It’s a beautiful Sunday. Where can a Farmgirl enjoy the outdoors, chat with friendly folks from all over, and find everything AND the kitchen sink? From furniture to plants, glassware to books, jewelry to collectibles…there’s treasure for everyone. Intrigued? Head with me to one of my favorite spots…
-
Debbie Bosworth
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.’”
Rebekah Teal
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.
Cathi Belcher
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
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.
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.”
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!
Nicole Christensen
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”.
Hey Nicole,
This flea market sounds great! I wish we had something comparable around here to peruse and spend a lovely Sunday afternoon. Happy flea marketing!
Best,
Alex (your rural farmgirl sister)
Hi Alex! I feel lucky that this one is so close! I’ve also been to some on vacation in Florida and Pennsylvania, but the Elephant’s Trunk is my favorite! -Nicole
Fun Fun Fun at the Flea Market and such a beautiful setting – thanks for the day out.
My pleasure, Joan! Come winter, I am marking the weeks off on my calendar to countdown when it in opens! Thanks so much for reading and commenting! Hugs, Nicole
In the Ozarks, we have a flea mrkt. open from spring till fall, every third weekend of the month. It is in Afton OK, where you can find all kinds of wonderful things from baby goats to goodies to eat! We love to go there, it takes us back in time just walking up and down the aisles and all the folks there are so friendly, some in their overalls and straw hats selling really neat things. Its quite the treat for us, we rarely buy much, my last buy was a electric canner from the ’70’s, a prickly pear cactus too. The most fun is looking at all the baby farm animals and hearing the old folks stories as you browse thru the mrkt.
What a treat! Blessings, Diana
Oh, Diana, that sounds like so much fun! That’s how I feel at the Elephant’s Trunk – I get to go back in time. Your canner sounds like a great find! Happy flea-marketing! -Nicole
I have been thinking of bringing items to your site but have not to date. I was told you need to get there really early. What I do not know is when on Sundays does it start and when does it end. How early do you open on Sundays? What is the cost? Thanks.
Hi Shirline! All of those answers can be found by clicking on their site (www.etflea.com). If you need further help, you can call the number listed, as well. I’ve never been a vendor myself, but I have thought about it before. There’s also brochures at their gate that explain it all. It’s such a fabulous market! Good luck! -Nicole
I live near Mansfield, CT and go to the flea market there. It’s held at the drive in theater corner of Rte. 31 and 32, every Sunday also. The Elephant’s Trunk looks huge and must have so much you can’t see it all. I will have to go one of these Sundays. Thank you for the great story and pictures. Maybe I will see you there some Sunday.
Hi Mary! I have a method when I go…I start at one row and go up and down, until I get to the very end. I’m a pretty fast "scanner". I always wear my Sisterhood Necklace, thinking there’s a chance I might meet other farmgirls! Have fun! -Nicole
Love Love Love it, what a great flea market.Wish I was there to meander around with ya. I am restoring an old camper, and always looking for great ideas. thanks for sharing. Neta
It does make for a fun Farmgirl’s Day Out! How neat that you are restoring a camper! I’d love to see pics! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
I have a stained glass chicken lamp too. I love it! It sits on the hearth next to my fireplace.
Hi Susabelle! Aren’t the stained glass chicken lamps the cutest! So homey! I first saw my mom’s. She bought it down South on a vacation at a gift shop. Mine isn’t just like hers, but I was thrilled when I found it at the flea market. It was such a bargain! The man selling it didn’t know if it would work or not, so I figured I’d re-purpose it in the garden if it didn’t. I was thrilled to find it worked. Mine sits in my kitchen and is always lit, so I never come home to a dark house. The hearth sounds like a good place, too. Thanks for reading and commenting! -Nicole
Nicole: I’ve been around many sales but another one always calls my name. Thanks for sharing.
I hear ya, Bonnie {smile} .Thanks for commenting! -Nicole
My husband and I also enjoy the Elephant’s Trunk and have been going for years now. Have you ever gone to the one at the Stormville Airport in Stormville, New York? It’s not far from here. It’s divided into two sections ~ antiques and new. It’s huge so plan an spending the better part of the day there. Check it out at http://www.stormvilleairportfleamarket.com.
Happy Hunting~
Chelle
Hi Chelle! No, I’ve haven’t heard of that one! Thanks for the link – I will definitely have to check it out! Thank you for letting me know! -Nicole
Thank you so much for mentioning the flea market! I live in New York and shop in Danbury quite a bit but had no idea about the flea market just a little further up the road! I can’t wait for my next weekend off so I can take a road trip to the Elephant’s trunk Flea Market! Thanks again!
Karen, I’m happy to share one of my favorite places with you! Enjoy! – Nicole
Hi! I live in the North Okanagan in British Columbia. and I think I have found a kindred spirit! I, too , love putting my "treasures" in my flower gardens! We have no flea markets close by, but thrift stores do a good job! I especially watch for unique cookyjars such as my mother hen, and my smiling peanut – and also little ceramic houses, and a couple cute pigs. My garden is fun even if the rain has been hard on my flowers!
I’d love to visit your "Elephant’s Trunk
Pat N.
Hi Pat! Sounds like we have lots in common! I bet your smiling peanut and mother hen jars are just the cutest, and I’m sure your garden is just delightful! Thanks so much for writing me! -Nicole