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.
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I love this post so much! Thanks for sharing every bit of it!
Well, you’re welcome my dear Dolly! Thanks for the visit! xo Deb
Oh Deb, you are just such a BLESSED farmgirl! I felt like I could almost reach out and grab a fistful of that glorious white sand and let it sift through my fingers..Love the color pallet and the tones of the water! Max is one adorable guy..
I have been thinking of doing some spiffing up in my sun room this spring. Thanks for giving me a SPARK! Maybe some sand tones and more blues???
Have a great weekend!
Hi Jan! Don’t I know it… How can I fuss about not having my " dream farm " when I’ve been so blessed…? One day I WILL have chickens at the beach and MORE FLOWERS! !!! 🙂 Oh, you’ll have fun with your spiffing… You’ll send pics’ right? 🙂 Thanks for the visit! xo Deb
As a sea starved Hoosier, I really needed this post today. Your cottage is lovely and the surrounding views even more so. And the breath you take as you cross your wooden bridge is the same one I take whenever the sight of the ocean appears wherever I am. Cape Cod, Gulf Shores, Acadia, Portland… such a head clearing, body soothing sight. Thanks for the treat.
Isn’t nature the best healer? Thanks for reading Hedy and for your note! xo Deb
Thanks Deb! Our little slice of heaven is in NC and your post made me miss it all the more! Beach day is coming soon (and Indy and Rocky, our corgis, will be there too! Nothing funnier than a corgi running in the sand!)
Hi Meredith! Good for you! I’m sure you are counting the days…! People have finally stopped asking us where Max’s legs and tail are! The only thing funnier is watching him swim! Thanks for walking with us today! xo Deb
Thanks Deb! Our little slice of heaven is in NC and your post made me miss it all the more! Beach day is coming soon (and Indy and Rocky, our corgis, will be there too! Nothing funnier than a corgi running in the sand!)
Hi Meredith! Good for you! I’m sure you are counting the days…! People have finally stopped asking us where Max’s legs and tail are! The only thing funnier is watching him swim! Thanks for walking with us today! xo Deb
This was such a wonderful trip for me. The beauty of it all is breathe taking! I love the lovely desk. Thanks so much for sharing. Oh by the way I remember those out houses oh too well spiders and all!
Dear Emma, Yes, using an outhouse can be quite the experience! We have wood bee’s that love our outdoor solar shower…. I’m forever swatting at them!!! Thanks for joing us! xo Deb
I could feel myself relaxing right along with you. Love your posts!
Dear Cori, That’s the idea! Thanks for coming along! xo Deb
Hey Deb, thanks for bringing me home again. I too loved the sound of the wood planks beneath my wheels when crossing the Powder Point Bridge.
I love all of your photos. You truly are artsy-fartsy!
Pam
There you are Pam! I thought of you while I was writing this one! Thanks for coming along for the ride/walk! xo Deb
Oh Deb honey, YES, but it doesn’t go dormant during the winter. It comes to me in dreams, in moments when a scent stirs my memories of our island. I miss it so much.
Sending love to you and Boz, gosh his photos are stupendous.
You’ve inspired me to revisit photos from last summer and do my next posting about our Maine life. I’ll link to this posting. XX
Love,
Sharon Lovejoy Writes from Sunflower House and a Little Green Island
Hello dear Sharon! Sooo nice to hear from you here! I knew this one would stir your sea loving soul! I’ look forward to your Maine posting! xo Deb
Taking a break from stressful tax work for Monday’s appt. so getting to see your Northern beach cottage was a wonderful mind-break. I live on the N.C. coast , Topsail Is., so I know all about the healing of Nature and the Winter slow down from tourist. It stays warm enough almost year round here for shelling and enjoying the outdoors but, your photos made me envious. You did pick up that bottle in the sand didn’t you? What a tresure. Thanks for sharing !!
Jinx, We’ve been to the Outer Banks, Wright Museum, Kitty Hawk, and stayed in Avon for a week… It was a nice break from our long winters here! We did pick the bottle up… It wasn’t old but at least it’s not trashing up the dunes anymore! Thanks for reading! x0 Deb
Thank you for the beach time. My favorite place to spend time. We have many beaches her in Michigan, but I love the ocean…Only been there twice but I could live in your little cottage and be happy, happy, happy!
