Ahhh, traditions! Almost every family has them, and they are especially prevalent this time of year. A lot of families bake batches of cookies or create ornaments for distant relatives. Numerous others have little whimsical things that are particular to their families.
We can’t start them too young, can we? Look at those cute little hands. This is making Thanksgiving leftover pizza!
Have you ever seen or heard the acronym FOMO? It stands for “Fear of Missing Out,” and I think it’s where this post stems from…
The key word in the title for this post is “learning” and what a steep learning curve it is! This has been a life long problem/process for me. After years decades of taking on too much it is a hard habit to break. I think the biggest problem is that I’ve often been successful at overextending myself…but we’re never too old for some much needed negative feedback.
Saying “no” can allow us to stop and take in the scenery. The scene is much snowier now, only a couple weeks after this photo was taken!
Becky says: Sounds like you are on the right track to me, Alex. Your babies will be grown up before you know it so enjoy them!
Happy turkey day!!
Katie says: I’m currently going though my own learning curve on this front. Your post was extremely well timed for me. Our personalities seem very similar. I have a lot of guilt if I can’t do everything. But I need to force myself to let go and do for my family before others. Thank you for telling on yourself. It has helped me realize I’m making myself sick and strengthened my conviction that my current life choices need to change.
Alexandra Wilson says: Oh, good! I’m glad I could help you, and it’s great for me to know that others are struggling in similar ways. Solidarity!
Marilyn Collins says: Ava is a beautiful child. Take it easy and enjoy your pregnancy and the upcoming holidays. Sit back with a cup of tea and a good book!
Marilyn
Adrienne says: I used to teach Time Management and there are several axioms I learned: you have the same 24 hours everyone else does. The trick is to make the best use of that 24 hours. The question to be constantly asking yourself is, “What is the best use of my time RIGHT NOW?” If’s resting, cuddling, playing on a swing or cooking those healthy meals. Also, remember that when you fly, the flight attendant will tell you to put on your oxygen mask first before helping others. If you don’t take care of yourself first, you won’t be able to help anyone else. And finally, the sun will rise and set without you; the world will go on. Might as well hang around to enjoy it!
Emma says: As someone who has historically been ruled by guilt, I so admire the ability to say “no.” I like to think I am in “yes”-recovery, slowly learning not to bite off more than I can chew. Despite your many obligations and responsibilities, you regularly accomplish more than most folks I know! Good for you for prioritizing what’s most important and sticking with it. As usual, I am redoubling my efforts to be more like you. 😉
Deb Bosworth says: Good for you, Alex. Having children in your life has a way of slowing you down in some very good ways!!! I had a second childhood through raising and homeschooling our two children and along the way I too slowly learned to prioritize our commitments and say no more often ( minus the guilt). It takes some practice, but you’re a quick study once you’re on to something new! Motherhood is new for you… Slow down and let those babies teach you some new tricks. Along the way you will bend and swirl, weave and wobble, stretch and grow into a stronger, more centered woman with conviction and your whole family will benefit. Your mothers words remind me of what I tell our daughter all the time. She is a mover and a shaker too. Great post…Hope you feel better soon and Happy Thanksgiving. Take good care! Deb ( Beach Farmgirl )
Krista says: I completely agree with your story but actually following through with saying no is much harder than it appears. I feel that I am experiencing some of these same issues in my life right now. With my baby due in only 3 weeks I am finding myself taking on numerous projects and trying to make my home perfectly ready (which I deep down know is completely unreasonable). I can’t seem to say no and sit down to enjoy myself. It’s a never ending battle that I have with myself. I have spoken with a few people around me who are emphasizing the importance of taking time now because everything changes once the baby is here. For the sake of both of us I hope we can take a step back and just say no!
I overdo all the time. Summer is the absolute worst. But fall is a close second. It really isn’t until January when I slow down and sit still. I wasn’t like this as a kid. This has been something that has happened to me since I turned 40. I don’t understand it, but I’m not good at “no” either.
Theresa Talarek King says: Congrats on saying No! It’s so hard sometimes. I’ve been terribly guilty for years of getting myself into too much, and finding I’m tired, crabby, and missing out on some important things. It took being down with a broken ankle last fall to make me really slow down a good while and see it clearly. I’m still not super great at saying No to things, but I find that the times I find myself saying, “WHY did I agree to do that?” are much fewer and farther between, and I’m enjoying life more. I wish you many wonderful, relaxing times. 🙂
deb says: After you learn to say no, say it without qualifiers! Took me to my 40’s to learn to say no, then to my 50’s to say “No” and nothing else. People rarely respond negatively to that because you’ve given them nothing to push back against! Very freeing…
Amanda says: I totally get what you are going through!! As a mother, wife, dairy farmer, I get pulled in all directions at once. There are many times I multi-task and that doesn’t always go well, either! I started planning meals and what household chores need to be done on certain days two weeks ahead (and around milking and barn chores) thinking that would help, but some things took longer than I alotted time for. My husband says whatever we don’t get done today, we’ll get done tomorrow, but when tomorrow is already planned out, I get overwhelmed. I now try to not plan so much, but instead try harder to make options. My kids are usually the ones who make me realize that I need to slow down to their pace (just like yours did!) and it’s worth it to do that! I wish you all the best!!
P.S. By the way, while I’m doing this I’m also doing laundry and cooking two meals. I still have a long way to go until I get the hang of saying no, too!!!
Joan says: HOOO RAY!!!! I do hope you truly have come into saying ‘no’. This comes from one that was also a ‘yes’ person until I too stretched myself so far that my health snapped and funniest thing most of those that I always DID for didn’t seem to remember me when I was in need – they became to busy doing all that I had done. Oh yes there were a few that remembered me and was kind but well —- like I said Hooo Ray and I am sure there will be those that will be there for you as you were for them. Being with your super little family is a good thing. God bless.
Hi Amanda! I am practicing this right now. I think as mothers we all struggle with this….saying No. Setting boundaries. Learning to be vulnerable enough…for OURSELVES. I also wanted to reach out, because ….I too became a mother in Alaska…in fact, I was working at APU in the recreation department with Marc Phillips and teaching the photo courses (they would all remember me under my married name of Stacey Boyne). when I met the father of our now children. He had just graduated with a degree in environmental science at APU under the direction of Roman Dial. I too have spent time at APU’s farm and Alaska still holds so much space in my heart. Although, my kids dad and I are no longer married and we have since moved back to my home state of New Mexico…It is a small world to find so many things in common…and so, sister…I had to reach out. My partner of 5 years and I have purchased 11 riverfront acres in Northern New Mexico, where I once again will pursue my farming dreams! I look forward to more of your writings.
