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 love the pillowcases you’ve created. Absolutely beautiful!
I’m seriously thinking of making a few for Christmas gifts.
Lovely fabric.
These are beautiful! I’m adding to my future project list.
Those pillowcases are SO pretty! Thanks so much for sharing the instructions here. I’m definitely going to dive into that project. I was so shocked when your last picture came into view. Owie! Take good care of yourself and heal fast.
Those are just beautiful . . . definitely my “style”!
Hope you heal quickly!
CJ
Pre-wash any of this fabric you want to use for a pillowcase and then test it on your face. Many of these fabrics are scratchy and miserable next year your skin.
Hi Karen,
Thank you for that advice. I do only purchase and sew with very high quality quilting cottons; but pre-washing for something like this is a great suggestion. Some fabrics would be absolutely miserable to sleep on!
~ Dori ~
Oh dear, I just saw your foot. I have no idea what happened to you, but I do know that because glyphosate is coming out of the car exhaust (from corn ethanol being added to gasoline), and is in all the food and water you do need to take glycine powder. Glycine is an amino acid that is in your food and your body uses to make connective tissue, which is muscle, ligament, bone, fascia (that net under your skin that used to be called cellulite). Glycine powder is inexpensive, sweet tasting, just put the dose in your mouth and chase it with water. If you need more information, see the work by Dr. Stephanie Seneff, who has been studying glyphosate for over 15 years. She reads and correlates everything written on it. Wonderful colors in your cases!
Hi Karen,
Thank you for the info. I will look into that! I’ve had a bone graft from my heel to my big toe so I’m certainly interested in anything that is going to cause me to have stronger and healthier bones.
~ Dori ~
They are really so cute. Nice work!!
Hi Tina,
Thank you!
~ Dori ~
These pillowcases are the cutest. I love them. Get well soon for your foot
Hi Stacey,
Thank you! I love them too.
I’ve got an 8 week road to recovery on my foot… but I’m doing good! Thanks for the get well wishes!
~ Dori ~
Love them!
Hi Sharon,
Thank you!!!
~ Dori ~
I love this pillow cases. I have admired this type of cases my whole life. Thank you for bringing attention to them.
Hi Melanie,
I’ve admired these forever too! I really love them… make yourself one!!!
~ Dori ~