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Project Discussions:  Merit Badges  |
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ceejay48
True Blue Farmgirl
541 Posts
CJ
Dolores
Colorado
USA
541 Posts |
 Posted - Jul 16 2010 : 2:14:31 PM
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Yes, the key is "FUN" and more "FUN"!!!! I'm having a ball with it . . . and it's just something I can do as an "old lady" . . :D
CJ
...from the barefoot farmgirl in SW Colorado |
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tea_lady_tammy
Farmgirl in Training
44 Posts
Tammy
NE
USA
44 Posts |
Posted - Jul 16 2010 : 7:27:54 PM
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I thank you ladies I am not usually overwhelmed that easily and I was a girl scout hehehe but I think I will do them for fun or if I want to learn something new. That is how i got into quilting. Thanks for the encouragement
blessings
Tammy
Tea is like being in the stars with God.
http://breathsoffaith.blogspot.com
Farm Sister #1889 |
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ceejay48
True Blue Farmgirl
541 Posts
CJ
Dolores
Colorado
USA
541 Posts |
Posted - Jul 16 2010 : 7:56:08 PM
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See that Casie, Alberta and Rusty earned more badges today!!!
YIPPEE!!! SKIPPY!!! WAY TO GO!!!
CJ
...from the barefoot farmgirl in SW Colorado |
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Montrose Girl
True Blue Farmgirl
188 Posts
Laurie
Montrose
CO
188 Posts |
Posted - Jul 17 2010 : 11:22:55 AM
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The badges are definitely for fun. And the readings that go along with some are very interesting. I've actually enjoyed reading books I never would have thought to pick up. My library has been good as has the Henhouse book "library".
Speaking of which. Robin I should be done with beef in the next few days and it will be on your way.
Best Growing |
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ceejay48
True Blue Farmgirl
541 Posts
CJ
Dolores
Colorado
USA
541 Posts |
Posted - Jul 17 2010 : 12:49:45 PM
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Hey "Chicks" . .
when you read "BEEF" take note of the reference to the ARMSTRONGS in Scotland who were known to be cattle thieves!!!! We learned that they were also called "murdering reivers" . . . what a heritage, huh?
Of course, that is my HUBBY's heritage . . the ARMSTRONGS are a Border Clan. My heritage is a sept of the GORDON Clan and they are a Highland Clan. Not sure what their claim to fame is.
Anyway . . . thought I'd throw that little bit of trivia in there . . :)
CJ
...from the barefoot farmgirl in SW Colorado |
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Rali
True Blue Farmgirl
62 Posts
Rali
Scottsdale
Arizona
USA
62 Posts |
Posted - Jul 18 2010 : 06:31:11 AM
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All,
We started building a raised vegetable bed last month in preparation for Arizona's growing season. (Our "big" planting season begins approximately mid-September.)
In the meantime, my youngest son and I planted pumpkins. I've had nothing but trouble and am getting very discouraged. We fenced off the area to keep my "farm dog" Domino from digging up the area. (She ate all of my herb plants this past spring.) Well, the fence kept the dog out; however, rabbits kept eating the plants. I put baskets (recycled green plastic berry baskets with a weight on top) over the new shoots. The rabbits (or so I thought) knocked the weight off and ate the shoots. My husband "blocked" all entryways to the backyard and I got a bigger, heavier basket (upside down metal egg basket). I still had problems! Whatever was eating my pumpkin plants was able to fit through the 1" openings of the egg basket. I figured out it was "prairie rats." By then, I had no pumpkins left. My son and I replanted. One seed sprouted. I very carefully put a recycled green plastic berry basket (I used a bigger rock this time.) over the young shoot. We went on vacation for a week. I was thrilled when we returned! One mound had sprouted six young plants!! (The seed that I carefully covered with the berry basket turned out to be nothing more than a weed.) Knowing I had to "thin" the mound, I separated and transplanted the six young plants. My son and I added another wire fence (1/2" holes) and sprinkled cayenne pepper around the base of the plants. (I read that tip in the June/July 2010 issue of "MaryJanesFarm.") I don't know if any of our pumpkin plants will survive. Most of them are wilted as, it is so hot (~114 degrees) here!
My plan is to wait a few days and see if anything survives. I will replant as necessary; however, when it comes to "thinning" I was going to try clipping any "extra" plants off earlier in the growing process and at ground level so as to not disturb the roots of the remaining plant. (I had quite a tangled mess of roots with all six plants intertwined when we returned from vacation.) Does anyone have any other advice? Thank you!
Sincerely,
Rali
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Rali
True Blue Farmgirl
62 Posts
Rali
Scottsdale
Arizona
USA
62 Posts |
Posted - Jul 18 2010 : 06:41:13 AM
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All,
I found two books at my local library...I'm Dreaming of a Green Christmas by Anna Getty and A Greener Christmas by Sheherazade Goldsmith. I thought they might be useful in earning the Homespun Christmas Merit Badge. Has anyone read (or used) these books? Thank you!
