It’s been a big summer for my daughter, turning ten (“Double-Digits, Mom!”). I spend lots of one-on-one time with my girl, and the upcoming school year will be transitional, as she heads to a new school, in a grade that “promotes independence”. We’re starting the “tween” years, and I can’t help but feel a bit of “empty-nest syndrome” setting in as she gets ready for back-to-school.
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”.
Here, Here, Mom! You are on the right track. Time goes way too fast. I remember those days with my little girls…the urge to step beyond their years. I often told them to "enjoy being a ‘little’ girl, because once you cross the line to womanhood, there is no going back. Along with the privileges comes much responsibility." My girls are now married with babies of their own. I just recently heard the author of the book, Be the Mom. She had a lot of Wisdom to share with moms today.
Thanks, Carol! You are so right! I love what you say…’once you cross the line to womanhood, there is no going back.’ I’ll also have to peek at that book! Thanks so much for the comment! -Nicole
Beautiful!! I have THE most incredible granddaughter, Olivia, who will be starting kindergarten this year. Having had four children and realizing how quickly time passes, I have had the privilege of doing a lot of the same things you have experienced this summer. There is NOTHING more important in life than time spent making memories with children, grandchildren and family.
God bless you and your sweet daughter.Just keep up the good work and those memories will remain alive forever. Believe me, I know from my own mother and grandmother.
Kathy, thank you! I bet Olivia is excited about kindergarten. I’ll never forget our first kindergarten day…it was all I could do to keep myself from running after the school bus! Our elementary school years were precious. We were both sad when we said "Goodbye" in June, but I’ve heard good things about the next step, too! Take care, and enjoy those precious grandchildren! -Nicole
Nicole. I think you are lucky to have time for those things. Childhood is just too precious to miss. I have two boys and was lucky that my husband could be home sometimes too. I loved the childhood years and had those moments as a mom with my boys. My sons were taught to be independent and of course move away from home. I am lucky that one lives in my city. When we have times together now, they are extra precious. Enjoy your daughter and I can see you will do everything you can so she doesn’t "grow up" too fast.
Thank you, Bonnie! It’s so hard when our kids are little sometimes, to not say we are too tired to play or to read with them; life can be so hectic, but each year seems to go go by like a blur!
Thanks so much for reading and commenting! Farmgirl hugs, Nicole
Beautifully said, childhood is so precious! I’m so glad you had a wonderful summer with your daughter and took time with her to build memories to last forever! I have two sons and while they were young, I did spend a lot of time with them, spending summers by the pool, traveling, visiting gardens and museums. When they were young we visited by train Washington DC one year and New York another year. Then as young teens we took them to London, so many fun memories and now they both love to travel. It’s nice to keep the innocence alive as long as you can, and so enjoy it.
Mary Ann, Sounds like you really had some wonderful times, and I bet your children treasure those times! Thanks for reading and commenting! – Nicole
Nicole, I remember the picture of Audrey at two years old giving the bottle to her baby doll. I was there when we took her shopping. She is so sweet in the green dress I gave her! Audrey would not leave that store until we bought the doll stroller, even though she had another stroller at home. Audrey knew what she wanted at two years old!
I loved reading to you when you were small and then you memorized every book before you could read! When Audrey visited me, here in Georgia, she would read to our dog Sarah. Thanks for writing these memories about your dolls and books. I love you,
Mother
Didn’t we have fun that day? Remember she also knew EXACTLY what lunch she wanted for her birthday! Sometimes I wish I had her decision-making skills! Hard to believe that day was over eight years ago. Miss you and love you, Nicole
Nicole, I remember the picture of Audrey at two years old giving the bottle to her baby doll. I was there when we took her shopping. She is so sweet in the green dress I gave her! Audrey would not leave that store until we bought the doll stroller, even though she had another stroller at home. Audrey knew what she wanted at two years old!
I loved reading to you when you were small and then you memorized every book before you could read! When Audrey visited me, here in Georgia, she would read to our dog Sarah. Thanks for writing these memories about your dolls and books. I love you,
Mother
Didn’t we have fun that day? Remember she also knew EXACTLY what lunch she wanted for her birthday! Sometimes I wish I had her decision-making skills! Hard to believe that day was over eight years ago. Miss you and love you, Nicole
I have been crazy about horses (I’m 71 now) since I can’t remember when. Having access to a library (finally) when I started school, led me to the Walter Farley Black Stallion series. I have never enjoyed dolls, in fact I think I probably disappointed my mother in that respect. She wanted a daughter, which she got, but that one was a tomboy. The second daughter turned out to be the doll gal. Anyway, I’ve collected statues of horses, book about horses, and even spent a summer/fall taking care of someone’s horse for them. Have a great summer/fall, everyone.
Betty, I love this comment! I’ll tell you, my girl is also an animal and bug girl, and when she was smaller, she played more with rubber snakes and bugs than dolls for awhile. I was pretty happy when she got more into the dolls, about six or seven years of age. Horses are another great thing for a girl to be in to. For me, it was the Marguerite Henry books. I loved those as well as Laura Ingalls’ works, and my room as a child had horse posters. For Audrey, it’s cats. 🙂 Thanks for the comment! -Nicole
What beautiful pictures ! I am looking forward to my daughter’s tween years. Each phase of her life was/is so special. These are the last years that we will have little girls. Soon they will be remarkable young ladies. I am sad to see the summer come to an end.
Thank you, Valerie! Well said, I feel the exact same way! Big hugs, Nicole
Nicole, you are a beautiful mom, giving so much time and love to your daughter is the best thing you can do. You are setting her up for success! I’m a big fan of nurturing the soul, and by giving her the fine example you are, she will go out in the world knowing she is loved and that is what will keep us all going!
My son is now 24, and I can hardly believe it. All the years of cub scouts, travel, music, reading and playing have helped him become a fine young man. He still has so many friends from childhood, and I get a real kick out of seeing a bunch of "men" hanging out at my house (when they are all back in town), watching cartoons. I guess some things will never change!
Dianne, you are too sweet! Thank you for such a nice compliment…it means a lot to me. I love how your son and his friends "hang out" at your home and watch cartoons! You sound like a great mom, too. Hugs, Nicole
Praises to you for being a real Mom!!! You and Audrey will never regret how she was guided through life – loving/caring parents can never be replaced with anyone or thing. And Kit – my favorite – love the books and have seen some videos that were right up there too. Congratulations to both of you for having such a lovely young’n. Do cherish each and every step of the way. God Bless
Thank you, Joan. I’m so proud of the person my girl has become and is becoming. Blessings to you too. Hugs, Nicole
I didn’t experience that with my boys though my eldest had his first son at 19. Then two girls and another son. So I would certainly say it’s true of my grandchildren. My eldest grandson is taller than Grandpaw, Daddy and Uncle at age 14.
Debby, I hear ya…my daughter already wears the same size shoe as me. I love to share my jewelry, I’ll be happy to share my clothes, but I’m funny about sharing my shoes. They never come back in the same condition. Since her foot hasn’t grown in two years, I guess she’ll stay the same size as me (and my mom)! God’s got a funny sense of humor! -Nicole