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.
Deb,
I love your photos of the morning glory! And your sentiments are "right up my alley", too. How much less stress to one if one can count one’s blessings instead of dwelling on the negative. Thank you for the great message.
And, here, too it’s good, just wanted to re-inforce your message.
Thank you! Glad to hear it’s sunny in your skies right now. Thanks for the ‘ re-inforcement too! Happy Weekend…xo Deb
I have a new favorite grouping of words…beginning with ‘keep your heart open’…….and you know the rest ‘cuz you penned them. EXXXcellent post.
Thank you kindly for the PLEASANT reminder 🙂
Planting seeds continually, keeps good things coming up. ~ Shery Jesperson
LOVE THIS… and now , I too have a new favorite grouping of words! Thanks for the visit Shery… been thinking of you!
XO DEB
Hey all you farmgirls in the path of Sandy,
Our thoughts and prayers are with you this next week.
We had friends in Montana that had a nursery.
She told us that the trees that were out in the heavy winds, rains, storms were the strongest. The roots were deeper, the trunks were thicker and the
branches were stronger.
The tress that were sheltered were weak.
We are like those trees, with winds that shakes us and try to break us,
we are stronger for it!
Your Ozark friend, Diana, Noel Mo.
Such a needed post, thanks, Deb. Tired today and it is our first cold, rainy day of fall. Loved the morning glory shots, my favorite climbers. Be safe during the approaching storm.
Thanks for the encouragement, Deb, and I just have to tell you that I LOVE your pictureat the end. How beautiful you are! Thanks for all your postings.
Hi farm gals at the BEACHES – we’re here in Cape May New Jersey preparing for Sandy. Hope this is NOT as bad as 1962 – but we’ll just have to wait and see. Mandatory evac. Sunday – so we’ve picked the last of the green tomatoes, pulled the cucs and even had time to plant tulip and daffodil bulbs – perfect therapy when we’re under the hurricaine threat! Good luck to all. Joan Marie
Deb, I have so enjoyed watching you develop your beautiful flower garden through the year. And how wonderful it has turned out! Your photos have been just perfect!! And your words are always so inspiring. You are appreciated so much. Also loved seeing your lovely photo at the end. It’s so amazing how much we get to "know" you through your blog.
Will be praying for your and your family’s safety along with others in the storms path.
Yes, a big storm is a coming and your post was perfect timing. Thanks for the encouragement and beautiful sentiments. We can all use the love to weather the storm and keep happy. We thought Hurricane Irene was a big deal last year here in the Hudson Valley of NY but this one is even bigger ! Keep safe y’all !!
xxoo
Stay safe Deb. As you said "batten down the hatches"! Hope you, hubby and the kids are in a safe place.
love the pics,
Good morning sisters!
Thank you all so much for your sweet words this morning as we prepare for " Frankenstorm"! We are in prepare mode today!
Be safe out there! Love to all,
Deb
Hey Deb,
Sandy’s hitting us too…and they say it’s coming hard and fast! Hope you and yours stay safe at the beach!
Good positive words for dreary weather heading everyone’s ways!
Nicole (Suburban Farmgirl Blogger)
Your post made me smile and laugh! The photos were beautiful but your words were even better. Thank you for reminding me that my response to life is the best medicine of all.
I hope you fared well in the hurricane and are safe and warm. I live in New England too and our shoreline got particularly hard-hit.
I was so happy to have found your blog thorough Deborah Jean’s Dandelion house and wanted to stop by to invite you to join us at the Clever Chicks Blog Hop this week!
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/10/clever-chicks-blog-hop-6.html
I hope to see you there!
Cheers!
Kathy
The Chicken Chick