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Merit Badge Awardees - Woo-hoo Sisters!:  Farmgirl Sisterhood Merit Badge Awardees |
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
17162 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
17162 Posts |
 Posted - Sep 14 2026 : 8:14:50 PM
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Amie Wright (#8717, AmiePrairie) has received a certificate of achievement in Garden Gate for earning a Beginner Bee Good to Your Mother Earth badge!
"I had a difficult time finding Montrose second hand to add to my personal library. And my local library did not have it. I learned something new about my library's sisterhood lol. All the California libraries have an inner exchange program. My librarian was able to order me a copy of Life in the Garden from San Diego California. I placed the whole order on August 8 and the book arrived at my local library on the 29th! I was so pleased and impressed. I started reading the book right away. I have to admit it was a very difficult read. As just a beginner gardener, I found the technical terms a bit overwhelming. I did my best to read through those and did enjoy the personal storyline that ran throughout the book. This year I decided to plant zucchini, tomatoes, and Blue Lake Poll green beans. The aphids quickly found my growing plants and I had to move on to the next step, which was researching organic pest control. I learned that I could spray them with water.... and quickly found that my leaves were getting sunburned. The second step was to cut off the dead leaves and advice said to trim aphid covered leaves. Which left my plant struggling to grow. I did some more research and I found out that I could use 1 tablespoon of Castile soap per gallon of water. This worked for me. I made notes in my garden notebook for next year. I can also try Neem oil, rosemary or peppermint oil, mixing them with a gallon of water. I have my notes to help me out next year.
I planted the garden February 23, which was the right timeframe for my zone in California. By the end of September, I had five tomatoes, one zucchini, and my beans are struggling. Next year I plan to attack the aphids much earlier in the growing season. I think this will make a huge difference in my produce production. I did enjoy the journey. Thank you for the book suggestion."
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
17162 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
17162 Posts |
Posted - Sep 14 2026 : 8:33:23 PM
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Amie Wright (#8717, AmiePrairie) has received a certificate of achievement in Garden Gate for earning a Beginner Backyard Farmer badge!
"This last heat wave has ended my organic peach tree. All the peaches have fallen to the ground starting on September 5. Saturday, I started shoveling the bug covered ground peaches into my chicken coop. My flock of 12 ladies absolutely loved the peaches and enjoyed the snack of bugs because I don't use any pesticides in my yard. I know that the bugs and peaches are safe for my flock. It got me thinking that there had to be a badge for treating my ladies so well. I got on the internet and researched my crumble that I had been buying from Tractor Supply and quickly realized that I was not buying the best for my ladies. After some research, I found out that Tractor Supply online has an organic Purina Lane crumble 35 pounds for $38. That's not so bad and not a huge price difference in what I had been buying. Digging deeper into the internet, I found that there is a local to me mill in Modesto, California that has locally-grown organic crumble 40 pounds for $40. I mapped out the location and plan on making the drive next weekend.
The ladies loved the peaches and all 12 are laying each day. I was proud to share my eggs with the neighbors and next time I share, I will be excited to tell them that my ladies eat locally grown organic crumble."
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
17162 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
17162 Posts |
Posted - Sep 14 2026 : 9:20:29 PM
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Rosey Bacon (#8105, RoseyB) has received a certificate of achievement in Each Other for earning a Beginner Civics Challenge badge!
"Just reupped my membership and wanted to start a merit badge that I could accomplish relatively quickly without needing a lot of tools to complete. After shuffling through many of the merit badge descriptions, #26 Civics Challenge became my 1st merit badge. I spent some time today researching the questions from the Beginner section and typed my answers all up in a Word doc.
It has been a few years (40+) since my Civics class in high school! So this was a nice refresher course."
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
17162 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
17162 Posts |
Posted - Sep 15 2026 : 8:59:40 PM
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Tina VanDaam (#8431, TinaTina) has received a certificate of achievement in Each Other for earning a Beginner Little Squirts badge!
"I earned this badge by oiling squeaky doors. I also oiled the chain on my motorcycle 3 times-every 6 months and I filed an edge and oiled garden tools before winter.
This merit badge was fun and educational. I had never put an edge and oiled my tools before winter and oiling chains on my motorcycle was necessary for proper maintenance. This was a good merit badge."
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MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
17162 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
17162 Posts |
Posted - Sep 15 2026 : 10:14:24 PM
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Tina VanDaam (#8431, TinaTina) has received a certificate of achievement in Cleaning Up for earning a Beginner Living Zero Waste badge!
"I earned this badge by completing the Path to Zero Waste Merit Badge. I also explained what the 5 R's of zero waste are and ways I would and do practice for each of these.
