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Merit Badge Awardees (click for latest awards)
My featured Merit Badge Awardee of the Week is … Jill Schrader!!!
Jill Schrader (#6177) has received a certificate of achievement in Outpost for earning a Beginner Level Speak for the Trees Merit Badge!
“Since I live in the woods, out of town, this was an obvious merit badge to earn. I have always loved identifying trees, as well as native wildflowers, mammals, birds, and insects. I’m always pulling out my reference books when I see something past my window that I can’t identify.
I take my books with me whenever we go camping and keep them handy at my coffee table. My relatives know I’m the go-to person to ask if it comes to a nature question. I about have my field guides memorized by picture. If I don’t know the answer, we look it up together and find the answer!
I have Western Red Cedar, Western Larch, Douglas Fir, Quaking Aspen, Lodgepole Pine, White Pine, and Hemlock growing on my property. I love to study nature and am always learning and love to share this information with others as they show an interest in the great outdoors!
I was able to identify most, if not all, the trees growing around me. My uncle was a logger, so he has taught me the common names, as well as some of the “slang” names, which often go by color, such as a Ponderosa Pine is also known as a yellow pine, a Douglas Fir is also known as a red fir. I have enjoyed being able to identify trees whether I’m here at home, or traveling and see something different.”
Congratulations Jill on being featured this week! You live in such a beautiful place surrounded by so many majestic species of trees. It is wonderful that you have learned about them and are able to share that knowledge with others. Trees are fascinating and I love the stories that they tell about the history of where we live and the critters that depend on them. What is your next project to work on?
Hi Winnie! Nice to “talk” to you! Thank you, I enjoy and feel very blessed to live here in North Idaho and all the wonderful opportunities it has to offer. I’m not sure whaty next project will be. I may work on the next level for trees, or dive into something else. I’m a seamstress and have a kitchen linens business on Etsy, which MJF was so gracious to have some of my products in the give away earlier in the year and be a part of Project Farm. I am currently setting up another shop on a well-known online store that is launching handmade items soon! So the possibilities are endless! Hope your summer was bountiful. I love the fall, my favorite!