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Hello Farmgirl Friends! I’m so excited that here in Tennessee we are seeing some signs of spring! Today I’m sharing a different kind of spring story on the blog! But I thought it was worth sharing for fun; plus I’ve got a giveaway at the end! So here we go…
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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”.
The happiness comes through the photos, I see many things my mom and mamaw had in their kitchens, which I really love! Thank you for sharing!
What an amazing opportunity! I love farm magazines (Mary Jane’s Farm is obviously top!) and country magazines. Can’t wait to see the article.
I love your home. I just read the article about cleaning a cast iron piece. I have a wonderful, old cast iron skillet that I use for everything. Your Mom, as Mom’s always are, was right about burning all the nasty off!
Your craft room and love of HAND quilting inspires me! I’ve made several baby quilts and love praying for the new baby and family as I quilt❣️🙏
I am glad you chose to share your home with us! It is beautiful, and makes me wish that our home could look like that as well. The outdoor kitchen sink is something we have been looking for, and would love to find one so we could add it to our outside kitchen set-up.
Thank you for sharing your home with all of us!
Makes my heart smile knowing yours is doing the same. What an honor and true reflection of the simple love and hard work you put into your nest! Congratulations!
Loved your story and pictures! You have succeeded in making your house into a comfortable farmhouse home that is inviting and reflects you and your many interests. I look forward to your blogs and appreciate you keeping us abreast of what is happening in your world. Thank you for sharing your exciting news with us.
Everything is just so inviting and cheerful! Having a sink outback is amazing! You make everything seem so easy … keep inspiring us, please!
I am a quilter and also love vintage Pyrex. I just love your sewing room! And this awesome kitchen!
Hi Mary! Thank you! Vintage Pyrex is the best isn’t it?
~ Dori ~
Your house is adorable but I wondered right from the start – since they contacted you (and not the other way around), how did they learn about your home in the first place?
Hi Sue! This is a great question that I don’t exactly know the answer! 🙂 However my guess is probably either my personal blog or my IG feed! Both have a lot of my home.
~ Dori ~
I looooove the quilt on your bed! And I looove the daybed on the porch! Also the rolling pin hook shelf !! What really cool ideas! Do you have a diy for that ??
Hi Tammy, that rolling pin hanger is actually one of MaryJane’s inventions! It’s been featured in her magazine. And I also wrote a blog post tutorial on mine! It’s so fun to make and you can find my step by step instructions here: https://www.farmgirlbloggers.com/19050
~ Dori ~
Hello Dori, Thank you for sharing your experience with the magazine. What a thrill and mixed emotions it must have been. I am so glad that they portrayed your true nature and that you were happy with the outcome of the article. Your home is beautiful and exactly what I would love. I always enjoy reading your stories and love how down-to-earth you are.
HI, Dori, I love that your house was chosen for the magazine! I agree with Wanda Sue about “always enjoy reading your stories and love how down-to-earth you are.” You share the nicest things with us. I loved learning about your mother. I also love the projects you share with us. I am slow on everything I do, so I am still working on the apron project. It is a great pattern. One more thing, I wish I was closer to you as I would be buying the beautiful bouquets that you sell. Thank you for sharing your life with us!
What an amazing story – and home!!! I love your style but the thing that really caught my eye is those yellow valances on the windows by the table. I have always wanted a bright and cheery kitchen with yellow curtains. Seeing your photo confirms it – I still want them one day 😉
Thank you for sharing.
Dori,
What a beautiful home you have! Love the country look. And your craft room must be awesome!
I’ve never seen an issue of this magazine with the farmhouse style. You’re home definitely looks ready for Spring!
Thanks for sharing!
Denise