And you know what?
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”.
♪♫ Happy (early) Birthday to You! ♫♪
Love your truck…you need it!
I am 55 years old this year and I take all of my learnin’ from my sweet auntie (who just turned 90)! She lives life to it’s fullest everyday!
I call her every morning just to chat a little. This morning she told me her son took her shopping for a couple of new britches and she found the most "darling" pair of capris…they had bright orange flowers embroidered all over them. She told me she stood there looking and loving these pants, but kept wondering if a 90 year old could wear them!? She had to have them so she said she bought a bright orange shirt to match and a cute pair of shoes with orange on them as well!! haha
I had to laugh…she has to live in an assisted living facility now. But I bet she puts a smile on everyones face when she dons her new duds. Age is only a number, your heart and spirit know exactly where you are at!
Glad the chickies are doing well. They sure are cute!
What I have learned is I may not be where I want to be in life but I’m making the most out of everyday! Sometimes things just don’t turn out the way you planned or dreamed but you are so right about attitude.
There is that saying, when you have made it to the end of your journey of life I want to slide in side ways, totally used up and shouting – WOW what a ride!!
Love the truck (especially the color), Wylene is the perfect name, and I need to do something about these grays, but I’m just too lazy!
I’ll be 54 in September….I have learned that if you can’t do the grand thing you want…do it on a smaller scale. My dream is like yours, a farm…the whole homesteading thing on 40 acres or more..but I have 3. I do what I can….and dream of doing more. But I’m pretty content..(Until I read your blog) 😉 BTW, I think your truck looks like a Melba. No idea why, but that name just popped in my head when I saw her.
Happy 50th Rebekah! I turned 65 this year — Medicare age — oh no! You’re right though, attitude is everything and how I fall short on this one at times! I appreciate your wisdom here — such a positive outlook I need right now. I have been a full time caregiver for my 95 year old mom in our home for 6 months now. It has been quite a life change for me and instead of seeing all that I’m missing by being home all day every day, I realize life is what you make of it.I’m going to enjoy every minute I have with her, because it could come to an end when I least expect it. I still have much to be thankful for and if I can’t go out, then I’ll just have to invite life’s adventures to come to me. Love you chickens, your beautiful truck, home and family. Such a joy to read your post!
You will find your 50’s to be the best of all your years I think.
I find myself settled in every way, independent of what others think or do or what they may think of me, and new freedoms I’ve never had before!
Even though rheumatoid arthritis has decided to come and live with me,
my 50’s are the best years of my life!
There’s time for what is the most important that I never made time for before, and you put on a new pair of glasses each day and see the world differently.
Blessings to you from the Ozarks this morning, its time to go plant our gardens finally, winter has decided to leave us finally!
Hugs, Diana from Noel, Mo.
What are you going to do with Dried Dandelions Blooms? I can’t imagine a use for them, but now that my yard is full of them, I should be collecting and drying them too.
I truly love your sense of humor and your outlook on life! You just crack me up. I, too, just bought a truck. Mine is a Chevrolet. I have never owned a Chevy before..I thought I was a Ford girl. Gotta admit, I think I am just a TRUCK girl, no matter the make. Mine is Red, really Red! She (definitely a she) is a dually, a 3500, and I named her-get this- Honey Boo Boo! She is meant to pull our stock trailer x country as we travel to Hereford shows with our daughter- I can tell I am gonna love the trips! Enjoy your new baby! And by the way, your horse looks great!
Howdy… little Black Cochin, what a sweetpea!
Was trying to think of something profound to say about aging, so in my opinion, just live one day at a time. Seems to be enough…
Happy Birthday Miss Rebekah
I turned 50 last year (will be 51 in June). I’m not sure I’ve fully embraced the number but I try to just not think about it.
As far as lessons I’ve learned in life, mostly just that you never know what adventure lies around the next corner.
Happy birthday you (very) young lady from 67 yo me! What I have learned is that first just put your trust in God and it will all work out in time. Also, it doesn’t matter if I tan or not, or if I wear glasses or not or if I have the perfect body or not. What does matter is love and loved ones. And fyi, gotta love those grandchildren!
Happy Birthday dear!
This year I am 65 – this month in fact – and I would not trade it for any time. Yes, the body does give one fits (keep the faith, the hot flashes doe eventually stop!) and one sometimes just does not have the "oomph" to get it all done at once, but hey!! we have love and so many blessing to count that we go way beyond 50 or 65 or ………..
Happy Birthday! I’m 59, and the bigest thing that I have learned is: what is going to happen, is going to happen. There isn’t anything you can do about it one way or the other. So get over yourself and just chill. The one thing you do have control over is your reaction to what happens. So get it right the first time or you will face the same test(s) over and over again until you finally get it right (like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day). Enjoy your birthday!
Do it right now! Before you know it, the body will no longer comply. Enjoy it ALL, because you can learn from ANYTHING! I will be turning 63 this week and I plan to do and be whatever I can fit in, while I still CAN. Good luck and I’m with you on the cats and the chicks.
50 you’re a baby. I just turned 60 in Feb. I am a 23 yr. survivor of breast cancer. I learned a long time ago that age is nothing but what you do with your time that counts. People never believe that I am as old as I am. That is partly good genes, partly haircolor and mostly that I never act my age. Not quite sure what a 60 year old should act like but young is it for me. I also like the fact that I can say that I am old and have some wisdom to pass on and don’t need to take any guff from youngsters who think that they are in control. Here’s to a life well lived and time worth living. Happy happy birthday! The best to you always.
You are gonna LOVE 50! I’ll be 53 this year and haven’t had this much fun ever. Betty White said it best – she’s been coloring her hair so long she doesn’t know what color it really is and she doesn’t plan to find out. Your new truck is beautiful – enjoy and thank you for your wonderful blog. You make me smile!!
When I turned fifty I experienced a quantum shift in the universe. I had been coloring my hair for over thirty-one years, and I eased into the land of silver-haired divas. I have never felt more authentically me before in my life and it’s a grand thing! To wake up at fifty and finally be at home in your own skin and in your own life is a remarkable thing. Now if we can only teach our children to reach that mark in their thirties…oh how much happier their lives and our world could be! So welcome to the club my beautiful friend….enjoy the view and keep tithing those talents because what you have to share with the world….is a priceless gift. Never underestimate the power you possess…at any age! 🙂 It just keeps getting better and better! I promise you that!
Will be 53 in June. Only a number I think, though somedays I wonder when I got this old, though my husband turned 64 this year, we still dream of living on our land 80 acres and having the animals we want.
Someone asked me the other day, "If you didn’t know your age, how old would you be?"
I am a 1963 baby. This is the first year I paid attention to my age. I suddenly stopped my rushing life and said, "Whah?? How the hell did that happen?"
Then I started thinking, about the next few years as I head towards retirement from my present all-consuming career. What do I want to do NEXT? What a wonderful, scary, crazy time.
The best advice? At least 15 minutes a day of sitting absolutely still, walking through the day in my head, and thanking God for the smiles, the touches, the ability of a leaf to gather sunlight, and another day of possibilities.
Happy Birthday.
Catherine
Hi Rebekah
Happy 50th birthday, belated by now I’m sure, love your posts, I’m 41 and really beginning to love life in a full way. I’m not where dreams are yet, but it’s all in the attitude as you say, and I want to be content wherever I’m at in my life, trying to teach my children tat one too, they’re 17,15 and 7.