Alexandra Wilson says: Wow! So many similarities. Marc and Roman are still at APU, but I am not close with them. I will have to ask some others about you. How exciting to have your riverfront acres! It must be gorgeous and hold a lot of potential. Thanks for the solidarity!
Okay Farmgirls, I’m getting into it: the groove of new surroundings and new digs. I also have a little disclaimer: I’m getting over the flu…so this might be a bit disjointed/uninspired. I’m sorry, but please send me some healing thoughts to chase this headache and these body aches back to where they came from (not a nice place).
One of our last working days on the farm this season! Preparing to take the plastic off of a high tunnel. Ava is a daredevil on the ladder.
After a fairly stressful late September/early October (a bit about that in my most recent post), I have enjoyed over a week of relative relaxation. Moving is hard and stressful, it is a universal truth. Tensions run high, we eat terrible food, our bodies get tired from lifting and our minds fatigue after too much organizing and decision making.
Maureen says: Hope you feel better soon! Lots of upheaval in a short period of time can certainly take the stuffing out of a person. At a recent meeting of my quilt group, they asked how I was so prolific in my quilting. I told them “I don’t cook (my husband is amazing in this department) and by the looks of my dust collection, I apparently don’t do that either”.
If you don’t take time to do the things that sustain you, you become no good to anyone. It’s just something I’ve learned the hard way over the years. When asked what I plan to do with my weekends, the answer is usually “Hide out and hang out with my sewing machine”. Gets me through the work week!
Maureen
PS I eradicated the dust collection on the main level of the house, but it’s alive and well upstairs!
Barb says: Having moved 12 times in 37 years, I know what you mean about stress…just going with what feels right at the time is the way to do it! Whatever makes you feel ‘home’ is the right way….just getting done with the flu myself…tons of positive healing energies your way…(you’re stronger than me…moving to a city at this point in my life would kill me off. 37 years in the country, I’m not sure I could do it)
Deb Bosworth says: Oh Alex, I sure hope you are on the mend. The flu is not fun at all and especially on the heels of a move. What is it with ” stuff” anyway? It breeds like rabbits… I bet we spend an hour a day purging papers, recycling containers, old household items. Somehow we just seem to be skimming the surface all the time. Not to worry! You’ll get there… little by little.. I do think once you share your home with children it’s much harder to maintain ” clear space” for very long. Sometimes I can accept it and other times I want to call that company called ” Got Junk” and let em loose in my basement while I’m out for a pedicure!
Best to your little family in your new ” digs”.
Hugs!
Deb ( the Beach Farmgirl )
Deb Bosworth says: PS. Ava just gets cuter and cuter with each posting! 🙂
Krista says: Sorry to hear about you sickness. I hope you feel better real soon. I’ll be sending healthy vibes your way! I couldn’t agree with you more on how much stress moving causes. I have moved 3 times in the last 4 years and strictly lived out of our cardboard boxes. It wasn’t until we finally bought our house that I began to unpack them. I will even admit that we have been here 2 years now and still have about 5 boxes that remain unpacked. All of which are labeled “stuff”. Thank goodness there is not rule for how quickly those boxes need to be emptied. Hope all is well for your family and you will feel back on track in no time.
Denise Ross says: Going with the flow is the best way to go. Be kind to yourself Alex
Hugs from Australia x
Joy Pascarella says: We are glad you are over the hump, with the actual move and starting to mend with the flu. It’s going to be interesting to see what your life is going to be like. Keep up the good work!
Dori Troutman says: Alex,
When we moved to Tennessee and put our stuff in storage for the two years we built our house, I just yearned for my things and could hardly wait to get moved in and everything in it’s place. When we finally got the house finished and all of our stuff out of storage, found that it took me a really long time (like a year) to actually get things unpacked and in place. It was a much harder job than I thought it would be. Things were unpacked from boxes, but I just never could quickly get them in their place. A lot of things never did work in the new house and I took them to goodwill! 🙂 So take your time. It’s a process that requires a lot of mental energy and frankly that is far more exhausting than the physical. So give yourself a break to just breathe and enjoy! Big hugs… – Dori –
Diana Henretty says: Rest, rest, rest.
And remember that old poem….
“Cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow,
For babies grow up, we’ve learned to our sorrow,
So quiet down cobwebs and dust go to sleep,
Im rocking my babies and babies don’t keep”.
You have the rest of your lives to get settled in, enjoy your moments now!!
Hugs from the Ozarks, Diana, Noel, Mo
Adrenaline, it’s what allows us to accomplish great feats and achieve natural highs. It also encourages our bodies to fight or flight in the face of danger. It makes us feel alive! Some people are adrenaline junkies…I am not one of them. Sure, a little excitement is great. I like the challenge of a black diamond while skiing or the occasional surge of energy when scared by something silly. I’ve even sky-dived and cliff jumped just for the experience. However, I am not one to go out chasing that rush of hormones.
Me cliff jumping in Grand Teton National Park several years ago. Evan made the cool picture!
Diane Van Horn says: I agree with you whole heartedly. If we eat meat, we should raise it humanely and butcher it ourselves. It used to be part of everyday life.
Consciousness is important, and understanding that there is a circle of life, and that when we eat meat (I am an omnivore), that was once a living creature, is important. Respect is important. I hope the backlash from your post isn’t too awful, because you don’t deserve that. Kudos to you for sharing your story.
This was a very timely and intetesting post for me, as tou are just a few steps further along the path I am walking.
I agree that anyone who eats meat should be willing and able… but not sure I can bring myself…
Jeri-Lyn Walsh says: Although I had to skip over some parts of the story, (I’m a chicken), the parts I did read convinced me that I could never do this. I am thankful for the organic meats at my grocery store, and know I’d be a vegetarian if I had to do the butchering. I appreciate your story and give you a lot of credit.
Alexandra Wilson says: Thank you Jerry-Lyn, I appreciate it!
Joan Hendrix says: Thank you for sharing your story! I have tried to imagine myself processing a chicken, especially since I now have 4 pullets for the purpose of getting fresh eggs! I don’t think I could do it myself but I applaud your efforts and conquering this challenge. You are a strong woman! I fully agree with your philosophy about raising animals for meat and I am thankful for those who raise and process them humanely. It’s the least we can do for these creatures.
Alexandra Wilson says: Thanks, Joan! I miss my laying hens, I hope you enjoy them! I don’t know if I’ll be raising meat birds in the future, but I think this experience gives me an extra bit of gratitude for the animal proteins I enjoy. I am so thankful for those that do this so we can eat, too!
