MaryJanesFarm Farmgirl Connection
Join in ... sign up
 
Home | Profile | Register | Active Topics | Members | Search | FAQ
Username:
Password:
Save Password        REGISTER
Forgot your Password?

 All Forums
 Farmgirl Sisterhood
 Merit Badge Awardees - Woo-hoo Sisters!
 Farmgirl Sisterhood Merit Badge Awardees
 Forum Locked  Topic Locked
 Printer Friendly
Previous Page | Next Page
Author Merit Badge Awardees - Woo-hoo Sisters!:  Farmgirl Sisterhood Merit Badge Awardees 
Page: of 533

MaryJane
Queen Bee

16463 Posts

MaryJane
Moscow Idaho
USA
16463 Posts

Posted - Jan 27 2012 :  12:08:27 PM  Show Profile
Kristina Nelson, (FieldsofThyme #800) has received a certificate of achievement in Each Other for earning a beginner, intermediate and expert level Blogging badge.

"I am applying for all three badges.

Beginner: I borrowed a copy of the book "Blogging for Bliss" from the library. I found the "Meet the Blogger" section interesting.

Intermediate: I've been blogging for over 6 or 7 years now. Over the years I changed the topic of my main blog, when we worked on becoming self-sufficient. I have 3 blogs and they are all listed with GirlGab as well. My first blog is Pioneer Woman At Heart, my second one is S.C.R.A.P.: Scrounge Art Projects that Reuse and Recycle Into Art, and the last one is where I am starting to sell handicraft work on-line, Pioneer Patchwork Homespun.

Expert: Having been blogging for years, I have posted hundreds of posts, and commented on other blogs. I try to follow and read a variety of fellow bloggers."

Go to Top of Page

MaryJane
Queen Bee

16463 Posts

MaryJane
Moscow Idaho
USA
16463 Posts

Posted - Jan 27 2012 :  12:34:30 PM  Show Profile
Cynthia Christen, (#1570) has received a certificate of achievement in Farm Kitchen for earning a beginner level Recipes badge.

"My Grandmother Margerat gave me my first family recipe when I was 15 years old to get me started on a recipe box of my own. I have a lot of the old recipes from our family and have added to our favorites over the years. I have a daughter and 3 boys, they have all learned to cook the family recipes and we have made our own family recipes. My job has been to make sure they could cook before they flew the coop. Three down one to go. It is a great journey.

It's something that just keeps going. My daughter is now sending me new recipes and the boys too. I say its all turning out."

Go to Top of Page

MaryJane
Queen Bee

16463 Posts

MaryJane
Moscow Idaho
USA
16463 Posts

Posted - Jan 27 2012 :  1:08:53 PM  Show Profile
Teresa Julian, (#1348) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching & Crafting for earning a beginner level Homespun Christmas badge.

"I LOVE Christmas. Everything about it. I really love to gift give. The down-side to that is...There have been times when I went way over budget trying to make sure I get the PERFECT gift. Never a good idea!
I was a little nervous about earning this badge. I didn't think I could make something that anyone would want. So I started on a gift for my mom.. it's her job to love everything I make for her!! I started off crocheting dishcloths. Then I added a few of the jams & sauces I canned over the summer & fall Before I knew it, a beautiful gift basket was created!

Then I couldnt' be stopped! I was making gift baskets for everyone on my list! Each different, but fitting for whom the basket was created for.
More time of course was spent on putting the gifts together, but it was so much fun, and really in the spirit of the holiday!


My Christmas tree is overflowing with ornaments that the kids have made throughout their childhood. Not wanting to remove any because there really was not a lot of room on this tree to allow more ornaments, I decided to put a smaller tree in my bedroom! I created ornaments by printing out vintage Christmas images onto cardstock, then gluing them onto cereal boxes cut to size. I added glitter accents and trimmed them out with tinsel ribbon. On the tree I paired them with vintage mercury glass ornaments... the look was stunning!

The ornaments came out so beautiful. It made me so happy to walk into my room and see my pretty little tree in the corner looking so festive! I loved making the ornaments, and I will continue to do so for next year!!"

Go to Top of Page

MaryJane
Queen Bee

16463 Posts

MaryJane
Moscow Idaho
USA
16463 Posts

Posted - Jan 27 2012 :  1:22:38 PM  Show Profile
Emily Race, (Simply Satisfied #3591) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching & Crafting for earning a beginner level Crochet badge.

"I started out making washcloths then moved on to scarves around Christmas time. I made 4 scarves as Christmas presents and 10 washcloths. The picture I attached is a cowl I just finished this week. I have learned so much through these projects just haven't had the time to post.

They all turned out so well that yesterday after finishing the cowl I found a nice little pattern for a baby blanket that will likely be my intermediate accomplishment. I was sure I would never tackle something bigger than a scarf but with a little confidence I am happily started on a blanket.

I taught my coworker how to crochet. It was actually pretty tough because I am very left handed but had to switch my ways to teach a very right handed person how to do it. We both struggled for awhile but eventually we got through it and she is getting much better at it. It was amazing how many times I would switch back to left handed if I wasn't paying attention while teaching her. We tried having her mirror me but it just wasn't working so I had to try and figure out how to make my right hand do what my left does quite well at."


Go to Top of Page

MaryJane
Queen Bee

16463 Posts

MaryJane
Moscow Idaho
USA
16463 Posts

Posted - Jan 27 2012 :  2:47:40 PM  Show Profile
Cameron Kempson, (avlfarmgirl #3813) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching & Crafting for earning a beginner level Knitting badge.

"I taught myself how to knit last year--one of the skills I had always thought would be a challenge for me--I am the only person in my family who can't crochet! It turns out, I was able to take up knitting and spent this past fall knitting gifts for Christmas. Friends and family have been delighted to receive handmade knitted scarves and hats. I am currently working on a scarf for my daughter for Valentine's Day.

My daughter was actually the one who inspired me to try to take up knitting. She was given a kit for Christmas 2010 and asked if I could show her how to do it. After teaching myself, we used her kit and book so that she could knit her own small project. She began by practicing knitting a square that she used to line a small box for jewelry. It's not a hobby she has preferred to do, but she has had exposure to the skill and knows how to do it if she ever wants to pursue it further."
Go to Top of Page

MaryJane
Queen Bee

16463 Posts

MaryJane
Moscow Idaho
USA
16463 Posts

Posted - Jan 27 2012 :  3:06:14 PM  Show Profile
Cameron Kempson, (avlfarmgirl #3813) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching & Crafting for earning a beginner level Homespun Christmas badge.

"When I started getting into homesteading, I decided that I would make holiday gifts instead of buy them. In 2010, approximately 50% of my gifts were handmade. This year, 75% of my gifts were handmade.

For this past Christmas, we made felted ornaments for our tree as well as used ornaments we made from years past to round out the collection. Typically, at least 50% of our tree has homemade ornaments on it.

My commitment to this task inspired my sister to join in, and this year, we "upcycled" an old bed that used to belong to my parents into a bench for their cabin as their Christmas present. They noted that it was the most meaningful gift they had ever received."
Go to Top of Page

MaryJane
Queen Bee

16463 Posts

MaryJane
Moscow Idaho
USA
16463 Posts

Posted - Jan 27 2012 :  3:20:05 PM  Show Profile
Amanda Tressler, (AmandaT555 #3804) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching & Crafting for earning a beginner level Knitting badge.

"I have already been knitting for over a year, so for the beginner knitting badge I chose a leaf washcloth. Knit in Fantasy Natural on size 7 straight needles. It uses skills I already know, but I feel are at the beginner level; Make 1 (left and right) as well as knit two together and Slip, slip knit.

I am lucky enough to teach the Knit/Crochet class at our homeschool co-op. As of today I have taught 6 girls how to crochet AND knit! Our recent project was to knit stars to go on a blanket where we had already put our crocheted planets to make a solar system blanket for the Science Fair!

It came out really nice! I did it in a pretty fall color to give to a friend I promised to do a craft exchage with in 2012. I am really excited to give it to her once it is done blocking."

Go to Top of Page

MaryJane
Queen Bee

16463 Posts

MaryJane
Moscow Idaho
USA
16463 Posts

Posted - Jan 27 2012 :  3:30:36 PM  Show Profile
Beth Pierce, (Tree Sister #2557) has received a certificate of achievement in Cleaning Up for earning an intermediate level Going Green badge.

"I have two recipes I shared online, as well as gave to a friend who writes a "green" column for our local newspaper. They are:
Laundry Detergent:
1/2 box borax
1/2 box washing soda
1/2 bar fels naptha soap, grated
Mix in a 5 pound soft margarine tub and use 2 tbsp with a full load

All purpose cleaner:
1/4 cup white vinegar
3/4 cup water
1/2 tsp liquid dish soap
Place in a spray bottle and use on tile, tubs, and toilets. Countertops are happy to be cleaned with this too.

I also took all my soap scraps, boiled them down with water, added extra water, a little glycerin, and placed them in a pump bottle for hand soap.

My friend liked both recipes so much, she posted them in the paper. I have shared these recipes with several friends who find them great; mostly the all purpose cleaner, as it removes hard water deposits and I live in a hard water area."

Go to Top of Page

MaryJane
Queen Bee

16463 Posts

MaryJane
Moscow Idaho
USA
16463 Posts

Posted - Feb 01 2012 :  10:46:02 AM  Show Profile
Monica Baro, (Spookychick #3811) has received a certificate of achievement in Garden Gate for earning a beginner level Birds badge.

"Hello, I would like to start by saying that I have been bird watching for years. Since I was a child. I am 50 years old now. In the past, about a year ago I read the book "Birds of California" by Stan Tekiela. I also own and often research the "National Audubon Society field Guide to North American birds, western region by Miklos D.F. Udvardy. On Tue. 01/24/12 I checked out the book from my local library, "An Introduction to Southern California Birds" and finished reading it yesterday, 01/26/12. I have also noted birds that frequent my area, specifically my patio. I observe almost everday in all seasons the "Black Phoebe". Also observed on my patio is the "Lesser Golfinch", and the "House Finch" In my area I have also observed the "House Sparrow" (English Sparrow), "Pigeon", "crow", "Western Scrub Jay", "Brewers Blackbird", California Towhee", "Northern Mockingbird", "European Starling",and the "Mourning Dove". These are the most common birds seen around my home and in my city. On my bird wishlist would be the "Northern Cardinal". I have alot of other species on my wishlist, but I really would love to see a Northern Cardinal!

I think earning this badge has been in the making for years now. I have learned so much from the books I have read, the other birders I have spoken with, and from the birds themselves. I can't really explain the sheer joy I feel when I see a new species for the 1st time! Seeing birds in books or on the TV on nature shows is nice. But in person is so much better! Also, in order to view the birds in their natural habitat, requires me, to go to them! So I think there have been other benifits to bird watching, like hiking which is great for me. Birding with others also helps me to be more social."
Go to Top of Page

MaryJane
Queen Bee

16463 Posts

MaryJane
Moscow Idaho
USA
16463 Posts

Posted - Feb 01 2012 :  2:55:01 PM  Show Profile
Penny McGee, (acelady02 #3343) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching & Crafting for earning a beginner level Crochet badge.

"I made scarves this year for Christmas presents. I tried a new pattern called the basket weave. It was hard at first to learn but I was able to figure out and show a friend how to do it also.

Made 4 different scarves for Christmas and they turned out great."

Go to Top of Page

MaryJane
Queen Bee

16463 Posts

MaryJane
Moscow Idaho
USA
16463 Posts

Posted - Feb 01 2012 :  2:57:34 PM  Show Profile
Penny McGee, (acelady02 #3343) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching & Crafting for earning an intermediate level Crochet badge.

"I have a friend that just had a baby and I wanted to make her a crocheted bear. It is my first animal. I've only make scarves and afghans before so I am very proud of this.

This is a very cute bear with a little red scarf."

Go to Top of Page

MaryJane
Queen Bee

16463 Posts

MaryJane
Moscow Idaho
USA
16463 Posts

Posted - Feb 01 2012 :  3:13:13 PM  Show Profile
Laurie Conner, (Montrose Girl #1587) has received a certificate of achievement in Each Other for earning an intermediate level Farmgirl Grammar badge.

"I created at least 10 posts or responses on the Farmgirl Chatroom, making sure to use excellent grammar and spelling.
I have continued to use "The Word Museum" to discover forgotten words for an additional two weeks.
I read the book Woe Is I: The Grammarphobe’s Guide to Better English in Plain English, by Patricia T. O’Conner.

I enjoyed the book. The author put grammar into a easy to understand format and brought to my attention the correct usage of whom, which always confused me."
Go to Top of Page

MaryJane
Queen Bee

16463 Posts

MaryJane
Moscow Idaho
USA
16463 Posts

Posted - Feb 01 2012 :  3:14:10 PM  Show Profile
Laurie Conner, (Montrose Girl #1587) has received a certificate of achievement in Farm Kitchen for earning an expert level Unprocessed Kitchen badge.

"I hosted a virtual party with my niece and her step sister. Both are going gluten free and, after clearing out their cupboards, were at a loss how to make some of the food their kids were used to. We spent nearly 2 hours on the phone talking about how to make things like macaroni and cheese, hot chocolate, chicken and rice without using canned soup along with the basis of going gluten free.

I was thrilled to be able to help them both and move them away from some of the processed foods they use. Knowing how hard it can be to cook from scratch for my niece with five kids in the house, giving her the basis for some easy meals gives her a starting point."
Go to Top of Page

MaryJane
Queen Bee

16463 Posts

MaryJane
Moscow Idaho
USA
16463 Posts

Posted - Feb 01 2012 :  3:24:24 PM  Show Profile
Kristina Nelson, (FieldsofThyme #800) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching & Crafting for earning an intermediate level Quilling badge.

"I completed an intermediate quilling project. It took about 3 1/2 to 4 hours to complete it.

I needed to frame a 1924 vintage Valentine that one of my Grandmother's was awarded in a 6th grade drawing contest. I purchased a shadow box at 1/2 price, and covered the backing with scrap wallpaper that had a hint of pink in it. I then attached the vintage card, envelope, and a photo of my Grandmother, using acid free scrapbooking adhesive.

The background paper, behind my Grandmother's photo, is also scrap wallpaper.

For the quilling, I used 2 shades of pink and a blue, to match the colors in the vintage card. I created this by researching shapes in a library book. I also glued 2 quilled hearts onto the edge of my Grandmother's photo."


Go to Top of Page

MaryJane
Queen Bee

16463 Posts

MaryJane
Moscow Idaho
USA
16463 Posts

Posted - Feb 01 2012 :  3:39:39 PM  Show Profile
Victoria Montoya, (EastTXFarmgirl #549) has received a certificate of achievement in Each Other for earning a beginner level Know Your Roots badge.

"I sat down with my mother and father and completed an extensive interview with each. We chose separate days for each and went back as far as they could remember and included stories they were told by their elders. Mom is the eldest of 5 children and Dad is the eldest of 3. Both of their parents had passed, leaving them the eldest living in our family. We chose separate interviews so that stories would not be intermingled and they would not feel inhibited in their stories. When the interview was conducted the other was not allowed in the house. Each interview lasted approx. 6 hours. Stories included childhood, growing up, marriage and growing old. My father is now 83 and my mother 80.

Some of the stories made me laugh, some made me cry. I had always known that my mother had a very hard childhood but to hear the stories of trying to avoid beatings where her and her siblings hid in an old dog house all night when their father came home drunk and mad broke my heart. With both mom and dad at first I thought the interviews were going to be a bomb because I really wasn't getting anything. But, as I continued to ask questions and encourage them to be open the stories began to flow. It was a wonderful experience for all of us. I am the youngest of 5 children and I think I was given the greatest gift of all the kids. The stories were not given to me second hand. I heard it with my own ears, I got to see the emotions and I got to feel the power."
Go to Top of Page

MaryJane
Queen Bee

16463 Posts

MaryJane
Moscow Idaho
USA
16463 Posts

Posted - Feb 01 2012 :  3:40:20 PM  Show Profile
Victoria Montoya, (EastTXFarmgirl #549) has received a certificate of achievement in Each Other for earning an intermediate level Know Your Roots badge.

"I wish I could say that I gathered all sorts of useful information with my parents' interviews in order to track my roots. The truth is I didn't get past my great grandparents. My mother's mother married "below her class" and the family disowned her. My mother never really knew her grandparents. She knew their names but that was it. We researched the National Archive but came up with nothing. Neither her mother or father had a birth certificate and thus far we have not been able to find anyone that might know if there is a family bible. My father has about the same experience. He knew his grandparents on his mother's side. As a matter of fact he was raised by his grandmother. His mother divorced and married multiple times and he never had much contact with his father. Again we came up with nothing through the National Archive and no family bible that is known.

I have not been able to track beyond my greatgrandparents. But honestly, to hear some of the stories from my parents, I can't say that I am too upset. It seems it was alot of drama of rich and poor, snobbery, alcoholics and child abuse. I do know that my greatgrandmother on my father's side was a very good and caring woman."
Go to Top of Page

MaryJane
Queen Bee

16463 Posts

MaryJane
Moscow Idaho
USA
16463 Posts

Posted - Feb 01 2012 :  3:41:20 PM  Show Profile
Victoria Montoya, (EastTXFarmgirl #549) has received a certificate of achievement in Farm Kitchen for earning an intermediate level Get It Together badge.

"I started this badge last year with a wish list of everything I wanted in my kitchen to make it as functional as possible. We purchased our farm 5 years ago. The house is beautiful but a little odd in its structure. The kitchen has windows from the kitchen counter tops, up and corner to corner. It is beautiful but no upper cabinet space. The pantry was small with only 4 2x2 shelves. The counter tops had large spacious cabinets but with no upper cabinets this was the only place to put dinner and cookware. The only drawers in the entire kitchen were 3 very small drawers on the other side of the bar which was actually in the dining room. My list included somehow installing drawers into the kitchen cabinets, adding storage space anywhere I could, enlarging pantry space, adding storage on either side of the stove, converting to propane, an energy efficient frig, a large mixer and ditching the nonstick coated cookware for stainless or cast iron. And do all of this within our budget.

My husband helped me convert a hallway closet into a large pantry using some metal piping type shelving we found in one of the barns on the property (total cost about $10 for screws and the metal brackets to put the shelves on). We made it an L shape to be able to get more storage space. We found a propane stove marked down 50% because someone made a huge scratch down the side during shipping. I put a small 2 shelf TV stand on the side to cover the scratch and used large square baskets to slide into the shelves creating more storage. On the other side of the stove I put a small 2 shelf bakers rack that I found on sale at Walmart. I found a large KitchenAid mixer for 60% off at last years after Christmas sale at Kohls with an extra 15% off coupon. Final cost was less than $50. To create drawers I purchased a couple of rubbermaid sliding drawers and my husband installed them inside the existing cabinets under the first shelf. They are kind of low but sure is better than walking all the way into the dining room for a spoon. I purchased small folding metal shelves to put inside the large under countertop cabinets to create 4 standard size shelves rather than 2 extra large (lot of wasted space). We found an energy star frig on sale at Lowe's. Throughout the year I have watched yard sales and thrift stores for cast iron cookware. I have found several very nice pieces including a large 2 burner griddle. I took them home cleaned them up and reseasoned. Just before Christmas I found a 17 piece stainless steel cookware set reg. priced $399, on sale for $179 plus a free 3 piece stainless mixing bowl set and a 2 piece knife set and I had a 25%off coupon and $25 rewards cash. We gave our old frig to my sister for her extra eggs. The old stove went to a neighbor needing one for his rental house. The nonstick cookware was donated to a local thriftshop for the state hospital. My kitchen is not exactly the way I want it in the end but until we can remodel it is pretty functional and everything has a home. Less than $500 dollars was spent over the past year to get things a little more in order."
Go to Top of Page

MaryJane
Queen Bee

16463 Posts

MaryJane
Moscow Idaho
USA
16463 Posts

Posted - Feb 01 2012 :  3:55:38 PM  Show Profile
Mary Roberts, (maryburb #921) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching & Crafting for earning a beginner level Sew Wonderful badge.

"I assembled a sewing kit in an old cigar box. I included 4 each white and black buttons, a small spool each of black and white thread,
sharp needles, and small scissors. Also straight pins placed in felt, safety pins and a fray check for a quick rip fix.

It was a full box, I covered it with pretty print scrapbooking craft paper and other embellishments. I gave it to my daughter. She needed her own supplies. Since she has had it she has needed it several times.
It turned out to be a well needed project."
Go to Top of Page

MaryJane
Queen Bee

16463 Posts

MaryJane
Moscow Idaho
USA
16463 Posts

Posted - Feb 01 2012 :  4:11:41 PM  Show Profile
Victoria Montoya, (EastTXFarmgirl #549) has received a certificate of achievement in Farm Kitchen for earning a beginner level Know Your Food badge.

"I started Weight Watchers in August 2011. I had gained about 10 lbs a year for the past 6 years and before I realized it I had gone from nice trim 126 lbs to overly plump 180 lbs. There is a WW moto "If you bite it, write it". I have kept a daily food journal for the past 5 months. I had always told myself I really don't eat that much or that bad. Wow, was I wrong. When I started writing it down and reading labels I quickly realized how wrong I was. Our family had become a fast food, processed mess. My husband and I both had put on the pounds. Our cholesterol was way up and we both were in the fast lane to stroke or heart attack. I am a big eater so I was really concerned with would I be able to stick it out. WW does not count most fruits or vegis against you so I have added a lot and I mean a lot of fruits and vegis into our daily consumption. I started growing stevia plants for no cal sweetner and we produce honey from our 3 bee hives. I tried sprout farming but honestly my husband nor I could aquire the taste for them. They had a dirty taste to me.

I weigh in on Monday mornings and this morning I hit the scales at 145.8 lbs. I feel better than I have in a very long time. Our cholesterol is lower. I cook most of our meals from scratch, using fresh, unprocessed foods. I have to admit every once in a while I still enjoy a bowl of Blue Bell ice cream. But the bowl is much much smaller now. I have to put a finish date for the badge but I am not finished. I will continue writing it down and watching what I feed my family and myself. I have 20lbs to go before I am back to my comfortable self. But I think this is going to have to be a life long practice."

Go to Top of Page

MaryJane
Queen Bee

16463 Posts

MaryJane
Moscow Idaho
USA
16463 Posts

Posted - Feb 01 2012 :  4:13:20 PM  Show Profile
Victoria Montoya, (EastTXFarmgirl #549) has received a certificate of achievement in Garden Gate for earning a beginner level Backyard Farmer badge.

"We acquired our first hen with 12 chicks the first spring we were on our farm. My parents' elderly neighbors had a mama hen that hatched out her babies and the neighbors just couldn't take care of them. They were all passed along to me. That was 5 years ago. We still have that mama hen and every year she hatches her a little brood. Due to the drought last year we had to do some culling and are now down to 8 hens and 3 roosters. (2 roosters were kept because they had the prettiest crow and feathers the other was kept because I ran out of steam butchering the other 6) Mama's last year's brood produced 9 roosters out of 22 chicks. I butchered 6 of the roosters this past fall. The eggs we collect supply our household, my parents and my sisters get any extras. We had 2 rabbits that produced 1 baby but in late summer an owl somehow got into their enclosure and killed them all. All of our chickens are free ranged and they get most of the fruit and vegi scraps from the kitchen. We are not certified organic because of the red tape that is involved in being certified in Texas but we are organic.

We have all fresh eggs when we want. We have our fill of chicken and dumplings or roasted chicken. And, we know that they have not been fed their own poop or worse. Our chickens are happy chickens. In the picture the upper right corner is the old mama that started it all (she's a little camera shy), in the lower right corner is Pud. She guards all the poultry. We were told we were crazy to bring a coonhound in to guard poultry but she is the best. She sits on the hill all day watching and if one of the hens give a strange cackle she is right there to see what is going on. As a matter of fact, we can no longer get mama to go into the chicken house at night. She sleeps in the dog house with Pud."

Go to Top of Page

MaryJane
Queen Bee

16463 Posts

MaryJane
Moscow Idaho
USA
16463 Posts

Posted - Feb 01 2012 :  4:14:26 PM  Show Profile
Victoria Montoya, (EastTXFarmgirl #549) has received a certificate of achievement in Garden Gate for earning an intermediate level Backyard Farmer badge.

"I was taught to milk by an elderly lady that lived about 1/2 mile down the road. I agreed to milk her jersey anytime she and her husband wanted to go off for a few days. (Anyone that has a farm knows how hard it is to get away for a few days) In exchange I could have all the fresh milk I wanted. I was bit by the bug. I love it. There is nothing like getting up on a cold morning, pulling up a stool and feeling the warmth of a big old jersey cow. I liked to just lay my head on her belly and sit there for awhile. She must have liked it too because she never even attempted to move. Ester, the elderly neighbor, and her husband passed away and the cow went to her daughter. I was heartbroken. Last March I got a call from the dairy that attaches in the back to our property. They had picked up a 'curly' jersey calf (I had never heard of a curly jersey but evidently they are not common) and she was a runt. I could have her for $400 which was far below the market price for jerseys in this area ($1500-$2000). My husband and I went to see her and what a little dream. She was small but beautiful. We took her home immediately. And my, how she has grown. Mr. M. from the dairy has tried to buy her back many times. He said it seemed to not be an issue of being a runt at all but more of she just didn't do well in a large crowd.

We are not milking yet but do have plans to breed her in June. She will be about 18 months old then making her over 2 when she delivers. I have read a lot of different views on when to breed. There are no real guidelines but I have read many articles that state dairies are breeding too young, many times before they reach 1 year, and therefore shortening the cows life by as much as 10 years. We want to keep Macy around as long as possible so we are waiting. We plan to breed with a miniature jersey."

Go to Top of Page

MaryJane
Queen Bee

16463 Posts

MaryJane
Moscow Idaho
USA
16463 Posts

Posted - Feb 01 2012 :  4:26:19 PM  Show Profile
Teresa Julian, (TeresaJ25 #1348) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching & Crafting for earning a beginner level Buttoned Up badge.

"I have had a button collection for a few years now. I knew that in order to earn a badge, I had to come up with something along those lines. So I decided to organize my very large canning jar of buttons!
I bought half pint quilted canning jars, separated each button by color, and decorated the canning jar box to hold all the buttons. I labeled the top of each jar so a quick peek at the top will tell me which color is in each jar!

I LOVE how organized my buttons are now! I no longer have to dump out the whole jar to find the perfect button!"

Go to Top of Page

MaryJane
Queen Bee

16463 Posts

MaryJane
Moscow Idaho
USA
16463 Posts

Posted - Feb 01 2012 :  4:33:07 PM  Show Profile
CJ Armstrong, (Ceejay48 #665) has received a certificate of achievement in Each Other for earning a beginner level Greatest Generation badge.

"Both of my parents are passed away, my mom in February 1994 and my dad in January 1997. My father-in-law passed away in August 2007.
I (we) do spend time with my mother-in-law providing companionship, meals and opportunities for her to engage in family activities.

My MIL lives in an assisted living facility, having moved there from an apartment complex for senior citizens.
We were also able to meet her "neighbors" and friends and spend time interacting with them.

I have another friend, who will turn 90 in February that is a complete joy to spend time with. There will be many more visits with her because she is so much fun and so positive to be around.

More hours than required are invested."
Go to Top of Page

MaryJane
Queen Bee

16463 Posts

MaryJane
Moscow Idaho
USA
16463 Posts

Posted - Feb 01 2012 :  4:41:28 PM  Show Profile
Sarah Houlihan, (Houligan19 #3828) has received a certificate of achievement in Garden Gate for earning a beginner level Heirlooms Forever! badge.

"When I purchased my seeds this year, I chose about a third of them as heirlooms. Probably more than that. I also read "Garden with Heirloom Seeds."

I really enjoyed the book and all the ideas in it. It was nice to go through all the different types of vegetables and recognize the varieties that I had already bought. There were also some good tips on how to grow vegetables that I haven't had great success with in the past. I can't wait to see if they do well this year."
Go to Top of Page

MaryJane
Queen Bee

16463 Posts

MaryJane
Moscow Idaho
USA
16463 Posts

Posted - Feb 01 2012 :  4:42:09 PM  Show Profile
Sarah Houlihan, (Houligan19 #3828) has received a certificate of achievement in Garden Gate for earning an intermediate level Heirlooms Forever! badge.

"The seeds that I purchased this year are at least one third heirlooms. Some of the seeds I had learned to save last year.

I have saved tomato, pepper, bok choy, and radish. Definitely some of the easier types to save, but I plan on trying some more types this year."
Go to Top of Page
Page: of 533 Merit Badge Awardees - Woo-hoo Sisters!:  Farmgirl Sisterhood Merit Badge Awardees   
Previous Page | Next Page
 Forum Locked  Topic Locked
 Printer Friendly
Jump To:
Snitz Forums 2000 Go To Top Of Page