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“
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.
”
~ Mark Twain
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.’”
Column contents © Deb Bosworth. All rights reserved.
Being a farmgirl is not
about where you live,
but how you live.
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.
Column contents © Rebekah Teal. All rights reserved.
“
Keep close to Nature’s heart … and break clear away once in awhile to climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods, to wash your spirit clean.
”
~ John Muir
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.”
Column contents © Cathi Belcher. All rights reserved.
“
Wherever you go, no matter the weather, always bring your own sunshine.
”
~ Anthony J. D’Angelo
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.
Column contents © Dori Troutman. All rights reserved.
Shery Jespersen
Previous Ranch Farmgirl,
Oct 2009 – Nov 2013Wyoming cattle rancher and outpost writer (rider), shares the “view from her saddle.” Shery is a leather and lace cowgirl-farmgirl who’s been horse-crazy all of her life. Her other interests include “junktiques,” arts and crafts, glamping, collecting antique china, and cultivating mirth.
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 2012Libbie’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 2010René 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.
Farmgirl spirit can take root anywhere—dirt or no dirt.
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”.
Column contents © Nicole Christensen. All rights reserved.
Paula Spencer
Previous Suburban Farmgirl,
October 2009 – October 2010Paula is a mom of four and a journalist who’s partial to writing about common sense and women’s interests. She’s lived in five great farm states (Michigan, Iowa, New York, Tennessee, and now North Carolina), though never on a farm. She’s nevertheless inordinately fond of heirloom tomatoes, fine stitching, early mornings, and making pies. And sock monkeys.
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Congratulations on the greenhouse! I can see that you love to plan and create new spaces for yourself, and I am definitely with you on that. It’s like those creative juices just have to seep out and flow, and then you are at your happiest…
I just read an article on planting dahlias in this zone and since I sent you those pictures of my new neighbor’s assortment blooming last summer, I decided to give it a whirl this year. I have some space in the veggie garden and I think that I will be the most attentive in that area. It has been in the 80’s for a couple of days and then it rained quite a bunch yesterday. Time to start moving in the garden and decorating my garden shed patio!
You should be proud of your accomplishments toward your cut flower gardens! Party on!!!
Hi Jan! Great to hear from you today! Do keep me posted on your Dahlia adventures…We had some rain last night but it’s sunny today… 50 in the greenhouse! have fun in your garden and with your garden plans too! Thanks for the visit! xo Deb
Congratulations. I hope your cut flower garden continues a great success
I found your blog inspirational. We bought 17 acres in Lampasas County,
Near Austin Texas about 2 years ago. We are building our farmhouse,
My husband and I in our spare time. Our rule is that we must get to the point
Of being IN the house before we can get chickens or goats or start a garden.
But we broke our rule and allowed ourselves to start a vegetable and flower
Which we are enjoying very much. It provides a nice break from the labor on
The home building. We are both in our early 60s and loving this wonderful.
Opportunity for which we are very thankful.
All the best!
Kay
Welcome Kay! I find YOUR story inspirational as well! That’s a lot to take on but it sounds as if you are right for the part… And, the animals and plants will help smooth out the rough spots during construction too! Thank you for visiting and many blessings to you and your husband on your homestead! xo Deb
All you gals inspire me and confirm my desire to spend my days creating in the home and in the gardens. The lovely pink petals of our Quonzon Cherry Tree are drifting through the breezes like so many polka dots. The bright green lawn looks like it has been hit by a pink blizzard here in PA. The Swiss Chard is popping up and my heritage tomato plant seedlings are smiling at me on the sunny windowsill. Thank goodness we had some rain this week! Time to pop some cornbread and a tart cherry pie in the oven and get back to sewing my new sundress! Have fun everyone. Joan Marie
Now that sounds like a FARMGIRL DAY if I ever heard of one Joan Marie! thanks for the visit! xo Deb
I saw your blog on someone’s blogroll that I found from the Barn Hop. I had to click on over b/c of the name "Beach Farmgirl" — my email address is farmbeachgal! And then I realized that you’re the same Debbie from Deborah Jean’s Dandelion House, so I’m a mite confused, but I guess you must have two blogs. Anyway, all that to say "hello!"
Hello Anne,
Yep, that’s me! Sorry for the confusion.. Dandelion House is my personal blog and this is where I happily write for MaryJanesFarm as her Beachfarmgirl blogger! To clarify, Deborah Jean is my full name and what my mother used to call me when I was in trouble… I always liked how it sounded together so when I started my blog I gave it that name… Hope to see you again sometime! Thanks for the visit. xo Deb
Thanks for the reminder for me to be content where ever my farm is (either real or imagined). I grew up on a farm with all the animals anyone could want, moved to "town" to continue my eduation after high school, got married, raised a family and am still "in town". I have a place big enough for lots of flowers and a small garden, but still dream of a REAL farm. I do realize that I’m where I am for a good reason, though, it’s where God wants me to be right now. Thanks for that reminder. I love your blogs and the pictures.
