Saturday, August 16, 2014
Food as a Weapon
Did you know that 9 companies control most of what we put in and on our bodies in the US? It's kind of frightening when you think about it.
Check out the corporate food tree.
Really. All of those brands go back to those few companies. That much control over such a huge part of our lives is unnerving.
For this badge it's simple. Take the control back.
1) Stop buying off the corporate food tree
2) Buy whole, unprocessed foods. Make your own household cleaners. Make your own skin care.
3) When you can't buy from small, family owned, preferably local sources and from locally owned stores.
Certified Organic
The Organic on a Budget badge over at the Farmgirl Sisterhood is kind of a joke. It's more about pushing her baking mix than anything else. Nothing about learning about the different kinds of organic certification. Nothing about the different kinds of organic products. Nothing about joining a CSA or supporting your local Co-op. And sneakily trying to get your neighbors organic? Puh-lease.
So for this one:
1) Learn about the different kinds of organic certification and the different certifying bodies. What is the difference between between "100% organic" and "Organic"? In the US what does it take to get the USDA Organic seal? The CCOF seal? The Oregon Tillth seal? Is there an organic certification organization in your state?
2) What is the difference between organic, cage-free and free range eggs? The difference between organic, free-range and grass-fed dairy? Or meat? What about 4H or FFA meat, is it available in your area and how does it compare? Is it possible to get organic meat and dairy in your area?
3) Learn about organic skin care and health care. Your skin is the largest organ in your body, through it you can absorb a massive amount of chemicals. Can you go organic there?
4) Join a local co-op or CSA to support local organic farming
5) Go at least 80% organic in your home.
Friday, March 28, 2014
Managing a crisis
Keeping calm in a Crisis
This is the one you earn when they screwed up your husband's paycheck, he's home with a broken foot, your car is dead, it's pouring rain, all the windows are leaking, the landlords are around and you have some big medical stuff coming up. If you can get through all that and keep everyone fed and clothed and calm on half your usual budget and not fall apart then you get this badge.
Monday, July 22, 2013
Meal Planning
So the Farmgirl Sisterhood entries on Knowing Your Food, Recipes, and Organic on a Budget aren't the best. Knowing your food, eating local, and going organic/unprocessed is great, but there's no need to be a busybody to other people about it. Compiling your family recipes is a sweet idea...if you have a family. And Organic on a Budget is more about shilling her baking mix than anything.
Let's see if we can keep this simple and efficient. According to legend Ethel Kennedy had a three week rotating meal plan. Let's keep the idea and do her one better.:
Requirements:
1 - Compile a notebook with 24 recipes for dinner type meals (we have salad every day for lunch & my husband is only home for dinner 4 nights a week)
- Make at least 75% of them Paleo/Primal (No grains/beans/processed carbs)
- Make at least 25% of them with at least six servings
2 - Using this notebook plan 6 weeks of menus
3 - Using the plan create six weeks of grocery lists.
4 - Rotate through the plan twice, for a total of twelve weeks
Sunday, February 3, 2013
I'm not the only weird one out there
From the NY Times: Lifelong (badge) earning
First ten merit badges for preparedness minded adults. (I like this list)
Mary Yeager's Merit Badges for Women
- Her Merit Badges for Summer
- And a bit more
Hard Science Badges
Merit badges for Nerds
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Evenweave work
What's the difference between evenweave work and surface embroidery? One requires an even grid, one can go anywhere. The Farmgirl Sisterhood entry isn't bad, but we can go better.
Requirements:
1) Complete a sampler using every stitch listed in the Victoria Sampler stitch library. These include evenweave stitches, hardanger, and pulled threadwork. (For the silk ribbon work see the Embroidery entry.)
2) Complete the Beyond Cross-stitch series, levels four, five and six.
3) Complete one large sampler from that site.
Quilting
I'm going to eliminate the education requirement since most of my friends here already know how to quilt, and the ones who don't live on the other side of the country.
Requirements:
1) Complete one baby quilt, using a simple pattern and tying it together. There is a minimum of a three hour time commitment.
2) Complete a larger wall hanging or table square, using a different technique from the one used above and hand-quilting. There is a minimum of a twenty hour commitment.
3) Complete a full-sized or larger quilt, using a different technique again, and have it machine quilted. There is a minimum of a fifty hour commitment.
4) Enter them all into the county fair.
Sewing
The Farmgirl Sisterhood entry has the same problem as before. I'm sorry but putting together a sewing kit ought to be a requirement, but not enough to earn even part of a badge. You don't get points toward a camping badge for buying your gear.
Requirements:
Make one each of the following and enter them into the country fair:
- Man's shirt
- Woman's shirt
- Child's dress
- Tote bag
- Stuffed toy
Embroidery
The Farmgirl Sisterhood entry on embroidery runs into the same problem as the one on food storage. It's not challenging for anyone past an outright beginner for one. Which is fine but a merit badge should push you to become an expert. And I shouldn't have to buy her book for another. In addition "vitamin ball" embroidery looks to be anthropomorphic vegetables, cute but it does kind of lock you into a style. A true merit badge should allow for some personal expression while fulfilling the requirements, so you can have something useful after.
So here we go.
Requirements:
1) Complete a sampler using every stitch listed on the Needle And Thread website. (Needle and Thread is run by Mary Corbet, an established expert on Ecclesiastical Embroidery and a student of the Royal School of Needlework.)
2) Complete The projects in each of the The Royal School of Needlework's Essential Guides: Stumpwork, Blackwork, Silk Shading, Whitework, and Crewelwork.
3) Complete the Beyond Cross-stitch series level two (silk ribbon embroidery).
3) Complete a smocking sampler and smock a child's dress.
4) Complete a chicken-scratch apron.
5) Using the techniques from 1 & 2 complete at least one pillow and one wall hanging.
6) Enter all of the above in the county fair.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Wilderness Survival
From the BSA ManualBadge found here
Fly fishing
From the BSA ManualFly Fishing requirements | |
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Badge found here.
Fishing
From the BSA ManualBadge found here.
Woodworking
From the BSA ManualWoodwork requirements | |
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Badge found here.
Knitting
Taken from The Knitting Guild course catalogLEARN TO KNITOne Lesson. Learn to Knit written materials are designed forindividual self-study. Furnish your own knitting supplies. Learnbasic techniques and terms related to knitting. Option to sendswatches for critique by the TKGA Learn to Knit Committee.You’re responsible for postage to the Committee. No time limit– as long as course is still being offered. (Limited to English only.)Lesson Outline:• Knitting Tools and Common Abbreviations• Casting On and Holding the Yarn• English/American Style and German/Continental Style• Knit Stitch, Purl Stitch, Stockinette Stitch, Seed Stitch,Ribbing, Twisted Stitches, and Correcting Dropped Stitches• Increases (Bar Increase, Make One (M1), Lifted Increase)• Decreases (Knit Two Together (k2tog); Slip, Slip, Knit (ssk);Slip One, Knit One, Pass Slipped Stitch Over (sl 1, k1, psso);Yarn Over (yo)• Gauge• Useful Tips (Joining a New Ball of Yarn, Yarn Tails, Blocking)• Instructions for Making Swatches for Committee Review.
Complete Learn To Knit course and have all swatches approved by the committee.
Complete one adult sized sweater.
Complete one lace shawl.
Badge found here.
Camping

Camping requirements | |
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Badge found here
Backpacking
From the BSA Manual.Badge found here
Hiking
From the BSA ManualHiking requirements | |
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Badge found here.
Saturday, April 14, 2012
5K 10K

This one is pretty much a no-brainer. Walk a 5 K, walk a 10 K
This weekend is the annual 5K/10K/marathon in town. Next year I want to walk the 5k to earn my first badge.
