I should probably assume that when something goes “viral” on the Internet, you’ve seen it already …
But what if you haven’t?
Some stories are just too heartwarming not to share—just in case. For instance, the story of Mr. G and Jellybean.
In a nutshell, Mr. G (a goat) and Jellybean (a donkey) were rescued, among many other animals, from an abusive California owner a few months ago. They were taken to separate animal sanctuaries in hopes of giving them happier homes.
And yet, Mr. G wasn’t happy. At all.
Photo of Mr. G courtesy of Animal Place via Facebook.com/mrgjellybean
After arriving at Animal Place in Grass Valley, California, the 10-year-old goat stopped eating. For days, he wouldn’t even get up from the corner of his stall to go outside. Neither treats nor tenderness would perk him up despite a clean bill of health from a veterinarian.
There was only one thing to do …
Photo by Grievous via Wikimedia Commons
There was only one “someone” who could come lumbering (lop ears and all) to the rescue …
Photo of Jellybean courtesy of Animal Place via Facebook.com/mrgjellybean
Yup.
Grab a tissue and watch …
I just learned about a super-great program in Oregon called Adopt a Farmer.
Don’t worry—no one is abandoning farmers by the roadside!
Photo by Tomas Sennett, Environmental Protection Agency, via Wikimedia Commons
Nothing like that.
In fact, this program is more about farmers helping kids by being adopted. If this isn’t making sense yet, just let me gather my druthers, and I’ll explain …
The Adopt a Farmer program, launched in 2011 by the Agri-Business Council of Oregon, is designed to help reconnect students in middle-school science classes to the sources of their food and fiber with hands-on farm education. After all, it wasn’t so long ago that Oregon kids were grounded in good farm work …
Photo courtesy of the Beaverton Oregon Historical Photo Gallery via Wikimedia Commons
Each participating class “adopts” one Oregon farm or ranch for the entire school year. During the year, the class takes at least one field trip to “their” farm, and the farmer or rancher also visits the classroom once a quarter to share updates about life and work on the farm.
Photo of Hurst Farm in Sutherland, Oregon by Ian Poellet via Wikimedia Commons
Plus, the students share a blog with their farmer, which allows them to communicate directly. You can view the blogs by clicking on the “visit blog” link shown below each farmer’s picture on the program’s website.
Twelve schools and over 1,000 students are currently participating in the program, and the Agri-Business Council plans to expand the Adopt a Farmer program to schools across the state.
Here’s a little more about the program from those who know it best:
And the winner of the Speckled Swan Scarf is:
Beth Getz, who said:
“I love scarves! And I love the color of this one! I would wear it every day, since it goes with my coats and a good chunk of my sweaters … it’s my color! Love it!”
Watch for an e-mail from the farm, Beth. Congratulations!!!
And the original GIVEAWAY was (thank you to all who participated):
Join me in welcoming our latest Project F.A.R.M. addition, Kathy, Elisa, Jamie, and Angela of The Speckled Swan.
This gorgeous hand-made acrylic/wool scarf is up for grabs to the “hat pull” name that finds its way into my granddaughter’s hand on Thanksgiving Day. To enter, leave a comment telling us what festive event you’d attend wearing your new “cranberry red winter fashion scarf.”
Each order from The Speckled Swan comes gift wrapped for free with a rose, lavender, or cedar sachet included. I should mention, this scarf smells divine!
The adorable, always humorous MBA Jane is my way of honoring our Sisterhood Merit Badge program, now with 6,102 dues-paying members who have earned an amazing number of merit badges so far—8,722 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 Stitching and Crafting/Homespun Christmas Expert Level Merit Badge (Part II), I lovingly wrapped up the triplets’ homemade holiday gifts, and got to work on the grownup people of my life. There are so many friends I want to shower with presents, it’s hard to know where to start. Thank goodness for large cookie recipes, am I right? It never hurts to have extras lying around the kitchen during the month of December for those drop-ins you might have forgotten to shop for (I mean, craft for). And it never hurts to eat them.
The cookies, I mean.
Ideas …
Heat Therapy Packs for Gramma Barbie
• 1 pillowcase (will make three heat packs)
• Rice
• Essential oils or dried herbs
Cut pillowcase into three even rectangles. Sew bottom(s) closed. Stuff. Hand-stitch opening. Personalize with applique or ribbon/lace, if desired. Include directions to microwave for two minutes.
