Mary Murray
describes herself as a goat charmer, chicken whisperer, bee maven, and farmers’ market baker renovating an 1864 farmhouse on an Ohio farm. With a degree in Design, Mary says small-town auctions and country road barn sales "always make my heart skip a beat thinking about what I could create or design out of what I’ve seen.”
Rooted in the countryside, she likes simple things and old ways … gardening, preserving the harvest, cooking, baking, and all things home. While you might find her selling baked goods from the farm’s milkhouse, teaching herself to play the fiddle, or sprucing up a vintage camper named Maizy, you will always find her in an apron!
Mary says, “I’m happiest with the simple country pleasures … an old farmhouse, too many animals, a crackling fire, books to read, and the sound of laughter … these make life just perfect.”
Column contents © Mary Murray. All rights reserved.
Farmgirl
is a condition
of the heart.
Alexandra Wilson
is a budding rural farmgirl living in Palmer, the agricultural seat of Alaska. Alex is a graduate student at Alaska Pacific University pursuing an M.S. in Outdoor and Environmental Education. She lives and works on the university’s 700 acre environmental education center, Spring Creek Farm. When Alex has time outside of school, she loves to rock climb, repurpose found objects, cross-country ski on the hay fields, travel, practice yoga, and cook with new-fangled ingredients.
Alex grew up near the Twin Cities and went to college in Madison, Wisconsin—both places where perfectly painted barns and rolling green farmland are just a short drive away. After college, she taught at a rural middle school in South Korea where she biked past verdant rice paddies and old women selling home-grown produce from sidewalk stoops. She was introduced to MaryJanesFarm after returning, and found in it what she’d been searching for—a group of incredible women living their lives in ways that benefit their families, their communities, and the greater environment. What an amazing group of farmgirls to be a part of!
Column contents © Alexandra Wilson. All rights reserved.
Libbie Zenger
Previous Rural Farmgirl,
June 2010 – Jan 2012
Libbie’s a small town farmgirl who lives in the high-desert Sevier Valley of Central Utah on a 140-year-old farm with her husband and two darling little farmboys—as well as 30 ewes; 60 new little lambs; a handful of rams; a lovely milk cow, Evelynn; an old horse, Doc; two dogs; a bunch o’ chickens; and two kitties.
René Groom
Previous Rural Farmgirl,
April 2009 – May 2010
René lives in Washington state’s wine country. She grew up in the dry-land wheat fields of E. Washington, where learning to drive the family truck and tractors, and “snipe hunting,” were rites of passage. She has dirt under her nails and in her veins. In true farmgirl fashion, there is no place on Earth she would rather be than on the farm.
Oh, I’m with you Dori! Homemade is best! I’ve been sewing up a storm! Your recipes look outstanding. I’ve never tried to make lemon curd, other than for the top layer of lemon bars. Yours looks delicious! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for writing Joan!
Yes, I’ve been sewing up a storm too! Isn’t it the funnest???
Make that lemon curd! You’ll never regret it!
– Dori –
All you have to say to me is: “lemon” and I’m there! Thanks for sharing. i just printed this out and look forward to making it…yum!
Hello Pat!
Yes… I’m with you on that! Lemon everything!
Happy Holidays!
– Dori –
Dori, I sew:) agree with you. Gifts from the heart!!! Thanks for sharing your feelings about this. It’s so nice to know someone else feels this way.
Stay warm and well.
Hi Blinky,
I guess part of the reason I feel the way I do is for selfish reasons! Ha! I would rather receive something home-made ANY DAY!!!
Happy Holidays!
– Dori –
I just got back from Key West, Florida and brought a bottle of Key Lime juice. I’m going to try your recipe with lemon and with lime (separately). Thank you. Happy holidays.
Hi Marlene,
Oh my YES!!!!! Please let me know how it tastes!!!
– Dori –
That looks and sounds delicious. I love homemade gifting too!♡
Hi Max,
And some of the most yummy things come out of your kitchen. 🙂 (And your sewing room – this I have proof of!!!!)
Hugs,
– Dori –
Oh how I would love to join you in your delightful farmhouse kitchen & share some of this yummy-ness ❤
Hello dear friend Cyndie,
Someday… someday.
