Happy Fall, Y’all! Where I originally grew up and lived over thirty plus years ago, the weather this time of year was still pretty much the same as it was in the middle of July. In New England, we have four distinct seasons, and each one brings on a different feel inside and out. September and early October often feel “in between”, with nods to both seasons, bringing cooler temperatures and waning sun. Even though it’s “between seasons”, there is still much to do, indoors and out!
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”.
I live in Georgia where the weather is still in the 80s, so seeing your pictures of your fall festival & Renaissance festival, was enjoyable. I look forward to our local fairs next mo the when it may … or may not … be cooler. Loved all the other pictures of turkeys, hummingbirds & the lake trip as well.
Hi Patricia, my mom lives in Georgia, too. I have been there in summer and at Christmas, too. Georgia peaches and pecans are the best! Enjoy your fall! Thanks for reading and commenting. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Beautiful pictures, looks like a fun time.
Kathy
Hi Kathy, thank you! I do love how pretty it is up here in New England. Just when you think you have had enough of a season, a new one starts. Thanks for reading and commenting, and have a happy start to fall. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Hi Nicole,
Wish we could have taken some of the rain off your hands this past Summer! We had scant amounts in my part of Central Wisconsin. Now that the growing season is pretty much over, it is raining, and raining and….:) Thank you for the fun blog! I always enjoy these and appreciate that you take the time to share your news and great photos. Your ice cream flavor makes me think that I need to make a version of that in a scone. Hmmm…
Happy Fall to you too! Love, Tammy
Hi Tammy, wish we could have sent rain to you too. We got 14 inches over the weekend, and now we are to get six more today! Unheard of! My chickens think they are ducks, lol! Isn’t that scarecrow ice cream flavor neat? Enjoy your fall! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Yes summer went by fast . I didn’t have much if a garden. I only got a few tomatoes. Maybe your eggplant. Makes me not want to do a garden next year. But plenty of berries and grapes. Hopefully that means we won’t have much snow this winter pumpkins and skeletons have been out for a month now. Halloween will be here before you know it.
Hi Susan, I know, summers like this are frustrating and do make us not want to have another. But, each season is different, and next summer you could have more tomatoes than you know what to do with. I always remember Audrey Hepburn’s quote, “To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” And tomorrow’s garden may be better. But I hear you. My berries this year were plentiful, as well, but not as many tomatoes, like you said. With all this rain, we will have to watch out for lots of fungal issues now and in spring. I am ready for Halloween, too! Thanks for reading and commenting. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole