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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 - Aug 24 2011 : 11:24:38 AM
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Kirstina Nelson, (FieldsofThyme, #800) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching & Crafting for earning a beginner level Cross-Stitch badge.
"I've been cross-stitching for many years.
I am making these bread covers for Christmas presents. I have also cross-stitched hand towels for gifts and baby bibs."
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Aug 24 2011 : 11:48:33 AM
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CJ Armstrong, (ceejay48, #665) has received a certificate of achievement in Farm Kitchen for earning a beginner level Icing on the Cake badge.
"Baking and decorating cakes is something I've experimented with all through the childhood years of my kids. I had to "dust" off my tools and refresh my skills in cake decorating. I started this process early when this badge was proposed and I bought some new tools to try.
It was such fun to go to the Wilton website and read all the information. I'm so glad for the tips on icing consistency, decorating tips, different recipes . . . particularly in "Coconut Fluff" and the Color Flow icings. I did study through all the categories, making my own notes on things of specific and particular interest and started with trying new icing recipes.
Very pleased to try the new icing recipes and find SO MUCH info on the website. I also had fun with learning how to use some new techniques. Next step? Just getting more creative with my recipes, my own tools, and decorating skills and see what I can come up with." |
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Aug 24 2011 : 11:58:57 AM
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Cindy Neel, (#3070) has received a certificate of achievement in Each Other for earning a beginner level Farmgirl Spirit badge.
"The Delaware County Farmgirls Chapter is meeting in my home for our first official gathering. I though I’d share our story. I am the 4th generation to live in this farm house, built in 1860 it has weathered many spring plantings, summer growing seasons and autumn harvest and winter blasts. A dairy farm until the early 1990’s when my Grandpa retired and my Father was injured and could no longer take care of the livestock. For over 65 years my Grandparents made a living on the farm. My Grandmother had a chicken business, sold eggs and would dress chickens for people while they waited. I remember as a child coming over and holding the eggs up to the box with the bright bulb to make sure the eggs were free of any defect before being sold. I would candle the eggs and put them in the cartons.
My Grandma was famous for her cooking and her Angle Food Cakes were the highest imaginable with all the eggs that she had to make them with. With making all the cakes she also made wonderful noodles with all the yolks. Summers were filled with gardening, canning and feeding haymakers. In those days you really fed everyone with a meal. Not a lunchmeat sandwich and chips. The haymakers would come in out of the heart and eat mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, homemade rolls and whatever meat she made.My Mom taught me sewing, cooking, canning and we raised small animals. She was our 4-H advisor and we came home with plenty of Blue Ribbons from the county fair! As I walk around the house each day many of the windows show much a same view as my ancestors would have seen. It seems only fitting to start our little Farmgirls chapter here in the old farmhouse. With my Dear Mom as a part of the group. Grandma passed away several years ago at the age of 97.As we gathered together to share our skills and our love of creating.
Our gathering grew by double what I had initially planed. We " borrowed" the idea of all signing a rolling pin and my Mother gave me one that was an antique for us to sign. At the same time as our Farmgirl Meeting we gathered the young ones under 13 for the Young Cultivators meeting. We started them to work weaving a basket for their first badge to work on the button collection.
The ladies meanwhile put together a sewing kit with threads, laces, safety pins etc that were given to me by an elderly lady who was unable to use them. We all took some of her cherished sewing items to make our sewing kits. We had snacks and drank ice tea well past our allotted time." |
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Aug 24 2011 : 12:04:51 PM
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Georgie Bender, (Georgie, #2538) has received a certificate of achievement in Cleaning Up for earning a beginner level Shopping Green badge.
"I collected re-usable shopping bags and committed to using them as much as possible.
I first started using the shopping bags for my groceries. Then I would be in Target and forget to bring in my bag so I would purchase a bag and then re-use it. I was able to get a couple for free. Now I use them all the time. I even gave up some of mine to put in my husbands truck, so when I am with him when we shop I still have bags. I have sent my children out to the car to bring then in, because I forgot. I am now not even having the cashiers just hand me the one or 2 items that I purchased to me not in a bag. Now I have a bag for both cars large and small and I use them endlessly." |
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Aug 24 2011 : 12:09:03 PM
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Georgie Bender, (Georgie, #2538) has received a certificate of achievement in Each Other for earning a beginner level Connecting Growers and Eaters badge.
"I worked in a community garden.
I have been working towards my Master Composting certification for a while now and my Shade Keepers, a forestry program in my community. In order for me to achieve these two certifications I have to volunteer my time, 40 hours each. Grand Prairie has a community garden that the city provides for the children to come to each school year to learn about nature and science. The Master composter students, the adults, take care of it and keep it going. This summer I have been working on getting the compost ready, screened and baged for the school gardens that each elementary here in our district has. We have been able to use some here at the garden and the rest ready for the students. We were also able to take one bag home for use to use. We will start planting in Sept. and I hope to finish my 40 hours by then. |
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Aug 24 2011 : 12:43:16 PM
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Georgie Bender, (Georgie, #2538) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching & Crafting for earning a beginner level Buttoned Up badge.
