Summer’s flown by! For us, it wasn’t the best of summers (disgustingly humid, extremely rainy and boiling HOT), though we did have some great moments. The highlight this summer was last weekend: we (finally) got to go camping and participated in our second-ever vintage camper rally!
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”.
Where can I find a tractor sewing machine prefer red.
Thx
Jeanne
Hi there, Jeanne. I don’t have one myself in my collection, but I did check Ebay and Etsy for you. Both sites have repurposed vintage sewing machines made into cute tractors for sale. Happy Hunting! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Looks like such fun. Am heading home from a long weekend at our cabin (our brick and mortar camper). It was wonderful but fall is definitely in the air in the Rockies.
Hi Marlene! It sounds like you had a great weekend, too! The kids have gone back to school, but today was an early dismissal because of the severe heat and humidity. Doesn’t feel like Fall here yet, but soon, I hope! Thanks for reading and commenting! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Sounds like a great time! Always enjoy your posts!
Hi LaRoyce, thank you so very much! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
I loved your weekend wrap-up! Made me reminiscent of my family’s trips to Tonganoxie State Park in Kansas back in the late 70’s. Daddy would fish and I did a lot of summer reading and hiking. Nothing tasted better than food prepared outdoors!
Hi Laura, thank you…I am so happy you enjoyed the blog post and that I made you think of such happy memories. I am hoping that years from now, my daughter will remember the fun we’ve had camping. And I agree, nothing tastes better than food prepared outdoors! Thanks so much for reading and sharing! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Your hard work has really paid off.
Gidget truly is a time capsule! And I love that it’s a family thing, too! What could be better than making new friends and lasting memories?
We survived another hot and humid, New England Summer and still had fun!
Here’s to cooler weather!
Farmgirl hugs,
Deb
Hi Deb! Thanks so much! I hope Audrey remembers the fun times we have gone camping when she is older. We really enjoyed the weekend together. We were lucky we got that break…we’ve had the same hot and humid weather here. Hopefully it breaks again soon! Right now I can’t get into Gidget without melting! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
I love reading about your vintage camper. Hope the dog is feeling better. He is so cute.
Marilyn
Hi Marilyn, thank you. Pip has had us very worried the last couple of weeks. Thankfully, we have a wonderful vet office who has been monitoring him closely with us. Fingers crossed he continues on the road to improvement. Thanks so much for the well wishes for my little guy! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Great blog and love picture of Kim and Pip!
Love, Mother
Thank you! Love you, Mama! XOXO Nicole
Hello Nicole, Sure enjoyed reading about your adventure. Love the pictures too. They add so much to the story. New Friend Dorothy
Hi Dorothy, Thank you so much! I am glad you enjoyed the post. Welcome… so happy to have you join me here at the Suburban Farmgirl blog! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
I LOVED all the pics…cant wait until me and my sweetie can go again in ours…Hopefully soon…I would love to go to a vintage camper rally..I loved the puzzle…and your furbaby is ADORABLE….we have two little furbabys that travel with us as well.. 🙂 Your camper is awesome…keep camping and having fun…And sharing with us too…Neta.
Hi Vivian, I can’t wait to go camping again…so sad that I will have to wait until next year! In the meantime, I “play” in mine until we wrap her up for the long, cold winter! Give your furbabies a pat from me. Thanks for reading and always leaving me a comment. Means a lot. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
I love your camper!! My house is a petite 1950 box, and while it has been challenging to comfortably downsize into it, I love getting decorating inspiration and space -saving ideas from vintage camper refurbished such as yourself. Thanks! Also, I’d love to hear of humidity-beating ideas from others facing oppressive heat and humidity without central air or good ventilation. I am not super outdoorsy, but when it’s cool and dry out, I enjoy taking walks and light gardening and hanging with my daughter and our 3 chickens… however our rural Maryland 1/4 acre has been an oppressive swamp since the winter snow left us. How can I enjoy being at home, let alone outside, or exercising, when constantly cocoons in a layer of sweat? Thanks!
Hi Amy, thanks for reading and commenting! I am so glad you enjoyed the blog. I tell ya, I grew up in heat and humidity and it is harder for me than it used to be. Even with the A/C in the house, I was uncomfortable this summer. However, as long as the air is moving, it’s better. Fans! I always have a fan going, and when it gets humid and hot, I like cool, wrung out wet washcloths on my neck, even when I sleep. Hope that helps! Thanks for reading and commenting! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
I am 73 and want a camper like yours. I have been wanting to camp out since I married 12 years ago. Finally I saw my hubby discreetly looking at the ads in our town for campers. I hope that there is more to it than looking lol. Loved reading your adventure.
Priscilla, I hope you get your camper! I have a friend who is about your age and she just got one this year. It is being all glamped up. It’s so much fun! Let me know if you get one! Fingers crossed for you! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole