We’ve turned the corner to February! It’s still Winter, but on the “bright” side, days have begun to get longer, and we’ve been doing some Spring dreamin’! I’ve got hot organic tea made; have a cup and let’s chat about “this and that”!
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Debbie Bosworth
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.’”
Rebekah Teal
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.
Cathi Belcher
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
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.
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.”
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!
Nicole Christensen
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”.
Don’t you just love the liquid aminos? Also, be sure to try making some kale chips if you haven’t already. Just when you need that CRUNCH So addictive! I purchased the organic dried garbanzos to make some of my own hummus, but haven’t tried that yet. I have made quick hummus out of organic canned chick peas. Also, did you know that you can roast the drained chick peas, for another crunchy treat?
Have fun with your spring projects!
Jan, I forgot about that…I have been wanting to try roasting chick peas, and I bet the liquid aminos would be so tasty on them! I have not tried kale chips, would love for you to tell us how you do them. Yum! Thanks so much for the ideas! -Nicole
Hi Nicole,
I sure wish I could sit with you, face to face, have tea and chat! I could sure use that spirit lifter! I thank you for sharing some "brightener" thoughts and ideas here and I’ll just pretend to be having tea with you!
Thank you!
God bless you!
CJ
Oh, CJ, I know…wish we could have that "real" tea together…maybe someday!! Big hugs to you, farmsister! -Nicole
It’s good to see you using my old method of dryer lint-TP tube-candle wax fire starters. When I was on the road as an RVer and stopped at a laundromat, I would take the dryer lint with me and some of the other women (and a few men) would look at me strangely until I explained. As I did my laundry, I would go to the stove in the RV, heat water and brew some orange spice tea. The aroma would even erase the fabric softener smell and a few people would share a cuppa with me. Great way to make friends!
Hi Adrienne! It is such a great way to use, re-use and recycle. The first time I saw homemade fire starters was at my first farmgirl sisterhood chapter Christmas party. Every year, we trade gifts, but they must be homemade. One farmgirl, Kathy, made homemade fire starters, wrapping them up all pretty…they were the biggest hit. So smart. So many of the "old" ways are still the best ways, don’t ya think? Also, as an "RVer", being able to be somewhat self-sufficient is important, I bet. I also bet you had a great time. It’s been a dream of my husband’s and mine to someday hit the road in an RV. Great fun! Thanks for reading and commenting! Big hugs, Nicole
Hi Nicole!
As always, I love your blog. I too am itchin’ for spring. In fact, I think this weekend or next I am going to get some lettuce seeds planted in my "cold frame"! Then next month I will get my snow peas going too! My hands are just itchin’ to get digging in the dirt! I’m especially excited to see how my garden does this year, since we now have a rabbit that is providing lots of wonderful compost!
I LOVE your tea room- I think I would have a hard time dragging myself out of there! Ha Ha. Stay warm, and think Spring! I hope that we don’t get hit too hard with the Nor’ Easter that they are saying is headed our way on Friday!
Farmgirl Hugs to you my dear friend!
Laurie
Hey Laurie, darlin! I hear ya…I am just itchin to dig in the dirt too! I almost can’t stand it! It was even worse today seeing the sun shining so brightly…I wanted to head outside even though it was only in the twenties. Praying we don’t get the 30 inches they are teasing us with…but Spring is not too far off now. Sigh…
As for the tea room, maybe one day we will be sitting in there together havin’ tea for real! Would be nice! Hugs to you, Nicole
Nicole: I am so glad the sunshine can be seen again in your spirit and in your town. Your blog had great ideas (like the fire starters). Your tearoom is lovely and I would gladly join you (I’ll make the raspberry scones) because we grow raspberries. I can’t think of anyone better to farmgirl of the month. Happy Valentine’s Day. Love Bonnie
Bonnie, raspberry scones!! OH MY! Delicious! Yes, we are feeling in much better spirits here. Thank you for your sweet comment, and hope you have a wonderful Valentines Day, too! -Farmgirl hugs, Nicole
Hi Nicole:
This year I have grown Hollyhocks from seed and made
window boxes from discarded vinyl gutters.I plan to grow my herbs in my "gutter boxes".
My son taught my about the fire starters when he started scouting.They are wonderful!He loves camping so this last Christmas I made some for him as a surprise and he loved them.
Hi Holly! Thank you for reading and commenting! Love your idea for the window boxes made from re-purposed gutters. Awesome "farmgirl" idea! I was given a few Hollyhocks last summer by a fellow gardener for my cutting bed. Hope to have some more this year…they are so beautiful. Happy gardening! Farmgirl hugs, Nicole
Nicole,
Love your idea for a craft dresser! I had a craft room in the big house I previously owned. Now, in my town home, I am limited on space. I will use an old family cedar chest to store my craft items!
Rose
Thanks, Rose!