Cycling

From the BSA Manual
Granted first I need to buy a bike. And I believe there will be more repair requirements added as well, stay tuned.
I have an update!
I now have a bike!
And I remember how to ride it.
Have yet to get out in any real traffic yet, but at least I'm working on this one.
Food preservation
The BSA doesn't really cover this one. And the closest Farmgirl Sisterhood entry, Farm Kitchen: Self-sufficiency, is too commercial (I shouldn't have to buy her book to complete it), too unspecific (Learn how to pickle veggies, does that mean I have to try it or just read about it?) and too simplistic (Dry herbs, dry fruit, and make spaghetti sauce, that's it?)So I am modifying the food preservation guidelines from our county fair exhibitors handbook.
Process one lot from each class. Processing- must be according to recognized food preservation method & accredited recipe source, such as OSU Extension instruction booklets, Ball Blue Book, Kerr Canning Book, or any current edition of food preservation publications.Class 02: VegetableLot:01. Asparagus 07. Corn02. Green Beans 08. Greens03. Wax Beans 09. Okra04. Shelled Beans 10. Tomatoes05. Beets 11. Mixed06. Carrots 12. OtherClass 03: FruitsLot:01. Apples 08. Peaches02. Apricots 09. Pears03. Blackberries 10. Pineapple04. Any Berries 11. Plums05. Maraschino Cherries 12. Rhubarb06. Cherries 13. Strawberry07. Grapes 14. OtherClass 06: Fruit ButtersLot:01. Apple 04. Pear02. Apricot 05. Strawberry03. Peach 06. OtherClass 07: JelliesLot:01. Apple 06. Mint02. Berry 07. Pepper03. Cranberry 08. Plum04. Current 09. Sugar-free05. Grape 10. OtherClass 08: MarmaladesLot:01. Citrus 03. Vegetable02. Fruit 04. OtherClass 09: JamsLot:01. Apricot 07. Grape02. Berry 08. Peach03. Blueberry 09. Plum04. Cherry 10. Pineapple05. Fig 11. Strawberry06. Freezer 12. OtherClass 10: ConservesLot:01. Ambrosia 04. Cranberry02. Blueberry 05. Strawberry03. Cherry 06. OtherClass 11: PreservesLot:01. Apple 07. Peach02. Apricot 08. Pear03. Berry 09. Plum04. Cherry 10. Strawberry05. Current 11. Tomato06. Watermelon Rind 12. OtherClass 12: PickledLot:01. Asparagus 08. Jardinière02. Beans 09. Mushrooms03. Beets 10. Onions04. Sweet Cucumber 11. Peppers05. Dill Cucumber 12. Sauerkraut06. Bread & Butter 13. Zucchini, Any07. Green Tomato 14. OtherClass 13: RelishesLot:01. Cucumber 05. Red02. Corn 06. Tomato03. Green 07. Zucchini04. Mixed 08. OtherClass 14: Salsas & SaucesLot:01. Red Salsa 05. Catsup02. Green Salsa 06. Barbeque03. Fruit Salsa 07. Pizza04. Spaghetti (no meat) 08. OtherClass 15: Dried VegetablesLot:01. Asparagus 06. Onions02. Beans 07. Peppers03. Corn 08. Tomatoes04. Carrots 09. Zucchini05. Mushrooms 10. OtherClass 16: Dried FruitsLot:01. Apples 05. Pineapples02. Apricots 06. Prunes03. Banana 07. Raisins04. Cranberries 08. OtherClass 17: Fruit LeathersLot:01. Apple 04. Strawberry02. Peach 05. Mixed03. Pear 06. OtherClass 18: Dried HerbsLot:01. Basil 07. Mint, Any02. Catnip 08. Parsley03. Dill 09. Oregano04. Chives 10. Rosemary05. Cilantro 11. Sage06. Lavender 12. Other
I know, it's a long list. Sorry about that.
Badge found here.
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