Meredith Williams says: Hi Alex! I appreciate your post. I purchased 12 chickens raised and processed by one of our 4H kids and I know they were raised and cared for humanely. I have been surprised at how I feel proud of what is in my freezer , both for the terrific accomplishment of our 4H friend in doing such a good job from start to finish, and for the high quality product I will be able to use to feed my family this winter. I will try to always buy chicken this way in the future! Thank you for your honesty in sharing your feelings, I don’t think I could do it myself but sure do appreciate those who can, and I certainly appreciate the chickens for their gift. I hope you are feeling better overall and are able to get moved in your new home quickly so that you can enjoy this beautiful time of year!
Kathy Butler-Bebout says: Thank you for this post. It helps me understand how folks struggle with life and death. It also helps me (as Alexandra said) to appreciate the folks who help to get it done for me. Processing meat was and is a family affair in our household. The people who have to do the killing (usually my husband and sons, me sometimes) have a sense of duty and also of the blessing they provide for the rest of the family. Our well being was preserved by the death of a chicken or a rabbit or a pig or a lamb countless times. It has given everyone a deep respect and a humane consideration for the animal itself, and a thankfulness for God’s provision (which is established on sacrifice).
Kathy Butler-Bebout says: Oh, and a big woo-hooo!!! for the cliff-jumping experience! I’m sooo not an adrenaline junkie myself, but that still looks fun!! Looks like a nice time-out from the adrenaline draining rural farmgirl routine! 🙂
Absolutely beautiful post, Alex.
So glad you are okay – especially glad you didn’t have Ava to worry about while you were worrying about yourself.
Things happen in the blink of a second don’t they? So very scary.
Big hugs…
– Dori –
P.S. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE that cliff jumping picture!!!
Alexandra Wilson says: Thanks, Dori–so glad we’re okay, too. Hope you are great, as well!
Deb Bosworth says: You are a brave girl, Alex. From one farmgirl sister to another, I’m proud of you! I agree that there is nothing wrong with killing the meat we eat and that eating meat that has been raised with healthy ingredients and treated kindly is a good path to be on. I had the opportunity to eat two of our roo’s after my husband took them to a local processing place to meet their maker. He brought them home and they stayed in the freezer for two years before I finally tossed them out. I was CHICKEN! Then I thought, well maybe I will get some birds just for meat, but that hasn’t happened yet either. I don’t judge, I just haven’t put myself in a position to tick that box, just yet! I’m so relieved you weren’t hurt in the accident but still it’s an adrenaline rush to lose your car that way. Leaves ya feeling a bit wonky for a few days afterwards. Congrats on the upcoming move too. I’ve so enjoyed your sharing your yurt life experiences but I know you will make an adventure out of any place you live. Adrenaline or not. Farmgirl Hugs,
Deb ( Beach Farmgirl )
You go girl…!
Alexandra Wilson says: Thanks, Deb! I love having the wise words of women like you in my life. Farmgirl Hugs to you, too.
susan brant says: I am always involved in some way during our fall butchers. To just think “thank-you” for the meal you will provide for our family helps mentally. Sounds like you did what you needed to do. To know the source of your food is a wonderful thing you provide for your family. We raise our own beef, pork, & poultry, & a milk cow for our family in a small hobby farmer’s 5 acre plot. I enjoy your blog a lot, Mary Jane’s are the only one’s I read, to busy enjoying the farm- life. It is very real & satisfying, and when the animals are alive i enjoy them on a personal level. Even organic & free-range farms don’t always raise in the most humane ways. Keep up the good writing.
Alexandra Wilson says: Thanks for taking the time from farm life to write, Susan! I appreciate it. I hope one day to have a farm like yours–with meat and milk and eggs that we know and love. You are right–a lot of the organic and free range from the grocery store isn’t all that great, and we can’t really know what’s going on on those big farms. Hope you are well on your five acres of making it happen the right way!!
Very good post! As a society, we have become too far removed from where our food comes from. I would like to have a friend like Melisse to teach me how to humanely process chickens. That is the only meat I can’t source from local farmers. Kudos to you for “jumping off the cliff!”
Glad the car accident wasn’t any worse and that you are okay!
Alexandra Wilson says: Thanks, Candy! Melisse was a very patient and understanding teacher. I’m so happy she could be there to hold my hand through the process.
Joy Pascarella says: I loved your post. It was real life and you told us how you felt. I can not kill either, but was so glad you showed us how you feel and deal with it the best you can. I know homesteading is not all perfect veggies and meat in the freezer without the tragic and hard work that go into it.I cried inside knowing how you felt with your first killed chicken. I tried like that once too. I just could not do it. Once my grandpa did the dirty work, I plucked, dressed and canned. But taking life was just too hard. Thank you for such a good read.
Alexandra Wilson says: Thank you, Joy. It is a difficult thing to accomplish, but I’m happy with myself for doing it. Glad you enjoyed the read!
Kim says: Thank you for sharing Alex. I’m striving to accomplish raising and butchering my own chickens someday. I’ve often doubted myself as to completing the butchering task. You are inspiring. It’s gratifying to have accomplished something you didn’t think you could do. All the best to you.
I had fun coming up with these YURT reverse acronyms: Young Urban-Rural Tourist. Yes, Unless Really Tired (this was a close second to the final title). Yucky Underwear Rides Tightly. You’re an Uber Radical Teacher. I chose “You Understand Rare Treats” because of how much I have come to appreciate what many people take for granted.
A photo of me on the trail to the yurt from about a month ago courtesy of my cousin Kirsten.
Dirtduchess says: What a story. I felt as if I were sitting outside your yurt drinking tea listening to you. Can not wait to hear iof your adventure on moving.
Patsy.
Alexandra Wilson says: Thanks, Patsy! I would have invited you in, for it is getting cooooollllldd out there!
Denise Ross says: Gosh that’s quite an adaption to prepare for. I would say the simplicity of living where you are right now, living in your yurt, though hard would be amazing.
I think you’ll do well in the city bwcause you have great mindset and value system. You might even teach your new neighbours a thing or tow.
All the best with your move and be kind to yourself
Hugs from the land down under (Australia )
Denise x
Alexandra Wilson says: Thanks, Denise!
The hardest part will be maintaining that simple lifestyle that you’ve developed and loved. I couldn’t care less about a dishwasher, but a washer, dryer, and clothesline are awesome things. 🙂 And you have your partner to help keep things simple – you are both on the same page. I don’t have that, my husband is a sit-in-front-of-the-tv-and-eat-junk-food guy, while I’m in the garden, working on crafts, climbing mountains, and going to work at a stressful job every day. It is a balancing act, and I think your young years spent in a simple life will really be the learning experience you needed it to be!
Alexandra Wilson says: Thanks, Susabelle. I think so, too!
Adrienne says: You Understand Rural Treasures
Alexandra Wilson says: Perfect!
Barb P says: It has been interesting, educational, and fun following Your Uplifting and Rewarding Triumphs, not to mention trials and tribulations. I look forward to your future posts!
Alexandra Wilson says: Good one, Barb!
Maureen Griffin says: Alex, I read this post with a catch in my throat. The yurt has been and is a special home for you and Evan and Ava. It is an experience you will have with you forever and you should feel very proud of the amazing home you have made in the AK woods.
All my life I have enjoyed all the amenities you mentioned in your post but I haven’t experienced a house plant living for more than a year.
Love , Mom
Alexandra Wilson says: I know for a fact that a couple of your plants have been around for awhile! You made me tear up again, in a good way of course. Love you.
Barbara says: Alex, one adventure comes to a close and, yet, the excitement of what is to come is very evident in your words. New routines, more comfort/convenience items, more time to appreciate the now, making new friends, adding your footprint to your new community and just plain investigation of new environs. Oh my, how I wish I were young again and could walk with you on this new path. Enjoy every minute, even the more testy ones. I’ve had a life time of good and not so good adventures and I hoard their memories like gold. Blessings to you and yours.
Alexandra Wilson says: Thank you, Barbara! I will try to enjoy it all, even the testy times 🙂
Karen says: Maybe some day you can have both: the “good stuff, like dishwashers” and a rural, peaceful life. I live in the woods in WV and it’s wonderful!
Alexandra Wilson says: That is the hope, Karen! Looking forward to that time, but also enjoying the intermediate steps along the way. I am excited to live in a city (as much of a city as Anchorage is anyhow…), because I don’t expect we will do much city living in future moves. I forgot to mention that we will be within walking distance of so many things: parks, trails, a big museum, bakeries, a small grocery, farmer’s markets, a community garden and Evan’s work!
Trish says: Aw! We went from rural ranch living to town to tiny tourist town to the mountains. Every place has really had it’s own trials and tribulations and it’s own blessings and special people. Enjoy every step of the way and hopefully someday you have the opportunity to move back to the woods… There’s no place quite as serene in my mind ;-).
Alexandra Wilson says: I agree, Trish! Living in the woods is the best.
Hi Alex,
Awww…. I’m gonna miss the Yurt! 🙂
I can relate just a tiny bit as we lived in our travel trailer for 2 years while we were building our house. It was so much fun for the first year… and then it just got worse and worse! By the time we moved out, we never wanted to step foot in that travel trailer again. Seriously. We cleaned that thing up and had it sold within a month!
So I’m curious about what will happen to the Yurt. Is it staying in your friend’s yard? Or is it something that can be “put away” and sold?
I’m excited for you. It’s a new adventure and you’ll love it. And I really, really do hope you’ll make paper and send me a snail mail note!
I also think you’ll make a great Rural Farmgirl in the city. Anchorage is kind of a one of a kind city anyway.
Big hugs and great excitement for you!
– Dori –
P.S. Ava’s farmgirl friend is sure gonna miss you.
Alexandra Wilson says: I will miss the yurt, too! We will be selling the yurt soon, but we don’t know if we’ll be taking it down now or in the spring (I vote the spring! However, I think hubby wants to get it moved along sooner…I think it will snow in the next week or two, so we’ll see). If we sell it now and the buyers want it ASAP we’ll take it down, otherwise it will stay up over the winter and our friends can use it if they want to. We also thought about leasing it to some college students or something similar, but the right match hasn’t arisen.
We will love this new adventure! I know we will; but it’s hard to leave a place when it has just started to feel like a good fit, you know?
On to Anchorage–“a city built by people who don’t like cities.”
And yes, you are right, Ava’s farmgirl friend is NOT happy with our move…she has been protesting it all summer. We have many protesters, which is actually a great feeling–makes it harder to move on though. I have promised some slumber parties in the future!
Lynn Lind says: Strangely enough, this desert girl has been to Alaska (albeit via a famous/infamous Inland Cruise ship), and I’ve visited and walked the streets of Juneau, but not Anchorage… Hate to tell you this, but you’re still gonna be in the boonies… Way North!!!
Look forward to hearing more of you adventures…
Alexandra Wilson says: Haha, yes Lynn, you are right. We will still be in the boonies compared to many places! It’s the biggest city for many, many miles around though 🙂
Mary Jo foster says: My older daughter lives in anchorage She is nurse at hospital there. Name Peggy Watson
what are you doing with the yurt? will you sell it? is there a market for such things? i am very curious 🙂 also , i have been house-sitting for the last year but do not have a contract at this time. i am technically homeless even though i am able to stay a few nights at a time at friends homes until another situation is found. i have chosen this way of living to deal with the fact that my income does not provide for the paying of rent. i am 63 years old and the lack of permanence is very difficult for me sometimes.i have moved 16 times in the last 20 years. i am very fortunate to have a large portion of gypsy in my personality which makes it tolerable. 🙂 i also find a lot to be thankful for in the simple blessings of life and especially when considering the sad situations of so many others in the world. Here in the USA we have so much more than anywhere else. i hope you enjoy many wonderful blessings in your new home…
Alexandra Wilson says: Thank you, PJ! We will be selling the yurt. We have potential buyers right now, but we probably won’t know if they really want it until after the holidays. It would be nice to keep it, but transporting it from place to place right now when we don’t know where we’ll end up isn’t very feasible. Moving frequently is hard! I’m impressed that you continue to do it. I like that–you have a bit of gypsy in you!
I noticed it almost two weeks ago–the day of my last post, actually! Fall. It was here. There were perfectly yellow birch leaves littering the walkway to the yurt. I felt like wearing a vest. It was sunny and crisp, and the hint of a breeze made the aspen quake. There was that unmistakable smell of autumn on the barely distinguishable wind. A fluff of fireweed seed lingered just out of reach.
Fireweed takes on some new fall hues.
Barb P says: I love your posts – and all the Farmgirl posts! They truly are a pleasant and much-anticipated interlude when checking my emails!
Hi Alex,
I’m new to your blog and I LOVE your writing. I was captivated. Fall is beginning to peak through where I live. Even though it’s in Arizona, Flagstaff is in the mountains at 7,000 feet. Our mountain in town is at 11,000 feet, so it should have dust on it soon. Our growing season is 103 days long and should end in about 2 weeks, but it looks like (according to weather.com) we may get a few extra days before hitting freezing temps at night. Many trees in town are turning yellow, the sun is at a different angle and there’s a crispness to the air in the mornings. I will miss summer when we’re buried in snow, but I do love the change of season! 🙂
I love the term “termination dust” ! I live in Ellensburg, Washington. Located in the high desert central portion of the state. Moving here from the wet, warm side of western Washington, I quickly discovered the early frosts and what we can successfully farm outside and what needs to be grown inside a greenhouse! I always dreamed of a big pumpkin patch for fun fall activities. But have learned that is just not possible here. We have had temperatures below 30 degrees on many, many Labor Day weekends. We have beautiful sage covered hills that surround our valley, and we have learned that when the first dusting of snow comes, winter is right around the corner, and that in the early spring, we wait for planting of crops when the snow on the “ridge” is gone. I enjoy reading your blog! thank you for sharing your experiences of life up in the “wilds” of Alaska. Bambi
I live 40 miles northeast of Denver, in a small city (Longmont). I have seen a dusting of snow on the highest peaks a couple of times, but it has been HOT here, hot and awful, not normal at all. No frost yet, but we are starting to see nights in the low fifties and even upper forties, even though the days hit 90. Today it will hit 90 again. Tomorrow in the 70’s, then back to 90+ on the weekend. We are still getting fall, though. The cottonwoods and aspen area already turning. The water is getting cold (our water comes from the mountains). I notice the water getting cold when I take showers – I have to turn on more hot water than I did just a few weeks ago. I am ready for fall, ready for the harvest season to be over. I’m tired. Fall/winter is my rest time!
