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October is my birthday month and so I’ve always kind of loved the thought of October! Even though it means that my precious summer is over, I still go into October loving the whole sound of the name! I love October here in the South where the Azaleas really come alive in my flower beds!
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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”.
For me October is the beginning of the holiday season. I start making lists of people I want to make gifts for and start asking subtle questions to get an idea of what they want. Well, that I’m capable of giving. I make lists of baked goods I want to make, Ingredients I have to get, and who I want to give platters of goodies too.
My mother was a 40 year breast cancer survivor. She was diagnosed when it was a death sentence and no one talked about it. She had one friend to confide in and it was a hard time for her. So congratulations to you and a long healthy life.
Thank you for your honesty. The hand pies look delicious. The flowers are beautiful as are the notecards. Oct. is also my birthday month and we are traveling again early Nov. to TN. to see the Fall there. Enjoy your day as I am.
Oh my sweet friend these little hand pies look so yummy!! I am definitely going to have to try some apple ones as our tree produced abundantly & I have apples in my freezer!!
What I like best about October…the cooler temps, the gorgeous colors of nature & the recipes!!!! Oh my the recipes: soups galore, bread baking & hot mulled cider…these are just a few of my October favorites!!
Thanks for another wonderful blogpost Dori!!
Fall leaves and the cooling days are some of my favorite things, that and decorating for Halloween
Oh man you make this look so easy and good!!! I have fresh peaches I froze this summer, but no blackberries. Hmmm a trip to the farmers market is in order! Yummm Yummm Dori!
October is a bit of a melancholy month for me but I love what October represents. Autumn, my favorite season although way too short where we live. The colors, feel in the air, October skies. Your pictures of your flowers this month are just beautiful! And I know it’s hard to believe but I really have NOT made hand pies before! I am most definitely making them now, a perfect way to use up some of the bazillion apples we picked!
I love October, because my son and my middle grand-daughter were both born in this month, my granddaughter on the 3rd and my son on the 4th. Also love the cooler weather that comes with such crisp air
My favorite thing about October is it’s my birthday month. But even better is my first grandson is due this month, two days before my birthday! It doesn’t get better than that! God is so good.
Oh my, those hand pies remind me of the ones my Grandmother made! I’ll have to try your recipe with the blackberries I have in the freezer.
Thank you for sharing both your recipe and your journey. I admire your strength to endure your illness and stay positive through it.
By the way, I love October because it’s cooler here in Texas!
October is a month where God says, Here’s a little bit more beauty before I let creation rest. Colors, cooler air, anticipation of season change–all special gifts from a God who knew what we would love, even before we did!
Why do I love October? Sweater weather! Apples! Shorter days, but longer nights! An Invigorating chill in the air mixed with the scent of wood burning in a fireplace! More knitting time and longer dog walks … And to make it extra special … The its the birth month of my husband!
I love October because it’s my husband’s birthday month and also because of Halloween. It’s wonderful to celebrate my husband’s birthday, and I always think of his mom, Alice, who brought him into this world. She was my wonderful mother-in-law. Halloween makes me think of all the crazy, scary costumes my mom, Jane use to make for me as a kid growing up in the 50’s and 60’s. I carry on the tradition, but I’m a little less scary. October makes me appreciate all the love that has surrounded me in my life.
I love October! I love the colors of October, the blue sky, the orange and red foliage, the bright green pines against the blue-blue sky! Humidity is low, the ragweed dies (yaay!), I feel better! Temperature is more moderate, not too cold, not too hot. My twin daughters were born on October 14. My husband and I met in October and married the following October. And I love Halloween, everything about it. What is not to like in October?!
Hi Dori,
Your blogposts are the ones I always take time to read. Thank you for sharing your story.
I’m in love with fall as well, although we just had our first big snow here in the Colo. mountains. Hand pies…yum!
October is my favorite month. Number one – my husband and I just celebrated our 21st wedding anniversary on the 5th. Number 2 – we’re almost always close to being done with harvest (except for this year – rain, rain, rain….did I mention rain? ..LOL) and my nerves can finally unwind. The beauty of the sky against our green grass with our marigolds almost takes my breath away. My hens love when I start to clean my garden boxes as they get to pick at all the old produce that somehow got missed. I start to put my garden to bed for the winter and take a break myself.
Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful pie recipe. We have a Cortland Apple tree and I think I’ll use some of my apples to make these and some wild black raspberries that I picked this year.
May you be blessed with many more years of being cancer free. Blessings to you.
Let me count the ways I love October… many of the best men in my life celebrate their birthdays, like you, in October. My beloved Papa did; we lost him about a year as go, my Father in law Ted, our very good friend Sarge, my sweet nephew, Rowan, and my precious bonus boy, Caleb! In Idaho the trees turn lovely gold and red and orange and the pumpkins are on! I also adore that fly season is over because of the cold snaps and our mountaintops are covered in snow. Sweater time is always delightful and darkly steeped black tea with plenty of heavy whipping cream tastes extra good in this weather. Finally, I get in the groove of the school year and begin to anticipate the Advent of our LORD. September is tough because I love, love, love summer and boating and the relaxed pace. October gets me ready for the joyous cold season!
I love october with the cool crisp air and leaves changing. It’s so beautiful. But I cherish everyday. I also keep a journal about my experiences through life’s journey. The Pastor at the cancer center got me interested in doing one. It’s a positive journal. I have myeloma and even with that I am doing everything I did before. Enjoy everyday.
Autumnal smells, warm sweaters, crisp air, and a lot more baking!
My “little” sister is a breast cancer survivor. I walked beside her on her journey and sit beside her when walking wasn’t an option. How we laughed the day I suggested she use a lint roller on her head to remove the annoying little bits of hair that would fall in her eyes while she was undergoing chemo! It really did the job. We still chuckle about that.
My favorite season has always been the autumn. The colors are my soul’s palette. Sweater weather is so much better than sweaty, buggy, humid days. And wood smoke on the air brings up memories of girl scouts, and camping with my family, and firepits under the stars. The summer bounty is safely tucked away, the gardens are nearly sleeping and I can turn to indoor pursuits without feeling as if I’m neglecting my farm chores.
I’ve never made a pie. Crazy, I know, but I just might have the courage to try it with your lovely instructions. Thanks for your postings and sharing. We’re all better for it.
October is such a beautiful refreshing month after the hot humid summer! It’s also my oldest daughter’s birthday! We get to set a pretty fall decor table and enjoy delicious autumn treats with her birthday cake. Fall is my favorite season. All the turning leaves and lovely drives to the Poconos to smell the forest scents.
Enjoy where ever you are. Life is short.
Marie
October seems to be the start of all kinds of crafts fairs with Christmas type things in them. so it means that I get together with my friends to have fun hunting through them. I put out A LOT of zinnias seeds this year and they did wonderfully and I have enjoyed them so much. So I have a question for you, to save seeds for next year should I cut off the dried heads or what do you find to be the best way to save the seeds? thank you!
Here in southern California October usually means Santa Ana winds & fire season. This year though we are having beautiful fall weather with a few raindrops thrown in. I have been baking & soup making & wearing cozy clothes. We are so grateful to be enjoying fall weather this year & soaking up as much of it as we can.
I so enjoy your blog and look forward to it each month. Here in Washington state, we are having a little Indian summer, but most of our flowers are done for the year. I hope I win you beautiful note cards…a girl can’t have too many flowery things!! Thanks for the hand pie recipe, I’m gonna try that crust and those little pies for my Great grand kids!! See ya next month! Laurel.
As a breast cancer survivor myself, I’d love to hear your story sometime! Thank you for sharing – you are an encouragement to so many . And those pies – amazing!!
I am not originally from the South and I have to say that October and all of fall have turned into my favorite time of the year because of the glorious colors. I absolutely love it.
I love to put out my fall decorations in October. I have quilts, quilted tablerunners and quilted wallhangings that I have made over the years. I also like to decorate with fall flowers and pumpkins. I leave these items out until Thanksgiving day – then it is time for Christmas. I also love the changing leaves, the smell of a wood fire and being able to start wearing my favorite sweaters. I love your blog – you have a beautiful life!!
