Mary Murray
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.”
Column contents © Mary Murray. All rights reserved.
Farmgirl
is a condition
of the heart.
Alexandra Wilson
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!
Column contents © Alexandra Wilson. All rights reserved.
Libbie Zenger
Previous Rural Farmgirl,
June 2010 – Jan 2012
Libbie’s a small town farmgirl who lives in the high-desert Sevier Valley of Central Utah on a 140-year-old farm with her husband and two darling little farmboys—as well as 30 ewes; 60 new little lambs; a handful of rams; a lovely milk cow, Evelynn; an old horse, Doc; two dogs; a bunch o’ chickens; and two kitties.
René Groom
Previous Rural Farmgirl,
April 2009 – May 2010
René lives in Washington state’s wine country. She grew up in the dry-land wheat fields of E. Washington, where learning to drive the family truck and tractors, and “snipe hunting,” were rites of passage. She has dirt under her nails and in her veins. In true farmgirl fashion, there is no place on Earth she would rather be than on the farm.
Hi Debbie! Love your post! I live on my 1year old dream farmhouse and 26acres out of Boise in Wilder Idaho ! Ha! Like the wilder Christmas post! My hubby and I were from Spars ,Nevada before we uprooted to Idaho where we dreamed of building on our land that we owned for the last 9years! We did it ! We have three dogs! A kitty we adopted or rather he adopted us the night we brought home our three baby goats! Hoping to have my life dream of a horse and a barn soon! Maybe next year! We put in our first garden and pumpkin and corn patch! Wow! Lovin the country life I always dreamed of! So blessed! Miss the ocean though! Your lucky yo have it! Take care,Cindy
Howdy, Cindy! We lived in Sparks,NV for 10 years before we moved east! So happy your farm dreams came true for you! What a blessing! Thanks so much for your note and Merry Christmas! Xo Deb
Dear Deb,
Merry Christmas. May all of you have a dream that comes true. Mine is about to come true. Every year I used to get a tag or letter off the giving tree and fulfill some persons dream or what they wanted for Christmas. However, last year after my Husband past in 2012, I decided to contact a shelter for abused women and children and I buy things for children like cloths, party dresses, underthings for boys and girls, women and children socks, and other things like stuffed animals and necklaces and watches. I watch for sales and times that I can get off so much for clearance or items on sale. I also buy books, coloring books, and crayons. I put them in a box and this time of year I take them to a near buy town for Christmas. So many times they had to leave in a hurry and have nothing for themselves or the children. My children are grown and my Grandchildren get far to much. I do cook for them also. This year because the one daughter I will have some time with also works so I am making a casserole for her to take home for Christmas morning. Plus some other things. I am on Social Security and have to watch my pennies. This makes me happy Knowing I have helped someone else.
Hugs Kay (Karen)
Dear Karen,
I love your Christmas! It’s always a great feeling knowing you’ve helped someone in need through a challenging time. Blessings to you and your family this holiday season! xo Deb
Your recipe sounds yummy! Thank you for sharing all your stories with us. I look forward to reading them and seeing New England through your eyes (and keyboard). I hope you and yours have a wonderful Christmas and a very Happy New Year.
Hi Adrienne! Right back at cha! Enjoy the holidays in San Fran!!!xo Deb
Merry Christmas from the Missouri Ozarks Deb,
I love your blog, it reminds me so of growing up in San Diego by the beach!!
This year at our house its everything homemade, even the kitten beds!!
Sewed it up on the spare of the moment yesterday, and our two new kittens,
rolled the basket it sits in around the living room!! I dont know if they will ever sleep in it!!
I love my cookbook “Yankee Church Supper Cookbook”, it is wonderful for cooking for a crowd.
Greetings from Noel, Mo…………..Sending Holiday Hugs, Diana
Hi Diana! Well, I haven’t been to the beach lately… way too cold…but if the weather allows we try to make our first visit back on New Years Day… Even if it’s just a quick ride down to check on the cottage and see how the beach is faring through the winter storms. Blessings to you and yours for a happy holiday! xo Deb
OOOHH ! That sounds warming ! I love grapenuts with hot milk and honey for breakfast. I’v got to try this. Mom makes a boiled Christmas pudding with rum sauce every year. I try to save a piece for my jan. birthday Haha. Mom is 75 and grandma made it before her and she got the recipe from her mother and her mother got it from…… I have no idea how old it is and each generation has put there own “stank” on it. It really is wonderful and familiar. Makes me feel like I’m having a bit of Christmas Eve with all of them for a few magical moments.
Have a cool YULE and stay warm. MERRY CHRISTMAS !
hahahahahah! Glenda… We use that saying a lot in our house… ” stank on it ” … too funny! You have a cool YULE too! xo Deb
Merry Christmas Deb, and a Blessed New Year to you and yours. I think I would like that grapenut pudding, I love Bread Pudding growing up in La. we always had bread pudding or rice pudding pretty much was the only dessert when I was little. One of my favorite memories of our travels in the East Vermont, New Hampshire was going to a Sugar Shack, and I bought some Maple flavored Tea. OMG I still love drinking it today and the smell of the Maple always brings me back to our travels Northeast. Be Blessed Neta 🙂
Howdy, Neta! OOh… Maple flavored tea? That sounds yummy! I’ll have to look for some! I seem to stick to my faves.. Green tea, Earl Gray, and English Breakfast or English Afternoon tea but I’ll have to give that a try! I bet my hubby would love it… Blessings to you and yours for a very Merry Christmas! See you on the shorelines in 2015!xo Deb
Hi Deb..I too enjoyed your blog about Maple Grape-Nuts Pudding and hope to try it soon. My husband enjoyed puddings and soups and especially bread pudding. I too have lost my best friend in April 23,2014 and holiday has been hard for our one son and one grand-daughter. But doing things together and then I try to stay busy doing for others. I have been making fleece blankets and reconditioning stuff animals and giving to the Police Dept.,Sheriff Dept., HPD Dept., Crisis shelter and community action people to use for ones in need. I buy the fleece and toys myself and donate it all. I have been doing this for several years now and I have no idea how many I have done. Sometimes I have some help and my grand daughter helps also. Because of her, I made “Cuddlys” where left over pieces were used to put stuffed toy in center and whip stitched in the center….right size for baby to cuddle! Sammy always had about a 12″ x 12″ cloth with a small lamb on that she put on her lap when she drank her bottle. I even use wee tiny toys and smaller cloth of fleece and they are so cute. I now have helped to spread the “joy” to Denver,CO where my older sister lives and to several towns and cities in North Dakota….even blankets and toys went to Minot, ND when they flooded a year or two ago. I feel so blessed to be able to “make babies” and give to those who need them. Thank you for your blog and God Bless and Happy Holidays to all. ARLA
What a wonderful way to share your talents with others. Thinking and doing for others is some of the best medicine there is when you are dealing with grief. I’m so sorry for your loss, Arla. I bet you made a bunch of little ones feel happy, safe and warm this Christmas! Blessings to your and yours! xo Deb
Your pudding looks yummy! Perhaps someday I can try it . . probably not this year!
Sending my thoughts, wishes, and prayers to you and your family for a Blessed and Merry Christmas!
CJ
Thank you, Cj! Blessings for a wonderful Christmas and a happy New Year to you too! Can’t wait to see what you’re up too creatively in 2015! xo Deb
Sounds lovely and delicicious!!!! If you havent triied fresh you simply must get some whole nutmeg! Its amazing!!! Ill mail you one if you send an address to my email. So rich it makes pregriund nutmeg tastes like nothing compared to fresh! Thanks fo your Blog. Its always lovely. 🙂
Donna in the Sonoran Desert of Arizona
Thank you, Donna! I’m sure I can find it some place. I was shopping last minute and my local grocery store didn’t have it. However,they did have candied ginger which I plan on sprinkling a top my gingerbread cake for Christmas Eve. I thought that would be harder to find than whole nutmeg. Go figure? Thanks so much for reading, and Merry Christmas! xo Deb
Hi Cuz!
So fun to read your about your pudding making and seeing you and your handsome Yankee enjoying it! I will live vicariously through you, as I don’t think my three kiddos would try it! Much love to you all and all the best for a fabulous 2015!
Cousin Teri in Napa, CA
Happy New Year to you too, cuz! Loved your Christmas Card… The kiddo’s are growing up! You are a beautiful family!
Much love,
Deb
Hi Deb! I really enjoyed your post! I have found whole nutmeg at Williams Sonoma, in the past and it really makes an amazing difference, in the taste of dishes. I also bought their cute nutmeg grater, which holds the whole nutmeg and also grates the nutmeg! I hope you and your family have a wonderful 2015.
Finally catching up on all the posts. Your mention of brown bread made me homesick for my Vermont roots. Loved brown bread and baked beans for Saturday night supper. It was also a favorite for suppers at the local churches and grange halls. Thanks for the memories!!