I picked my grandgirl, Mia Marie, up from school last week for “Mia’s Day.”
Mia’s Day is all about farmgirl chores. First, she and I milked the cow and I taught her how to use her own hands to extract milk. Then we processed the milk. After that, we headed to the greenhouse for some watering and weeding (and nibbling). Then we had a late lunch. And frozen blueberries. And tea. And finally, story time.
The best part of the day for me happened early on, when I picked her up from school and she surprised me with a couple of handmade gifts. The night before, she’d made a card for me and embroidered a new dishtowel for my kitchen.
A present for me …
And inside? Why, a horse, of course!
Camp with us:
3 nights, 1 camper: $220
Ticket price includes a single spot for three nights, and the following for one camper:
And the winner of the second of five Milk Cow Kitchen books I’m giving away …
is …
Kimberly Selders, who wrote on May 15, 2014: “We will be getting our first milk cow next year and I’m so excited!!! We will probably name her Sally May, and with the first bucket of milk I will of course skim the cream for butter. We are a huge milk drinking family so I’m sure the first bucket of milk won’t last long. Can’t wait to see your book!!”
Watch for an e-mail from the farm, Kimberly. Congratulations!
Welcome New Sisters! (click for current roster)
Merit Badge Awardees (click for latest awards)
My featured Merit Badge Awardee of the Week is … Linda Cole!!!
Linda Cole (#4879) has received a certificate of achievement in Cleaning Up for earning a Beginner & Intermediate Level Recycling Merit Badge!
“I contacted all of the recycling centers in our phone book. Learned that only one receives anything but different type of metals. This center will take different types of metals, electronics, glass, plastic, and cardboard. The center will separate the items for you, therefore saving you work.
Made me look closer at things around me. The center is too far from home to use unless I have a large load, but I am glad to know it is there just in case I am able to use it.
Since we have only regular garbage pickup, I contacted our local recycling centers. I found only one that will recycle things other than metal. An area business will buy car batteries. Many items can be recycled in the home. For example, milk jugs can be used to water plants in the garden during dry weather. Plastic bags can be made into holiday wreaths, and food scraps that don’t contain grease can be put into the compost pile or given to the worm bed.
To begin with, I think it would be too overwhelming to try to recycle everything, so I will only recycle three: pop cans, paper, and milk jugs. I have set up a trash can outside for cans and tow containers inside for paper and jugs.
Turning out very well. The pop cans will be sold when I get a trashcan full. At the end of the week, I only had two milk jugs and one of them was collected from outside, where it had been used for something else. All other milk jugs were being used for other things. My biggest problem is paper from junk mail. The paper and jugs are in containers to go to a recycling center in another county as I go to visit a friend in that county.”
for winnie winnie bo winnie, danny danny bo banny, banana fana fo fanny, fe fi fo manny, W-I-N-N-I-E
While visiting one of my favorite haunts last week, I got to thinking. Do other farmgirls have a “building recycler” where they live?
A quick Google search told me, yes, they’re popping up all over the country.
Ours has been around ever since I was a toddler.
Mia and I love to go there for treasure hunts. You know those fun, funky projects you’ve had your sights on forever? Well, look no further than your local building recycler.
I found a few treasures on our last foray there (Mia found a good walking stick). I can’t wait to share some of the projects I’m working on once I get them finished—everything from salvaged barn wood, to windows, piles of springs in all sizes, toilets, marble slabs, fabulous old doors, and claw-foot bathtubs (sssshhh, don’t tell Mom I’m sharing that info—I do believe she’s purchased a total of ELEVEN!!!! claw foot bathtubs over the years from our local building recycler).
Hubby and I scored the door below (that we turned into corner shelves), painted, and distressed. We actually built two of them. Check out their website!
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.
