I’m calling you out!!!! On a roll … call, here’s where you can read about the amazing accomplishments of Sisters who earn Merit Badges. “Hear YE!”
The adorable, always humorous MBA Jane is my way of honoring our Sisterhood Merit Badge program, now with 5,518 dues-paying members who have earned an amazing number of merit badges so far—7,301 total! Take it away, MBA Jane!!! MJ
Wondering who I am? I’m Merit Badge Awardee Jane (MBA Jane for short). In my former life …
For this week’s Make It Easy/Carp-HEN-try Merit Badge, I decided to tackle a project I’d been wistfully daydreaming about for weeks. Now that the weather has cooled down a bit, I am spending even more time outside (everything from eating to reading to painting my nails to gossiping is done out of doors these days) and I’ve been eyeballing my old carport.
It’s a sad little carport. A bit tumble down, a bit unloved, it houses exactly zero cars and is nothing like a port. It’s more like a ramshackle weed patch, with a cover. But in my head—ah, in my head—it’s a lovely little outdoor patio.
Picture this: a level ground, grapes or ivy growing up over the trellis, maybe some large stepping stones, and a cute-as-a-button, bistro-style table and chairs. Maybe an old hutch as well, filled with outdoor enamelware and pitchers for iced tea. Some hanging lanterns, perhaps, or some twinkly Christmas lights? A mister for those hot summer evenings?
Winnie Nielsen says: This is a great idea for those who have an unused carport! I saw once in a magazine where someone took an unused garage and converted into a huge dining/sitting room. With the door totally up, life blended in with the yard which had a woodsy setting. The photo was taken in fall so the colored leaves were everywhere and dinners were eaten outside in this space where the woods met the door and mixed together. There were lanterns for lighting and comfy pillows in chairs and an eclectic mix of furniture. Easy, free style, open and useful, this idea makes new spaces to be enjoyed. I love what you did in 20 hours with this badge challenge! It is a fabulous, low cost way to have a new place to enjoy! Are you serving coffee when friends drop by? I take decaf.
MaryJane says: Of course decaf but hold the garlic, right?
Winnie Nielsen says: Yes, please hold the garlic! Karlyne, we mean no garlic in regular cooking and not in coffee. Coffee is just plain coffee. garlic in coffee? Now that would be my worst nightmare!! LOL!
Karlyne says: Whew! I love garlic, and I love coffee, but I’m thinking not together!
Karlyne says: Hmmm. Do you two usually put garlic in your decaf? Must have quite a kick!
Terry Steinmetz says: I now am inspired to get at those little things that will change other things around in my life. Time to get busy. Now where to start?
Kay (Old Cowgirl) Montoya says: I am so glad to see you did not plant Ivy. That is not your friend. Believe me when I say that, we had to places side by side one had a white Lilacs the other a pink Rhodadendaron. I decided to plant Ivy. Well, for awhile it looked very nice and then I noticed the girdling of the Lilac tree. I cut it back only to grow faster. Finally when we just were beside ourselves with it, we decided to get rid of it. Wow. That was a huge undertaking. We dug and dug, then we sprayed the nasty stuff. Which was hard for an organic minded women to do. But it was the only way. Then we thought we got it all, oh no, two years later it popped up in my flower bed quite a long way away from it. I have pulled it up and am going to let the people who buy my house deal with it. He is not an organic gardener.
Please for the sake of our fields and hills and mountains do not plant it.
Thank You
Kay
Winnie Nielsen says: I think I read somewhere that John Deere first started out from a blacksmith in New England(Vermont?) who created a better plow for the rocky soil. Is that the story you know about?
MaryJane says: Sounds like some research is in order.
Welcome New Sisters! (click for current roster)
Merit Badge Awardees (click for latest awards)
My featured Merit Badge Awardee of the Week is … Jennifer Knox!!!
Jennifer Knox (#4359) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching & Crafting for earning an Intermediate Level Buttoned Up Merit Badge!
“I love buttons! I have two jars of buttons that I have been collecting for a few years. I like to embellish greeting cards with buttons or create dolls and use buttons as eyes.
Buttons are wonderful to have on hand. A jar of buttons is also a simple, beautiful decoration. I plan on continuing to collect buttons.
Winnie Nielsen says: Jennifer, what a very creative idea with your stash of buttons! Love the possibilities!!
annie says: Buttons are familiar bonbons of cute. thanks jennifear, reading your post today inspired me to check out my button collection some of which belonged to my great grandmother what a treasure. Have a wonderful day.
Welcome New Sisters! (click for current roster)
Merit Badge Awardees (click for latest awards)
My featured Merit Badge Awardee of the Week is … the Krell family!!!
Alysha, Caleb, Emma, Ethan, and Paige Krell (Young Cultivators of Jessica Krell #5148) have received a certificate of achievement in Farm Kitchen for earning an Expert Level All Dried Up Merit Badge.
“We picked some raspberries and some Saskatoons with my family and our friends. Then we dried some of the berries and used some more berries to make some fruit leather.
Picking the berries was really fun! The hardest part was not eating them along the way! At home, we dried some of both kinds of berries and used them in our oatmeal the next day for breakfast!
Picking the berries was hard work, but we like to work, so it was fun.”
Mary says: Does this dessert get watery as melon does after sitting in a bowl overnight? Thanks.
