Like Girl Scouts for Grown-ups

You know those nerdy little over-achievers who will do just about anything for a prize or a little praise? Well...I'm one of them. I love earning things. It makes me ever so happy. When I was young, Girl Scouts provided an outlet for all that ambition. I was a tomboy. So, I got to do all my tomboyish stuff and actually get fun little merit badges for my sash. Ahhh, the joy of it all.

Then, I grew up.

No more merit badges. I had to work a lot harder for praise and recognition. And, it was actually work. I no longer received kudos for being my awesome self. Toastmasters provided a taste of what I missed in that I could earn recognition for public speaking, mostly just for the effort I put into it. But then, my thirst was finally quenched. I discovered the Mary Jane's Farmgirl Sisterhood.

I first discovered Mary Jane's Farm magazine, a magazine for ladies dedicated to organic living. Mary Jane Butters is one of my heroes and an empowering female role model. She manages to do all the "un-girly" things I like to do while still maintaining her femininity. The Farmgirl Sisterhood is a club of sorts where members can earn merit badges for living the Farmgirl life and having a Farmgirl attitude. It's like Girl Scouts for grown-ups.

Badges are broken up into categories. These are Cleaning Up, which includes badges like Shopping Green and Water Conservation; Each Other, including Community Service and Know Your Roots among others; Farm Kitchen, two of the badges being Know Your Food and Organic On A Budget; Garden Gate, including Grow Where You're Planted and Heirlooms Forever!; Make It Easy, with Build It Green and Relaxation; Outpost, my favorite, including First Aid and Glamping; and Stitching and Crafting, which pretty much speaks for itself. To add even more complexity, each badge has a beginner, intermediate, and expert level.

I finally get to earn badges for things I want to do again. In fact, I'm being rewarded for living according to my values. Eating mostly organic, researching CSAs, going camping, and using environmentally-friendly cleaning products are all things I would choose to do anyway.

So, for all the nerdy over-achievers out there and all the ladies who just want to have some fun, check out the Farmgirl Sisterhood. It's a hoot!

My Tiny Taste of Heaven

Decided to quit my whinin' about not having a garden space this year and green my deck. We've got to start with Zone 0, right? It's not much, and I'll have to do a lot of watering this summer. Still, it makes me a little happier, and I can always use the water I collect waiting for the shower to warm up.

How have you made good use of tiny spaces? Can you identify these plants?

A Little Spring in My Step

Spring is my favorite season. Everything seems to be coming to life. This spring started off a little bittersweet, as I expected to be in my Permaculture Paradise, but even condo living cannot keep me down for long. I am having regular reminders of all that I can still do even without my five or so acres.

Fortunately, we are not in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. That means I am still able to get food from sources other than my own personal garden. Soon, my vegetable CSA will be providing me with a box of fresh, organic veggies weekly. My meat CSAs go throughout the year and provide me with beef, lamb, and pork from animals that only had one bad day in their lives. I also have access to groceries and co-ops filled with healthy food, and I take advantage of that.

With fresh produce finally coming in season, the food preservation marathon has begun. The dehydrator is getting a workout. Just slice those blueberries in half and those strawberries into 1/4 inch slices, set the temperature to 105 degrees and set the timer. The scent that fills the house is far better than any toxic, store-bought air freshener.

Let's not forget the farmer's market!

All in all, spring still puts a spring in my step.