Hi Alex,
I’ve never heard the term Termination Dust used before and I like that! 🙂 It’s hard to believe how quickly summer goes for me – but being in Alaska would really be fast. I also say at least you have the long days of sunlight so that things actually have time to grow! But those long sunlight days can be very deceiving too huh? I know the times I’ve been there in the summer, I come back home utterly exhausted because we never went to bed! 🙂
I’m going to be in Denver, Colorado Springs and Estes Park in October. I was hoping for some Fall colors, but I have a feeling it will all be past by then. But regardless, seeing the mountains will be wonderful.
Hugs,
Dori
Barbara says: Hi Alex. Totally enjoy your expressive writing and the pics are lovely. Only subtle signs of Autumn on the way here in Indiana. The Gold Finches and hummingbirds are in a feeding frenzy. The finches because molt will be upon them soon and the hummers are getting their little ones prepared and plumped up for the long migration south. The trees have begun to shed their dried leaves and my perennial garden flowers are now down to sedum, dill, forget-me-nots and a few straggler cone flowers. All the others have gone to ground to rest up over the winter. I am surrounded by corn and soybean fields which are drying but not yet ready to harvest. The nesting red tails have given some freedom to their single chick this summer and he/she is hunting on its own now. I’m ready for the fiery colors and earthy fragrances of Fall. Happy Autumn and blessings to you and your family.
Your pumpkins are beautiful. I have decided to give up any future attempts at growing them. My plants are huge, as are my perfect yellow flowers, yet not a single pumpkin! I must have had about 10+ plants and even went so far as to pollinate the flowers myself but still no luck. What is your secret?
*Nancy*
Lynn Lind says: So different here — 30 miles north of Mexico on the High Desert of Southwest New Mexico! After years of faithful work, the pump on my evaporative cooler went out. I’m replacing it today because… 1) there are more 90 – 100 degree days left in our weather and 2) If I replace it now, I won’t have to do it next year! This will be my second successful (hopefully — fingers crossed — it is a pretty easy job!) repair job since my husband passed six years ago!!! I did start my lawn mower myself … without having to pay $60 to get it going again! So I’m basking in DIY Glory! Wonder what’s next?
Alexandra Wilson says: Way to go, Lynn! That’s true Farmgirl spirit. It’s been freezing here, literally. Hope the heat doesn’t get too overwhelming!
Lynn Lind says: P.S. — Regarding the “dust,” we live in dust all the time! And very rarely snows here. When it does, it usually melts by noon, or at least the next day, sometimes longer during a cold spell (by longer, I mean, a couple of days…). Are you “moving to the Big City”? or was that a reference to your travel to Denver for a wedding? I enjoy reading your tales of life in Alaska, but I think I’d like to read about your tales of life anywhere…. Thanks, lynn
Alexandra Wilson says: We are moving the the “Big City” of Anchorage, I think you somehow got directed to my last post? I have a new one up about leaving the yurt.
Linda says: It has been hot here in Denver. Glad your visit here was fun.
I love the pictures. The scenery is beautiful.
I have noticed the light is different in the afternoon. Fall is here even if the weather doesn’t say so.
Susan says: Looks like feathers strewn on the path…beautiful photo .
Sometimes, a carefree morning of harvesting wild berries transforms into a challenge that must be defeated! This happened to me this week with several kids (and one soon-to-be-kid…)in tow. Without those determined kiddos, this Farmgirl would have turned around long before the rewarding finale.
Farmgirls in the making.
Barb P says: Love this! And congratulations 🙂 <3
Diana Nelson says: Fantastic post, love the photos and great story of the day. Sounds like a wonderful memory for all you farmgirls 🙂 I have always enjoyed picking blueberries, we mostly put up cultivated, but usually score some wild ones as well – they sure do taste wonderful! Thanks for sharing
Diana Henretty says: YAY!!! One can never have too many farm babies!!
Love your post from the Ozarks here.
Fall is around the corner, leaves are changing a bit early for us this year, temps are mild
and nights are cool.
I’m giving away bell peppers, bugs ate my cucumbers, made 27 pints of salsa, and
am preparing my winter pantry for this year.
Grateful for another garden, even when we don’t get what we expect, there is always enough to be thankful for.
Hugs from Noel, Mo!!! Diana
Dori Troutman says: Hi Alex!
I’m SO EXCITED!!! I can’t wait for more blog posts with your darling Ava AND another darling baby! 🙂 I think it is very awesome that you aren’t going to find out the gender ahead of time. I love surprises like that!
And your blueberry hike was great – as I was reading every word I was wishing I could’ve been there, hiking in that gorgeous country and picking Alaska blueberries. I’ve had them and they cannot be beat! 🙂 What a gorgeous day.
I hope you know that you made memories to last a lifetime with those little girls. Very special.
Big hugs to you and congratulations!!!!
– Dori –
Maureen says: What fun! So worth the effort. Best wishes on the ALL your continuing adventures!
Joan says: Nope, this is my only adventure this season and what a great one it was – thanks. Congratulations!!! God bless.
Rowena Philbeck says: What a great post. I love berries and so glad you finally got to your destination. Congratulations on your new baby as well. Very exciting for sure!!
Wow, that WAS some perseverance. My only blueberry story involved my driving about 40 minutes further into the country to a blueberry farm to pick with my then-small children. My son, about 6 years old at the time, locked the car with the keys in it. In the middle of nowhere. I borrowed a hammer from the farmer and broke a back window. All that for a couple gallons of blueberries. New window cost almost $200. Most expensive blueberries ever! haha!
Laura R. says: Great story of determination and reward ! (Fat blueberries and that view !!) and warm congratulations on the ‘soon-to-be kid’ !!!