With my sister having stage 4 breast cancer this month (October) is breast month for me and my family as we support this type of cancer. One day I pray they will find a cure for all of us woman. I loved your mini fruit pies. I too make these and they are loved by so many. Fall is a wonderful time of year. I also love the leaves changing color here in New England. We are so bless with the different seasons. Happy Fall to you and your family and to all those who read your blogg. Sincerely, Winnie Jackson
Thanks for sharing the writing on your “journey”. The hand pies look delicious! To me October means the end of a very hot , humid summer (which I don’t love) I look forward to the nice cooler days-However in MN this year we have apparently skipped fall and gotten some much cooler/colder weather than usual and already snow in the northern part of the state-this is only the early part of October-hopefully we get some of those nice fall days yet we all wait for!
I LOVE the fall colors (I live in a 4 season state!) & like not needing the air conditioning or the furnace on…I enjoy apple cider (hot or cold!) and the smell of a bonfire!
Thank you Dori for the recipe. Like others, I remember my Grandmother and Mother making hand pies. You have inspired me to grow cutting flowers for which I am grateful. The cards are just so pretty. Thank you again.
October to me is enjoying the crisp,clear air and blue skies, the beautiful display of the leaves as they turn gorgeous colors. October also means several types of food and the tasty pumpkin spice flavor. I also lope to buy pumpkins and lovely Chrisanthemums. Halloween is another plus in October. Seeing all the decorations around the neighborhood. I also enjoy curling up with a good book[preferably a Christmas read] under a blanket.Thank you for the giveaway.
HAPPY OCTOBER and HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Marilyn
What do I love about October? The (finally) cooler nights, windows open, purchasing pumpkins to scatter around the house and yard, sitting on the screened porch, a trip to my beloved mountains for some fabulous fall foliage. Ahhh, smiles!
Those hand pies look delicious…..I might try them!
First of all, Dori, Happy Birthday! Secondly, congratulations on being a cancer survivor. I believe being positive is so important. I am battling lymphoma at the moment and always try to be upbeat. I love your little Hand Pies! What could be better to make for the grandkids? My favorite thing about October is the cooler weather! Happy Fall Y’all!
October in Maine is the best month of the year. I live very close to the border we share with NH, so early October I get to see the splendor of fall leaves in all their colorful glory in the White Mountains of NH. Than in the latter part of the month, I take a trip to the Maine coast to view the brilliant colors bordering the rocky shoreline. Oh and did I mention the incredibly blue skies and big puffy white clouds of October? It is indeed a wonderful month, a gift we get each year, before our winter sets in.
October is a favorite month for me. I love the colors of the tree, the hues in the sky, the last remaining flowers doing their things. I love the feeling of winding down after a busy summer. And the air…it just smells different. Refreshing. Full of life.
Thanks for the handpie recipe. They look/sound delicious. I’m gonna make me some.
What a beautiful reflection on your breast cancer journey! Thank you for sharing that last page. Enjoy the rest of your October. And happy birthday!
October! Even the sound of the name! Anyone remember the song ‘October Gave a Party’? Crisp air, blue, blue skies, taking a walk and crunching through leaves or piling them up to lie in (I no longer jump in them), and the fabulous smell of those leaves just shouts “Fall”, glorious colors, cinnamon smells throughout the house, setting out fall-colored decor, spicy cider, the sound and sight of combines in the fields and their lights on as they work into the night, the golden fields all harvested, pheasants gleaning in the harvested fields. I could go on and on! What is there NOT to love about October?! I grew up in Illinois but we live in Peru where our seasons are dry and wet so my Pinterest board ‘Gorgeous’ has lots of pins of fall foliage with fall lanes that beckon you to come for a walk.
Oh my, those hand pies look wonderful – – thanks for the tips and recipe. Loving October happens for me every single year – – love the cool off from steamy summer – – being able to work outside and plant fall bulbs and move some plants without roasting in humidity. The sound of geese, the colors at evening, crisp need for a wrap, happy energetic pups – – its all good. I am 11 years out from my BC diagnosis, doing well. I have never felt the “pink ribbon” crush that goes on in October, for me, it is small quiet room to reflect on what I went thru – – and the tremendous humble thanks to God I feel for His presence – – my mantra thru diagnosis and treatment was “Be Still and know I am God”. In all things and in every season He is my strength.
it is hard to pick just one thing about October. Picking apples and taking them home to make applesauce! Racking leaves and jumping in them with my grandson! Camp fires! Football! I could go on and on. It is the best time of year.
Hi Dori, so glad to see your post. I love the Fall weather, cooler, less humid, great for night time bonfires, Halloween decorating, and both my sons birthdays this month. I think there is an Apple Festival this month also. I have to try your hand pies as apple pie is one of my favorites, and yours look so good. I love that you leave them out and snack on them all day long – sounds like something I would do. I think bouquets of flowers are so pretty and yours I have seen in previous posts are amazing. Your friends and neighbors are so lucky to be able to purchase them. Your personal story is personal and I am sure we all support your decision and are so glad to have you here every month to keep us entertained with your wonderful blogs. It is an inspiration to all of us to try doing something we have never done before. Please keep blogging and giving us a look into what is possible. I look forward to reading them every month. Thank you for being you and being here.
October…being in the Deep South, I cannot speak of cool, crisp days, but I can speak of the occasional dip in temps from the 90’s to the high 70’s which usually means a cooler morning temp. That always gets me in the Fall frame of mind!
October is also our church convention month. Having started thinking about conventions in June (up in the northeast), I’m so ready for our convention when it gets here in early October.
Those hand pies look scrumptious and I just happen to have peaches and blackberries in the freezer!
Your notecards look darling. I almost made it to Tennessee this summer to see your flower stand. It’s going to happen one of these years!
I love so many things about October besides it being my birthday and wedding anniversary month. Lots of our family have birthdays and other events in October. I love the cooler evenings and then days, I love the cooking and baking that starts to happen, I love the kids back in school and starting new school years but mostly, I love the family time we spend together to celebrate each other.
Thank you so much for the recipe. It looks delicious!
I love October because that is when the state fair starts in La., and also the weather finally starts cooling…I always freeze my butter too when making crusts, or biscuits, or scones…I grate mine with a big cheese grater, so it comes together more easy. thought I would share…I forgot where I got that idea I believe from a scone recipe.. 🙂 Happy October. Neta.
October is my favorite month because I’m so ready for summer to be over, watch the leave change, take many trips to the Blue Ridge Parkway, enjoy the cool temps and curl up by the fire . I believe my favorite foods and drinks are in the fall.
My favorite thing about our October is spending time in the Tennessee mountains visiting our family and enjoying the beauty of the Smokey Mountains.
Happy Birthday Dori! Have enjoyed your Facebook posts about your flowers, etc. this summer. Wish I were in the neighborhood to enjoy the real thing! That stand always makes my heart smile. Love October in north-central Idaho. Cool temps, beautiful fall colors and gorgeous sunsets. Thank you for sharing your life with us and an opportunity to win a sweet giveaway! FALL BLESSINGS!
I love the sunrises and sunsets in October. They have been especially gorgeous lately. The smell of wood smoke and the changing leaves.
It’s springtime for us here in Australia, so I love being able to sit outside for dinner, with beautiful days and cooling breezes and enjoying the longer days that October brings. In October we also begin watching all the Christmas movies, since the season swings by so fast and it is one of my favourite times of year. I’m so happy You’re a cancer survivor, that’s Brilliant to hear.
In October we have my grandmother in laws birthday and she is 40 years older than me to the year, so I never forget her age. She is such a special lady, and as I’ve never known my own grandparents, they all passed before I was born except my mothers mum and she passed away when I was three, so I didn’t get to know her.
Thank you for all your delightful and heartwarming posts, they are always a delight to read. Your cards sound like beautiful gems well worth sharing. By the way, have you done anymore runs lately, I loved reading those posts too and seeing your growth in this area,
Gods blessings to you and yours