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Merit Badge Awardees - Woo-hoo Sisters!:  Farmgirl Sisterhood Merit Badge Awardees |
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
 Posted - Nov 07 2017 : 1:31:46 PM
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Marlene Laverty (#7503) has received a certificate of achievement in Farm Kitchen for earning a Beginner Level Cheesemaking Merit Badge!
“I made yogurt using my goats whole milk. I had a choice between using a yogurt culture or plain store bought yogurt. I have to start with a bacterial culture to get the process going. I made my yogurt with 1 cup organic store bought yogurt as a starter. I made sure the store bought yogurt had live culture in it. I heated up a quart of whole milk to 180 degrees Fahrenheit to sterilize it and placed the pot of milk in a sink halfway filled with cold water to cool it down to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Using a whisk I mix the milk slowly into the cup of yogurt. I have a Euro Cuisine yogurt maker with jars. It's really just a covered hot plate with jars, but it keeps the milk and starter at the correct temp to get the cultures moving and growing. I poured the mixture into the jars. Twelve hours later, (the longer the time the more sour) yogurt!
It turned out a little thin. Nice and sour and just a bit sweet. Great for granola! I will drain some of my yogurt to make Greek style yogurt. Using a fine mesh sieve and butter muslin, the yogurt can be drained of most of the liquid to make a much thicker yogurt. All in all very happy with the result. It's great with honey and peaches too!”
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Dec 04 2017 : 09:47:19 AM
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Teresa Roberson (carolinacateyes, #7386) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching & Crafting for earning an Intermediate Level Ink Slinger Merit Badge!
“I read On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction by William Zinsser and also Writing Down the Bones Freeing the Writer Within by Natalie Goldberg. I have used both of these books in a master’s level creative writing class I completed a few years ago. It’s always good to reread, refresh, and regain those creative juices. Because of a job change, writing has not been on my agenda lately. To finish the Expert Level of this badge, I needed to reread my two books and then write a women’s fictional short story I’ve had on the brain but not on paper.
By reading these two how-to books, I am confident I can create my short fictional story. I took thorough notes and am ready to begin my journey into writing my women's fictional story. I also enjoy writing nonfictional memoirs because everyone has a story to hand down.”
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Dec 04 2017 : 10:01:21 AM
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Sherrilyn Askew (Sherri, #1350) has received a certificate of achievement in Garden Gate for earning an Intermediate Level The Good, Bad, and Ugly ... Bugs Merit Badge!
“I took my knowledge to the garden and spread egg shells all through my strawberries to help with the slugs (I have lots). I diagnosed a problem (several actually) in my garden and came up with 2 different solutions to my problem. I also planted lots of marigolds, especially in my cabbage family plants. I have taken notes of this process for future reference (plant root crops with black tea to prevent worms, scrap scale off with my fingernail, then spray plant with soapy water to prevent re-infestation).
Call me weird (or just cheap), but I hate using chemicals when all I need to make a cure is within my cabinets or refrigerator. The less long term work and the longer the cure lasts, the better I like it. (It's not like I have copious amounts of spare time to go bug squishing). I read the eggshell idea in a magazine (I think) and it works great (salt is more fun for kids though). Removing scale is a pain, but if you have citrus, you have scale. Just make sure you don't wind up with ants farming the scale on your citrus trees (ants do farm, they like aphids too).”
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Dec 04 2017 : 11:05:54 AM
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Teresa Roberson (carolinacateyes, #7386) has received a certificate of achievement in Garden Gate for earning a Beginner Level Horse Dreams Merit Badge!
“There are so many beautiful horses around my town, but I don't have to go any further than my pastures! Yes, I do have a favorite breed; more on that later.
I have always loved horses! I owned my first horse, a Shetland pony, when I was five years old. Then along came Penny, a Pinto, who gave birth to Star, a spirited Tennessee Walker mix. Eventually Star was sold to a trail rider but was returned to us to live out his older years on the farm. Then in my early adult years, I bought a beautiful bay Quarter Horse mare named Kate. Kate and I roamed the fields together, often on bareback with no bridle. She was a dream come true. She learned to open her gate, walk to the porch steps and whinny for attention! After just a few years, she abruptly died with what appeared to be a fast-growing cancer. My children both had beautiful horses, but I refused to get close to them. Not until an Appaloosa named Comanche came to live on the farm did I realize how much I had missed the companionship of a large animal. He was with me for almost twenty years. I have the empty nest now; no horses to call my own, although three horses graze my pastures.
I am especially fond of Spirit, a misunderstood rescue horse with many issues. He doesn’t seem to like people very much! He tolerates being fed away from the other horses but no petting! I usually sit on the ground and talk to him from outside the fence. In the three years he has been around, I have touched him maybe a dozen times. He no longer runs away when I enter the pasture and often walks near me with a relaxed tail, but not too close. He is a loner! He will never be broken to ride. He will never become a gentle, loving horse. He accepts no special treats whatsoever! He tolerates me daily and I accept him as he is! What kind of horse is he? He looks like a wild pinto mustang with long mane and tail and blue eyes, very much like a Chincoteague/Assateague pony! Spirit knows he is safe and that is all that matters.”
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Dec 04 2017 : 11:35:14 AM
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Sherrilyn Askew (Sherri, #1350) has received a certificate of achievement in Farm Kitchen for earning an Expert Level Canning Merit Badge!
“I made two low acid recipes (if you can call how I make soup a recipe) and canned them according to the guidelines for the contents of the jars. I gave a jar of each (loaded baked potato soup and chicken noodle soup) with directions on how to complete each soup (how much white sauce to make and how much rice or pasta to add).
This was my first time canning soups, or rather soup bases, and it worked out very nicely. Next year I am going to have to can more soup bases though. My family loves my soup, especially when it gets cold outside.”
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Dec 04 2017 : 12:52:03 PM
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Ambrosia Blasier-McCollum (Brosia, #7494) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching & Crafting for earning a Beginner Level Spinning Merit Badge!
“A friend just got some Alpacas, and offered me some fleece. I didn't have the money to invest in a good set of carders, so I got a couple of nice slicker brushes instead. I've spent the past several evenings teaching myself how to turn raw fiber into cute little rolags ready to be spun. I tried finger spinning, but I'm not crazy about the time it takes. I think I'll save the rest of it to try on a drop spindle.
It turned out beautifully! It's much easier than I thought it would be. I told my friend how much I enjoyed it, so she has another bag coming to me later this week. I think I've found a new hobby!”
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Dec 04 2017 : 1:48:38 PM
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Ambrosia Blasier-McCollum (Brosia, #7494) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching & Crafting for earning a Beginner Level Origami Merit Badge!
“I did this one a little backwards. We took a family vacation to Great Wolf Lodge, and they had an origami craft for the kids. My daughter is only two, so I made an origami bat while she "helped." Afterwards, I read up on the history of origami.
It turned out pretty darn cute! The instructor simplified the project for the kids, but I was able to get the original instructions and make the more intricate version.”
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Dec 04 2017 : 2:03:15 PM
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Ambrosia Blasier-McCollum (Brosia, #7494) has received a certificate of achievement in Garden Gate for earning a Beginner Level Horse Dreams Merit Badge!
“After checking out some of the horses around my area, I joined some friends in volunteering at a local rescue. We spent several hours mucking out stalls, then got to visit with the horses.
It was wonderful! Besides getting a good work out and helping someone in need, I got to meet some wonderful rescued horses. Most of them were Arabians, which were sweet, but it was the Appaloosa that stole my heart. I'll definitely be back again to help.”
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Dec 04 2017 : 2:16:33 PM
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Marlene Laverty (#7503) has received a certificate of achievement in Farm Kitchen for earning a Beginner Level Bread Making Merit Badge!
“This is the first time I have actually looked-up and learned the difference between baking soda and baking powder. I just never thought about it before, how they worked or even thought about the fact that they are chemical in nature. Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate and works together with acids to create bubbles that make quick breads rise. Baking powder has some sodium bicarbonate as well as a dry acid, either sodium acid Pyrophosphate or sodium aluminum sulfate, that works when it is mixed with liquids and then heated. This also forms bubbles and foam that bond with proteins to give the bread rise and then form.
For my first bread I made pumpkin bread using a traditional recipe that I found in one of my many cookbooks. The recipe called for both baking soda and baking powder. The batter was frothy from the baking soda and due to the baking powder I knew it would rise again in the oven.
My second bread was cornbread sticks baked in my cast iron corn cob pan. I made chili that night and thought the corn bread would be great with it. This recipe also used both soda and powder, but because I now understand how those two work I didn't overfill my pan as I have had in the past.