Denise Ross says: Such a wonderful adventure Alex. You’ll look back on these days with fondness in future. What a treasure you have where you are and congratulations on your pregnancy. How exciting. I hope you stay well
Hugs from Australia
Judy Mac says: A Christmas baby, how wonderful. Good luck to you. Wonderful post, put me in mind of many a walks that somehow turned “hike-ish”.
Dog days make us all sleepy enough to take some zzzz’s in the most unlikely of places, like in a backpack.
We are in the thick of the dog days of summer. This is different in Alaska than it was growing up in the Midwest. In Alaska, it is “hot” when it’s over seventy degrees. For some reason it feels WAY hotter! Maybe it’s because of the angle of the sun?
Dori Troutman says: Hi Alex,
I just can’t get enough of that darling Ava. I’m thinking maybe I need a new grand-baby! 🙂
Loved your post. I’ve sure been feeling the dog days here too. My daughter and I have been swamped in our flower farming business and some days I’m just utterly exhausted. But it’s funny how I always say at night, “But it’s a good tired”… that’s the farmgirl spirit right?!
When I saw the picture of Ava and the Fireweed my heart started racing… some of my sweetest memories are my little ones on our yearly summer visit to see their cousins in Alaska. I have so many pictures of them in the Fireweed! Someday I’ll get back there. And when I do? I’m meeting YOU for lunch!
Hugs,
Dori
Alexandra Wilson says: A new grand baby might be the ticket! You are absolutely right about it being a good tired–It’s the kind of tired that brings the best sleep, too. A combo of physically exhausted and mentally satisfied.
How amazing would lunch in Alaska be?! I hope someday is sooner rather than later. Best to you and yours.
Susana says: Ava sure is busy. She even looked like she was walking o. Water.
Dog days of summer….are be cause you worked the land like a dog….always trying to stay cool and not itch…. bugs were constant battle for dogs…its that THEIR tails were always swishing away the flys or mosquitos….I. the summer.the humidity always brought the we worst out in the summer. My summer flew by so quickly because my dog and I have been very Busy ….
As my dog has been chasing racoons, birds and squirrels. She caught a female robin and was….
Flogged by the male mate of the robin she chased……who chased her. My fog nearly caught a. Black baby squirrel who bounced off mydogs back and and scurried up the tree to get away from it!. Yes a frantic. Summer….filled with many antics of A frustrated dog! It was hilarious to. Spy on my busy dog. Wish I. Could post her dog days!
..
Alexandra Wilson says: I love the antics! My dog has been quite the huntress this summer as well. She finally gave up on most birds which is a relief to me, but she has taken on squirrels after nabbing her first ground squirrel out in the mountains. We were on this organized hike with a whole bunch of babies, toddlers and their parents, of course. I had even told them all before the hike that Moki chased the squirrels but had never caught one. Afterward, she proudly brought it up to me…it was quite embarrassing even though I know it’s just an instinct thing and totally normal.
I love that you spy on your busy dog and share it with us! They can be such silly creatures.
I work in higher ed, with student with disabilities. This time of year is a HUGE ramp-up to the start of classes in a week, and I’m busier than I can even say! Also, it’s time to do big harvesting here in Colorado, and even though it’s in the 90’s, it’s already in the 50’s at night, so winter is coming and all my summer veggies will be gone. And it is so dry, I’m spending much of my free time watering to keep everything alive. Not my favorite time of year, for the busy-ness, and for the heat. I don’t do heat well (and I came from the Midwest originally, only in Colorado the last four years). I’m looking forward to fall, and winter. It is my quiet, less-busy time. As for the freezer, it’s almost full, and that’s just with this year’s harvests! Going to be canning a bunch, as soon as I get my outdoor kitchen set up!
Joan says: I so loved your posting!! Ava is sooooo wonderful to see. Yeah dog days are hitting me too but picking up peaches and pears today – grown on the Western slope of Colorado and have a lug of cucs to can so still being busy. Hope Colorado treats/treated you well, we’ve had a lot of storms this year. Best get myself away from the computer and get busy. God bless.
Pam deMarrais says: Thanks so much for the wonderful astronomy lesson! I hear about dog days every year, and was told that it runs from July 3rd to August 11th. The farmers say that if it rains the first day of dog days, it will rain a little every day for the length of dog days. I pay attention to that…..and it didn’t happen this year [either].
Your little girl is precious. I love that she is stylin’ at an early age. Shows her strong character. You are a great mom to let her show her creativity!
Hello lovely readers! I’m writing this on Wednesday evening, which means I’ve just gotten home from a big day on the farm. Wednesday is our CSA day–it’s the day the subscribers to our Community Supported Agriculture shares get to take home their weekly bins of freshly picked and cleaned veggies. The best day of the week!
Susan Ruff says: I work for a CSA in Ohio. It’s an awesome experience and my pay is a half share of veggies and a fruit share!
Sara says: Alex, thank you for taking the time in a long work day to give such a detailed account of what happens on a CSA! I am a walnut farmer in rural northern California and have often wished I could run a market farm like yours. Reading your post gives me a better idea of the resources needed to make it happen. I got a lot out of it!
Aren’t we lucky to be farmers?!!
Alexandra Wilson says: Oh, that’s great! I love that some of these posts can be a true resource for some. We ARE lucky to be farmers. I love my job and hope to keep it up for a long time. Is there any way we can get some of your walnuts? I’m kind of a walnut fiend!
Dori Troutman says: Alex,
I’m so glad you wrote about this. I really enjoyed it. I don’t have a CSA as I have my own garden and to spare. But I’ve always kind of wondered about a CSA packing day! Those veggies look wonderful.
The most incredible part of your job is that you have Ava along with you. What a great experience you are providing her. And her friend Leila must be a sweetheart to help our with Ava! What great memories for her too.
Hugs,
– Dori, the Ranch Farmgirl –
Alexandra Wilson says: Thanks, Dori. Packing day can be a big production–it’s hard to imagine how the farms that have hundreds (some have a thousand or more!!) of shares organize it all. I think many of them do one box at a time instead of one type of produce at a time like we do. And yes–I also think it is pretty incredible that Ava comes along with me. It wouldn’t be possible without Leila. I’d feel like I was neglecting Ava too much…but playing with friends while I’m preoccupied is great! Hugs to you and yours, as well.
Susana says: I don’t know how you can I
Pick and take. Photos but your blog is always beautifully expressed a d. I enjoy it….seeing. you work as hard as. I do. For one person…..aNd give awAy my excess In exchange for things I can’t afford. This weem I gave. Away zucchini d got back on hand cream d some fruit from one person and loaf of. Italian bread from z other person anf some Keirig coffee a d lunch from a other. My garden is like having a FRIEND.WITH. BENEFITS.YOU. NEVER KNOW HOW YOU WILL. BE BLESSED.
