Spring has sprung in New England, finally! It’s still been chilly, especially in the mornings, but there’s definitely a change in the air. The days are longer, the air has been warmer, and the skies sunnier. The massive ice that encased everything for so long has finally disappeared. As for color, pastels are popping up everywhere, from food to nature, in decor and everything in between. Welcome Spring!
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”.
Spring is my favorite time of the year! It just doesn’t last long enough. Here in South-Central Il. it is starting to thaw, robins and song birds have returned. The buds on the lilac bushes and the red bud trees are swelling. Soon, when they flower and the leaves are just about half unfurled, I just relish in that time!!
We have had a very long cold, snowy winter also and I am ready to throw open the doors and windows so my spring cleaning (and this year, new paint on the walls) can begin!
My peonies are peeking through and I love them so. Mine are double whites w/the pale pink centers. Oh, they smell wonderful.
Have a FABULOUS Spring!
Hi Connie, Your comment made me visualize spring for sure! Seems you all are a bit ahead of us in Illinois. We still need a few more weeks to get there, but it spring is arriving! I’ve seen more birds now, and the daffodils are peeking out of the ground. I love the double white peonies! Peonies are so beautiful and there is no scent as lovely! I can’t wait! Thanks for reading and commenting…enjoy Spring! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
I loved seeing the mixer! My Mom had the same one (in white) and just seeing it brought back great memories of cooking together. She was married in 1948 and received the mixer as a wedding gift. To my knowledge, it was still working when we sold the contents of her home in 2007.
Hi Elizabeth, Thank you for sharing your memories of your mom. What a great wedding gift that was back in the day! I have a milk glass cake plate that is just like the one my mom got from her mom for a wedding present. It isn’t my mom’s but is identical to the one she received (hers broke in the 80’s). Glad I brought you back a happy memory! Thank you for reading and commenting! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
LOVE that Gidget is out…truly spring has arrived! And the mixer is amazing…a step back in time, I love the 40’s…music, clothes, ahhh, the look. Pink, well I’ll tell you it’s not one of my favorites but that mixer, oh my, may have just changed my mind!
Hi Mary, I am so happy to have Gidget uncovered! We have a little heater inside so I can go in now. I can’t until it’s truly warm enough to throw open all of the windows! Isn’t that mixer a hoot!? I love it so much. It runs beautifully. I was “born in the wrong generation” and the 40’s is my favorite era. Thanks for stopping by! Have a great spring! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
i LOVE this blog, Nicole! Pictures are beautiful! I have never before seen such a pink sky.
Table settings are beautiful. Fun to read this and do you have a cherry tree? Love you,
Mother
Hi Mama, Thank you. You know how much I love pink! The tree isn’t mine; it’s a magnolia in one of my friend’s yard. Soon it will bloom again. It is just lovely. Love you! Nicole
Love pink too my work station in salon is pink evern the ruffle on my haircutting apron!And April is my month too
Hi Donna, I bet your work station is pretty! Pink makes me happy! Thanks for reading and commenting, and Happy Birthday! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Nicole, I totally enjoyed your blog. I am a red girl. You should see my kitchen. I even drive a little red truck..given to me by my husband on my birthday. You gave me a great idea. I am a tea person. I think I will make a corner of my sunroom into a tea room. I have a large collection of tea items. Fall is my favorite season here in Georgia. I am just getting my Easter decoration out. Thanks for the inspiration.
Hi Peggy, Thank you! I bet I’d love your kitchen and truck! I am so happy I’ve inspired you…you will have to let me know how your tea room corner comes out! I’d love to see! Enjoy, and thank you for reading and commenting. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
I adore pink all year long!!! Your blog is beautiful. Thanks for sharing. Spring is arriving slowly here in Columbus Ohio. Like you, I adore the spring babies. Have a wonderful spring and a joyous Easter!
Thank you, Brenda! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Thank you for your “cheerful” pink blog…I like pink…It’s been a LONG winter…I think we’re all ready for Spring with it’s yellows, greens, lilacs and PINKS…
Hi Julie! You’re so right; it’s been a long winter. Like the Beatles song says, “Here comes the sun!” I’m ready! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
I love all the pink. Pink is my favorite color. Thank You for sharing.
Marilyn
Hi Marilyn, You are welcome! I’m glad you enjoyed my post. Happy Spring! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Happy Spring! You’ve inspired me to make the merengue cookies—brings back memories of “Home Ec” in Jr high. Also going to take the cover off my “glamper” this weekend—Ida Mae Rose—named after my great grandma. Can’t wait! Thanks for your inspiration!
Hi Sarah, thank you so much! Enjoy! I have been having hot tea in my glamper this week. So happy to have her cover off. Thanks for stopping by the blog! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Hi Nicole
Spring is definitely here. My yellow and white with pink Daffodils are blooming all over the place, and our Irises are up along with blooming tulips already and my hostas have appeared also. We just planted a Japanese Snowball bush and a mini yellow rose bush that I received for my birthday last November. The Snowball I received from my older son this week along with my favorite annual, a pot of pansies. Our apple trees, lilac bush and our tulip poplar are budding. The robins are numerous already and we have rain but also lots of sunshine. As for the color pink, I like it in some areas and in some shades. I used to always wear a pink lipstick as it looked the best on me with my skin color; couldn’t wear red or orange or any wild color. The pink depression glass is lovely but my favorites are the amethyst or blue depression glass. Love your blog. Until next time.
Hi Sandi, Ooooo lucky you with those flowers! Our daffodils are just peeking their tops up from the ground. Soon! There are the tiniest little buds on the trees but give it a few weeks and we will be in full bloom. I have to put our pansies out yet. Hopefully this weekend. Last weekend on Friday we had snow showers then Saturday was warm and almost seventy.
I think the blue and amethyst depression glass is pretty as well, but it is the pink that is my favorite. I also have a few pieces in yellow and a juicer in green. Lovely, all of it. Thanks for reading and commenting. Have a happy spring! Thank you so much. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole