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Merit Badge Awardees - Woo-hoo Sisters!:  Farmgirl Sisterhood Merit Badge Awardees |
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16633 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16633 Posts |
 Posted - Jun 01 2025 : 09:25:12 AM
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Karen Martell (Jokamartell, #8422) has received a certificate of achievement in Garden Gate for earning a Beginner Birds badge!
"After researching the native birds in my area, I was shocked to find that there are many species of birds in my area. From warblers, nuthatches, to hummingbirds, waterfowl and birds of prey! Because of my close location to the Columbia River, many types of ducks, grebes, coons, and gulls are near by. Frequently I see American Robins, American Crows, Mourning Doves, and various “LBBs". Which stands for Little Brown Birds!! lol. Those birds swallows, wrens, and finches of different varieties. The birds of prey in my area include 3 types of owls, many varieties of hawks, and the Golden Eagle.
On my list of birds I would love to observe in the wild, is a Cedar Waxwing, a Yellow-headed blackbird, a gray cow bird, a violet green swallow and a Bullock’s Oriole.
I learned that there are species of birds that call my area home only in the winter season. These birds include the Bald Eagle, Brown Creeper, Pine Siskin, Dark Eyed Junko, and the white crowned sparrow.
It was fun to learn about the different birds that come to my bird feeder very often. They are sparrows, finches, and the dark eyed Junko (in the fall and winter). On occasion, a Coopers Hawk has been known to to sit on my fence and watch the birds on the feeder and the lilac tree that is nearby!"
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16633 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16633 Posts |
Posted - Jun 01 2025 : 09:37:53 AM
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Karen Martell (Jokamartell, #8422) has received a certificate of achievement in Garden Gate for earning a Beginner Herbs badge!
"The 5 herbs I chose to learn about were the following: lavender, chamomile, parsley, rosemary, and lemon balm.
Lavender has both culinary and medicinal properties. In the kitchen it can be used in teas, baked goods, and even as a replacement for rosemary. Medicinally, its calming scent is known to soothe anxiety, stress and allay nausea. It is a healing amen for insect bites, minor burns and cuts.
Chamomile soothed weariness and inflammation of the bowels. It is also known to soothe skin. It can be found in herbal teas, and cosmetic
Rosemary helps to treat headaches, poor circulation, and epilepsy. It is also used in the kitchen to add flavor to fish, poultry and other meats as well as sauces, soups, and breads.
Parsley is believed to have spiritual uses. It can be used for contacting the deceased, and increasing strength, vitality, and passion. In the kitchen parsley can be used in pesto, egg, pasta, and rice dishes. It can also be used in salads, butter, sauces, and seafood and vegetable dishes.
Lemon balm aids in digestion and soothes digestive issues like bloating and gas. It Haley’s to improve sleep, reduces stress and anxiety. It has a calming effect that can improve mood. It helps to smooth cold sore symptoms.
I enjoyed learning about different herbs. It’s amazing to me how little plants can aid people both medicinally and in our kitchens! I look forward to learning more."
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16633 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16633 Posts |
Posted - Jun 01 2025 : 09:41:43 AM
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Karen Martell (Jokamartell, #8422) has received a certificate of achievement in Each Other for earning a Beginner Her-story badge!
"I choose to research Dolly Parton. She was born Jan 19, 1946. She is a singer, song writer, author, and philanthropist. Dolly attended Sevier County High School as a teen. She played drums in her high school marching band. She is set apart from others who perform country music by her philanthropy. She has invested in students who live in the area where she grew up, offering scholarships to graduating seniors who would attend Hiwassee Community College. She created The Buddy Program in the late 1980s where she encouraged 7th and 8th graders to find a buddy to partner with. If the buddies went on to graduate from high school, she would award them $500, giving them an incentive to stay in school.
Dolly also created the Dolly foundation in 1988. The original goal was to help the regional children achieve educational success. This developed into Imagination Library in 1995. Imagination Library sends books to children all over the world for free from the ages of birth to 5. In 2018, Dolly shipped her one millionth book!! She also supports those who go into the teaching profession by bringing winners to Dollywood for one week. Winners are chosen from those who have overcome obstacles in their life in order to make a difference in the lives of children. She has donated money to local hospitals.
