The adorable, always humorous MBA Jane is my way of honoring our Sisterhood Merit Badge program, now with 4,690 dues-paying members who have earned an amazing number of merit badges so far—6,500 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 Step 2 of this beginner Know Your Food Merit Badge, I went to the library and checked out a copy of Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, by Barbra Kingsolver. Usually, I’m not much of a reader if there isn’t any romance involved, but I was surprised at how much Ms. Kingsolver pulled me in. Talk about a page turner. Maybe I’m having a romance with organic food … don’t tell Mr. Wonderful …
My eyes were opened to things in our food that I never even knew they were closed to. I resolved to stop wasting food, stop buying bad-for-me food (if it can even be logically considered food), and keeping things as local as possible. Perseverance, I think, will be the name of the game with this one. It’s easy enough to do it once while grocery shopping, but to keep it up for a lifetime, well, that’s a whole other kettle of fish, isn’t it?
Speaking of fish, I found a package of frozen fish with the brand name “Fresh From the Sea.” And lo and behold, what did I see in small letters? “Farm raised.” Eh? Whaa? I cry shenanigans, girls, yes I do.
I settled down with a slice of homemade bread and local honey for some more reading. It’s a large tome of information and I didn’t want to miss a thing, so I always keep snacks nearby. Blood sugar can dip, causing the letters to jumble right before my eyes, so I like to be prepared. Plus, when you’re reading about food, you’re going to get munchy. It’s like watching the Food Network without any nourishment, a no-no of epic proportions. I’ve nearly short-circuited the television with my drooling before. Not a pretty sight.
The adorable, always humorous MBA Jane is my way of honoring our Sisterhood Merit Badge program, now with 4,690 dues-paying members who have earned an amazing number of merit badges so far—6,500 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 …
With my herb garden coming along nicely, my trellis supporting my roses, and my home cooking skills becoming more and more polished by the day, I decided it was time to try another foodie beginner Merit Badge: Know Your Food. This one involved quite a few steps, not the least being to grow my own sprouts.
Now sprouts are one of those things I tend to forget even exist. They’re just so unassuming and humble, the little sprout, that they are overshadowed by the larger and leafier greens. But have you ever skipped the ol’ iceberg in your sandwich and reached for the sprouts instead? Oh my, heaven on a bun! And in a salad? Did you even know it is entirely possible to make a salad without lettuce? I know. This is mind boggling stuff. So, when I remembered the very existence of the sprout, I was elated. And growing my own? I’m on it.
Welcome New Sisters! (click for current roster)
Merit Badge Awardees (click for latest awards)
My featured Merit Badge Awardee of the Week is … Mary Jane Duffel!
Mary Jane Duffel (Madelina, Farmgirl Sister #3153) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching Room for earning a Beginner Level Crochet Merit Badge!
“I decided to participate in a Dish Cloth swap on MaryJane’s chatroom last July and crocheted a simple grannie square project from cotton yarn.
This fall I taught a few women the very basics of crochet (chaining, turning, single crochet, and working on tension). I have enjoyed getting back into crocheting and am deciding on some future projects for the winter.
The ladies enjoyed the class and asked that we continue with the lessons in the New Year. I find that I really enjoy teaching and look forward to continuing our lessons.”
In light of the season’s marathon of sugary holiday goodies and my post yesterday about Waking Up to Wellness, it seems like we should have a little sit-down discussion about sugar cravings. Specifically, how to shake them before they get the better of us, leaving us tired, stressed, achy, overweight, and at risk for a slew of serious health problems down the road.
Some people seem to glide through life heedless of sugar’s temptation, while others—lots of others—really have to work at keeping their cravings in check. Sugar has a way of making a body feel powerless to its siren call. But it’s not a matter of mere weakness, and it’s not as simple as the proverbial “sweet tooth.”
Research is mounting that proves a critical connection between sugar and brain chemistry. As explained in the book, The End of Overeating, sugar can trigger the same effects in the brain as highly addictive drugs like amphetamines and cocaine—and, sadly, countless people in this country are hooked on daily, if not hourly, sugar intake. According to a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the average American’s yearly sugar intake has skyrocketed from 26 pounds to more than 135 pounds in the past 20 years. Not surprisingly, most of that sugar is coming from processed product additives like bleached white cane or beet sugar and corn syrup, which are far more addictive and health-harming than any sort of sweetness found in nature. The bottom line: sugar can lure you into seemingly unbeatable cycles of craving, overeating, and suffering. You feel helpless to stop once you get hooked on sugar’s instant pick-me-up, even though it ultimately leaves you down in the dumps again.
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.
