Dear sisters,
Accomplished. Relieved. Satisfied. Useful. Happy. Tickled. Motivated. Inspired. Fulfilled. Refreshed. Relieved. Just a few words ( OK, more than a few) to describe how I felt AFTER our debut at the Farmers Market Last Week. Why was I so darned nervous anyway? 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 for this post! Parts of Oregon are having a rough time with heat and forest fires right now and this post is like a breath of fresh air. Thank you!!!
Barb, I’ve been reading about the wild fires out west ( I remember them well.I’m a native Nevadan ). This is always a tough time of year for fires and all that smoke in the air with the high temps can leave you feeling parched for sure. Thanks so much for reading and for your note! I hope things settle down out your way soon.
Deb
Deb,
There is so much to learn in this business of flower farming isn’t there? And I love the lesson you shared about the little girls. That is just so special. I think somedays I’ve learned so much in the flower garden. Patience, being the biggest lesson these days! 🙂
Love your flowers and your style.
Hugs from your flower farmer friend!
– Dori, the Ranch Farmgirl –
Dori,
You got that right, sister! I’m so enjoying this new journey and I can’t wait to see where it takes me. One of the best parts so far is the time my daughter and I are having together and having you to “talk flowers ” with!
Love YOUR flowers and style too!
Keep blooming!
Deb
So happy for you, Deb! The thought of that young girl picking out flowers for herself made me tear up. Can’t explain it but I’m pretty sure you get it. Thanks for sharing that.
Hi Raynita!
I DO get it… I was also so touched by her quiet but obviously very wise spirit. A friend of mine asked if I got a picture of her with the flowers but I was so caught up in the moment I didn’t even think about it. It’s a memory I will never forget. Hope your summer’s going great at the Lee Lodge! Hugs,
Deb
We are having a great summer. I think when we are too caught up in a moment to remember to take a picture, then we are truly living in the moment. Good for you. That’s why we are blessed with memories. The true kind.
Amen sister!!! 🙂 xo
I love your sink display. I sell honey products at a local market and I am always trying to cute up my booth. I have a lovely table my father made for me for old barn wood for the honey I sell, but this year I started selling soap, scrubs, etc and am still trying to find the perfect display for that. I also love your logo!
Thank you so much, Colette. Now you’ve got me brainstorming on YOUR display! Ha! I’m sure you come up with something only a clever farmgirl could think of!
Good luck with your Farm Season!
Hugs,
Deb
I’m so proud of you! The flowers and the arrangements are gorgeous, no to mention the three sellers. Congrats farmgirl’s!
Awe, Thank you Bonnie! You’re sweeet! xo Deb
Congratulations !! Everything looks stunning, and such great teamwork you have. I would definitely buy a bunch or two if I was there 😉
Thanks so much, Laura! We are having fun amongst the flowers an other venders… It’s a fun way to spend a summer day, for sure!
Thanks for reading,
Deb
Oh, Deb, it was so much fun at your market booth this morning. Saturday is my day for picking up flowers. I’ll have the one on the front row, in the picture of your sweet Mom and Nicolette, yupper that one right there with the purple Dahlia, oh shoot anyone of them is so special. Love everything about your display, of course the sink takes my heart. I don’t have many to pick this year, the hail storms were prolific so it is off to market I go.
Thanks for sharing your fun, lovely, spectacular flowers. God bless.
Hi Joan!
How I wish I could look up and see you coming my way to say hello and enjoy the blooms on market day! Blessings to you and yours my dear…
Stay cool!
Hugs,
Deb
So happy for you Deb. Your flowers look stunning. I love the combinations. Great soul lifter 🙂
Thank you so much, Denise… They sure do lift the spirits don’t they.
Deb
Yay! How fun! That was always my favorite part of the farmers mkt, was visiting and getting to know the other local vendors. I do miss it. I am so glad you are doing well with your flowers. I knew you would. They are just beautiful. God BLess you friend. Neta
Hi Deb!
Love the bouquets! How fun! Your daughter and mom are such pretty ladies! Oh, and your tags are beautiful!
Farmgirl Hugs,
Nicole
Suburban Farmgirl
Deb, I always love your flowers. They make me smile and remember all the flowers my mom grew each summer in New York. Your dream just get coming to fruition more and more. You need to write a book about flowers and antiques. I would definitely look forward to reading it. Hope to visit your little shop again someday.
Lots of Hugs
Merrilyn
Hi Merrilyn!
So great to hear from you here. You know, I’ve been thinking the same thing about a book… Great minds, right? You are sweet for mentioning it.
Glad you enjoyed the flowers… Say hi to Michelle for me too! xo Deb
Loved this. I used to live on Fox Island, WA and started a business called Little Fox Farm Herbs and Flowers. Before I had much of chance for success, we moved to Montana and bought a house with a postage stamp of shade for a yard. This year I planted a herb garden in a big pot filled with foam peanuts and enough soil that I can move in the sun. Perfect. In the meantime, I spent many years becoming a psychotherapist. Right about now, I miss those days amongst the herbs and flowers. Good luck on your business!
Hi Linda,
Thank you. I’m glad you enjoyed and I’m happy to hear you are finding your ” roots ” again in your ” pot-filled” herb garden. GOOD for you! Thanks so much for reading.
Happy Growing!
Deb
Deb that sink is so appealing, I think I told you in your last blogpost. I’m glad you had a good time and your daughter looks just like you! Such fun! I’ll get up there someday! Sandi from across the Bay!
Hi Sandi,
Thanks so much. Hope to meet you someday soon! xo Deb