Having a “bee in your bonnet” is to be tenaciously preoccupied with an idea. The visual is humorous unless the bee is in your bonnet. Anyway, the old cliche`dates back to the 1700s and it is still with us because the situation it refers to is still very much a part of the human condition … and my own of late.
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”.
Hi Shery!!! Wow that was a lot of topics. I love chicken and noodles. My grandma always made them for special occasions. But she made skinny noodles. I made chicken and noodles for Easter dinner this year, but I bought some local Amish noodles. Your chicks are soooo cute. I wanted to get a couple more this year but our chickens ended up with feather mites this spring and we have been to war and back. They had bit their own feathers off along with some molting and about 1/2 of my ladies were bare naked except for their heads and wings. Not a pretty site. But we have dusted, dusted and dusted again and they are getting all their feathers back in and the laying is picking up again so I think their stress is abating. I have planted a basket of pansies and am collecting orange and purple annuals to put in baskets and back yard borders. Not my color scheme but our youngest daughter is getting married July 30th, we think, in our back yard and those are the colors she picked. That is the only bee that is flying around in my bonnet at this time. Of coarse I have plenty of projects setting on the back burner that I try and get at as often as possible but that may come to a halt real soon.
Loved your new posting. You have certainly been busy as a bee.
Shery I always love to hear about your Farmgirl gatherings. They sound like such fun and make me think it’s time I look for a farmgirl connection in my area as well. I’m sorry that you weren’t able to ride during calving season this year, but remember that you are taking care of yourslef and working towards your recovery. Hopefully this time has given you the opportunity to appreciate other aspects of your Farmgirl life you might not normally focus on. Wishing you all the best.
Hi Shery!! Wow you sure are busy! I loved reading your posts. It’s great to have friends in your area to give a helping hand or just to chat. I wish I knew if there was a farmgirl connection in my area. I’ll have to check. I grew up in the country with a farm next door where I spent most of my time. Would love to raise some chickens like yours. Hopefully soon! I have some much needed cleaning out as well. It’s amazing how it accumulates. Wishing you all the best.
Welcome back Shery! I missed your posts! Well, no grass has grown under your feet since you last wrote. Such fun happening in all areas (except the not riding part)! The craft day with your farmgirl pals looks so fun. You are a creative bunch! This farmgirl is anxious to get her hands in the dirt too, but we’ve had a long wet spring too. Sun is out today and I pray it’s here to STAY!
farmgirl hugs!
Deb ( Beachfarmgirl)
What a great post! The photos are great! The crafts inspiring, the noodles yummy looking! I’ve been inspired to resume making my own bread and try noodles!
Loved your post! So full of interesting information. How do you make your egg noodles? Would love to make some for my family. Thanks!
Hi Shery, It is so good to hear from you again. I love your photography and your posts. Your posts are always good to read! Time to get back on your horse.
Thanks once again for the wonderful pictures and stories. You inspire me to "lean into" my projects and follow them to completion! A new and may I add, cute, clothespin bag is completed and ready for this years laundry drying in the sun. I am still holding out for chickens, but so far haven’t convinced my husband yet.
I have planted red geraniums and white petunias in a an old aluminum ice chest. Looks so cheerful on the front porch. Whiskey barrels on the deck are filled with red geraniums and pink petunias. Magnus, the kitty, has taken up napping in one of the barrels… Happy spring!
Photos of the chicks are adorable!! I used to work at a "seed and feed" that catered to farmers and ranchers in southern Idaho. It was my favorite time of year when all the baby chicks, gooslings, and ducklings would start to arrive. By the way, the gal with the long, silver hair…stunning!
You have been missed! So glad you are back – I had been looking for your post. Also glad it was a computer problem and not anything to do with your recuperating! What fun you have managed to create even if you did miss calving. Your photos as always are a wonderful addition to your blog.
Enjoy the sun and dirt, I think it might be here to stay.
Shery…Mother’s Day weekend I was introduced to Duanna, my daughter-in-love’s baby Dwarf Nigerian goat. She is all black and terribly naughty like a "kid" should be. baaaaa
Ali and Charley also have ducks and chickens and live on our "farm" place now. One banty hen has one chick and you would think that chick was Prince William, the hen dotes so much. Very funny. Well, not funny if you try to get near that chick. lol. Out my back door this year was a lake as the river at the back of our property flooded. Back to normal now, but, I keep thinking about all the folks who are not back to normal in this country following all the horrible storms. Wondering if the farm girls around this country shouldn’t be doing something for them. Any ideas?
Hope your knee is doing well. My "new" knee is 10 years old and I am still so grateful! Enjoy! cora jo
Hi Shery,
So great to be gifted with your sharing once again. I always ready for every word you write!
Where can you get Buckeye chicks, I raise chickens and have never heard of them?
Would love to know.
They look adorable.
Thanks so much,
Terces
My secret trick to making homemade noodles….a pizza cutter to cut my strips. Quick, easy and efficient. 🙂
That’s really thinking out of the box. Thanks!
Hi Sherry, I grew up as a farmgirl & when I found your blog I felt that I had discovered a kindred spirit! Thanks for sharing. A few years back, I produced & created a really fun (3) min audio project titled: On the Farm. It’s an ode to my growing up as a farmgirl. It’s simple, and silly. I’m happy to send it along if you like. Your blog reminded me that I plan to animate it one day, some day… Aloha ~