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It’s no surprise to me that we ” farmgirls ” are often on the same wavelength. Afterall, we share many of the same interests and passions. MJF being num-er-o uno! Our hearts travel in the same circles, and we like to go treasure hunting in some pretty interesting places too! This post is filled with a little of this and a little of that. Feel like diggin’? Come with me!
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”.
Once again, beautiful pictures and what a fun craft idea. It will be great for my beach themed bath!
A blessed autumn to you my friend!!
I love the creative ways you and Jan use old sinks, my next project. And your Beach Sisters posting was great. I have friends who spring break with me on the beach and may try this next March! I enjoy your postings and look forward to seeing them. You are good for the soul, Beach Sister! Thanks.
Those tomatoes are so lovely..gee, I could l/2 bu. right now..have a recipe a friend gave me they call chili..never saw anything like it..I call it my 3 day relish..that is how long it took to put together..all hand chopping so everything is in hunks..something like a salsa..this is when I miss my mom most..cooking & canning together. the porch..what imagination..very cozy!!
Deb,
These pictures are beautiful! I love all of the ideas too. Made me feel I was back at the beach. It is just gorgeous where you are. Thanks for sharing
I enjoyed that! very inspiring for creativity and also for living the life you love!
Just a note! The chair on the right side of my porch was made by my father and he laughingly called it his ‘throne’. It is my favorite place to sit out there and I think of the times that my parents spent in that garden area. I just did uncover my dad’s fishing lures and they move and tinkle in the breeze, where I hung them from my roof line. One has a penny inlaid in the top spoon and is called a ‘Lucky Penny’!
Like Donna, I find that this time of year also reminds me of my favorite cook and canner, my mom. She still inspires me to carry on the history of ‘putting up’ the bounty of local produce that we have in this area. Mom could put up the most beautiful peaches…
Deb, you made me think of the lovely bag of sea glass that I have in my stash of craft items. Thinking of doing a mosaic top on a table I’m redoing. Thanks for stimulating my imagination! You are so lucky to be able to spend time with your family on the beach..
Can you believe that my husband lifted and hauled a cast iron double bowl kitchen sink all the way from NC to KS? The sink was in my aunt’s kitchen. I used to lie on the drainboard and get my Toni permanent when I was a little girl. I just could not bear to part with it when we renovated the house after she passed away.
We are planning on using the sink the same way that you have.
I’m hoping to become a part-time FL beachgirl very soon!
Linda, YES , I can believe it!!! We’ve done the same thing! Be sure to share your sink with us when it’s finished! Many New Englanders " head south " to Florida to soak up the sun. Not a bad idea AT ALL! Good luck! Thanks for reading too!
Deb
Wow, too wonderful. I will spend the winter looking for an old sink for next years garden dayz….Love it. And Deb your photos are so beautiful! I just got back from a trip I took with my best friend to Morehead N.C. Went to the Seafood Festival along with some other adventures. I could live by the Sea, I surely could.
Oh man, did I EVER enjoy your posting. I want to come hang with your and your farmgirl sisters…and sit in Jan’s womderful porch!!!!! You made my day. What dreamy photos of a place so far from and different than this landlubber’s digs! Sommmmeday I just gotta visit New England again. Now I actually know some people to visit…and they are all farmgirls!
I’m ready when you are Shery! 🙂