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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 - Jul 16 2010 : 4:24:19 PM
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Patricia Seaton (pseaton, #1776) has received a certificate of achievement in Each Other for earning a beginner level Community Service badge.
"I've been curious about our local wildlife rescue for some time. Recently, I contacted them and started volunteering 4 hours per week. At this time, we are mostly involved in feeding baby and juvenile birds who were separated from their parents.
A number of different recipes and feeding utensils (syringes for tinies) are used, depending on bird type and age. Older birds get food that's like what they'd eat in the wild.
I watched one of the experienced volunteers gently chase two young hawks with a broom to encourage "flight time."
When older birds are "soft" released to volunteers' homes/yards. Later, hopefully, they'll be strong and independent enough to make it on their own.
I had thought that, with working full time and commuting, 4 hours per week might be too much. But I love it so it seems to be making more "good stuff" in my life, instead of taking something away." |
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Jul 16 2010 : 4:33:12 PM
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Diane Rathje (CountryPotter, #1641) has received a certificate of achievement in Outpost for earning a beginner level 'Out There' Women badge.
"My first aid kit and survival bag includes all items mentioned in the list except for the nylon reflecting cord which I couldn’t find locally. I replaced that with a standard nylon cord and also bought a few flares if I were to ever break down. I added water, extra energy bar, extra waterproof ponchos, hand warmers, and a compass. All these items were placed in a bag and put in the car.
For the weed identification project I used a book from the library on native Nebraska weeds and gathered up 10 from around the homestead. Weeds are always readily available! I found yellowcress, venus lookingglass, sunflower, brome, spurge, prickly lettuce, crabgrass, common milkweed, purslane, and wild violet. Each weed was photographed and a copy was made of the description including its use and status as food, medicine or poison. This information was then placed in a transparent binder page and put in a notebook.
I finally have that emergency bag I have been meaning to put together! I travel a lot alone to see family in Colorado which includes driving over the passes in pretty bad weather. It’s nice to know I have items on hand in my car should any emergency arise. I also travel a lot with my grandkids and having the first aid kit handy for any scrapes while out and about is a must. The bag is complete and even holds a few extra items based on some of my own personal needs. Thanks for the incentive to get this done.
I really enjoyed the plant project. It’s nice to be able to weed the garden with a little more knowledge as to what I’m actually pulling out. I plan on adding to my binder and visiting the extension office to get more info. I didn’t realize weeds could be so fascinating . The book I used includes a lot of history on how these plants were used in the past for medical reasons. I’m also interested in finding out how some of these plants can be used in making dyes for yarn."
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Jul 16 2010 : 4:42:50 PM
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April Johnson (April Showers, #972) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching & Crafting for earning a intermediate level Quilting badge.
"I was in a MaryJane site block swap with the quilters and we all made two different blocks and sent them out to 7 different ladies and then kept 1 of each for ourselves. When all the blocks came in I evened them all to the size of 12 1/2 in. blocks then sewed sashing around all the blocks, put batting down and the backing and sewed that together and machine quilted it and then cut bias strips of the same material as sashing and sewed on the binding. I think it came out great. I wanted to use a neutral color so the blocks would stand out.
It turned out great. Fits a full bed or the top of a queen."
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Jul 16 2010 : 4:57:04 PM
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Christine Dobbertien (mi.bees, #1757) has received a certificate of achievement in Garden Gate for earning a beginner level The Secret Life of Bees badge.
"As a beekeepers of many years, I became aware of CCD shortly after it was discovered several years ago. The trailer, Vanishing Bees again drove home the importance bees play in our life. Bees are a barometer for us to see and take note of, when bees fail to thrive so shall we. I personally have not had the misfortune of experiencing CCD. I believe the hobbyist beekeeper like myself suffer less from CCD because my bee hives are left to thrive and grow in one place. I NEVER use herbicides or pesticides in my yard. Industrial beekeepers keep their hives on the move, and their bees are constantly exposed to chemicals. The day in the life of a bee is stressful enough let alone the additional stress of the industrial world. I believe CCD is caused by the undue stress placed on the bee colony by the industrial beekeepers exposing the hive to the over use of chemicals and the constant moving of the hive from place to place.
This year I planted more Milkweed for the bees and the butterflies. I also stopped mowing a large portion of my backyard and let the wildflowers grow and bloom.