Photo, http://creativecaincabin.com/2014/07/august-felt-patterns/
Porcupine Pincushion for the sewers in your life
• Felt
• Needle and thread
• Stuffing
• Collection of pins
Cut out the shape of your porcupine, using free Internet downloadable patterns or freestyle your own. It doesn’t have to be a porcupine, of course, but they look adorable with pins … instead of disturbing.
Photo Coasters for family
• 4×4″ tiles (they’re about .16 each at home-improvement stores, such as Lowes, but I see them offered for free on Craigslist.com quite often. Or you might have a stack left over from your last tiling project)
• Mod Podge
• Sponge brush
• Felt
• Photos
• Clear acrylic spray
Trim your photo and felt to exactly match the size of your tiles. Glue felt to the bottom of the tile with regular glue, and the photo to the top with the Mod Podge and your sponge brush. Mod Podge the top of your photo as well. It will dry clear, so just use a nice, thin coat. After it dries, waterproof your masterpiece with the clear acrylic spray. Adorbs!
Coffee/Tea Hot Cup Sleeves for your warm beverage drinkers
• A coffee sleeve from your friendly neighborhood barista to use as a pattern
• Felt
• A cute button
• A small piece of grosgrain ribbon
• Hot glue, or needle and thread
Using your cardboard sleeve as a pattern, cut your felt to size. (If you’re a knitter, you could skip the felt and knit your coffee sleeve instead). Glue or sew your button on one side and your ribbon on the other. Mmm! Did somebody suggest a Candy Cane Mocha with whip?
Photo by MarissaHuber via Flickr.com
Leg Warmers/Boot Socks for the Fashion Divas in your life
• A sweater
• A bit of lace
Remove the arms of your sweater for the legs of your warmers. Attach lace to the top. (An alternative adornment to lace would be a couple large buttons.) Hem edges to prevent fraying (depending on fabric).
What’s more fun: making these gifts, giving them, or getting them? Let me know!
The adorable, always humorous MBA Jane is my way of honoring our Sisterhood Merit Badge program, now with 6,102 dues-paying members who have earned an amazing number of merit badges so far—8,722 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 Stitching and Crafting/Homespun Christmas Expert Level Merit Badge, I had really exercised some patience. I had to wait a whole year after earning my Beginning and Intermediate Level badges!
Luckily, Christmas comes each year, on the dot, lickety-split, ready or not, and I was prepared. (Not like a few holidays past, when I kinda forgot to be prepared and had to do my shopping at the Quick-E Mart on Christmas Eve. Nothing says Happy Holidays like a can of soda and an air freshener, am I right?)
Having made a whole tree-full of ornaments already, I only needed to add to my collection. Because, let’s be honest, when it comes to Christmas and merry making, more is more, right, girls? You know it’s true.
In addition to strictly decorating my Blue Spruce with handmade adorableness, I was also making all my gifts. Yep. These two hands of mine were going to be busy this season—and happy, too. You know the old expression, Idle hands are the devil’s handiwork Busy hands are jolly hands. That’s a saying, right? Hello?
To focus and share a few favorites of my handmade goodies this year, I concentrated first on the little rugrats of my life: Midge’s triplets. Three different homemade presents for three different kiddos. Here’s what I came up with:
A Fort Kit
The fun part of these Fort Kits is customizing them. You can use a gingham or calico sheet, a lace pillow, and a stack of Little House books for the little girl in your life, or you could use a Star Wars sheet and a glow-in-the-dark LightSabor instead of a lamp for your little men. A striped blanket, some Circus coloring books, and a box of Animal Crackers would be totally adorable … how cute are these?
Spy Kit
In a homemade bag similar to one you would use for keeping knitting needles (you know the kind—folds flat, has seams for sliding in needles), put:
Homemade Christmas Playdough
In a medium saucepan, whisk together dry ingredients. Next, mix in the water and oil and stir until a thick batter is formed. Cook the mixture over low/medium heat until a thick dough forms. Turn out onto parchment paper and knead until smooth. Makes about 2 cups of dough.
Christmas customizations:
Now that the littlest minions were taken care of, it was time to make some more grown-up gifts … stay tuned!
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.