Alexandra Wilson says: Wow! Susana that is such a great bartering system. I miss days at the Farmer’s market and being able to do this. I’ll have my own little plot one day and it will be great fun to donate and barter with the excess! Thanks for sharing, as always.
Joan says: We don’t have a CSA in our area but oh how nice it would be. I was raised on a farm in NE. where we grew much produce of which we canned, froze, jellied and jammed (jelly n jam was from the orchard). We rarely purchased from the super market, having “fresh” all year round was a huge treat and I miss it much. We do have Farmer’s Markets and we frequent them and that is nice. I so remember every day going to the gardens to harvest – peas one day, string beans the next, lettuce and the other greens along the way too – oh the tomatoes!!!! sweet corn and potatoes – goodness I haven’t had breakfast and all this food talk is making me hungry for a fresh vegie omelet (eggs from my sons chickens). Well thanks for the walk down memory lane and I do appreciate all the work you do – ain’t easy but so rewarding, body, mind n soul. God bless.
Alexandra Wilson says: What amazing, vivid memories, Joan! Fresh, home grown veggies are SO tasty and good for our whole being. Thanks for sharing–hope your omelet was fantastic (but how could it not be?).
I devoured every detail of your post. So informative. It helps people appreciate the work involved. We used to grow massive amounts of carrots, planting them the first part of July so that we could cover them with straw for winter digging and they wouldn’t have grown too big. I remember one day in the winter when we were scrubbing them, the spray of water we were using was freezing everything as we worked. We looked like snowmen when we were done. Even our eye lashes were frozen white.
Your post is testament to how grateful we should be to those who feed us. It’s a tremendous amount of work. (Love the doll Ava is playing with:)
Alexandra Wilson says: Thanks MaryJane! This isn’t even my intended post for today…rural internet is pretty great sometimes, as I’m sure you’re aware. However, I’m glad you got to read it! Farming in freezing temperatures definitely needs a hefty dose of good humors to make it worhtwhile–thanks for the vivid picture you’ve painted.
And isn’t that doll head hilarious!?! her farming friend, Leila, brings out the most hilarious toys to share with her. Great to hear from you, as always!
That is a LOT of work! When my mom and I ran a CSA, we didn’t scrub a darned thing. 🙂 Veggies that needed it got a rinse, but no more than that. We didn’t expect our veggies to look like the supermarket, and neither did our customers (thankfully!). We also had three “work days” or “farm visit days” when we’d put the kids to work helping to harvest potatoes. They didn’t mind the dirt, and worms, and loved turning the dirt with their hands to expose the potatoes. We would put them all in a big wire basket (about 4 foot by 4 foot with 5″ sides) and carry to the open and spray them off with a hose. We also weren’t great about weighing things, it was “a bag of this” and a “bunch of that.” We also included bouquets of wildflowers that I would go off and pick after we were done with veggies. We had about a dozen customers.
Kohlrabi? Broccoli Raab? Asian what’s that? And what the heck is that thing that kind of looks like a miniature purple cabbage?
Vibrant kohlrabi! Delicious raw or cooked!
Oh, my. I have not tried broccoli raab. I would probably miss its window of picking, too, as I’m so busy with my day job and my the release of my new novel that I only really get to play in my garden two days a week for an hour or so. I do grow a TON of kohlrabi, which I absolutely ADORE. So yummy. I eat it raw, or eat it cooked. I have not roasted it, but I might try that. My go-to recipe for kohlrabi is a kohlrabi and red lentil soup. The mild, almost sweet flavor of the kohlrabi mellows very well, and red lentils cook fast, unlike the traditional lentils. I make huge batches and then freeze it in meal-sized portions for winter. A good google search will find the recipe – it is simple and uses few ingredients. She uses collard greens, but I have used kale and like it better than collards. You could also use beet greens or spinach.
Joan H says: Oh my. I could have used this info last summer. My first summer in rural Arkansas, signed up worth a local farmer for WEEKLY CSA produce, etc. Bag after bag of mystery veggies! Mostly it was the greens that confused me. I finally figured out you can cook them all the same way, but I wanted to know what I was eating! I bought a cookbook written specifically for southern produce and CSA/farmers market cooks, but still did not get a lot of photos to help me identify the items. I spent a lot of time researching, and guessing. This is a great post. Thanks!
Jaye says: Broccoli raab is great when you peel the exterior layer off, the leaves as well!
Sauté with tons and of garlic and olive oil for 5’min or so
Can add sausage or pig oil nuts
Joan, I had that same issue with my CSA share this spring! Lots of things we didn’t know WHAT to do with! We ended up blanching anything we didn’t know what to do with right away and we’ll put it in soup this fall.
Alexandra Wilson says: Soup is always a good option for veggies, too. Good idea!
susana says: I haven’t tried the broccoli RAAb, but if it taste like broccoli I may try it….love broccoli and cauliflower.,..love mesculem greens. I juice kale. Iove what i have heard about broccoli raab ….taste better if you use it in soup with other veggies and love oil in the soup. My problem is knowing what to do with okra…..I planted Lots of it for my husband, but since he`s passed on to glory, I’m stuck with what to do with it all. I can only eat so much of it in soup. Any ideas or recipe?
Alexandra Wilson says: Hmmmm…okra…I’m not too familiar with this veggie since it’s a southern thing. I have a friend from Georgia who uses it in pork dishes, and I’ve always enjoyed eating them, but I have no idea how she prepared it! I recommend Googling some recipes that have great reviews and giving them a try. Good luck!
Okra is a tough one. A few okra is all most people need. They are great for thickening soup, believe it or not. I will eat it deep fried, but that’s so high in calories, it seems like an awful waste to make them that way.
I’m sorry to hear about your husband, though. Many blessings to you, Susana.
Dori Troutman says: Alex,
Yay! I’m super excited to try Broccoli Raab. I’ve seen it but have been intimidated by it! 🙂 So I’m going to buy some at the farmers market and give your recipe a try.
Speaking of roasting/grilling veggies. We were at a wedding recently and they sprinkled Romaine lettuce (which was cut in half horizontally) with a bit of balsamic vinegar and then grilled it quickly on each side. They chopped it and put it in a salad with cherry tomatoes, feta cheese and bacon crumbles. OH MY WORD. That was the best salad. I’ve tried it at home and not been quite as happy with it, but still it is very good. A good change up to the regular salad!
Ava is darling in her little Farm Baby shirt! 🙂
– Dori, the Ranch Farmgirl –
Alexandra Wilson says: Yum! that warm salad sounds delicious. And thank you–I think Ava is pretty darn cute, too.
