Those who live in a northern region understand front to back and top to bottom what the arrival of summer means (plants, animals and humans). Winters on the Great Plains are especially long and severe – it seems like springtime will never come. June is, to us, a breath of Heaven. To get a feel for what I’m talking about, read on and ride with me out where the deer and the antelope play.
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”.
As always I love your blog. I know life on the ranch isn’t easy, especially these days. But your stories tell me how wonderful it really is. Thanks again for sharing.
Karin
Farmgirl #2708
Just beautiful Shery! June is a wild month for everyone it seems…so much to catch up on and new things to begin too.
Thanks for sharing your Seventh Heaven…I think most of us can relate to the long awaited warmer temps, blue skies, wild life, blossoms and a change in the wind…Summer is the PERFECT season to appreciate of all of these.
Sending love and a farmgirl hug!
Safe and Happy Independence Day to you and yours!
Deb ( your blogging sister from the shorelines)!
I live in Moscow, ID and recently heard of MaryJane’s farm and so signed up to be in the Sisterhood. I was looking at your blog through her link and read about where you are from and your post about going to the Green Bean in Belle Fourche! My family lives in Belle Fourche and the I have a small jewelry business. One of the places I sell my jewelry is at the Green Bean in Belle Fourche! What a fun and small world. 🙂 I grew up in Upton Wyoming and love your pictures and blog. Can’t wait to keep following you.
What a wonderful blog!!! I feel like I just spent time in your chest pocket – that way I could see it ALL, smell it ALL, love it ALL. Hang in there on the soap box – seems like ‘those’ who think they know – don’t and even since I was a little girl – still no change in their listening to those who do KNOW. I am so in love with the joy you bring to your blog – makes me feel like I am part of your ‘sisterhood’. Thanks again, God Bless you,
and
God Bless America
Joan
Love love this one. Made me feel like I was right there with you and it also made me realize I need to get out and enjoy the things around me more. Your pictures are beautiful and I can’t wait to try the slaw and the cake.Thank you again.
I wish I lived there, you are so lucky.
Shery, I thought I was the only one who dressed like that to go shoo something away! One night, I slipped out of bed to shoo away a herd of elk, which I could hear running by my bedroom window. Afraid that they would reach over the 6-ft. cage around my 4 year old crabapple tree, I went outside in nightgown, rubber boots, jacket, with flashlight — as I neared the elk, I wondered what I would "spook" them with, just "shoo" wasn’t going to work, and I didn’t want to wake my family by yelling aloud. I was chuckling about how silly it was to go out there with no tool of self-defense, but the elk did "shoo" – they must have been very surprised. It is quite private at our rural place, so often I am out dumping the compost bowl, in my p.j.s and robe, some outside shoes, and a big straw hat! Remember Maudie Frickert? Wasn’t that one of Red Skelton’s alter-ego’s? Thanks for a wonderful article!
I get so excited when I see a Ranch Farmgirl Blog has arrived in my inbox. It is like an old friend has shown up to take me away for a little break. Thank you for sharing your slice of heaven each month. I look forward to reading your blog and seeing your pictures. Dolly is so beautiful. All the horses that are pictured are so ultimately groomed. I live in a little town in Colorado and the only place in Wyoming I have seen that is so beautiful was up near Yellowstone and Jackson. I use to travel Interstate 80 frequently and enjoyed the little towns but it is not as beautiful as your neck of the woods. Keep sharing Shery. I can’t wait to try the slaw recipe. Happy Fourth of July.
Hey, subtle must be your middle name. Great post!
I absolutely love all of your pictures! They make me feel like I am there!
LOVE you blog as always. Do you ever sit down? Doubt it- but yet you seem to have a great sense of calm and appreciation. Quite a few years ago, I was cleaning for the arrival of my in-laws, and noticed that both barn doors were open. The thoroughbred and 2 ponies were in the FRONT YARD. UGH. I got 2 of them back in, while big ol’ Jake ran off down the road to see what he could find. WELL- I grabbed some grain and a halter/lead rope and jumped on my daughter’s bike. I was dressed in my FAVORITE pink nightshirt MAJOR LOL. Took us about 20 minutes to get a halter on Jake and I had a great NEIGHBORLY conversation about my not so appropriate attire, but just like the country – she said- looks just fine to me.
I think most horses know how to act with little ones- lol she is a blessed little girl.
Shery, I have been without a computer for 2 months…if I thought I could easily live without it, I was wrong…I missed your blog very much. I love your taking me "home" to Wyoming every time. Thank you, my friend. As my granddaughter would say…"you rock". cora jo