So nice to meet you!

Hi to all the Farmgirl friends, I’m Mary and I’m so excited to be able to join the other Farmgirl Bloggers as your Rural Farmgirl!  

Welcome to my corner of the world…a small farm in Ohio built in 1864. Originally a 160-acre cattle and sheep farm, as time passed it became a dairy farm, and then a horse farm. Now it’s home to goats and chickens, and with any luck, someday a pretty Jersey milk cow!

I was born and raised here in the Midwest, and much of that time was spent at my grandmother’s home. I have sweet memories of a little white house beside a grassy hill, bordered on one side by fragrant lilacs, with a meandering creek nearby. The woods along the top of the hill offered endless places to explore during the days, and each night the song of the whippoorwills would sing us to sleep. My grandmother tended a large garden and made the most wonderful bread and rolls. In early fall, rows of canning jars were lined up, each filled with the summer’s harvest such as dilly green tomatoes, bread & butter pickles, and hot peppers. Even though I spent most of my growing-up years in the suburbs, her country home always holds a special place in my heart.

Fast forward, a few years after college I was working in a bustling downtown city, when one day I stepped outside to clear my mind. It was then I spotted a single flower growing in a broken section of concrete. Somehow, in the shadows of the high-rise buildings and noisy surroundings, this lovely flower was blooming. That sharp contrast was all I needed, it was time for a change.

It was in that hectic corporate world that I first discovered MaryJanesFarm. A friend shared a copy of the Artists in Aprons issue and immediately I was hooked. There it was in writing: Farmgirl isn’t so much a place, as it is a frame of mind – no matter where we are, we can be connected to solid values and things we love. I kept that in mind while I began to dream. 

Still holding onto those memories of my grandmother’s home, the search began for an old farmhouse near a small town. It seemed like endless Saturdays were spent on winding country roads looking at homes for sale. Finally, an 1864 farmhouse on 10 acres was available. Yes, it needed quite a bit of renovation, but with mahogany and red oak woodwork, I was pulled in by the craftsmanship of another time. Soon changes began – shag carpet came up and flocked wallpaper came down. While there’s still much I want to do, the uneven floors, tiny closets, and even the tree trunks in the basement that help support the main floor (yes, I’m serious!) don’t bother me. I just smile and see it as a house with “character.”  Round it out with some goats, chickens, bees, gardens, and family, then it becomes Home. 

I love simple things…old houses and wooden barns, tying on an apron for Sunday dinner, barn sales & county fairs, roadside stands, porch swings, and handed-down quilts. Most Saturday afternoons you’ll find me in the milkhouse selling baked goods, jams, and garden vegetables to friends & neighbors.  

I’m so glad to meet you! The next time you stop by you may find a new recipe, ideas for upcycling, or travel a country road with me. Whatever it is, I hope you’ll find something you enjoy and leave feeling inspired!