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One of the things I love the most about living in the South is the green grass. But what I didn’t take into consideration until we moved here is that the rain that brings the gorgeous green grass also means that it grows… and grows… and grows. And when you have miles of highway frontage and a mile of roadside through the pasture up to the house and fence lines to maintain, a really good mower is a must.
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”.
So fun, Dori! You sure do have a lot of green grass to mow… but what a neat thing that you can do it yourself! Farmgirl Alone Time… Ha!
Hugs,
Deb, the beach farmgirl
Hi Deb,
Yes… lot of grass to mow. The other day I was thinking that it won’t be too many years and I can hire my grand-girls to do the mowing for me! 🙂
– Dori –
What a great read – and the pictures are beautiful! I had always been content to let my late husband mow our measly two acres. Years ago, and prior to getting a riding mower, he bought a couple of used gas-powered push mowers and hooked them together somehow (I’m not ‘mechanically-inclined), and mowed using what he called his ‘gang mower technique’. His life became easier when we bought our first riding mower. After he passed away I was intimidated by the riding mower so I mowed using the gas-powered push mower. I loved doing that, and I can certainly identify with solving all of Life’s problems! Then wonderful son-in-law Jeff mowed for me several times until I finally pulled up my big girl undies, took the riding mower by the steering wheel, and started doing it myself. I wasn’t able to solve as many problems as I could using the push mower, but always enjoyed it, too. Now I have an amazing significant other who pulls up his big boy drawers and solves HIS worldly problems – when we aren’t under restrictions because of wildfire danger! The JD 757 would be overkill for our property, but I envy you, Dori! It would be a blast to have that much mowing to do using that machine!!
Hello Barb,
Thank you – we do love our farm!
I love the picture in my mind of your late husband’s “gang mower technique”!!! And good for you for taking over your mowing when he was gone. I’m sure that was harder than you let on in your comment though. But how nice you have help again! 🙂
– Dori –
What a fun time you just gave me – ah yes we farm girls do a lot of problem solving on the mower. I don’t do riding mowers any more – moved to the burbs/small lot and actually where I live real grass is getting to be a thing of the past – the cost of watering is way high – so I have artificial turf – no mowing at all – so to do my problem solving I sit in my swing. Still have plenty of flower gardening to get into God’s earth and that does the ole farm girl good. Thanks for sharing and keep the tires on the ground. God bless.
Hi Joan,
We have friends in Phoenix that have the turf grass and they love it. It sure is great for water saving places like that isn’t it? I’m glad you still have your flower garden to tend to and solve all the worlds problems while you pull weeds right?! 🙂
– Dori –
Hi Dori, I am also a mower! Love it. And nothing but a zero turn will do! Here in Estonia we mow about 10 acres and when it rains that is a lot of mowing. Somehow it is relaxing and helps settle the mind and then afterward it is so lovely to look out across there with it it all finished. We also have a Kawasaki Mule…so when the mowing is finished we get in the Mule and just ride around admiring it all!!
Hello Roma,
I want to come visit you in Estonia. That would be a trip of a lifetime. If we never get to come, maybe you can come visit us when you are State-side sometime and tell us all your amazing stories and adventures. And look at pictures! 🙂
We don’t have a Kawasaki Mule but we do have a Polaris Ranger and they are wonderful. I too ride around my farm and admire my mowing! 🙂 Ha Ha! Farmgirls in the United States and Farmgirls in Estonia… we’re all alike!
Hugs,
– Dori –
P.S. How did the biscuits turn out?
I love your explanation about green grass and mowing! I have an Allis Chalmers mower and don’t mow as much as you do, but mowing day is the best. We have a 1 acre yard around the house and barn, with lots of things to mow around. Once that is done it’s my favorite place to be-out in the back 40 (really only 10), around the hay field, a picnic area right before the woods, around the pasture. By the time I am done everything is right in the world. Love your posts!!
Hi Jackie,
I do love mowing day! 🙂 And with mowing and then string trimming… it IS a day!
I love the picture in my mind of your place… picnic area near the woods. We have been on our farm for about 4 years and the first 2 were building our home, now finally getting landscaping done and then hopefully more farm improvements. I think I want a picnic area near my woods too! 🙂
– Dori –
I have 2 acres in upstate NY to mow.
Just have a 120 John Deere but what a work horse……
September has already slowed the grass from growing………PHEW!
Happy Mowing! MJW
Hi Mary Jane,
I can imagine that in upstate NY your mowing would be coming to a stop soon. Our grass is still really growing but the good thing is that we get one more cutting of hay in our hay pasture! Yay! 🙂 Some years we only get two cuts… this year it is three. So we are thrilled that summer is still hanging on!