For my third bread I made indian fry bread. It is a flat bread that is, as its name implies, is fried. I wanted to try a recipe that I have never tried before. This recipe called for the use of only baking powder. This bread made dough, not a batter as the other two did. I also was required to divide the dough into 12 equal balls that then needed to be rolled flat. The dough was then fried in a shallow pan with some hot oil. The edges of the bread began to bubble and rise up a bit. That baking powder in action! Knowledge of how such simple things work! Love it.
All three breads turned out amazing! The pumpkin bread made an excellent grab and go breakfast. The cornbread sticks went very well with the slow cooker chili. I think next time I will add some dried chili peppers and some grated farmhouse cheddar to the cornbread sticks. The fry bread was different, not bad, actually quite good, I just didn't know what to serve it with. I took some out with me to feed the goats and get them ready to be milked. They looked at the fry bread and told me that scrambled eggs, mozzarella cheese and tomatoes would be great on it. That was, of course, after they ate the bread that I brought out with me!
I am making my pumpkin bread again today with half white flour and half whole wheat flour. The recipe that I used called for only white flour. The pumpkin bread was so moist and soft that I think it will hold up well under the denser flour.”
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Dec 04 2017 : 2:34:40 PM
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Marlene Laverty (#7503) has received a certificate of achievement in Farm Kitchen for earning an Intermediate Level Cheesemaking Merit Badge!
“I started this project by learning about rennet and cultures. There are two different types of rennet, animal and vegetable. The animal kind comes form the stomach lining of infant ruminant mammals and vegetable rennet comes from mold. A few even come from fig trees and other plants. Rennet works in milk to make cheese by separating the fats and proteins from the liquid. Curds and whey respectively.
The two main cultures used in cheese makings are thermophilic and mesophilic. Thermophilic is used in making cheese with higher temperatures than mesophilic. Cultures are created from single strains of bacteria and are used to help the rennet work to create cheese.
I used the recipe found in Ricki Carroll's book Home Cheese Making. I chose to use non-gmo, organic, vegetable rennet along with a direct set mesophilic powder culture to make farmhouse cheddar. I used goat's milk instead of cow's milk to make my cheddar since it was what I had on hand. Anything made with goat's milk will turn out white, so I used an all natural cheese dye so that I would be able to tell the difference between my cheddar and the rounds of jack cheese I will be making in the future. I love cheese and my dairy goats! I had to lower the temperatures that the recipe call for by 4 to 6 degrees because of my choice of milk. The fat globules in goat milk is smaller and more delicate than cow milk and easier to burn. My choice in using the farmhouse cheddar recipe was based on the fact that it took a little less time than traditional cheddar and would be ready in as little as a month after it was waxed. I followed my cheese recipe, and after heating and stirring, some pressing and turning for twelve and a half hours, I made a nice one pound round of farmhouse cheddar!
I am so happy with how my cheese turned out. The actual time spent making the cheese was not really all that much. Most of the time was spent waiting for the cultures and rennet to work on the milk to create the cheese. The final pressing time of 50 pounds of pressure for twelve hours was more of a wait than anything as I started pressing the cheese at 9am and it didn't finish the final press until 10:30 pm! But the final cheese turned out very nice. I will wax the cheese in a few days after it has dried to the touch. In about a month I should be able to eat a nice mild cheddar cheese.”
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Dec 04 2017 : 2:53:36 PM
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Marlene Laverty (#7503) has received a certificate of achievement in Make It Easy for earning a Beginner Level Let's Get Physical Merit Badge!
“About two months ago I decided to start a workout program. I wanted one that I would actually do everyday. I allowed myself one day a week off from this program but other than that, everyday for no less than 20 minutes a day. I suffer from depression and I need a more natural form of control over it other than pills. I picked yoga. I did yoga several years ago to help with a back injury and it worked very well. I didn't practice everyday, just when my back hurt. It really helped with my recovery. I stopped doing yoga for a long time. I needed to reconnect with my inner yogi!
Not to mention that studies show yoga can help with depression, stress, and a host of other ailments. I already have a few books and a few DVDs. I already have the tools to do yoga at my disposal. I am not even sure why I stopped my yoga practice in the first place.
