Summer 2015 has been perfect here in New England. Mother Nature granted us some great weather – perfect for a vacation! Recently, my dear friend Susan (you might recognize her as my “Chicken Guru”), invited us for a Farmgirl road trip, just us girls and the kiddos (our hubbies stayed home to work and pet/chicken sit). Since I’ve never been North past Boston, Massachusetts, I was especially excited to see another part of New England! 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”.
Hi Nicole,
What a fun trip you had with the girls and kiddos…We’ve been as far north as Eastern Canada and we did take a long weekend in Bar Harbor once also. I’m glad you got out for some time on the water and those pink cowgirl boots are YOU!
Hugs,
Deb
Hi Deb! Thanks so much! I bet Canada is pretty, too! Isn’t being near the water amazing? So relaxing and beautiful. If I were you, I’d never want to leave that beach house of yours! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Hi Nicole,
I loved reading about your vacation. How special it must’ve been. I have always wanted to go to Maine. And, I do love seafood so I would be in heaven! 🙂 Your pictures are gorgeous and I agree – my favorite was you and Audrey tubing! The food boat looked kinda cool – what food did they offer? Great memories.. the kids will always remember it!
– Dori –
Hi Dori! Isn’t that food boat the COOLEST? I was surprised by what they offered…it was a full kitchen. Along with ice cold drinks, they had big, huge yummy hamburgers, cheese sandwiches, nachos, and cool specials, too. We used the tube to float the food back to the boat.
I loved the tubing, but boy, were my arms sore for days afterward! Tubing at nineteen is a lot different than at forty-three, ha ha! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
It sounds like everyone–even the teenagers–had a great time. I hope you have a chance to visit again soon.
Hi Adrienne! It was lovely! Everyone should honestly totally unplug every once in a while! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Maine is a beautiful state. A lot like Minnesota. I loved it there. And you are right, the blueberries are awesome. Great pictures. I am glad you had a good time.
Thanks, Bonnie! (Minnesota is one of the states I have on my “must visit” list. I know so many great people there)! Farmgirl Hugs, Niocle
Nicole, these are beautiful pictures! Makes me want to go there too! Love your boots and I am sending a skirt that will look perfect with them. I am so glad you and Audrey had some time to spend together on a trip like this. She is an age to really enjoy doing mother and daughter things. Do those tiny toads get any bigger?
Love,
Mother
Hi Momma! Thanks! Can’t wait to get the goody box. As for the tiny toads, ya know, I don’t really know if they get bigger. We assumed they were babies; I will see what I can find out. I remember finding similar ones at the farm as a kid, but I thought they were babies too. Love you! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Sounds like you had a great time! Thanks for a great blog with photographs of your vacation. I too like vacations where there is no TV available or constant radio/music playing. Unfortunately, I need wifi to keep in touch with work obligations. Glad you were able to get away to enjoy the nice summer and take a tour of Maine. By the way, I love Lobster Tail and Lobster Bisque. It is my mother’s favorite meal for her birthday and special occasions.
Love the photograph of those tiny frogs!!!
Hi Rose! If we HAD to have wi-fi, we could go to the Mainland, or on the island there was also a recreation center with wi-fi, but I had tied up anything I needed for the week, so I didn’t need to really worry too much. Being a vet, you must of course stay connected, but you also should unplug every once and awhile, even if it’s for a little bit. Can you believe how tiny those frogs were? They were all over the place, just so cute! Miss you, my friend. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Nicole, how much fun did yall have? I love Maine, my husband and I RV all over the US and Maine is one of my favorites. Love the blueberries, and LOVE the lobster rolls. 🙂 Glad you had a good time, we all need to take a week and play. Be BLessed Neta.
Hi Neta! Oh it was so much fun! I LOVE road trips! My hubby and I are still dreamin’ of that RV someday! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole PS Drop me a line if you are ever this way!
Great pictures! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks so much, Jennifer! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Hi Nicole! I loved reading about your trip to Maine. What a gorgeous place. I visited as a teenager with my parents but didn’t appreciate it then like I should have- so I think I need to go back someday! Thank you for sharing it with everyone!
Hi Meredith – Thank you! I understand about not appreciating the beauty especially nature when one is a teenager…I remember feeling bored at my dad’s weekend place in the country as a teen – but I wouldn’t want to ever leave now! You should come back to visit Maine someday. It is so beautiful! Thanks for commenting! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Thank you for sharing your trip to Maine. I used to travel a lot but never got to Maine and now I feel that I’ve enjoyed a beautiful part of it. Love the boots too!!! God bless
Thanks, Joan! I am so glad you enjoyed this post! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Nicole, what a great vacation……..loved the scenery and everything seemed so peaceful and a great way to get away from the city……you really have a great friend in Susan. ………… by the way, loved the pink boots. I still have my cowboy boots but haven’t worn them in a long time.
Mary Ammerman
Hi Mary! Oh it was so wonderful! We really enjoyed seeing a state we had not been to before, and having such fun with great friends. Thanks for the compliment on my boots – aren’t they a hoot? They are so comfortable, too. Thanks for commenting! Take care, and Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole