Put me in an antiques, thrift store, or flea market, and I never want to leave! My favorite treasures are pieces found for my kitchen. Retro kitchen items from the ‘40’s to ‘60’s give my kitchen a happy, vintage vibe. I especially adore Atomic age, kitschy kitchen contraptions with names that sound like they’re right out of an episode of the Jetsons! Continue reading
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”.
Thank you! I love this! You have inspired me to go junking to find my own ‘o-mats!
Hi Ramona, FUN!!! Happy Hunting! Thanks for reading and commenting! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Great finds and a fun read. We all need a friend who gets it!
Hi Jutta, thank you! Glad you enjoyed the post. I agree…we all need that special friend (or two) who truly “get” us. Thanks for reading and commenting! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
What a great article, Nicole. I remember those can openers that attached to the wall. They were great to use and I would use one today if I could find one, and the same goes for the ice crusher. Today’s models don’t always hold up as well as those models of yesteryear. And I would love to find a coffee grinder that worked as I like to grind my own coffee beans for coffee, the finer the better. I have an electric one but I used it to grind up spices. Gotta go junk-tiquing soon, now that the weather has become warmer.
Hi Sandi, Thank you! It’s definitely getting to be “Junk-tiquing weather” – finally! I think it is sad how nothing today holds up (or has the charm of) things from yesteryear. Everything is made of plastic! That’s how I ended up falling in love with vintage sewing machines – my expensive plastic one fell apart! Anyway, keep your eye out – you never know when you might come across a vintage grinder or can opener. And of course, there’s always Ebay and Etsy… Happy Hunting! Thanks for reading and commenting! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Thank you for sharing your heart! I love the “O’Mats”! You inspire so many!I love your posts.
Hi Rose, Thank you so much!! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Brought back memories of my kitchen in the ’60’s. You have found some good things with Andrea sounds like fun too! Must have left red ice crusher in Bellaire house when I sold it.
Love,
Mother
Hi Mom, Yeah, who knows where that ice crusher went, lol! Your kitchen when I was a kid rocked! You definitely influenced my kitchen style! Love you, Nicole
I enjoyed your blog and I have had many kitcshy items but no o-matics. I think maybe Laundromats and those Vend-o-mat (restaurants with many cabinets of different foods that coins purchased your chosen meal. Likely started in the late 40’s or 50’s. Magazine fascinates me by the name. Keep up the fun blog. MJ
Hi Mary Jane, I think of Laundro-mats, too, giggle! And who can forget drive-up Photo-Mats? Thanks for reading and commenting! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Nicole, I feel like your older sister. I also love vintage kitchen stuff. You should see my kitchen! Also, I notice you married a Danish man. I am a Christensen descendant and wonder if you or your husband are related to me?
Hi Phyllis, A fellow vintage kitchen enthusiast! Wish I could see! Do you have relatives in Denmark? Where are they descended from? Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
i love your many vintage kitchen ware. i too have some, but you sure do hold the record!
i always learn lots fromyourblog. i thank you for all your inspirations. hugs and happy spring.
winnie jackson
Winnie, What a nice thing to say! Thank you, you made my day. I am so glad you like the blog! Thank you so much for reading and commenting. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
AWESOME Love all the great finds. I love re-using the things fromthe past. Things were made so much more durable back then…made to last… all your finds made me smile. 🙂 Be Blessed. Neta
Hi Neta! Thank you! I agree…people didn’t replace things constantly back in the day because things were meant to last! Thanks for commenting…always great to hear from you! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Now all of those were ‘back in my day’ normal everyday used items. Just recently, now that my old hands/arms are not working well, the juicer that has a fluted center and you put your fruit on it and turn the fruit around, isn’t doing the trick – so am going out looking for a usable Juice – O – Mat. We had red/white and turquoise/white so it won’t matter the color. This was a fun trip down memory lane. God bless.
Hi Joan, I hear ya! The Juice-O-Mat is so easy to use! Happy Hunting! If you don’t find one “in the wild”, there are some on EBay and Etsy. I am so glad you enjoyed the blog! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
You’re right a smile for every “o mat”. You mentioned you haven’t hung your Slimline can opener yet, if I remember correctly, it is screwed to the wall through the plate on the back end and then swings out to use, and swings back to keep it out of the way. Hope that makes sense. Thanks for the smiles to start my day.
Hi Judy! Thank you! We do have the plate, but weren’t sure what direction it is supposed to go. That makes sense. Hanging the can opener is now on my hubby’s to list. 🙂 Thanks for reading and commenting! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole