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.”
Column contents © Mary Murray. All rights reserved.
Farmgirl
is a condition
of the heart.
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!
Column contents © Alexandra Wilson. All rights reserved.
Libbie Zenger
Previous Rural Farmgirl,
June 2010 – Jan 2012
Libbie’s a small town farmgirl who lives in the high-desert Sevier Valley of Central Utah on a 140-year-old farm with her husband and two darling little farmboys—as well as 30 ewes; 60 new little lambs; a handful of rams; a lovely milk cow, Evelynn; an old horse, Doc; two dogs; a bunch o’ chickens; and two kitties.
René Groom
Previous Rural Farmgirl,
April 2009 – May 2010
René lives in Washington state’s wine country. She grew up in the dry-land wheat fields of E. Washington, where learning to drive the family truck and tractors, and “snipe hunting,” were rites of passage. She has dirt under her nails and in her veins. In true farmgirl fashion, there is no place on Earth she would rather be than on the farm.
Great idea. I especially love the rustic trailer? you use to display your bouquets.
Hi Terry,
It’s pretty fun isn’t it? My son in law found the old truck bed and then he built the rest of it for us. It is the absolute best set-up!
~ Dori ~
Dori, Just wanted to tell you how beautiful your flowers are! Wish I was close enough to buy some. I live on the East Coast in Mechanicsville, VA. I lost my dad in January of this year. So sorry for your loss! Joan
Hi Joan,
I’m so sorry about your Dad. It’s a loss that is hard to describe… no long having our precious Dads. My tears are different than they were a year ago when he passed… now they are just tears of wonderful memories that I cherish.
Hugs to you, Joan.
~ Dori ~
Dear Dori,
Thank you for sharing a beautiful (Really extra beautiful with all the gorgeous flower pics!!) post with an inspiring message. Your bouquets are the perfect Summer bouquet. I can’t believe you give them away for only 5! I would be buying one every few days if I lived nearby. God bless you and give you comfort and happy memories about your dear Dad.
Hi Tammy,
We absolutely love selling our flowers for $5. Most anyone can afford that and as a result we have a lot of elderly customers that get so happy to spend $20 and take gifts to four friends! We see it time and time again. That is what makes us the most happy. Our flowers getting shared!
Thank you for the comment on my Dad. He’s with me always!
~ Dori ~
I ALWAYS LOVE your posts! I LOVE flowers too and grow mine mostly along our yard fence. How about tiger lilies? they are so tall and beautiful
Hi Mary,
I love flowers growing along a fence… it’s just so beautiful! And YES to Tiger Lilies!!!
~ Dori ~
❤️
I love zinnias, sunflowers , cosmos smo gst a bunch of other flowers like snapdragons columbine and asters.spme last longer than others . Ive never sold anything I just give it away. I like putting a smile on a Face.
I love zinnias, sunflowers , cosmos amongst a bunch of other flowers like snapdragons columbine and asters.some last longer than others . Ive never sold anything I just give it away. I like putting a smile on a Face.
Hi Susana,
You hit the nail right on the head… giving flowers always puts a smile on our faces!!!
~ Dori ~