I read, The Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd. The book was hard to put down and I finished reading it in 2 days. I also went to the library and rented the movie after I had read the book. I loved how the life of the bees and the social order of bees were intertwined with the life of Lily, May, June, and August. August was a loving, respectful beekeeper as we should all strive to be in life and as beekeepers!"
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Jul 19 2010 : 3:07:17 PM
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Katherine Osborn (KanMogirl, #1349) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching & Crafting for earning a beginner level Sew Wonderful badge.
"I have been sewing since I was 12 or 13 so I already had the supplies.
The picture is of my homemade pincushions. The blue one is made of fleece and stuffed with batting. I have had it awhile. The newer one has rice in a inner bag. The black design fabric is an outer bag."
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Jul 19 2010 : 3:13:29 PM
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Loyce Krogel (traildancer, #1272) has received a certificate of achievement in Each Other for earning a beginner level Farmgirl Gratitude badge.
"I purchased a die-cut notebook with 30 pages. Each day I would reflect on what had occurred and then I would write a sentence of gratitude. For instance, "I am thankful for singing birds to wake up by."
The booklet is easy to read and a pleasant reminder of many of the blessings in my life." |
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Jul 19 2010 : 3:19:55 PM
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Loyce Krogel (traildancer, #1272) has received a certificate of achievement in Garden Gate for earning a beginner level Gaining Ground badge.
"We have a manure bin in the sacrifice area. In the spring a friend comes over and cleans out the bin and uses the composted manure and hay in her garden or on her new yard.
This year, the compost was my contribution to my friend's garden. She is growing the food; I am helping out financially and with manure!" |
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Jul 19 2010 : 3:26:31 PM
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Loyce Krogel (traildancer, #1272) has received a certificate of achievement in Outpost for earning a beginner level Disconnect to Reconnect badge.
"This past weekend I turned off my computer and cell phone and left for the hills of Southern Oregon. From Friday morning to Tuesday evening, the electronics were off, with the exception of an attempt to make an emergency call. I promptly turned the phone back off. My friend and I thoroughly enjoyed being outdoors with no distractions.
With the exception of the emergency call, which was not because anyone was hurt, it was wonderful to be "out of touch," so to speak." |
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Jul 19 2010 : 4:19:10 PM
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Carrie Meerwarth (Carrie M, #147) has received a certificate of achievement in Outpost for earning a beginner level Outstepping badge.
"I went day hiking in the Adirondack Mountains and climbed to the top of four of the high peaks. My husband, son, and daughter joined me and we hiked 13.5 miles of high peak wilderness. It took us almost 12 hours to accomplish this loop of trails. We saw waterfalls, crossed footbridges, decended rustic ladders, and climbed creek beds. It was a rainy day so the views were not always good and a couple of the peaks were being battered by high winds (scary!) but we had a great time and can't wait to go back for more. I have now climbed 8 of the Adirondack peaks over 4,000 ft. Only 38 to go! This is a picture of the tallest waterfall that we saw. There were many other smaller ones.
For the second part of the badge I had to identify the state tree/bird/flower.
The New York state bird is the bluebird. We have been seeing a number of them recently, particularly since I put a feeder outside. We also have a bluebird house to put out as soon as my daughter finishes painting it up pretty. This will face east in order to allow morning sun to warm the inside while keeping the scorching evening sun out.
Our state tree is the sugar maple. I find this interesting since Vermont is known nationwide as the supplier of maple syrup, but NY also makes a decent amount of syrup from our vast number of maple trees. I have several friends with “sugar shacks” and I have been known to make a couple of gallons myself every now and then. I use my kitchen stove, a big stock pot, and sap collected from the maple tree in our yard!
And our state flower is the rose (which I didn't know until I wanted to earn this badge). I now have one planted in my yard because my husband bought it for me on my birthday this June. It is actually four small plants and I have just put it outside, so it is not looking real vigorous yet. I am a little nervous about caring for this plant, as I have never grown one before. I am using manure “tea” just like Tasha Tudor, so I am hoping for good results!
I have also built a fire pit in my yard by cutting into a hill and framing the pit on three sides with cinder blocks. This makes a safe place for us to enjoy campfires any time of the year. My daughters and I made fire-starting bundles (an idea I got from Scott and Helen Nearing's book “The Good Life”) out of small twigs rescued from lumbering scraps, wrapped in newspaper and tied together with baling twine. We use one of these bundles to easily get the fire going then add branches and twigs for a good blaze."
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Jul 20 2010 : 10:38:15 AM
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Cassie Jean McClelland (cjeanjellybean, #1356) has received a certificate of achievement in Each Other for earning a beginner level Farmgirl Gratitude badge.
"I used my MJF journal to keep a record of things I was grateful for for a little over a month, a new "blessing," everyday.
During a very chaotic time in my life, with the birth of my fourth baby, while having to live for a time with my mother (my family of six!) God revealed so many beautiful things, small and large, to be thankful for! Things I always took for granted, seemed so very special & important. I plan to begin again, and also have my daughter join me this next time. Thank you for this badge." |
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Jul 20 2010 : 10:58:05 AM
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Cassie Jean McClelland (cjeanjellybean, #1356) has received a certificate of achievement in Garden Gate for earning a beginner level Backyard Farmer badge.
"We already had five chickens (Americanas) to harvest eggs from, but we just took on seven more. This time we got Barred Rock pullets. It will be awhile yet before we get any eggs (several months). We let the older chickens out to free range daily, and supplement with most organic feed we could find in our area.
Little chicks are coming along nicely, we should be able to let them out soon without fear of hawks and such getting at them. The older chickens produce nearly an egg a day, give or take. They seem to use much less feed now that they are able to free range all day, every day. The eggs are the best; my girls don't like the taste of store-bought eggs at all now!" |
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Jul 20 2010 : 11:06:55 AM
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Theresa Atkinson (Theresa Atkinson, #1632) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching & Crafting for earning a beginner level Buttoned Up badge.
"Most of these buttons are from my sister, grandmother and friends, some are from estate sales, old clothes and yard sales. Some are purchased, but not many.
I love looking at my buttons. I even like to take them out of the jars and let them run through my fingers."
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Jul 20 2010 : 11:21:30 AM
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Heather Richards (Heather Nicole, #1473) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching & Crafting for earning a beginner level Buttoned Up badge.
"Upon moving into an old farmhouse, I had found several old cookie tins of buttons left behind. And they have been in the attic for months since I discovered them. Well no more! I brought them down and sorted out 50 that I knew without a doubt could be put to use in the near future. Some are simple, some pretty and some unique. However, my favorite find out of all of them, are the three dark green buttons at the top of the image. They are vintage Girl Scout buttons! How fun is that?!
I think it turned out wonderful! It is so great to run over and grab a button out of the pile and give it a new purpose. I don't have to worry about remembering to get buttons at the fabric store anymore! Soooooo convenient! Actually since the photo was taken I have put to use 3 of them!"
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Jul 20 2010 : 11:26:38 AM
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Tanya Murphy (Turtlemoon, #1737) has received a certificate of achievement in Each Other for earning a intermediate level Little Squirts badge.
"All doors worked well but for one. I had to shave the top edge and top down for it to close without sticking. All hinges had already been cleaned and oiled. Checked locks as well and hid small old keys nearby." |
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Jul 20 2010 : 11:36:16 AM
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Marilyn Edlund (Edlund33, #1100) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching & Crafting for earning a beginner level Tatting badge.
"To earn my beginning badge in Tatting I read the tutorial in Maryjane's book and also studied directions in some old tatting books my grandmother had. I learned the basic stitches - double stitch, picot, ring and chain. Then I put them all together and made a 36 inch long piece of tatted edging.
My project turned out very nice. I plan to use it to embellish a denim jacket I have that could use some farmgirl charm. I'm allergic to most synthetic laces found on store bought clothing, so I'm really excited about being able to make my own lace from pure cotton threads to decorate my clothes."
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Jul 20 2010 : 11:41:56 AM
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Marilyn Edlund (Edlund33, #1100) has received a certificate of achievement in Garden Gate for earning a intermediate level The Secret Life of Bees badge.
"To earn the intermediate Secret Life of Bees badge I found and read a used copy of "Bees: Nature's Little Wonders" by Candace Savage.
I also did some internet research on the health benefits of natural raw honey as opposed to commercially produced and processed honey.
And finally, I visited our local farmer's market and discovered that none of the vendors offered natural honey. So, I contacted the event coordinator and provided her with the names of several local honey producers that I was aware of from farming communities nearby.
I really enjoyed reading this little book. The stories, sketches, photos and drawings are very dynamic and engaging. I was especially amazed by the story about the research that Professor von Frisch and Martin Lindauer did and how that transformed the art of beekeeping as we know it today.
I'm delighted to report that beginning next month our farmer's market will be featuring the honey and beeswax products produced by one of the vendors I recommended to the coordinator." |
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Jul 20 2010 : 11:54:17 AM
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Meredith Van Wieren (#1782) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching & Crafting for earning a beginner level Quilting badge.
"Ever since I was little I DREAMED of learning how to quilt. Well, my mom remembered. For my 35th birthday she gave me the gift of semi-private lessons. So she learned how to quilt with me! :)
We had a great teacher who put us right to work making a wall hanging that went up in time for the holidays. It was even more fun than I dreamed it would be.
At first glance, my husband wasn't exactly sure what it was supposed to be, but his response didn't even phase me. I loved it! :)"
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Jul 20 2010 : 12:05:25 PM
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Margarette Allen (Mea, #1732) has received a certificate of achievement in Cleaning Up for earning a beginner level Shopping Green badge.
"Well, I've been shopping with reusable bags for a while now (maybe two years) and this is my first merit badge application. I started out by purchasing one or two bags whenever I went shopping but now I accumulate bags at places like the teacher's convention. They are always handing out bags at events like those and I just save them up. At first, it was really hard to remember the bags but I have them split fairly equally between our two vehicles and now it's just a habit to grab them on my way into the store. I also have a couple stashed in my bicycle bags for those quick trips to the store. This year, I--purposefully--added the market basket to my reusable "bag" stash. I go to the Farmer's Market every weekend and it's a SUPER carrier for all the fruits and veggies I pick up. Next: I'm hoping to make or find produce bags. Then, I should be able to leave the store without any plastic at all!"
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Jul 20 2010 : 12:29:09 PM
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Tanya Murphy (Turtlemoon, #1737) has received a certificate of achievement in Garden Gate for earning a beginner level Horse Dreams badge.
"Our immediate area is full of small farms with horses. Daughter and I drove around looking at the breeds, from miniature on up to Belgian Draft.
We played with the thought of if we owned one what kind would we want and why.
Yesterday as we were outside cleaning daughters car a neighbor came riding through the neighborhood on horseback with a friend. We had the chance to chat and meet their horses and were invited to stop by anytime.
Wonderful, daughter adores animals but we do not have the space for a horse here. I grew up with horses but have not spent a lot of time with them since I was 19. I was kicked in the chest by a colic ridden horse and am still overcoming a little anxiety even though I love them. (A few months in ICU makes me a little extra cautious now.) I would love to start riding again." |
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Jul 20 2010 : 12:40:15 PM
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Tanya Murphy (Turtlemoon, #1737) has received a certificate of achievement in Cleaning Up for earning an expert level Going Green badge.
"Our house has been green revamped! From light bulbs, batteries being rechargeable, etc. Cleaning products etc.
We have always used a laundry line both inside and outside weather permitting for outside.
Our carpets do not need cleaning often as shoes are not worn inside the house. When they are cleaned we have our own cleaner and make our own cleaning product for it.
I have been helping two friends with greening up their home. We finished this weekend, it has been fun as they are quite a bit younger than I am and they thought it would be very difficult to do.
I have quite the eco friendly/self sufficient library of reference books. I have three friends who quite often will borrow them or even text with a question that I can look into them for their answer.
It was a good feeling to finish the few items around the home I had neglected and to help others set their home up to be more eco." |
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Jul 20 2010 : 12:47:21 PM
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Theresa Atkinson (Theresa Atkinson, #1632) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching & Crafting for earning a beginner level Nellie-Will do badge.
"I made a felted hat.
I love it. It fits perfect. I "almost" can't wait for colder weather so I can wear it."
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Jul 20 2010 : 12:57:23 PM
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Carrie Meerwarth (Carrie M, #147) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching & Crafting for earning an expert level Safe Toys badge.