This turned out good as I actually completed this badge when I taught a segment on recycling at our June meeting, but never completed it."
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MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
17162 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
17162 Posts |
Posted - Sep 15 2026 : 10:29:44 PM
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Tina VanDaam (#8431, TinaTina) has received a certificate of achievement in Each Other for earning a Beginner Bibliophile Badging badge!
"I earned this badge by having a library card and spending time at the library. Also, I have a list of books that I'm going to read. I also put a list of other things the library offers.
This turned out nice because I enjoy reading and love to go to the library. I also put my list on the Chit Chat section of the MaryJane's Chatroom."
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
17162 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
17162 Posts |
Posted - Sep 22 2026 : 4:30:40 PM
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Amie Wright (#8717, AmiePrairie) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching & Crafting for earning a Beginner Embroidery badge!
"My fellow sister Candy let me borrow her copy of Stitching Room. I quickly realized I needed my own copy. This book is full of inspiration. I have a fond memory of oversized denim shifts my grandma and I used to embroider on in the evenings. Folk art at its finest. I decided it was a family good luck charm for gardening activities. I looked up stitch pictures in the book and set to work. I learned the running stitch, lazy daisy, French knots, split, and whipped back stitch.
My shirt became a beautiful sampler with many different stitches. I haven't framed it, but I have looked at my local hobby store at jersey frames that open and close easily to update and add more details. I think it would be pretty on my craft room wall. A nod to grandma."
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MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
17162 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
17162 Posts |
Posted - Sep 22 2026 : 5:02:15 PM
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Susan Ownby (#8450, sdcothern) has received a certificate of achievement in Farm Kitchen for earning an Expert Self-sufficiency badge!
"When my friend's peach tree broke I invited a group for a putting up party. We canned peaches, made jam, froze apples for pie, made applesauce, and dried some herbs from my garden. We had so much to process that we met again the following day to finish.
We enjoyed working together and sharing our produce. The peaches were beautiful. The hot processed jam turned out well, but the freezer jam did not jell. I tried to correct it, but it still did not, so it is now pancake or ice cream syrup."
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
17162 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
17162 Posts |
Posted - Oct 06 2026 : 1:40:58 PM
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Heather Neeper (#4701, nndairy) has received a certificate of achievement in Each Other for earning a Beginner Greatest Generation badge!
"I've spent over 10 hours with my neighbors, which are also my in-laws. They're my oldest remaining relatives. I visit at least once a week and help clean the house while we visit and spend a lot of time talking.
It's amazing what you can learn by simply asking questions and taking the time to just listen."
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
17162 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
17162 Posts |
Posted - Oct 06 2026 : 1:55:30 PM
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Heather Neeper (#4701, nndairy) has received a certificate of achievement in Each Other for earning an Intermediate Greatest Generation badge!
"I spent an additional 20 hours visiting with my in-laws. My mother-in-law is suffering from dementia. She has a lot of trouble remembering things that happen now, but remembers the past very well. I ask a lot of questions about when she was younger and take notes while I'm there. When I get home, I write out some of the stories she's told me so that they don't get forgotten. I made the sugar cookies she used to make with her grandmother.
It's fun to learn how things used to be and how my mother-in-law felt about some of the things. An example is that she used to have to wear gloves that matched her dress when she was young and hated it!"
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
17162 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
17162 Posts |
Posted - Oct 06 2026 : 2:06:52 PM
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Heather Neeper (#4701, nndairy) has received a certificate of achievement in Each Other for earning an Expert Greatest Generation badge!
"I spent an additional 40 hours with my in-laws and shared my experience in the chatroom.
I really enjoyed learning about my in-laws and will continue to spend time with them for as long as I can."
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
17162 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
17162 Posts |
Posted - Oct 06 2026 : 2:22:57 PM
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Heather Neeper (#4701, nndairy) has received a certificate of achievement in Garden Gate for earning an Intermediate 3 R's Rule (Reuse, Recycle, Revive!) badge!
"I went through my closet and found an old shirt and a pair of jeans with holes. Then I got an old feed sack. I stuffed everything with straw and tied it together with some baling twine. I am not an artist, but I did my best to give her a pretty face. I added an apron and an old hat and then laughed and laughed! I posted some pictures on the chatroom so everyone else can have a nice laugh too.
Big Bertha's head is way too big, and she's stuffed a bit too much (which is how she got her name!) but I had so much fun putting her together."
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MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
17162 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
17162 Posts |
Posted - Oct 06 2026 : 2:43:11 PM
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Heather Neeper (#4701, nndairy) has received a certificate of achievement in Make It Easy for earning an Expert Let's Get Physical badge!
"It's been a while since I earned the beginner and intermediate levels of this badge, so for the expert level, I kind of started over. I started exercising and paying better attention to my diet. To earn the expert level, I started "attending" classes — I did a workout program on YouTube 5 days a week for 6 weeks.
I liked the program so well I continued my routine and tried other programs. I'm now on my 5th one. I've lost 12 pounds and my clothes fit so much better. I also have a lot more energy."
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
17162 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
17162 Posts |
Posted - Oct 06 2026 : 4:46:17 PM
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Heather Neeper (#4701, nndairy) has received a certificate of achievement in Each Other for earning an Intermediate Bibliophile Badging badge!
"In my henhouse I issued a challenge to read a book and we stated a virtual book club discussing books we were reading. I created prizes for all who read a book and posted about it. I also read from my TBR pile and also added to it :)
It was fun to see what everyone chose to read and how they felt about it."
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
17162 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
17162 Posts |
Posted - Oct 06 2026 : 4:59:46 PM
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Heather Neeper (#4701, nndairy) has received a certificate of achievement in Each Other for earning an Expert Bibliophile Badging badge!
"I mailed homemade bookmarks to each farmgirl that participated in my challenge. Rather than adding to my shelves at home, I've been reading a lot of books from the library. It's cheaper and saves me space for my craft supplies! I live out in the country and do not get a lot of traffic, so I help my friend keep the free library outside her store in town stocked.
I enjoyed learning of new authors and joined in the next farmgirl reading challenge. I look forward to more challenges."
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
17162 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
17162 Posts |
Posted - Oct 06 2026 : 5:13:21 PM
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Heather Neeper (#4701, nndairy) has received a certificate of achievement in Garden Gate for earning an Expert 3 R's Rule (Reuse, Recycle, Revive!) badge!
"I used an old teapot and my grandpa's old boots for flowerpots. I also helped a local 4-H club with their adopt a highway trash clean up.
It was difficult to keep the cats out of the teapot, but the boots worked really well."
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
17162 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
17162 Posts |
Posted - Oct 06 2026 : 5:26:57 PM
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Heather Neeper (#4701, nndairy) has received a certificate of achievement in Each Other for earning an Expert Little Squirts badge!
"I held a bicycle repair day and helped the neighborhood kids (my niece and nephew and a couple of their friends) learn how to check the air in their tires, oil their chains, and adjust their seats.
It was fun to see the kids get excited about using tools on their bikes."
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
17162 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
17162 Posts |
Posted - Oct 06 2026 : 5:37:46 PM
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Heather Neeper (#4701, nndairy) has received a certificate of achievement in Farm Kitchen for earning an Expert Icing on the Cake badge!
"I donated a cake to our local fire department for their annual cake auction. It's a part of their fundraising festival.
I will not be making a profession out of cake decorating! But the cake turned out decent and my friend bought it because she knew it would taste good. It was a fun way to help raise money for the fire department."
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
17162 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
17162 Posts |
Posted - Oct 09 2026 : 4:27:49 PM
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Susan Ownby (#8450, sdcothern) has received a certificate of achievement in Garden Gate for earning an Expert Herbs badge!
"Grew several herbs in my kitchen. Shared bumper crops of fresh parsley and dried dill with family and friends. Some got away with their swag before I got pictures.
Everything turned out great. I now grow and dry most of my own herbs that can be grown hydroponically."
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
17162 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
17162 Posts |
Posted - Oct 14 2026 : 2:02:33 PM
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Sherri Haines (#1350, Dare2BUniquelyMe) has received a certificate of achievement in Farm Kitchen for earning a Beginner Classy Casseroles badge!
"I have explored many casserole recipes and one of my all time favorites is French Meat Pie.
Last night we had a casserole taste test party and shared what was in each casserole. I have the pleasure of being able to keep the company of some amazing cooks.
Our party was a rousing success. Our taste buds were tantalized and our tummies filled. Good conversations were had, and world problems were solved. World leaders should be required to hang out in kitchens."
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
17162 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
17162 Posts |
Posted - Oct 14 2026 : 4:02:07 PM
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Sherri Haines (#1350, Dare2BUniquelyMe) has received a certificate of achievement in Farm Kitchen for earning an Expert Forage For Food badge!
"For many years now, I have foraged for wild berries, especially black caps (black raspberries) and huckleberries on my family's farm. Much of the food never makes it back to the kitchen, instead becoming a fine snack on a lovely trek through the woods. When I came back home with my youngest, after having been gone for many years, I spent that first year home taking photos and reacquainting myself with the wild foods of my childhood, including the strawberries on the bank just above the pond.
This year, I participated in the Quinault Mushroom Festival where I went foraging for mushrooms and brought any I didn't know back to the experts waiting to help identify them. Most names I don't remember, but the chanterelles are edible, so I remember them. I then organized a mushroom hunt on my parents property as they typically have chanterelles as well.
Wild food makes my heart sing and my tummy dance.
We found almost 3lbs of chanterelles on the foraging foray, but the tasty fungi were not yet up on my parents farm. We'll try again next month."
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
17162 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
17162 Posts |
Posted - Oct 14 2026 : 4:19:44 PM
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Sherri Haines (#1350, Dare2BUniquelyMe) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching & Crafting for earning an Expert Weaving badge!
"I have learned to weave different kinds of fibers, including linen and silk. Wool was the most challenging.
I have seen a wide variety of looms from countries around the world, including a few impressive collections in my travels back east. I have researched the history of the backstrap loom and how it is still used today. Many people in Central and South America still use it, and looms similar to it are used by the Navaho as well.
I have made my own backstrap loom, and after several starts and stops, got it warped and the heddles in place. My first piece of wearable art was less than satisfactory, so I have started a new project, and we'll see how it goes.
I showed my group how to build a backstrap loom, based on the information I had found. Everyone then went in search of more resources to create a loom that would work for them. We then had a show and tell party to share what we have made and talk about things we would still like to make with our new skills.
I made an inkle loom several years ago and use it regularly to make webbing for bags and straps for whatever is needed. It makes great basket straps too.
The backstrap loom is far more difficult to keep the edges of the woven field even. It doesn't take much to get the tension out of alignment."
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
17162 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
17162 Posts |
Posted - Oct 14 2026 : 4:31:09 PM
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Sherri Haines (#1350, Dare2BUniquelyMe) has received a certificate of achievement in Each Other for earning a Beginner Civic Heritage badge!
"This year my best friend and I took a 2 week bucket list trip across the country. One of our stops was Salem, Mass, where we stayed at The Daniels House (oldest home there). We explored the Museum of Witchcraft, several cemeteries, took a tour of local forest lore and made a couple of handmade brooms. We had focused our reading list this year on the persecution of people (women in particular) as witches and the causes behind it.
The entire trip was amazing! One of my favorite spots in Salem is a memorial wall to those murdered in the witchcraft craze. It is a semicircular wall with each person's name engraved in a stone. If you stand at the point just behind the tree at the memorial, the sound echoes differently, giving a person almost an otherworldly feeling."
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
17162 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
17162 Posts |
Posted - Oct 14 2026 : 5:59:46 PM
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Sherri Haines (#1350, Dare2BUniquelyMe) has received a certificate of achievement in Farm Kitchen for earning a Beginner Mrs. Potato Head badge!
"I looked up a lot of potato recipes and found a few I am interested in trying. I made a breakfast casserole involving layers of thinly sliced potatoes, bacon, sausage, cheese, and eggs. Mouth watering. I also made a loaded baked potato soup recipe. Also, most delicious.
I did research on growing organic potatoes and found it was something I already do. The only thing I do differently is that when I plant mine in the ground, as opposed to a container, I put down hardware cloth to protect them from moles. The school of hard knocks taught me that.
Potatoes are a staple in my family, from shepard's pie to salads, roasted, mashed, diced, and sliced.
This year, the school of hard knocks taught me that deer and elk like potato plants. So next year they will get hoops too."
MaryJane, Farmgirl #1 Plowin' Thru ~ giving aprons a good wrap for 45 years and counting ~
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MaryJane
Queen Bee
17162 Posts
MaryJane
Moscow
Idaho
USA
17162 Posts |
Posted - Oct 14 2026 : 8:31:36 PM
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Sherri Haines (#1350, Dare2BUniquelyMe) has received a certificate of achievement in Farm Kitchen for earning an Intermediate Mrs. Potato Head badge!
"We had a potato potluck and the verdict is that every dish was AMAZING!
I grew my own potatoes this year, but got harvest help from the local wildlife.
I really like Purple Viking potatoes for their rich color and antioxidant content, not to mention their delicious flavor.
I grew a large patch of potatoes, but the deer and elk kept eating the tops of the plants, so I didn't get as many as I had hoped. The ones I got, I roasted with fresh sage and rosemary from my garden with a little salt and olive oil. They were delicious!
Here's a photo of my harvest helper. He's been pruning the trees, too."
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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