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.
I have definitely jumped on the home made gifts train. This year I have been working hard to make many of my gifts home made, but sadly I haven’t been able to do as much as I would like do to time restrictions. My goal for next year is to step it up and make many more things home made and plan a little better for the crazy busy time of the holiday season. Your home made items are beautiful and a huge inspiration to me. I hope to learn more sewing in the future so I can make some similar projects. I will join you for the new resolution for next year.
As usual I enjoy every blog you write and every creative idea you share!
Merry Christmas to you and your whole family Dori!
Keep those blogs a comin’!
I, too, make it a point to make something every Christmas that is homemade. I have been doing this for decades and I often have friends say how much fun it is to put out all of the things I have made them over the years. I love getting homemade gifts too and you have a lot of great ideas on your list. Isn’t Pinterest a great place to get inspired? Merry Christmas, Dori, to you and yours!
Thank you for the inspiration! This year, starting in January, I plan to make many gifts. It is something I used to do, but have been off track. This will be a good boost to Santa’s Workshop.
Wonderful, inspiring ! I just love hand made gifts.
Really cute ideas. I’m almost done making this year’s gifts but I’m running out of time. What else is new, right?
Wonderful, super ideas!! I too do the hand made gifting. One year I did purchased and welll, politely it was suggested that hand made items were expected. So that let me know what would be best BUT I was running out of really nice ideas until you posted and now next year will be started the first of the year. Again thank you so much for sharing your special ideas. God bless Merry Christmas.
Thank You for these suggestions. I will try to start making gifts for next Christmas. Wishing you and yours a Blessed Christmas and a Happy,Healthy 2018.
Marilyn
Oh Dori — to be so talented, a gift from God. My mother did a lot of sewing and nearly all our gifts under the tree at Christmas were homemade, BUT, much as I loved her, she couldn’t hold a candlestick to your talents. God bless you more, sweet Dori . . .
Marvene
Dori! This post is fantastic. You are very talented! I’ve been a little down on myself for not getting started with making gifts much earlier this season. I think I’ll get a couple of cuddly flannel blankets done for the girls and some hot cocoa kits for some close friends and family. Oh! I did give out some home made maple nut granola for some “Friendsgiving” favors. That was fun and the kids could easily help. Hopefully this summer we can get some fun woodworking projects completed. We will have to refer back to your doll bunkbed–so cute! Maybe I can get some of your stationary packs and tags completed, too. Thanks for the inspiration! Happy Holidays!