"I made a pair of aprons for my daughter Ashley and her Kirstin doll (American Girl) out of Christmas print fabric. They are both half aprons with green waistband, ties, and pockets. And.....
I finally completed my doll! I used the pattern from the December 2009 newsletter, printed out and enlarged on the library copier. I made the body out of muslin and then designed a shift and knickers out of a pale peach cotton scrap that I had. I trimmed the neck, cuffs, and ankles with some lace from my scrap box. Then I designed an apron out of a piece of cotton that a friend had discarded (as a crazy quilter I always rescue unwanted fabric!!). The apron has ties at the waist and the shoulder straps criss-cross the back and snap to the main body in the back. I used a piece of brown fabric with pink polka-dots (leftover from an apron I made for my daughter) for the hair. Using pinking shears, I cut narrow strips of the polka-dot fabric, about 6” long. These I hand stitched along the top seam of the dolls head, across the middle of the strip with the “right side” down. I then tied each piece into a knot and let the ends hang down. The eyes are two tiny, two-holed buttons. Isn't she beautiful!!"
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Jul 21 2010 : 10:34:23 AM
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Melissa Bailey (Melissa Bailey, #724) has received a certificate of achievement in Garden Gate for earning a beginner level The Secret Life of Bees badge.
"I watched the movie at www.vanishingbees.com and read the book "The Secret Life of Bees" by Sue Monk Kidd. I also planted quite a few "honeybee friendly" plants in both my front and back yards.
Well I really liked the book, I recommended it to many of my friends and my mother. I thought it was very interesting to see how the lives of those women were so intertwined and mingled with the lives of the bees in the hive. I also thought the movie was very informative - I have been seeing a few dead bees around my house, though I have never seen a hive anywhere near here and wondered where they were coming from. A sad situation to be sure. As for the plants, I have a front yard full of Lavander and Rosemary and a backyard with about 12 rose bushes and a lemon tree that always seems to have bees about. I hope they are getting lots of use from my little yard!"
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Jul 21 2010 : 10:44:48 AM
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CJ Armstrong (ceejay48, #665) has received a certificate of achievement in Garden Gate for earning a intermediate level Horse Dreams badge.
"I have always been intrigued by the Paint Horse, so I decided to learn more about them. They were two-toned horses introduced by Spanish explorers. They seem to be one icon of the American West and can be registered in the American Paint Horse Association (APHA). They must come from stock registered with the APHA, American Quarter Horse Association or the Jockey Club (Thoroughbreds).
A "Pinto" is used to describe spotted horses, however, any breed can be a pinto, however a Paint breeding must comply with the bloodlines mentioned above.
Color patterns differentiate them from any other breed and come in unique combinations. Coloration patterns are either tobiano, overo, tovero or solid.
Solid color paints are allowed in the registry if one of the parents is a registered APHA paint. Spots in the color pattern can be any shape or size except leopard complex patterning which is characteristic of the Appaloosa.
Paint horses are desirable for pleasure riding, showing, ranching, riding, rodeoing, trail riding and can be gentle enough for kids.
The photogragh is of my sister's horses, "Paint mare" and "Desi," and they lived just down the road from us, very familiar to my family.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book "The Soul of a Horse." It was another wonderfully written book about "real life," and it makes so much sense.
I loved the accounting of working with the different horses and the short chapters interwoven about the golden stallion, the matriarch, the warrior and the herd.
Reminded me of "Ginger", the chestnut bay we grew up on. She was barefoot and roamed around the farm, was gentle and free, and we rode her bareback to school."
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16458 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16458 Posts |
Posted - Jul 21 2010 : 10:52:52 AM
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Tanya Murphy (Turtlemoon, #1737) has received a certificate of achievement in Cleaning Up for earning a beginner level Green Energy badge.
"I played on line, called a local town office and stopped by our local hydro office to see how and where our local power was generated and where it actually was sent to. It was very interesting.
I have been studying different types of energy to see benefits, side effects, cost of system install vs the payback, etc. Would love to add some solar and a small wind generator but that will be to the next house. My eco house file grows larger! (In college I was one of those nuclear demonstrators who protested the power plant in our state. Lol, then I ended up marrying a man attached to a nuclear submarine.)
I learned a lot more about our small town and how things work, I had not known we had a small hydro power. Very interested in adapting a few power sources to our next home!" |
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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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