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I love books. Every kind of book. I can read just about anything. Sometimes the pile of books next to my bed are so varied that you would laugh to look at them. I don’t like to read a book from my electronic devices… I like to hold a book in my hand and turn the pages. I also love sharing my favorite books.
is a certified farmgirl at heart. She’s happily married to her beach bum Yankee husband of 20 years. She went from career gal to being a creative homeschooling mom for two of her biggest blessings and hasn’t looked back since. Debbie left her lifelong home in the high desert of Northern Nevada 10 years ago and washed up on the shore of America’s hometown, Plymouth, MA, where she and her family are now firmly planted. They spend part of each summer in a tiny, off–grid beach cottage named “The Sea Horse.”
“I found a piece of my farmgirl heart when I discovered MaryJanesFarm. Suddenly, everything I loved just made more sense! I enjoy unwinding at the beach, writing, gardening, and turning yard-sale furniture into ‘Painted Ladies’ I’m passionate about living a creative life and encouraging others to ‘make each day their masterpiece.’”
is a “MaryJane Farmgirl” who lives in a large metropolitan area. She is a lawyer who has worked in both criminal defense and prosecution. She has been a judge, a business woman and a stay-at-home mom. In addition to her law degree, she has a Masters of Theological Studies.
“Mustering up the courage to do the things you dream about,” she says, “is the essence of being a MaryJane Farmgirl.” Learning to live more organically and closer to nature is Rebekah’s current pursuit. She finds strength and encouragement through MaryJane’s writings, life, and products. And MaryJane’s Farmgirl Connection provides her a wealth of knowledge from true-blue farmgirls.
an old-fashioned farmgirl with a pioneer spirit, lives in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. As a “lifelong learner” in the “Live-Free-or-Die” state, she fiercely values self-reliance, independence, freedom, and fresh mountain air. Married to her childhood sweetheart of 40+ years (a few of them “uphill climbs”), she’s had plenty of time to reinvent herself. From museum curator, restaurant owner, homeschool mom/conference speaker, to post-and-beam house builder and entrepreneur, she’s also a multi-media artist, with an obsession for off-grid living and alternative housing. Cathi owns and operates a 32-room mountain lodge. Her specialty has evolved to include “hermit hospitality” at her rustic cabin in the mountains, where she offers weekend workshops of special interest to women.
“Mountains speak to my soul, and farming is an important part of my heritage. I want to pass on my love of these things to others through my writing. Living in the mountains has its own particular challenges, but I delight in turning them into opportunities from which we can all learn and grow.”
Dori Troutman is the daughter of second generation cattle ranchers in New Mexico. She grew up working and playing on the ranch that her grandparents homesteaded in 1928. That ranch, with the old adobe home, is still in the family today. Dori and her husband always yearned for a ranch of their own. That dream came true when they retired to the beautiful green rolling hills of Tennessee. Truly a cattleman’s paradise!
Dori loves all things farmgirl and actually has known no other life but that. She loves to cook, craft, garden, and help with any and all things on their cattle farm.
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.”
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!
Suburban Farmgirl Nicole Christensen calls herself a “vintage enthusiast”. Born and raised in Texas, she has lived most of her life in the picturesque New England suburbs of Connecticut, just a stone’s throw from New York State. An Advanced Master Gardener, she has gardened since childhood, in several states and across numerous planting zones. In addition, she teaches knitting classes, loves to preserve, and raises backyard chickens.
Married over thirty years to her Danish-born sweetheart, Nicole has worked in various fields, been a world-traveler, an entrepreneur and a homemaker, but considers being mom to her now-adult daughter her greatest accomplishment. Loving all things creative, Nicole considers her life’s motto to be “Bloom where you are planted”.
I love the Little Free Library! And yours is so cute. The town I live in put out several of these at various places and they seem to generate a lot of traffic. I love reading and like you, I usually have a varied group of books by my chair. And I’m also known to have more than one book started at any time. When I finish a book or two, I make it a point to drop them off at one of the little libraries. I can only imagine what my life would have been like if I had had one of these close to where I lived growing up. I was an early reader but didn’t have easy access to new books, so I loved the school library and Bookmobiles.
there’s one in my town and didn’t even know it. going to go tomorrow!
What a wonderful idea! And i had no idea there was one almost right in my backyard! I will stop by and donate a few books tomorrow . I am always impressed but never surprised by your commitment to community and humanity. You are just a “giver” by nature Dori. Each blog post i read on Farmgirlbloggers always brings me back to center. In one way or another. Keep it up!!!
Hugs,
Kim
Hi Dori
I love your Little Free Library!
I just finished reading “Grandma Gatewood’s Walk” and have started “The Great Alone”.
The story about Grandma Gatewood is a true story about a 67 year old woman who hiked the Appalachian Trail, in 1955. This is truly an inspiring story!
Happy reading everyone!
I just finished re-reading REDEEMING LOVE by Francine Rivers. It fills my heart every time I read it ❤️
Five stars to your husband, and you, for doing this! I admire folks like you and am recommitted to do similar, but different projects near my home. Yesterday was Flag Day and your post made me think of how important efforts like this are.
Thanks,
Oh what a pleasant surprise to see your little library. I Want one so bad .
I love it tell your husband he did a wonderful job. Thank you for sharing.
What a great idea. I was not aware of the Little free Library. I just finished the trio of Marie Osmond’s books. No w I started “Listening Valley” by D.E. Stevenson. It is very enjoyable. I will have to see if there is any near my neighborhood.Thank You for this information.
Marilyn
Love this! I was surprised with an LFL for Christmas, and we had a grand opening in May. I love visiting other LFL’s, and am so happy to be a steward of a box in our small Iowa town. Happy reading and book swapping!
Thanks so much for sharing your story. I also love the free little libraries we see around the Central Oregon area and hope to put one at the front of our farm too! I also appreciate knowing a bit more about the organization… very cool! As far as reading? I’ve got Mindy Kaling’s “Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)… it’s funny and honest. Just happened to pick it up. Cheers Dori! Kate Donahue
Midnight Sky Farm of Tumalo, Bend, OR
I had known about the Little Free Library and am sure you will continue to enjoy having made one. It was such a great idea from whomever started it! I am re-reading Susan Branch’s Fairytale Girl, Martha’s Vinyard, Isle of Dreams, and A Fine Romance. Loved them the first time around and I notice lots of things I missed this time. True stories of her life and travels, hand written and filled with pictures and her own illustrations. I think you would enjoy them.
I’ve heard about ‘ sharing libraries ‘ but didn’t know there is an organization for them. I will now look them up although I live in a coveted area. Yes your husband did a bang on job with yours!! I haven’t read anything for a few months, well except for MJF. Thanks for your great blog. God bless.
What a cute idea! Your husband did a great job and I can see I’ve read some of the books you have in your little library. Wish I could do the same but there’s only 3 families on our Lane … so there would be hardly any traffic. I am reading “The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry” by Rachel Joyce. I’ve never read a book like it. The reviews on amazon were very good. If you like different kinds of books look this one up and see if it interests you–it did me!
Such a cute idea! I live out in the country and don’t think my Texas friends would know what the little box would be if I had one, but I love it! ❤️ Glad you have folks that can enjoy!
What a sweet idea! I LOVE this and may have to steal your idea. 🙂
Hi Dori!
This is such a great addition to your farm and what a wonderful organization. Thank you for sharing! We have a library box at the entrance of our beach road that leads to our beach community which we all enjoy, however, it’s not part of a larger organization like The Little Free Library. Love that the grand girls are so involved!
Happy Summer!!!
Deb