"I collected 50 buttons.
I really don't know how many buttons that I have collected or where they all have come from, but I do know that I love looking for them. My husband and I were in England and I thought I would pick up some while I was there, but I couldn't fine places to purchase them. I did finaly fine a toy/craft/hobby shop in Scottland and found a couple of really good ones. I bought 4 different ones. I wanted to give them to my best friend that was making a crazy quilt. She loved them and added them on. I found some more when my husband and I was in Kansas at his parents and we went into town shopping at an antique shop and found the they had all kinds of buttons. I was in haven!! I only purchased a few because they were a bit pricey. I also love it when they go in sale. I like to put buttons on childrens thing that they like, animals, hearts, stars, etc. I have my collection in bags to sort them by colors. I have some that are sorted by holidays, others by how old or big they are. I have also purchased buttons in jars at antique stores or yard sales in hopes that they have a really unique one of the bunch, or two. One can only hope." |
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Aug 24 2011 : 1:43:36 PM
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Dawn Mathews, (thethankfulgoat, #3383) has received a certificate of achievement in Each Other for earning an intermediate level Entrepreneurial Spirit Up badge.
"After getting the idea to do goat milk soap and realizing it was going to sell, I started checking into what would be required to start my own business. I found a printer who would print my labels, got some business cards made and started making connections. My friends and Facebook were the first launch I had and it got my business up and running.
I did really well with all the connections. The homework I did was well worth the time spent. It kept me from having to go back and redo some things. I placed my first order for $75 worth of supplies and was scared I wouldn't make the money back. Those are good memories." ;)
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Aug 24 2011 : 1:51:26 PM
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Dawn Mathews, (thethankfulgoat, #3383) has received a certificate of achievement in Each Other for earning an expert level Entrepreneurial Spirit Up badge.
"I got everything together that I needed to make my business go. Made up batches of goat milk soap in every fragrance I thought I would sell and made lotions, body butters, chapsticks, massage oils, shower gels, and sugar scrubs. I officially started to market my product to stores and through home parties. I networked with other women who sell direct marketing products and had festivals with them.
I have been doing the business for two years now and love it. I love having goats, milking them, and making soap. I love the people I meet and it's very encouraging to hear how much they love my product. I make enough money for our family to go on vacation each year and to buy those 'extras' we somehow always need. In this economy it has been a real blessing. If you are thinking about doing this, I strongly encourage it. Anyone can make this work if they set their minds to it. Check out my blog and get in touch with me if you need a hand getting started." www.thethankfulgoat.blogspot.com
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Aug 24 2011 : 3:05:06 PM
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Dawn Mathews, (thethankfulgoat, #3383) has received a certificate of achievement in Farm Kitchen for earning a beginner level Forage for Food badge.
"I contacted our agriculture extension office who told me about a weekend seminar that told all about homesteading, living off the land, and foraging plants from the wild. I was so excited I registered and went and learned so much information. They had one class designed especially for wild mushroom cultivation with all the names and pictures of the good mushrooms. I was so glad I attended this event and plan to go back next year with my family.
Since going our family has collected wild blackberries, mushrooms, strawberries, and dandelions for tea." |
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Aug 24 2011 : 3:10:35 PM
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Dawn Mathews, (thethankfulgoat, #3383) has received a certificate of achievement in Farm Kitchen for earning a beginner level Bustin 'Out badge.
"I went to Biggest Loser's Fitness Ridge in Ivins, Utah for a month. All they served is fresh organic food. We had something new every day. My favorite new food was sunchokes or Jerusalem artichokes. Our chef made a delicious puree of them for a luncheon soup. Check out some of the pictures of the food I ate while I was there at www.biggestloserbound.blogspot.com
I found that I like the taste of organic food better. We also planted a garden here at home and have been eating out of it all summer. I will never be able to eat brocoili from the store again!"
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Aug 24 2011 : 3:16:33 PM
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Dawn Mathews, (thethankfulgoat, #3383) has received a certificate of achievement in Farm Kitchen for earning a beginner level Self Sufficiency badge.
"I planted a garden this year and included herbs. I have two kinds of sage, basil, oregano, rosemary, stevia, and mint. I have started to dry the herbs and can't wait to make the spice blend. I have also made pesto out of the fresh basil and shared it with several friends.
We have enjoyed having the herb garden. It was wonderful to add fresh herbs to our food all summer. My favorite is the mozzerella, basil, and tomato salad with olive oil."
