Dear Sisters,
I hope today’s post finds you all deep in summer fun! After all, the gift of summertime’s long days invite slowing down and relaxing times with family and friends!
Everyone has their own ‘brand of summer fun’, but for us it’s always the same! You can always find us at the cottage- ‘off grid and out of touch’ on the sandy shores of Cape Cod Bay. If you’re a beach lovin’ farmgirl, come on in the water’s fine! It’s BEACH DAY with Deb and her crew!
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”.
Lovely! The beach house has more counter top than my house, ans is so sweet. I am going to do the shells on the window ledge in my bathroom (without the crab sign!). Thanks for sharing and the ideas. It was like taking a vacation.
Hi Karen,
So glad you came for a BEACH DAY and took home a little treasure or two! Happy decorating ( without the crab sign ) 🙂 xo Deb
I am an urbarn farm girl @ heart. I have expanded the garden in my new urban farmhouse, becaise I had to leave my beautiful suburban garden of 14 yrs. It was a showcase, & I am determined to make this one, too. In spite of my slow start, I have visions & dreams that will come to fruition.
I am a newbie to this site, & am looking forward to words & ideas full of inspiration from u.
Bobbie
Hi there Bobbie! Thank you for sharing your garden visions and dreams. I know how hard it is to leave a plot of land you have planted and tended for many years. I did the same thing when we left Nevada. It takes a while for a new garden to show you what it wants and where but you’ll get there no doubt! Thanks for reading! xo Deb
Simply delightful, Deb! Love the bright colors and the new counter top your BIL made for you. Nice to have family participation!
I have a cross stitched sign in my travel trailer that says ‘KWITCHERBELLYAKIN’. Kind of along the lines of your CRAB sign! Chuckling!
This place is a treasure and should be loved and preserved…You are blessed…
Hi Jan! There is a cottage with a similar name to the one you mention above ( more R rated ) in our beach community… I always laugh when I drive by it. It’s so true.. What’s to complain about in a cottage by the sea? Thanks so much for reading and your note! xo Deb
What a lovely kitchen! I had the same idea with yellow gingham check in my former apartment to cover the area under the sink. Next to the sink was an icebox that held my pots and pans. The counter was small octagonal ivory tiles with rectangular yellow tile trim around the edges. A yellow kitchen is so bright even on the foggiest, cloudiest days, isn’t it?
Hi Adrienne! Yes! Your yellow kitchen sound adorable. We love the yellow too! It’s called Kayak yellow. Fitting isn’t it? And, it really does brighten the place up on over cast, foggy days which we do get.
Thanks so much for the note! xo Deb
WOW…your cottage kitchen is so fresh and cozy. What a breath of fresh air — just what I needed :o)
Hi Shery! I told Max all about Sally O Mally He wants permission to be " paw pals"!
Hope all is well on the ranch! xo Deb
The beach (Jersey shore points in my case) had always been a part of my growing up years back in Philadelphia. Tennessee is a bit far from the salt water and sand but we did get to go to Georgia’s Tybee Island and Lighthouse. We could only stay a day but I would love to go back and just lay on the sand and listen to the water. So glad for you that you have your little cottage to enjoy. The beach and salt water have healing qualities to them. At least I think so. I’ve always felt better: mind, body, and soul after a day at the beach.
Hi Marge,
You are so right about the beach and it’s healing qualities. Coming from the high desert the ocean was a 4 and a half hour drive for me growing up. I do cherish being so close to it now. Thanks so much for reading and come back anytime you are in need of a dose of the sea shore! Xo Deb
Hey Deb! Thanks for the great pictures and blog….I felt like I was right back at home for a few minutes! Your cottage kitchen is adorable! I love your idea for the buffalo check in yellow for the lower cupboards. You will have to break out some of that Annie Sloan paint for some accents! Enjoy the rest of August. It was always my favorite time of summer.
Howdy Pam! Thanks my dear! Glad you enjoyed! I do have an idea or two for some AS accents too! My kitchen table chairs are natural wood.. Can’t have that! I’m thinking one of the deep blues would be pretty with my white distressed table! Wishing you a relaxing remainder of the summer! It’s been beautiful here on the shorelines! Hugs! Deb