I have been doing yoga now everyday for a few months now and I have fallen in love with my yoga practice. I was taking one day a week off from my workout but I discovered that I didn't feel as good that day. I feel better throughout the whole day if I do my yoga in the morning. I sleep better when I do bed time yoga. I even have an app for yoga on my tablet. I can touch my toes again, I feel less stress, and I have lost 9 pounds to boot!”
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Dec 04 2017 : 3:04:47 PM
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Jill Lokke (#6707) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching & Crafting for earning a Beginner Level Basketry Merit Badge!
“I have been making baskets for many years, and even taught beginning basketry classes, so for this merit badge, I researched plaited, coiled, ribbed, and wicker basket techniques, and discovered that there is a lot of overlap, and my basketry books don't always agree with the Wikipedia article. The baskets I have made are mostly plaited, with the materials woven over and under each other at right angles. I have also made some that are more of a wicker style, with very flexible weavers over spokes of a more rigid material. For both types, I usually begin by twining the base of the basket with a small diameter round reed. One of my earlier baskets is wicker-style on the bottom and ribbed at the top, with a braided rim, but I didn't know that until I did the research.
For my 'first' basket for this merit badge, I chose to make my first coiled basket. It is sea grass cording wrapped with my hand-spun, hand dyed wool yarn. I dyed it with indigo after spinning. The sea grass is entirely covered by the yarn.
In all, I spent at least four hours on the basket, and a couple of hours researching. I've already started looking into Native American basketry for the next level.
It was a lot of work for a tiny basket, but it's very cute! The diameter is 4 1/2 inches and it's 2 inches high. It will hold three eggs, which is about all I get in one day right now (6 hens).”
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Jan 05 2018 : 10:24:16 AM
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Shannon Hudson (hudsonsinaf, #5349) has received a certificate of achievement in Cleaning Up for earning an Intermediate Level Green Energy Merit Badge!
“Keeping track of energy expenditures is eye opening! With ten people in the house now, nine of which are home all day long, we use quite a bit it seems.
In order to reduce our energy expenditures, we have implemented a few things. We switched out the standard light bulbs to the energy-standard bulbs, and installed low-flow faucets and shower heads. We've also started having my husband pick up groceries after work rather than us all going in on the weekend (it is a 45 minute drive, one-way, from the house). For his birthday, my hubby received a sun oven from the children and I, so that we can cook that way.
Sending my hubby grocery shopping has its drawbacks, as I have to be very specific on my grocery list, but it has helped decrease our energy expenditure as well as save us gas money, which is a win-win. I am still trying to get used to using the solar oven!”
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Jan 05 2018 : 10:26:56 AM
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Shannon Hudson (hudsonsinaf, #5349) has received a certificate of achievement in Cleaning Up for earning an Expert Level Green Energy Merit Badge!
“Part of our steps towards establishing our homestead this past year was obtaining and raising laying hens and broilers (meat birds). We decided we only wanted a standard coop for the winter, so for the rest of the year we would be using chicken tractors that would be moved everyday. To help protect them from predators, we bought electric fencing. Up went our energy expenditure! So to help bring it back down, we invested in solar chargers.
The solar charged electrical fencing works great! The biggest issue we have had with it is the dryness out here. If the ground pole does not have enough moisture, the fence does not get enough charge. In order to help with this, we took a gallon jug with holes in it, put it next to the grounding pole, and fill it with water as needed.”
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Jan 05 2018 : 10:41:19 AM
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Shannon Hudson (hudsonsinaf, #5349) has received a certificate of achievement in Cleaning Up for earning an Intermediate Level Home Insulation Merit Badge!
“Buying a house "as is" is always a risk, especially when you move in at the beginning of winter. There have been a multitude of things wrong, but one of the worst during the winter was the draft... at the front door! There is nothing quite as bone chilling as wind coming in under and around the door, with a wind chill of negative teens, and snow blowing in! To top it off, it blew right into the living room, where the children and I do their school. Our solution for the rest of winter was to put towels around the door. Come Spring, after the snow melted and the air warmed, a more permanent solution was needed. A new door was bought and installed. We caulked the frame around the door, and hoped for the best. The true test would come with the bone chilling winds and snow of winter!
As we enjoy our second winter here in Wyoming, with snow covering the ground and temperatures hitting a real feel in the negative twenties, I can happily say our caulking and new door issues are solved! While the world outside is freezing cold and glistening white, we are indoors curled up on the furniture, cozy and warm. <3”
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Jan 05 2018 : 10:54:05 AM
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Shannon Hudson (hudsonsinaf, #5349) has received a certificate of achievement in Each Other for earning an Intermediate Level Community Action Merit Badge!
