Hello Readers! 2020 is dragging on, but there is some “light”. Hats off to summer! The year is not turning out like any of us expected, but we’re making the best of it. Life’s still pretty good.
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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.’”
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.
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.”
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.
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.”
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!
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”.
Sweet
Hi Lori, thank you for reading and commenting! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Thank you for lifting spirits with your beautiful pictures…Inviting us into your “cozy” life…Reading your blog gives us hope for “happier” days…
Hi Julie, thank you so much. Here’s to happier days ahead! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
What a beautiful and uplifting post! Thank you! Congratulations to your daughter. We, as well, have cancelled our camping plans this summer, but continue to enjoy our campfires. As much as I love evening campfires, my absolute favorite campfire time is early in the morning, before most of the other campers are awake – sitting by the fire with a cup of coffee and some inspirational reading :-). It’s a lovely time to connect with God at the beginning of each day. And the flowers are gorgeous. Another way in this turmoil that God is letting us know He’s still here 🙂
Hi Mary Ellen, thank you! I love early morning, too, especially by a campfire with a lovely cup of coffee! Thank you for reading and commenting! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
I love your blog. Your last sentence speaks to me. Despite the sadness and loss by covid I hope we don’t lose the good we’ve gained during this time. Even as a retired person, I was always “busy” and I know I will be careful about what I allow back into my life. I now wake up in the morning thankful for the gift of a new day.
Hi Marion, thank you ever so much! It is true, we all get so “busy” and it has been a real eye opener on what (and who) we wish to spend precious time on and with. None of us never know how long we have, and every day is a blessing. Thanks so much for reading and commenting. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Congratulations to your daughter!! Love all your pictures of flowers, birds & animals! I did not buy one plant this year. All the flowers that came back I am enjoying even more this year.
Hi Denise! Thank you so much! I did not buy any plants this year, either, except for two hanging geraniums and the pink ones pictured by the camper. I managed to overwinter a few potted ones this year! The other flowers and blueberries are all plants that have come up as perennials, or that I planted from seed this spring. 🙂
Harvested my garlic yesterday. It is a good crop this year. Like you, I am so happy seeing what is popping up! Take care, and thank you for reading and commenting! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Congratulations to Audrey. Those baby birds are adorable.
Marilyn
Hi Marilyn, Thank you! Aren’t the baby birds precious? They have all hatched as of yesterday. ~Nicole
What a sweet treat this has been! First of Congratulations on your daughter graduating! Second… Ah, I am a college student all the way from Mexico who actually learned English from this very same blog! (the pictures always drew me here) Back when I was a little boy no more than 10. I always had the farm blog on the back of my head but I could never pinpoint the name. I’m happy to be able to find it again and it seems I have a lot of catching up to. Here’s to living a farm life with a pastel palette!! Thanks for the kind wishes uwu
Hi Pablo! Wow! I feel very honored by your comment! Thank you ever so much! ~Nicole
Nicole, you are an upbeat kind of farmgal and I enjoy your posts. They just opened up our state parks for camping but we just drive through the campground and enjoy seeing folks from a distance. Your little trailer is just adorable. We used to have a small trailer too and enjoyed it. Your flowers are gorgeous. Happy summer.
Hi Bonnie, thank you so much! I try to be positive and happy. Life is short! I will miss our camper rallies this year, but we have always enjoyed the camper at home, too. Have a good summer! It is always good to hear from you here! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
How wonderful to get the close-up pictures of baby robins and watching them grow – like you, staying around home is easy, especially with my gardens and chickens !
Hi Donna, I love seeing all of the birds and wildlife we see here. I think generations before us knew the secret to happiness – including porch sitting! I love gardening and hearing the birds and seeing all the little creatures that fly, hop and walk through my property! Enjoy the summer! Thank you for reading and commenting! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Thanks for sharing all the beautiful pictures! Encouraging each other during this time…is so valuable. Wish I lived closer to visit the ANIMAL WILDLIFE! I live in Southeast Texas.
Blessings to your family !
Hi Melva, thank you! Finding that Animal Sanctuary was such a needed, happy accident! I never knew it was there, and will go back someday! Thank you for reading and commenting! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Nice blog. Great pictures! I am impressed you had a comment from Pablo!
Love,
Mother
Hi Mom, yes, that was something special! I will never forget that. MISS YOU! LOVE YOU! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Loved your photos . . .thanks for including those. Beautiful!!
Tell Audrey I send my big, huge, farmgirl CONGRATULATIONS! Wishing her the best in her future.
Yes, there has been some good changes in the country this year. I agree that some should stay!
THANKS for your post Nicole!
HUGS!
CJ
Hi CJ, my dear Farmgirl Friend! I hope this finds you and your family doing well. Thank you so much for such a sweet comment! I will pass the lovely wishes on to Audrey! Much love your way. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
So enjoyed reading this. Congratulations to your graduate. I feel the same about how covid has slowed world down and time to reevaluate our lives.
You stay safe…
Hi Barb, It is almost like a suspended sense of time, in many ways, right? In many ways, I like it, but I do miss people and the feeling of freedom to go anywhere, anytime. It will get better, but I am enjoyng the “slow”, especially for summer. Thank you for reading and commenting! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
We have also been enjoying small “campfires” in ouor suburban-approved firepit. Usually impromptu, never very fancy, byt something different than watching TV, eh? Looking for ideas of how a couple of mid-sixties folks can make the firepit a bit different each night? Something other than s’mores? some kind of game?
Hi Nancy, I am not a huge s’mores fan, either, to be truthful. Have you ever tried “Toast Tites”? They were vintage, but now you can buy contemporary ones. I think we found ours at Bass Pro, but I bet you can find them online anywhere that sells camping or outdoor gear. They are basically “sandwich makers”. We use ours for hot ham and cheese, “pizza” with sauce and cheese, and “hot pies”.
We also use ours for Hot Dogs, surrounded by dough, a Danish recipe and tradition from Denmark. I will find my old blog post that has the recipe, but basically it is bread dough, wrapped around a hot dog or sausage, baked until the bread is done on a stick in the embers. It is so delicious! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
I will also try to find my