us a lot more about Happy. His commitment to his strawberry is so sweet and impressive. He is so caring, a trait that pops up again and again, notably in The Medicine Badge.
It’s a shame that the writers haven’t shown as much care towards accuracy as Happy does to his strawberry. It would have been nice to see the vegetables growing on more realistic plants. I guess the trademark simple art style of Hey Duggee doesn’t lend itself to that.
Badge Design
Rosette with a picture of pumpkin, tomato, cucumber and watermelon.
Episode Summary
Episode written by Sam Morrison.
Opening Squirrel
Happy in the bath with a snorkel.
Start
The Squirrels are playing hide and seek.
Set-Up
Duggee is growing his own food, watermelons, tomatoes, potatoes and onions. The Squirrels discuss what they would like to grow. Roly wants to gown an onion. Tag wants to grow a carrot. Betty wants to grow a cucumber. Norrie wants to grow a pumpkin. Happy wants to grow a strawberry. Duggee can help, he has his Food Growing badge.
Story
First, they dig a hole, then plant their seeds, cover and water them. Now the plants need to be protected. The Squirrels suggest they need to be protected from tigers, aliens and dinosaurs. Actually, they need protection from greenflies, slugs and birds. Duggee suggests they talk to their seeds but most of the Squirrels get bored when their seeds don’t talk back. Happy, on the other hand, talk for days about diverse topics including:
- His purple jumper.
- Rainbows.
- His cousin Eric.
Eventually, the plants pop up, erupting from the ground. Happy’s strawberry is last to appear and it is massive.
Bridges
- Duggee as an onion.
- Duggee sunflower.
Close and Credits
The Squirrels take their food to their parents with their badges.
Outfits
- Duggee wears his farmer dungarees throughout.
Find out more about all the Series 1 outfits here.
Get your Food Growing Badge
To get your Food Growing Badge the first thing you must do is get growing. There’s a guide to growing with children on the official Hey Duggee website:
All the vegetables that the Squirrels grow can be grown at home. In my experience, courgettes are the easiest. Pumpkins also grow really well but need a lot of space. Strawberry plants can be grown in pots.
If you don’t have Happy’s patience then heat to a pick your own (PYO) farm. These are popular during the early summer for strawberries and October for pumpkins.