I read an autobiography entitled Dolly Pardon Story Teller. It gave her history as well as the history of the songs she wrote and performed. It was very interesting. Dolly is an inspirational lady."
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16633 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16633 Posts |
Posted - Jun 01 2025 : 09:43:54 AM
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Karen Martell (Jokamartell, #8422) has received a certificate of achievement in Garden Gate for earning an Intermediate Herbs badge!
"I started out by growing chamomile and lemon balm. I harvested the chamomile and dried it by hanging it. Then I made tea with it. With the lemon balm, I made some lemon balm tea as well and used it in a bag to hang in my bath. I was not really a fan of the lemon balm tea. I haven’t given up on it yet! :) lol. I will try again as I am learning to not add as much sugar to my tea!
I learned that my hot beverages need to be very sweetened! lol. I also learned that lemon balm is similar to mint in how it spreads and grows!! :) I have it contained now but it still confuses to try and grow where I used to have it! Lol"
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16633 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16633 Posts |
Posted - Jun 01 2025 : 09:48:55 AM
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Karen Martell (Jokamartell, #8422) has received a certificate of achievement in Garden Gate for earning a Beginner The Good, Bad, and Ugly ... Bugs badge!
"I researched insects and bugs common to my garden area.
Four good bugs for your garden are bees, butterflies, lace wings, and praying mantis. Bees and butterflies are pollinators! Of the world’s food crops, 85% rely on bees being a primary contributor to pollination. Some studies suggest that the buzzing of bees may have therapeutic benefits including a reduction in stress and relief of anxiety. Bees also produce honey and bees wax which can be used in candle making and cosmetics. Butterflies also play a crucial role in pollination but are also a vital food source for birds, reptiles, amphibians and rodents. The presence of butterflies in your garden is an indicator of a healthy environment. Lacewings and praying matrices are also beneficial to gardens. They provide natural pest control which can reduce or eliminate the need for chemical pesticides.
The four bad bugs are young caterpillars, leaf beetles, stink beetles, and tomato hornworms. Caterpillars are harmful because they can damage plants causing harm to leaves, stems or even killing the plant as they eat it. Stink beetles suck the sap out of a plant which can lead to a variety of issues including blemishes, discoloration, and deformed fruit. It can also stunt plant growth. This results in a reduction in crop yield. Leaf beetles feed on stems or even roots of plants causing damage. This weakens the plant and encourages the spread of disease. Both the adult or larvae eat leaves and cause a lot of damage. Tomato hornworms are a significant garden pest destroying leaves or entire plants. When the leaves are eaten, it weakens the plant opening it up to diseases.
I also researched organic pest control methods and plants that can be beneficial in controlling pests. It was fun to learn this information. Pest control methods include introducing beneficial bugs into your garden, hand picking the bad bugs off the plants and out of the garden. Using things like neem oil, citrus, cinnamon, peppermint or lavender oils. You can also plant herbs and other flowers that will help naturally repel bugs. Planting flowering plants will attract bees and butterflies to help pollinate your veggies and help your flowers grow."
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
16633 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
16633 Posts |
Posted - Jun 01 2025 : 10:01:35 AM
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Karen Martell (Jokamartell, #8422) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching & Crafting for earning an Expert Crochet badge!
"For the expert badge I chose a granny square bag to make. The bag is made from 18 granny squares connected together. I then added a circular crochet base, finished the top with a scallop edge and made a cinched closure and strap. Because the bag is made of crochet which in places has a loose weave I also hand sewed a flannel insert and attached it to the inside of the bag. This project taught me a lot about crochet and I can see how my work has progressed from the beginning to the end.
The bag is really cute and I’m very pleased with it. These past few months of crocheting at this level has been rewarding. I look forward to trying something new and then being able to come back to crochet later and take it further."
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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Merit Badge Awardees - Woo-hoo Sisters!: Farmgirl Sisterhood Merit Badge Awardees |
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Farmgirl Sisterhood Merit Badge Awardees
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