Sincerely,
Rali |
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ceejay48
True Blue Farmgirl
541 Posts
CJ
Dolores
Colorado
USA
541 Posts |
Posted - Jul 18 2010 : 06:59:21 AM
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Hey Rali,
I have not read or used those books, but would be interested in doing if you are willing to loan them out. Of course, I have a LOT of reading going on right which is crazy because it's the busiest time of year with gardening, outdoor work, etc. . . .
Anyway, let me know you if you'll loan them.
I'll get "Montrose" in the mail to you right away.
I don't have advice for helping you with gardening. We did have gardens when we lived in Tucson but that was back in the 70s and I don't remember much about it . . . SOOOOOOOO very different than gardening here.
Take care!
CJ
...from the barefoot farmgirl in SW Colorado |
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Montrose Girl
True Blue Farmgirl
188 Posts
Laurie
Montrose
CO
188 Posts |
Posted - Jul 18 2010 : 07:14:29 AM
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Wow, that's tough Rali. Sorry to hear, but at least something is excited about your garden. I know, trying to be positive. If you have cats, I hear the liter is a good thing to spread around the edges too. I haven't had that problema nd I cannot imagine trying to grow in that heat!!
Best Growing |
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Rali
True Blue Farmgirl
62 Posts
Rali
Scottsdale
Arizona
USA
62 Posts |
Posted - Jul 18 2010 : 07:50:12 AM
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Dear CJ,
The books are from my local library; hence, I can't "loan" them out. (I wish I could as, the henhouse has a great lending library!) What I can do for the henhouse is read/review both of them and post my thoughts. Also, I can provide all of the information from the inside of the book in case anyone wants to request it from their library or my library (Scottsdale Public Library) as an interlibrary loan.
I know what you mean about having a lot of books to read. I have 30+ books sitting on my hearth! Fortunately, most of them are "picture" books of quilts, rug hooking, crafts, cooking, etc. that I can just peruse.
On a positive note, I recently finished reading The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society, MaryJane's Stitching Room and MaryJane's Ideabook-Cookbook-Lifebook. Right now, I'm reading The China Study by T. Colin Campbell, PhD and Thomas M. Campbell II. (They advocate a whole foods, plant-based diet.)
Sincerely,
Rali |
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Montrose Girl
True Blue Farmgirl
188 Posts
Laurie
Montrose
CO
188 Posts |
Posted - Jul 18 2010 : 07:58:38 AM
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CJ, I'll need to read the horse book but I am not ready for it yet. Want to finish up Beef first, fingers crossed the next few days.
Best Growing |
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ceejay48
True Blue Farmgirl
541 Posts
CJ
Dolores
Colorado
USA
541 Posts |
Posted - Jul 18 2010 : 08:36:43 AM
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Laurie,
I'll send "Horse" to you in the next few days. It's an easy ready and I
enjoyed it.
Rali . . no problem. If you want to post the info on those books for us then we can, individually, pursue them as we want to. That is perfectly fine.
THANKS CHICKS!
CJ
...from the barefoot farmgirl in SW Colorado |
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KathleenL
True Blue Farmgirl
201 Posts
Kathleen
Littleton
Colorado
USA
201 Posts |
Posted - Jul 18 2010 : 10:13:31 AM
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Rali, your gardening efforts sound a lot like mine. We have rabbits, deer, and some insect that I haven't seen. I put a small fence about a foot and a half tall around my garden. It has tiny little squares to keep out the rabbits. Over the top I have a bird net that keeps out the birds, squirrels, and deer. I thought I had it covered. Then something started eating huge bits of the leaves, mostly on the bean plants. I made a batch of garlic/onion spray from the recipe in one of MJ's books. That seems to be working as long as I spray daily. Yesterday when I went out to water I saw that something had dug under the fence and eaten some of the chard. It was in one place where I wasn't able to bury the bottom of the fence so I stuck a big rock there for now. I hope I've finally outwitted the animals. They're probably laughing at me as I type this.
I'm looking forward to getting back to working on badges. I started on the toy badge but my mom is here visiting plus I've had the granddaughters here every day and even some nights. I've hardly had time to do much of anything but I did manage to sneak away for a few minutes on the computer.
Kathy |
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Rali
True Blue Farmgirl
62 Posts
Rali
Scottsdale
Arizona
USA
62 Posts |
Posted - Jul 18 2010 : 12:42:47 PM
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Dear Kathy,
Thank you for all the helpful advice. Right now, I'm in a "wait and see" mode. I'll know in a few days if any of my "transplants" survived. Hopefully, I've outwitted the critters as, nothing has eaten at the leaves in a few days.