– Dori –
P.S. I’d LOVE to see upstate NY. Maybe someday.
Very nice mowing there, Dori. I like to mow too although my grass is on a small suburban block. It’s so calming just pushing and pulling with the sun on my face and the wind in my hair. I’d love a bigger yard, but will have to just enjoy what I have for the time being. Who knows what our Good Lord has for me in the future.
Hi Denise,
You are so right about the sun in our face and the wind in our hair… could there be anything better? And when I’m lazy and don’t want to mow, I remind myself of that!
– Dori –
Oh Dori, I’m with you! I love to mow my yard and roadside. It takes me about 3 hours and I love every minute of it. Plenty of time to think undisturbed while I can enjoy the meadow flowers and cloud pictures. Barn swallows come and fly by at breathtaking speed to catch the bugs I kick up. I got my John Deere X534 for a Mother’s Day present. Let those other women have their diamonds! Happy Mowing…Deanna
Hello Deanna,
I think you and I must mow about the same amount. It takes me about 3 hours also. Then I come home and park the mower and trade it for the string trimmer and the Polaris Ranger and go back and string trim the fences. And that is about 2 hours. It’s a work out. Can’t figure out why I’m not skinny! Ha Ha!
I’m going to look up the John Deer X534 on internet. I don’t know which one that is! 🙂 But that would be an awesome Mother’s Day present to me too!!!
– Dori –
P.S. I can’t believe you are 71 and still mowing for hours. I think that is so incredibly awesome.
I took over my Dad’s cow/calf operation after his passing 7 years ago. Brush-hogging on the tractor was new to me, after a year or so of hiring some-one to do it I took it on. I had mowed my Dad’s rental properties for years, so to get over my phobia of power tools, I just called brush-hogging with the tractor; mowing. I probably cut the pasture too short that first year, but now have the hang of it. I too have lots of time to solve the world’s problems while circling the pasture!
Hi Robin,
I have not done any bush-hogging as my husband loves to do it and we have such steep hills I think I’d have heart failure to mow them. But I envy you, because I bet it is very fun! My husband loves it. And it is loud and powerful to hear him out there cutting.
What an undertaking to take on a cow/calf operation. We have our small cow/calf operation… but mostly it is my husband that does it. I help as needed. I would never be able to do the tricky stuff!
– Dori –
P.S. I neglected to mention that I am a 71 year old life-long farmgirl who is a “kid” that refuses to grow up completely!
I mow my lawm which takes any where to two hours once a week and love to see green grass but I am not a FRIEND to mowing. But it has to be done. Its my time to. Cut lose!
Hi Susana,
I have my days when I would prefer not to mow and there have been a couple times this summer where I put it off for a few days and then really paid for it as the grass was so long it took me twice as long to mow it! Even though I love it… I can sure dread it too! 🙂
And yep… cutting loose is the funnest!
– Dori –
Ahh, Dori, I have always been a mowing girl myself. I figure my husband works hard everyday so I dont have to, so the least I can do is keep the yard work done.I only have about 2 acres now, but I used to mow 23, part with the zero turn, and part with an old 9N tractor and bushhog. My aunt is 93 and just until this past year when she was unable because of immaculate degenerate??? in her eyes she not only did her own mowing but she is the one all the men bring their tractors to for repair. Now those are some big girl undies to fill. lol. I too like to meditate and pray for everyone while mowing and solving all the problems I can. 🙂 Be Blessed. Neta
Hi Vivian,
Oh my word, I love the story of your Aunt. What an awesome lady she must be. I bet you have learned a lot from her.
It is stories like that that make me realize I know nothing about being tough!
– Dori –
We live in town and our lot is small enough that only a push mower is needed. It does look “Farmgirl Romantic” to conquer all that land with a big John Deere beneath you!! What I love are those mountain views in the distance. Oh man, I could look at that for hours! Your farm is just beautiful!!
Hi Winnie,
Yes… Farmgirl Romantic!!! 🙂 Sounds good anyway. While the grass is blowing in my sweaty face and the dust is billowing around and the bugs are flying up and stinging me! 🙂 Ha Ha!!!
But yes, it is definitely Farmgirl Romance at its best!
Our view is very special and I try really hard not to forget how lucky we are to have it. There’s a lot of porch sitting going on in the evenings!
– Dori –
Have one just like it and it is awesome. Comfortable and efficient. Thanks for posting.