Fruit and Nut Growing Merit Badge History

Earned through 198114,412

Best year19741,378 earned

All-time popularity#202official, as of 2020#204by 2025 (estimate)

Earned by Year

First earned in 1953. Peak year 1974 with 1,378. Hover over or tap a year for its numbers.

195348 earned#105 of 105

1954127 earned#102 of 103

1955425 earned#98 of 100

1956468 earned#97 of 100

1957564 earned#96 of 100

1958425 earned#99 of 101

1959657 earned#98 of 101

1960772 earned#96 of 100

1961545 earned#99 of 101

1962685 earned#98 of 101

1963507 earned#100 of 102

1964505 earned#102 of 107

1965439 earned#105 of 109

1966551 earned#105 of 110

1967531 earned#108 of 112

1968516 earned#107 of 112

1969454 earned#112 of 113

1970558 earned#111 of 113

1971648 earned#110 of 113

1972491 earned#122 of 124

1973670 earned#114 of 122

19741,378 earned#117 of 121

19751,141 earned#121 of 128

1976765 earned#125 of 130

1977310 earned#127 of 130

1978214 earned#128 of 131

19793 earned#131 of 132

19808 earned#129 of 132

19817 earned#131 of 134

"#131 of 134" means the badge was number 131 of the 134 merit badges earned that year. The 2025 all-time place is an estimate, because the counts for 2021 to 2025 are worked out from each year's official ranking and the total number of merit badges earned that year.

195348#105 of 105

1954127#102 of 103

1955425#98 of 100

1956468#97 of 100

1957564#96 of 100

1958425#99 of 101

1959657#98 of 101

1960772#96 of 100

1961545#99 of 101

1962685#98 of 101

1963507#100 of 102

1964505#102 of 107

1965439#105 of 109

1966551#105 of 110

1967531#108 of 112

1968516#107 of 112

1969454#112 of 113

1970558#111 of 113

1971648#110 of 113

1972491#122 of 124

1973670#114 of 122

19741,378#117 of 121

19751,141#121 of 128

1976765#125 of 130

1977310#127 of 130

1978214#128 of 131

19793#131 of 132

19808#129 of 132

19817#131 of 134

Grand total through 1981:

This page keeps growing. More of this badge's history, including its patches and pamphlets, is being checked and will be added once it is confirmed.

Fruit and Nut Growing: workbook data

Printings (17)

Have	Year	Month	Cover	Back	Run	©	BSA #	HC
x	1953	October	6A	back-6b-1	2M	1953	3360
x	1954	January	6B	back-6b-2	2M	1953	3360	HCJV1
x	1955	October	6B	back-6b-2	2M	1953	3360
	1956	not made
x	1957	April	6B	back-6b-2	2M	1953	3360	HCJV1
	1958	not made
x	1959	June	6B	back-6c-2	1.5M	1953	3360	HCJV1
x	1960	July	6B	back-6d	15C	1953	3360
	1961	not made
x	1962	June	6B		1M	1953	3360
c	1963	September	6B		1M	1953	3360	HCJV2, HCK
	1964	July	6B		1M		3360
x	1965	March	6B		1.2M		3360	HCP
x	1966	September	7	back-7	1M		3360
x	1967	June	7	back-7	1M		3360
x	1968	June	7	back-7	1M		3360	HCL
	1969	not made
x	1970	August	7	back-7	2.5M		3360	HCM
	1971	not made
	1972	not made
x	1973	January	8	back-8a	1.5M		3360	HCSV2, HCT
x	1973	October	8	back-8a	1.5M		3360
x	1974	June	8	back-8b	1.5M		3360

Earned and rank by year

Year	Earned	Rank	Of
1953	48	105	105
1954	127	102	103
1955	425	98	100
1956	468	97	100
1957	564	96	100
1958	425	99	101
1959	657	98	101
1960	772	96	100
1961	545	99	101
1962	685	98	101
1963	507	100	102
1964	505	102	107
1965	439	105	109
1966	551	105	110
1967	531	108	112
1968	516	107	112
1969	454	112	113
1970	558	111	113
1971	648	110	113
1972	491	122	124
1973	670	114	122
1974	1,378	117	121
1975	1,141	121	128
1976	765	125	130
1977	310	127	130
1978	214	128	131
1979	3	131	132
1980	8	129	132
1981	7	131	134