Hi Rebecca, Thank you! It’ not always easy to be " content " especially if you’re a restless farmgirl at heart… Just keep dream’n and whatever you do don’t tame them!!! xo Deb
Your off! How wonderful you are following your dream. Cannot wait to see the pictures of all the flowers you are going to have ready for cutting and wrapping up for customers. Is that the plan? Also have heard of cutting farms where the customer pays and they cut the flowers and put together a bouquet as they do.
Hi Brenda! I’m looking forward to those blooms too! That’s the plan! Yes, I think it would be fun to have a pick your own day at my little flower farm! Thanks for the visit Brenda. Happy Weekend! xo Deb
Hi Deb,
As always, I loved your blog, and love the "Dream Farm" daydreaming. I also see myself on a farm of my own some day. I also have girlfriends who feel the same way and plan to share your blog with them…Your greenhouse and plans are inspiring and creative, thanks for sharing your gifts with us!
Dear Laura,
Thank you for the kind words here today! I’m happy you are inspired and get to share your farm dreams with friends! You can keep eachother going! Have a wonderful weekend and thanks for the visit! xo Deb
Way to go! Congratulations on your new greenhouse and your cut flower farm plans. Love all the pictures you share with us. And your enthusiasm is catching! Thank you!
Howdy Janice! Well, THANK YOU! Happy weekend!
xo Deb
The green house and everything in it looks wonderful! Great job and keep up the inspiration!
Howdy Clint! Thanks for stopping by my farmguy friend! Always great to hear from you… Loved the pic of you an Dana on the shorelines in NC!
xo Deb
I love reading about your suburban farm. I also love your goal of helping people learn to "make each day their masterpiece." As a child I had always wanted to be an artist, but I was not endowed with drawing or painting skills. It was later that I discovered that my home was my canvas and I’ve been painting ever since. I can’t wait to see what you add to your masterpiece next.
Hi Becky, When you are an artist it can come out in so many different ways… Home decorating is one of the best because you can share it with your family and friends and make your home a personal haven with your stamp on it! As long as it makes you happy, comfortable and satisfies your creative soul, that’s all that matters…Keep up the good work! Thanks for the visit! xo Deb
Debbie, it is so exciting to see the progress you are making towards your cut flower garden. My "farm" is the backyard of my duplex apartment — tiny, but all mine! After a couple of years of major life changes, I have settled down enough to put in a small veggie garden and plant a few rosebushes. My "dreaming window" overlooking the garden is the sliding door from my playroom where I scrapbook and make general messes…I love the view from yours!
Thanks for sharing. God really does put us where we need to be, even though it sometimes takes us awhile to figure it out! Hugs to you.
Dear Fawn, Thank you for stopping by to share in my excitement! That’s so great you have a room of your own to craft and create.. Nothing feeds the soul more than having your own space to just be, make messes and explore! Your " farm" sounds charming and I’m happy to hear you have a " dreaming window" too! You are all set! Happy Creating! xo Deb
Hi Deb, I am so happy for you getting your greenhouse going. I had one similar to it for 10 years then 2 Springs ago April winds shredded it. I was so sad. That greenhouse grew tomatoes, melons and sweet potatoes. Now that is probably not a big deal for those in the "lower 48" but for me, here in the Interior of Alaska, it was a miracle greenhouse. I still have the metal framing and can’t decide what to do with it yet. Any ideas? My hubby is building me a new made out of scrap wood and glass greenhouse this summer. Bless him. He really liked those fresh melons and sweet potatoes.
Thank you for sharing your dream come true. I can’t wait to see pictures of your new garden courtesy of your new greenhouse. Lots of hugs to you and God Bless.!!
Dear Marji, Thank you so much. Having my " sisters" to share the excitment makes it even more fun! I am amazed how warm it gets inside the greenhouse. It’s usually right at 50 every morning when I check and by noon it’s already up to 80 degrees with outside temps anywhere from 45- 55… That is so neat that your hubby is building you a new greenhouse to enjoy and grow in. I’m encouraged to hear the one you had similar to mine lasted so long in your harsh climate. Maybe mine will too! Now, for that scrap metal you’ve got left over.. How about a garden room with a canvas cover and screened in sides? Just a thought!
Thanks for the visit Marji and happy growing in Alaska! Blessings! xo Deb
Everything looks great! Can’t wait to see more pictures! Wishing you all the best! Happy Growing!
Thanks Jeanine! I’ll keep you posted as things sprout!
xo Deb