MaryJane says: Patting the melons down with paper towels helps remove some of the moisture. We ate ours right after chilling for 2 hours, and stored a few leftover slices in the refrigerator overnight. They were fine the next day. I’m not sure how well it would hold up being stored for much longer.
Welcome New Sisters! (click for current roster)
Merit Badge Awardees (click for latest awards)
My featured Merit Badge Awardee of the Week is … Jennifer Knox!!!
Jennifer Knox (#4359) has received a certificate of achievement in Each Other for earning a Beginner Level Farmgirl Grammar Merit Badge!
“Two weeks ago, I dusted off my high school dictionary and looked up two weeks worth of new words. At first, I was bemused by this Sisyphean task, but soon I no longer yawped at the esse of these new words. I logged my new word friends into a notebook and referred to them during the two weeks.
Being a middle school Language Arts teacher, it was interesting to look up words as if given my own homework assignment. I enjoyed the small task and look forward to the coaptation of more words into my notebook.”
Kay (Old Cowgirl) Montoya says: Way to go. Congratulations.
When I was a Freshmen (no middle school) (9th Grade). I struggled in Liteurature to get the words and language correct. She gave me the greatest advise I have ever received in my 70 years. She said “Get out your Colliege dictionary and start on page one and start reading it. Pay attention to how the word is pronounced, where it is from, and if it is a noun, pronoun, etc. and how to use it in a sentence.” That has followed me all my life. I must say, with regret, that I only got through a 1/4 of the dictionary, but I still look up words that are new to me or that I do not know how to pronounce or do not know the way to use it. Old habits, well learned, are hard to break. So this badge was well earned.
Congratulations again, well done.
Kay
Jennifer Knox says: Thank you MaryJane! You made my day!
The adorable, always humorous MBA Jane is my way of honoring our Sisterhood Merit Badge program, now with 5,518 dues-paying members who have earned an amazing number of merit badges so far—7,301 total! Take it away, MBA Jane!!! MJ
Wondering who I am? I’m Merit Badge Awardee Jane (MBA Jane for short). In my former life …
For this week’s Outpost/Fishing Merit Badge, I was inspired by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Yep, that’s right: that pigtailed whippersnapper who was always scampering off behind the ol’ log cabin to do some fishing. Yes, fishing. She was the quintessential American tomboy, and the kiddo sure knew how to eat. Those books always make me so hungry … mmm, fish!
The only other time I’ve tried the sport of fishing (Is it a sport? A hobby? An art form? A pastime?) was during an especially long employee barbeque, where I got bored, wandered off, offered to man a pole for a pal, fell asleep, and got a wicked sunburn. And no fish. So, I had a bit of PTSD to overcome, but I was all in. Committed. Eager to learn (and eat).
For the Beginning Level badge, I just needed to learn some fishing knots: clinch, Palomar, turle, barrel knot, and double surgeon’s loop. Who knew there were knots in fishing, anyway? Not me, said the little red hen.
Darlene Ricotta says: That sounds like fun, I haven’t been fishing in forever but the knots sound like a good idea.
Welcome New Sisters! (click for current roster)
Merit Badge Awardees (click for latest awards)
My featured Merit Badge Awardee of the Week is … Nicole Christensen!!!
Nicole Christensen (Texdane, #1155) has received a certificate of achievement in Garden Gate for earning a Beginner, Intermediate, and Expert Level Heirlooms Forever Merit Badge!
“For my gardening season 2012, several friends gave me heirloom plants, including different varieties of tomatoes, herbs, and flowers. I read the book Gardening with Heirloom Seeds by Lynn Coulter, and was introduced to several heirloom seed catalogs by my dad’s wife, Karen, and my friend, Valerie. I marveled how beautiful the heirloom plants were growing in my garden, and wondered how many people before me had the same beautiful plants. (Prior to these heirloom varieties, my seeds have been organic in the veggie bed).
Seed saving always seemed like it would be difficult before, but I was very inspired by some of the beautiful heirloom varieties of plants I was given by some good friends, including some farm sisters! At the end of the season 2012, I learned how to save seeds, using seedsavers.org as a guide.
Laurie Dimno says: Woohoo Nicole! Can’t wait until I get to see your gardens in person!
Congratulations on being Merit Badge Awardee of the week! Well deserved!
Winnie Nielsen says: Nicole, what an wonderful way to introduce heirloom seeds to your family and your daughter’s Girl Scout troop and Farmgirl Sisterhood meetings! Sometimes, it just takes one person to get the ball rolling and soon others catch on and take off too. There is much to learn about America’s history through heirloom seeds. Not only do you get wonderful flowers,veggies, and fruits, you get stories of families and local economies that would otherwise be forgotten in today’s big Ag culture!
Jacorn says: Congratulations. I’ve never even considered trying heirloom seeds. Now you have inspired me, thanks.
Joey says: Hi Nicole,
I just know that you have a beautiful full garden. Your pics are so nice. I plan to start a few heirloom tomatoes next summer. I love the colors and thicker firm flesh. I agree, thinking about all the generations who planted the same seeds before us warms my soul.
Hugs to all, Joey
Buy props used in MaryJane’s books and magazine!
5% of profits will benefit www.firstbook.org, a non-profit that provides new books to children from low-income families throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Here’s how:
MaryJane will post a photo and a description of a prop and its cost along with a few details as to its condition here: https://shop.maryjanesfarm.org/MaryJanesCurations. It’s a playful way to be the new owner of a little bit of farm herstory.
Nice boots! Wow!
Those are nice boots! Love the trimming.