Sincerely,
Rali |
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Rali
True Blue Farmgirl
62 Posts
Rali
Scottsdale
Arizona
USA
62 Posts |
Posted - Jul 19 2010 : 07:09:53 AM
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All,
Here are two book titles in case any of you are thinking about Christmas or would like to work on your Homespun Christmas Merit Badge:
I'm Dreaming of a Green Christmas by Anna Getty
In I'm Dreaming of a Green Christmas, you'll discover simple steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint, minimize waste, and creatively reuse what you already have, all while celebrating the joyous season with your friends and family.
A Greener Christmas: Discover a Simpler, Greener Christmas by Editor-In-Chief Sheherazade Goldsmith
Shows you how to make your home merry, bright, and eco-friendly! Part craft, gardening, and cookbook, part home décor and entertaining guide, this book lets the whole family get in on projects that are simple, seasonal, and of-the-moment. Welcome guests with candlelit lanterns, hand-stitched stockings, and cozy homemade wreaths. Trim your homegrown tree with shiny recycled tinsel, spicy dried citrus fruits, and wood-scented pinecones. Give heartfelt, environmentally-friendly gifts like homemade herbal teas and mulled wine sachets, all wrapped up in gorgeous, reusable packaging. And set a mouthwatering holiday spread, with the freshest breads, cheeses, meats, and produce, all sourced from local farms. Edited by food and lifestyle maven Sheherazade Goldsmith, this book will help you plan the most beautiful, most festive, and most responsible Christmas yet!
Sincerely,
Rali |
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Montrose Girl
True Blue Farmgirl
188 Posts
Laurie
Montrose
CO
188 Posts |
Posted - Jul 19 2010 : 07:49:57 AM
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Thanks Rali. Those look good. I'll head to the library and see if I can find them.
Best Growing |
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Rali
True Blue Farmgirl
62 Posts
Rali
Scottsdale
Arizona
USA
62 Posts |
Posted - Jul 19 2010 : 4:03:37 PM
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Dear CJ,
In the July 2010 issue of "Mary Jane's Cluck" it states "...for those of you who like to print out the badge requirements, we'll have updated pdfs available soon." I haven't been able to find them on the website so, I'm assuming they're not available yet. Would you be so kind as to post something on the Henhouse Bulletin Board when the pdfs are available? Thank you!
Sincerely,
Rali |
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KathleenL
True Blue Farmgirl
201 Posts
Kathleen
Littleton
Colorado
USA
201 Posts |
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ceejay48
True Blue Farmgirl
541 Posts
CJ
Dolores
Colorado
USA
541 Posts |
Posted - Jul 19 2010 : 8:21:18 PM
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Thanks Kathy . . . I'm kinda slow on the uptake . . worked 7 AM to 7 PM today!!!
CJ
...from the barefoot farmgirl in SW Colorado |
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Rali
True Blue Farmgirl
62 Posts
Rali
Scottsdale
Arizona
USA
62 Posts |
Posted - Jul 20 2010 : 09:29:24 AM
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Dear Kathy,
Thank you!
Sincerely,
Rali |
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ceejay48
True Blue Farmgirl
541 Posts
CJ
Dolores
Colorado
USA
541 Posts |
Posted - Jul 20 2010 : 2:13:43 PM
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As of today, July 20, 2010 . .
. . . our HENHOUSE "Chicks" have earned a total of
246 Merit Badges!!!!
WAY TO GO!!!!!!
YAY!!!
YAY!!!
YAY!!!
CJ
...from the barefoot farmgirl in SW Colorado |
Edited by - ceejay48 on Jul 20 2010 2:14:18 PM |
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ceejay48
True Blue Farmgirl
541 Posts
CJ
Dolores
Colorado
USA
541 Posts |
Posted - Jul 20 2010 : 2:16:24 PM
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Rusty,
I have "BEES: Nature's Little Wonders" book . . . I will mail it to you in the next couple days. It's a fairly easy read and I found it to be interesting.
CHICKS: Let me know who wants this book after Rusty. It's required for intermediate level "Secret Life of Bees".
Happy reading!!
CJ
...from the barefoot farmgirl in SW Colorado |
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KathleenL
True Blue Farmgirl
201 Posts
Kathleen
Littleton
Colorado
USA
201 Posts |
Posted - Jul 20 2010 : 2:50:25 PM
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I want to read the Bees book.
Kathy |
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ceejay48
True Blue Farmgirl
541 Posts
CJ
Dolores
Colorado
USA
541 Posts |
Posted - Jul 20 2010 : 5:09:29 PM
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Okie dokie Kathy . . .
CJ
...from the barefoot farmgirl in SW Colorado |
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Rusty
True Blue Farmgirl
83 Posts
Rusty
Las Cruces
NM
USA
83 Posts |
Posted - Jul 20 2010 : 5:21:10 PM
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Thanks CJ - I'll send it on to Kathy as soon as I'm finished with it.
Love-
Rusty |
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Project Discussions: Merit Badges |
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Merit Badges