“One of the major issues here in our area is suicide, with bullying being a large culprit. After doing some digging, I have a better understanding of why this is so prevalent...
Our area is largely a mining community. Parents are working odd shifts and schedules. The pay is great, but often times the money is spent on "toys" like 4 wheelers and "recreational" drugs and alcohol. The children are then exposed to this lifestyle and are left to their own devices. Between this and having "nothing else to do," bullying occurs. In turn, the children are left feeling worthless... Suicide seems to be the only answer to end the pain.
The church we are members of is very active in outreach programs. These programs not only give the children/teens something to do, but also give them value. They are loved on and are told that God loves them so much that Jesus died on the cross for them! By bringing the kids in, and getting them involved, parents start attending.
Vacation Bible School was the first outreach program I was involved in at our church. I taught/led the crafts program, which I loved! Most of the children that attended VBS were not from our church, and many of them just wanted hugs. For that week, three hours each day, I loved on those children the best I knew how! I cannot say that I prevented a suicide that week, but I can say for certainty that I shared Christ's love and that He is the very essence of hope and love! I pray that He uses my words and actions to further His Kingdom and prevent the loss of life via suicide!”
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Jan 05 2018 : 11:03:45 AM
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Shannon Hudson (hudsonsinaf, #5349) has received a certificate of achievement in Each Other for earning a Beginner Level Farmgirl Spirit Merit Badge!
“July 4th is always a celebration, but what better way to celebrate in than Farmgirl Style. With company joining us, I set up a homemade feast of Venison tenderloins with a blueberry and basil salsa, red white and blue (actually purple) new potatoes, a salad with strawberries and a blueberry vinaigrette, and for dessert a trifle made from a "from scratch" pound cake, whipped coconut milk, vanilla pudding, and fresh strawberries and blueberries. Yum!!!
Between giving a tour of our homestead, including our chickens and goats, as well as enjoying our from scratch red, white, and blue feast, I think our Farmgirl Style 4th of July Bash went quite well. Everyone seemed to have a great time!”
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Jan 05 2018 : 11:04:26 AM
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Shannon Hudson (hudsonsinaf, #5349) has received a certificate of achievement in Each Other for earning an Intermediate Level Farmgirl Spirit Merit Badge!
“Neighbors takes on a different meaning out here in the west than it did in the east... We now consider our neighbors as anyone new to the area ;) As such, we decided to welcome a family that doesn't live real close to us, but moved to the area, in true Farmgirl Style. We gifted them with canned strawberry jam, fresh baked bread, a hot meal, a meal for their freezer, and a list of local farms and their products.
The family seemed to really appreciate the food! Last we talked, they were looking into ordering a cow from the farmer we told them about as well. Glad we could be of some help!”
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Jan 05 2018 : 11:14:10 AM
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Shannon Hudson (hudsonsinaf, #5349) has received a certificate of achievement in Each Other for earning an Expert Level Families Forever Merit Badge!
“Our family loves to spend time outdoors together. Finding new things to do as a family can be difficult due to the number of children, and their ages. The five new activities we have come up with include fishing, foraging, going Christmas caroling, watching the Christmas town parade, and sledding.
With all of us enjoying these activities, we are looking for new ideas to implement. One that we want to try in the near future is snow shoeing. Once the kids are older we would also like to try skiing and possibly ice skating.”
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Jan 05 2018 : 11:20:09 AM
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Shannon Hudson (hudsonsinaf, #5349) has received a certificate of achievement in Each Other for earning an Expert Level Know Your Roots Merit Badge!
“In July, my Aunt and Uncle decided to visit from Illinois. Seizing the opportunity, I decided to have an impromptu family reunion. Due to it being last minute, only may parents from MD and my brother and his family from SD could join us, but what a fun time we had! Over the years I have been gifted/passed down articles from my family members, since I am known as the "sentimental one." My mom's family was old order Amish... I actually have my grandmother's prayer cap, as well as Amish garments, pictures (that technically should not have been taken), and items that my ancestors made including pillowcases. With my aunt and mom being here, I pulled these items out. I enjoyed hearing stories from these two ladies of their growing up years (they are a little over a year apart). I also made a huge dinner that we enjoyed, which thankfully my sister-in-law helped with, as there was 17 of us here in our home!
