Do you periodically do a “new” thing or see old things in a new way? Spring is a time of newness. Ok, everybody knows that. The seasonal change fixin’ to happen soon isn’t responsible for the “new” I’m dealing with. No, there is a new kind of new around here, a herd of new, a new look, a new spin, and a fresh view. Newness. If it had a fragrance, it would smell like rain … after a summer shower.
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”.
Shery. Everything looks wonderful :). Tears once again rolled down my checks…I can’t stand to let a friend cry alone. My heart goes out to you…as I fear the time is coming when my old dog day will be there… I dread that. I trust in The Lord that I will meet my four legged children again someday and my heartache will be gone. Hugs to you. Oh and have a wondeful birthday my friend!!! Always Michele
Shery, My thoughts have been with you this winter as I know you continue to feel your loss. You are such a lovely lady with such a positive spirit. I continue to wish you well and hope that you have a blessed Spring, filled with newness and joy!
Congrats on your guest room. It’s alive with color and old memories. I am a quilter and enjoy seeing what others do with old quilts. Also, your photos are always so vibrant with color. I read your blog mainly for the photos. Thanks for the entertainment.
Boy, I’m with you on the clean out of the crafts stuff and getting rid of things. My husband and I downsized yet again and are trying to remodel our new old house while we are living in it. Unfortunately or fortunately there are no real closets. I’d just been stashing my boxes from the move last year in piles. Now the piles are in one big heap in the first room I see down stairs. Talk about motivation. One thing I discovered was that looking through my undone projects made me feel guilty for not using everything up.
I am now in the process of discovering how to pass them along to others! And Shery, the only thing we know for sure is that everything changes. You are an inspiration!
Dear Shery, As always, your words deeply touch my heart. I was reminded of the saying that "There is no heavier burden than an unfinished task" when you talked about being a procrastinator. Boy, is that ever true!! I commend you for tackling all your waiting projects! You are definitely an inspiration! Enjoy your ‘new’ time with Ribbon. Happy Spring to you and yours!! With you in Spirit!
The beautiful quilt lifted my spirits today, and all of your words too.
Spring is in the Ozarks finally, we spent 5 hours today building fences for our
pole beans to grow up on this year, all under the beautiful sunshine at 70 degrees.
We too love the old, there is something comfy and cozy about a home filled with treasures from the past that someone else has loved and cherished before us.
It is like passing down a piece of love!
Hugs from the Ozarks, may your spring be filled with blessings! Diana
The NEW item that I will be trying this year is the beautiful Moonflower. Compliments of your garden of last year…If you can grow it in drought prone Wyoming, why not try it in my neck of the woods??
Thank you for the inspiration, and sharing with us farmgirls..
Dear Shery, What a timely post for me, I have been wanting, needing to clean out my sewing/craft room for a loooong time now and your words have helped me to really get in the spirit of really getting it done now. Thank You!
I love the quilt in your new guest room, everything looks so nice. Love the way you decorate and choice of colors. I also love the picture of Ribbon, she is a beauty!
Happy Spring!
Shery: Wow girl, my sentiments exactly! I have been doing the same thing. What a kick. Maybe some where in there should be a trade of stuff with other farmgirl friends who’d love to try the things you don’t want any more. It works great with craft stuff. Thanks for the push. Spring always means new beginnings.
Sherry, it all looks lovely! I, too, love old phones. While I have some cordless ones, I also have my grandmother’s old hand crank phone. It doesn’t have a dial, but it is hooked up to our phone line. I have turned off the ringers on all our phones except this one. We have that old time ring each time someone calls. I love it!