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Aug 24 2011 : 3:20:40 PM
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Dawn Mathews, (thethankfulgoat, #3383) has received a certificate of achievement in Farm Kitchen for earning a beginner level Get It Together badge.
"I went through every kitchen cabinet and organize each so they were perfect. I put all the lids with all the bowls and got rid of anything that didn't match or I didn't use. The unusable items went to a yard sale and the money I made on them was used to purchase a couple of things I needed for the kitchen.
I feel like it helps me put meals together faster. Everything is organized and I can go right to is." |
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Aug 24 2011 : 3:25:09 PM
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Dawn Mathews, (thethankfulgoat, #3383) has received a certificate of achievement in Farm Kitchen for earning a beginner level Unprocessed Kitchen badge.
"The guilty pleasure I chose to recreate was an ice cream sandwich. We had the whold family here for a week this summer. I used graham crackers for the sandwich part and for the insides I mixed sugar free whipped cream and sugar free vanilla pudding together and filled the sandwiches then froze them.
They were delicious and we actually liked them better than the ones you get in the store." |
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Aug 24 2011 : 3:29:59 PM
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Rain Klepper, (Rain K, #3381) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching & Crafting for earning a beginner level Quilting badge.
"I recently learned shadow and applique quilting, and made a series of placemats, potholders and wall samples by both machine and hand. I made samplers of hand embroidery stitches to use when hand quilting or crazy quilting embellishing. I had always previously quilted by machine only, so this was both fun and gave me a grand sense of accomplishment and power without the AC outlet power!
I think my small samples and projects turned out fabulously, and gave the courage to make a king size appliqued quilt for my step-daughter's 30th birthday last week. (see intermediate quilt badge application!)"
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Aug 24 2011 : 3:36:23 PM
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Rain Klepper, (Rain K, #3381) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching & Crafting for earning an intermediate level Quilting badge.
"I made a king size pieced and appliqued quilt for a 30th birthday gift for my step-daughter, Jess. The quilt is reversible with both the front and back pieced. The applique was stitched in both free motion and automatic machine methods. This was a 26 hour task over 5 days as Jess was coming from Hawaii to visit for her birthday. I worked on the quilt in the company of a best stitching friend for at least 10 hours.
It turned out absolutely beautiful! Jess cried, I cried, everyone at the party practically was in tears. Her fiance' was so moved, he asked to learn how to quilt...
I am very happy and proud of the quilt, and feel I have created a new family heirloom."
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Aug 24 2011 : 3:41:23 PM
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Barbara Roberts, (Healthy Eating, #2237) has received a certificate of achievement in Garden Gate for earning a beginner level The Secret Life of Bees badge.
"I just finished reading "The Secret Life of Bees" yesterday and found it to be a wonderful, life-affirming story. I read it in two days because it was so fascinating. I had also seen the trailer to "vanishing bees" awhile back but I watched it again to remind myself what it is about. The problem still persists and is actually getting worse.
I have planted plenty of bee friendly plants all over my yard and since I live on five acres, the woods around me have plenty of nectar producing plants found throughout them as well. So bees should be fairly happy here on my property. We do have plenty of the native ones for sure and my garden reflects this." |
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Aug 24 2011 : 4:01:08 PM
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Christine Garard, (cgarard, #3133) has received a certificate of achievement in Garden Gate for earning a beginner level What's Your Beef badge.
"I researched the difference between grass-fed and corporately fed cattle. I grew up on a beef cattle farm, but I still had some questions. My family doesn't have a pasture, they just have a nice barn and concrete feed lot for the cows. So, is that bad? Here's what I've decided. They (My dad and brother) are raising beef much better than the corporate farmers. There's no antibiotics or artificial hormones at all. However, they are feeding them GMO corn. Things could be better.
I talked to my brother about this, and average appears to be good enough for him. We all understand that pasture raised animals means you need to maintain the pasture. I no longer live on the farm, so I can only do so much. One day I hope to move closer to the farm and help my sister get a pasture started, or move to my own farm, and show my brother how to do it. For now, I have the motivation to research maintaining a pasture so I'll be ready in a couple of years to earn my expert level badge.:) |
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Aug 24 2011 : 4:07:14 PM
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Christine Garard, (cgarard, #3133) has received a certificate of achievement in Farm Kitchen for earning a beginner level Know Your Food badge.
"I kept a food journal and I read "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle".
Found ways to include more fresh food without using hydrogenated oils
or artificial sweeteners. This badge was not hard for me to earn, because I was already commited to doing these things. (Earning a badge is a good reward for it, though!)I'm actually going a bit further and trying to eliminated refined sugars and flours from our diet.
