When Girl Scout leaders in Mercer tried to come up with a way for their Scouts to earn badges and serve the community, an idea just grew.

And it will keep growing all summer long.

Raised garden beds at Munnell Run Farm on state Route 58 in Coolspring Township were recently planted with vegetables -- and marigolds to keep away the bunnies -- by nine different troops in Mercer and the fruit of their work will go toward two food pantries in the borough.

"I think that it's a great experience and that it's really fun," said 9-year-old Madeline Williams, a fourth-grader at Mercer Elementary School who serves in troop #242. "We're planting gardens for the foodbanks in the community. We can make the world a better place for them."

Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry and the Sharing Shed out of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church will receive the vegetables from the farm, which the Mercer County Conservation District runs, using it as a demonstration for conservation and alternative farming practices.

"We were talking about how it would be nice for the girls to do something together for the community," said troop leader Stacy Brandes, referring to a discussion with other troop leaders in the Mercer Girl Scout Service Unit 41, which covers all of the Girl Scouts in the Mercer Area School District.

"They are also in the process of earning different badges," she added.

The nine troops, which include 120 Scouts, will each visit the garden beds twice this summer to keep the beds weeded and watered.

"I think it's a very good plan. Very, very good, so we can help people and everything," said 12-year old Chelsea Best, with Troop 736. "I like to plant. I like to move around in the dirt. I like to see bugs."

And those at the Munnell Run Farm also see it as a good plan.

"We felt it was a good opportunity to teach the kids about gardening and provide a worthwhile community service," said Jill Shankel, education coordinator with the Mercer County Conservation District.

"I like planting things. I like planting flowers. I like helping people," said 7-year old Rachael Hoge, a first-grader in Mercer Elementary School who serves in Troop 40. "I just feel really good."