Overall, I was saddened that not more of our family could come (though most is on the east coast) but was super glad my parents and brother were able to make it when my aunt and uncle were here.”
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Jan 05 2018 : 11:27:36 AM
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Shannon Hudson (hudsonsinaf, #5349) has received a certificate of achievement in Each Other for earning an Expert Level Greatest Generation Merit Badge!
“In July, my aunt and uncle came and stayed with us for over two weeks. My aunt is in her mid 60s, whereas her husband is in his 80s! He uses a wheelchair and/or walker to get around, and needs assistance taking care of himself. While physically he is limited, his mind is only limited by his naps/tiredness. He shared many stories with us while he was here!
Overall, the visit with Uncle Bill went fairly well. I think the greatest part was seeing the joy on his face as he interacted with the children.”
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Jan 05 2018 : 11:38:28 AM
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Shannon Hudson (hudsonsinaf, #5349) has received a certificate of achievement in Each Other for earning an Expert Level Languages/Culture Merit Badge!
“The German culture is full of traditions and holidays. Over the last year, we embraced a number of these, celebrating with traditional foods. The latest one we celebrated was Nikolaustag or Saint Nicholas Day on the 6th of December. It is kind of like America's Santa Claus, but obviously not on Christmas Day. My favorite German celebration, however, was for Easter. We decorated a branch we put in a vase with painted wooden ornaments, and made a yummy feast. We made lamb, potato noodles, asparagus, and a cake shaped like a lamb.
I have absolutely loved learning about Germany and its traditions and cultures. Dear friends of ours are now stationed there - the wife is actually from there - and I would LOVE to visit them! I know this is highly unlikely, so I am living vicariously through them and doing as much here at home as I can to stimulate what it would be like to visit.”
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Jan 05 2018 : 11:44:38 AM
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Shannon Hudson (hudsonsinaf, #5349) has received a certificate of achievement in Each Other for earning an Intermediate Level Farmgirl Jubilee Merit Badge!
“The Farmgirl Jubilee for 2017 fell on May 5th and 6th... Cinco de Mayo. We decided we were going to combine the two celebrations into a Farmgirl Mexican Jubilee. But we were sick. :( So our celebration got pushed back a week. My brother and his family joined us for our celebration. We had a taco bar, made sombreros using paper plates and cups, and of course had a pinata.
On the actual day of, however, we had our own small celebration. We had a tea party and planted some cilantro (the herb of the year). We also gifted our neighbors some sourdough bread and strawberry jam. Yummy stuff!
While our big celebration got pushed back a week, we still enjoyed our Farmgirl Jubilee. :)”
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Jan 05 2018 : 12:15:56 PM
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Shannon Hudson (hudsonsinaf, #5349) has received a certificate of achievement in Farm Kitchen for earning an Expert Level Forage for Food Merit Badge!
“Our family has begun to forage for food and medicinal herbs. So far we have foraged for mullein, plantain, juniper berries, yarrow, pine needles, and rose hips. Wyoming seems to be too dry to hunt for mushrooms, however, South Dakota is not. Thankfully we only live about an hour and a half from the state line.
Foraging has been an enjoyable past time for our family. While originally my biggest concern was making sure we identified the plants correctly, it quickly became watching for rattlesnakes. I'm looking forward to learning more this upcoming year.”
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Jan 05 2018 : 12:32:40 PM
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Shannon Hudson (hudsonsinaf, #5349) has received a certificate of achievement in Farm Kitchen for earning a Beginner Level Organic on a Budget Merit Badge!
“Due to intolerances, we purchased the gluten-free Budget Mix. With it, my oldest and I undertook the task of learning to bake a little bit of everything with it. I also set up a budget, incorporating the usage of the budget mix. We are not big "bread" people of any form, but used it when we did bake. Due to when I started this badge, our Farmers Market was not open yet. However, we ate locally grown meats, bought local raw goat milk, and bought what we could from locals, such as raw honey.
I think the greatest benefit of having the Budget Mix on hand was that I did not have to worry about mixing my own gluten free blend! Supporting the local small farmers is important to me, and I looked forward to implementing the local-grown mentality further as time progressed.”
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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Merit Badge Awardees - Woo-hoo Sisters!: Farmgirl Sisterhood Merit Badge Awardees |
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Farmgirl Sisterhood Merit Badge Awardees
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