On a bit of a side note, anyone hoping to do this for their kids will need to pack lunches. Most schools do not meet this criteria. My children are actually thrilled with taking their lunch to school. We're continually working on creative ideas, so it won't seem like the same thing everyday. This is their second week of school, and they haven't had the same thing yet!"
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Aug 24 2011 : 4:11:23 PM
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Bea Campbell, (quiltingbea, #2575) has received a certificate of achievement in Cleaning Up for earning a beginner level Shopping Green badge.
"I have six reusable bags in my Jeep to use when I go shopping. I had to keep reminding myself they were in the Jeep. A few time I forgot them and was just to lazy to go back to the Jeep to get them. I have made it a point to just harder to remember them and I was able to use them the last few times I was in the market.
I had fun purchasing the reusable bags at all the places I shop. I will keep using them. It's so nice not having all those plastic bags." |
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Aug 24 2011 : 4:17:55 PM
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Dawn Mathews, (thethankfulgoat, #3383) has received a certificate of achievement in Farm Kitchen for earning a beginner level Icing on the Cake badge.
"I went out and bought a simple cake decorating kit with several tips in it. I ran some plastic wrap out on my counter top, filled the bag, and started to practice. It's harder than it looks, but with some consistant pressure I was piping and making borders in no time. I read one of the Wilton's cake decorating books and learned about 20 different things to do with the tips I have.
I made a cake for my little boys birthday. It was an Aslan the Lion cake from Narnia. I did it all by myself." |
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Aug 24 2011 : 4:39:47 PM
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Eileen Eckhardt, (#3384) has received a certificate of achievement in Cleaning Up for earning a beginner level Shopping Green badge.
"I shop at a store named Aldi's and buy most of my grocerys there they have a store policy to bring your own bags so I have a lot of bags I bring there. I save money at this store also so its a win win situation.
I love bringing my own bags it's just a little thing I can do to help the enviroment. I just tuck them away till my next shopping trip." |
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Aug 24 2011 : 4:51:14 PM
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Dawn Mathews, (thethankfulgoat, #3383) has received a certificate of achievement in Garden Gate for earning a beginner level Gaining Ground badge.
"I read "The Earth Moved", interesting. I built two compost heaps close to the raised beds; one to fill with compost and one empty to move the first heap over to the second so it would be turned. We would put all the straw and goat poo from the goat lot into it along with our kitchen scraps. Our chickens like to help with this as well. They get in and turn the compost for us searching for big juicy worms. We let them eat the worms since more always come. Recently some volunteer tomato plants sprung up out of the compost bins and I haven't been able to use them. We have beautiful grape tomatoe plants we are harvesting. We will start to use the compost beds as soon as the tomatoe plants are finished bearing.
We had mountains of free compost to use in our raised beds this spring."
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Aug 25 2011 : 2:04:25 PM
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Dawn Mathews, (thethankfulgoat, #3383) has received a certificate of achievement in Garden Gate for earning a beginner level Backyard Farmer badge.
"We built a chicken tractor to house 10 chickens. It has an area at ground level where they can eat fresh bugs, grass, and worms. There is a hanging food and water storage system. Above there is a coop with a detachable three space egg hutch. You can open one whole side of it for cleaning and we put lineoleum on the floor of it so you can take a hoe and just rake away the poo. It also has wheels so it can be moved daily to different parts of the yard.
We have had the chickens for 1 year now. They have been faithful to lay almost every day this last year. They even laid in the bitter winter when it got down to 10 degrees at night! We have mostly Gold Comets, two Barred Rocks, and one Rhode Island Red. We love them so much we decided to get meat rabbits and meat chickens and ducks for both eggs and meat."
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Aug 25 2011 : 2:12:29 PM
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Dawn Mathews, (thethankfulgoat, #3383) has received a certificate of achievement in Garden Gate for earning a beginner level Heirlooms Forever! badge.
"We read the book on Gardening with Heirloom Seeds and were very excited to order a kit that included everykind of heirloom seed you could imagine. When we got them, however, we were greatly disappointed to find out they did very poorly. We planted all heirloom initally and had to go buy more plants as most of them didn't come up. We bought from a quality source. My husband planted half of the garden in beans and they come up and took over the garden but never produced one bean. Everything we bought from Southern States came up and produced like crazy. We hate we didn't have success with it, but I learned a valuable lesson.
Not very good." :( |
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Aug 25 2011 : 2:21:18 PM
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Dawn Mathews, (thethankfulgoat, #3383) has received a certificate of achievement in Garden Gate for earning an intermediate level Heirlooms Forever! badge.
"We watched a video on learning how to save seeds. I saved almost all of the seeds from my flower bed and took some to the seed swap of the Gardener's Spring Seminar. I was able to swap for other vegetable seeds I wanted and saved us money. We planted all of these seeds and I plan to save from them this fall.
It turned out good and we will do it again next year." |
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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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