Hi Alex,
I’ll have to look for some at the Farmers Market, too! Last week we were introduced to Ground Cherries… The vendor next to us had quite a tent full of delicious farm fresh produce. People were lining up all day to get some.. Finally when it slowed down a bit I went over to ask about the cute little round things wrapped in husks. The farmers wife unwrapped one and let us all try one. They were so delicious. I Googled it and you can get seeds from Baker Creek Rare Seeds. I think I’ll give them a go next year! I liked them just plain. They are similar to a cherry tomato but smaller and sweeter and a little firmer in texture. Yummy though! Your little farm baby, Ava is growing up so quickly… I’m glad she’s not afraid of dirt!
Fun and informative posting, as always! Happy Summer, Alex.
Deb ( Beach Farmgirl )
Alexandra Wilson says: My dad was just telling me about ground cherries–they sounded very interesting from his description, yours makes me want to try them! Thanks for the check in; I always appreciate it. Ava is definitely NOT afraid of dirt! She is getting so big and adventurous.
Tanja Eiben says: I know broccoli raab (or Kohlrabi) from when I grew up in Germany. Both my mum and grandma had it growing in their garden and I get always very sad when I see those tiny barely walnut-sized bulbs in the supermarket, because ours were usually the size of a small apple! My mum always just sauted them in veggie broth, with salt, pepper and fresh parsley until they were soft (kinda like a cooked potato), add a little bit of half and half and then served it as a side dish. Sometimes, when it was supposed to be really special, she added bacon crumbs. My other favorite way of eating kohlrabi was to slice it raw and mix it in a cucumber salad. It is pretty close in flavor, but will actually make the cucumber salad taste more crunchy. Today I like to use pieces of raw kohlrabi with my veggies to dip in hummus and other dips. Always cut away the skin and the parts that looks “woody” (like it has fibers in the tissue), as those taste bitter and are hard to chew. When biting into a fresh kohlrabi it always reminds me of the consistency of an apple, very crunchy, but with a slight vegetable taste.
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”.
We must have peanut bars. Some people call them mocha cakes, but my beloved mother-in-law called them peanut bars and thus they shall remain. These once a year treats are small squares of yellow or sponge cake dipped in a thin petit fours type frosting, and rolled in ground peanuts – salted is best. The cake cannot be a cake mix cake – it must be a fairly dense homemade cake. I used the ancient family birthday cake recipe. The delightful confections are wonderful fresh off the production line but actually taste better if left to age a few days in a cool spot. The flavors meld together and are literally food of the gods. I learned to make these 45 years ago as a very young wife. Mom is no longer with us but the memory of making peanut bars and ca 20 other kinds of Christmas cookies is strong and precious.
I love the pictures and the “new family” tradition. While we always had lefse when Evan was growing up, we didn’t make it….many good Norwegians, providing it freely at ample church bazaars. His Grandma Isabelle didn’t like sugar on hers…we now have the tradition of having an unsugared piece on the tray in her memory.
Krumkake with Dennis’ family was always special as the boys were growing up. Another assembly line needed to get them rolled before they cool. Going from the stovetop iron to the double electric revolutionized the process a few years ago.
Ava will be ready for her next clay experience with all that “rolling, rolling, rolling.”
We love you guys! Mom and Dad Pederson
Having moved a thousand miles away from our families five years ago, we have our own T-giving dinners now. Sometimes we invite single or at-odds friends who have nowhere else to go. This year it was just my daughters and my husband and I; we had horrible weather and it was best that most people just stayed home and away from icy roads. I wet-brine the turkey (I won’t do it any other way any more), peel lots of potatoes, trim the Brussels sprouts, toast the bread in the oven for stuffing. All sooooo good. We usually eat in the afternoon, so we can lay around being lazy the rest of the day. I do most of the work myself, because I’m truly a one-(wo)man wrecking crew in the kitchen – I work like a very well-oiled machine. I know what goes in next and I am not idle the whole time, about four hours or so. Then we eat all the noms. So good. 🙂
Such an adorable little lefsa a maker you have there. No wonder you take lots of pictures. Your master lefse maker is handsome too. Such a great tradition to pass on. We love lease with salmon and cream sauce. Or with jelly or lingonberries (something like small cranberries). We make lease for our church Smorgasbord ar Christmas. My dil sent me a package early in Dec. one year. I thought it was too early but put it under the tree anyways. When I opened it on Christmas it was spoiled…she didn’t tell me it was lefse so I didn’t refrigerate it. Now she clearly marks the package.
Thank you for sharing this post. One of our traditions is to hang our stockings up. We always purchase a tall 7 to 8 foot tree. In fact we bought ours today. We also open Advent calendars and have for many years. Wishing you and yours a Blessed and Merry Christmas. May 2016 bring you joy,health and love.
Marilyn and Family
Oh what extra fun this posting is!!!! Not sure if it the tradition of the lefse or seeing Ava in the kitchen – nothing more fun than making memories and traditions with children. Mine is grown and so are the grandchildren – so when I can, I share traditions with them if they are interested. I was raised in a huge family with lots of ‘must do’s’ for any time 5-10 of us got together – so that was often – miss those days. Thanks for helping me remember them. Thanks for sharing your family. God bless.
Hi Alex,
These pictures are so precious! I love it when little ones get to help in the kitchen! My daughter has always been so good with her little girls helping out with the cooking and now the seven year old can do amazing things in the kitchen! Ava will be the same way!
I’ve always been curious about Lefse and now I’m eager to give it a try! I love that Evan does that.
Hope you’re feeling good? Christmas is not too far away so that means your new little one isn’t either! Hope it all goes well for you and can’t wait to hear the news!
Tight hugs,
Dori
I remember Christmas Eve and oyster stew. I hated the oysters, so my dad got them and I enjoyed the creamy soup. The evening also included church and opening gifts.
Another memory was the Candy Cane cookies. I enjoyed making them and of course eating them.
Have a Merry Christmas way up there in Alaska.
Love you
Aunt Becky (Evan’s side)
Hey Alex,
It’s wonderful to see all of you working together in the kitchen. Ava is getting so big and what a great little helper she is! Let’s see… we spent Thanksgiving at home ( just our immediate family ) as well. Like you, no time crunches or extra food prep. I cooked all day off and on and relaxed in between with the family. My hubby is our cranberry sauce maker. He makes it every year and it’s yummy. So much tastier than the canned variety. Tart and sweet. You must be getting excited for the new arrival… Just think… Next time you write you just might be a a mommy of two! Can’t wait to meet the newest member of your family… Merry Christmas and blessings for a smooth birth!
Hugs,
Deb ( the beach farmgirl )
Sorry its taken me this long to respond ….avas cute….remind me when my kids were her age…..thry lived to maje stuff with me..,its probably why they are such good cooks now. And your flat bread reminds me of making potatoe pancakes, …i never was crazy about them, as they had a heavy taste for me and i could never eat more than one. But traditions have a way of repeating. Holiday baking was always one of ours. Glad you had a fun time….susana