Hugs,
– Dori –
I make cranberry pumpkin loaves and give away and my homemade canned hot pepper mustard and some crackers…i am so anxious to make your recipe and i like how you decorated yours to give away..Thank you for some new ways to fix up my homemade gifts….MERRY CHRISTMAS…
Hi Carleen,
Ohhhhh cranberry pumpkin loaves sound SO GOOD. I think I need that recipe! (hint hint!)
Happy Holidays!
– Dori –
I would love the recipe for the bread and the jelly they both sound very delicious have a Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year
Hi LoriAnn,
If you scroll all the way to the end of the post (like the VERY end) you’ll see printable recipes for them both! Just click the little print button.
Happy Holidays!
– Dori –
I ment the cranberry pumpkin bread and the jelly
can’t wait to try your recipe and I’ll have to go to Target now and look for that cute little gift box! Merry Christmas!
Hi Denise,
Hopefully Target still has some of the gift boxes. I actually thought I should’ve bought all they had at my store and saved for next year! 🙂
Happy Holidays!
– Dori –
I totally agree with you! Gifts, anytime of year, should come from the heart. I’m actually waiting this very minute on a couple of rising doughs! Fresh loaves of bread are on the gift giving list for a family we know. They just moved here. 🙂
Can’t wait to try your recipe!
Christine
Hi Christine,
Fresh loaves of bread make the best gifts ever. I absolutely LOVE fresh bread right out of the oven. I think I’ll be making some tomorrow now! 🙂
Happy Holidays!
– Dori –
Hey Dori, Guess what I would more than anything right now. I would love to come over to your house and have some of that Lemon Pound Cake and Lemon Curd. I love all 5 Farmgirl’s posts. I feel like I know each one of you personally. I love you all and wish you a Christmas full of blessings.
Hi Doris,
Wouldn’t that just be SO MUCH FUN????
We start to feel like we know our readers personally too.
Hugs!
– Dori –
That looks absolutely yummy! Thanks for sharing. Happy Holidays Dori.
Hi Bonnie!
Happy Holidays to you too!!!
– Dori –
That lemon cake looks delicious.
Marilyn
Thank you Marilyn!
Happy Holidays to you!
– Dori –
YUMMO is all I can say to Lemon anything as well. Thanks for sharing. I am going to try these but first hopefully in the next couple of days I will be making your moms Red Chili Enchilada recipe. Got my stuff together just waiting for the right moment to make. Merry Christmas and thanks again for sharing your wonderful recipes. Neta.
Hi Dori
Homemade gifts mean so much more. I am going to try the mini cakes and look for the gift boxes. My son and daughter in law live in MN and we started a christmas tradition a few years ago along with our daughter in laws mom and grandma. We exchange recipes and this one is definitely one to give. Merry
Christmas.
I can’t wait to try those recipes. They sound delicious. I love to give (and get) homemade gifts. I always think warm thoughts of the giver as I enjoy their gift and am grateful that they thought of me and for the precious time they spent making it.
Dori, I’ve gathered the ingredients and plan to make this for gifts in a few days. Unfortunately, it seems there has been a serious run on low-fat buttermilk around here – so do you think I’m ok with full fat? Many thanks!
Hi Betty,
DEFINITELY use full fat!!! It will work awesome! 🙂
I’m about to make the lemon cake. But, mostly I wanted to mention your sweet mother. I “look” about like her. The well worn hands etc. I have those same “beautiful brown spots” from many years of gardening, freezing, canning and eating the produce. I’m 81 and still have a large garden on our farm here in central MN, lived on the same property for 62 years–4 children, 22 grand-children and 12 “greats” (two more on the way) later. 🙂 I am also a 24/7 care-giver of my wonderful husband. My moto is “Together is the best place to be”. God bless you AND your mother. I might just make the Mexican food also!!
Ohhhhh Ariel.
This was the sweetest comment I’ve gotten in forever. It made me so happy. And I think that you and my mother “look” alike in more ways than the ones you listed. You may just be cut out of the same cloth!!!
Thank you so much for writing to me.
– Dori –
P.S. Make that Mexican food!!! 🙂