Hi Brenda! You are welcome! I think we were all over due for a trip to the beach!
Anytime near the water is good time! Thanks for reading! xo Deb
Enjoyed this post and love your blog. But my most favorite is Max Corgi! I just love him! I am partial to long-bodied, short dogs and have 2 clumber spaniels, Scout (girl) and Peabody. They too would be most happy to explore that beach path!
Thanks for the nice respite from my hectic day,
Adrienne (and Scoutie and Peebs too)
Hi Adrienne… So glad you enjoyed the post! I’ll be sure to give Max a pat for ya! xo Deb
Hi Deb, I always enjoy your blogs but this one is near to my heart and location! I’m sou’east of you accross the bay on the Cape. The landscape is very similar and in my mind I’ve always had a little cottage at water’s edge! Maybe you can give us a tour on the inside as well! Thanks for taking us along!
Hi Sandi, Thank you! Nice to hear I have a beach sister on the cape! I’ll do an inside post once we open for the season! Right now, the bbq,picnic table and fishing supplies are stored inside for the remainder of the winter! Thanks for reading! xo Deb
Love your beach blog! Farm Girl Florence
Thank you Florence! xo Deb
Absolutely beautiful! This reminds me of many of the pictures in my Hunting Island blog post. I am in love with the seashore. <3
Thank you! Glad to have you along! Hunting Island? I’ll have to check that out! xo Deb
I know the Great Lakes are not the Atlantic Ocean. But I understand how you feel about the pull…I grew up in Michigan my summers were going to Lake Huron, and I moved to Utah for 2 years and when I came back the first thing my friend and I did was drive to Tawas Beach and I walked on the sand and rolled my pants up and waded into the water…I missed it so much, its like my soul needed the nourishment of Lake Huron!
Thanks for the blog on your cabin..and I would love to drive over that wooden bridge..I love driving on them! We have a few around my neck of the woods.
Hi Kimberly! I’ve never been to the Great Lakes, but in pictures they sure look like the ocean. Thanks for the visit today! Deb xo
It is heaven to a beach-loving person like me, so many thanks for sharing so I can live vicariously through you 😉
and the Yankee, and Max 😉
p.s. I bought the Back To Eden DVD. It was inspiring, and funny thing is I started doing just that in my garden with mulch from 2 tree stumps that were grinded, so I have my "covering" in place.
Thanks, Deb!!
Hi Laura, Yay! You are ahead of me in the " covering " department… I’ve got piles ready for the chipper here at home and the cottage! Soon! That video changed the way I look at gardening forever! Thanks for the note Laura! xo Deb
What a lovely refuge! I feel renewed just reading about it!
Nancy
Wonderful! xo Deb
Oh Sure, my cabin fever is peaking and you post excquisite torture like this ;o) I think I feel better … or worse. ha. No really … Thank You for the pleasant distraction from dirty snowdrifts, ice and frozen manure piles. When do you officially declare ‘spring’ in your corner of the world? xo, shery in wyo
🙂 🙂 :)… Sorry Shery! I’ll trade ya a week at the cottage for a week on your ranch! I’d love a good sniff of your horses and I’d probably stand on a manure pile to get one! Hahahaha! Spring will be here for us sometime in mid to late April if the weather cooperates. We can have very wet and gray weather in March and April. I guess that’s Spring in our corner of the world. It’s also when the tree’s begin to leaf out which makes it official in my book! I’ve got crocus in bloom right now, but everything else is still bare and brown! Thanks for popping in on this rainy Saturday in New England! xo Deb PS. Pat the horses for me!!!
What a wonderful post Debbie! I am gonna post this in my note!
Hi Clint! Thanks! Nice of you to stop by today! Your newest raised beds are looking wonderful! Nice job ! Deb
As I read your post I swear I can smell the sea. It has been a very long, cold winter in Interior Alaska. The 5th coldest on record and one of the snowiest. Your lovely pictures and words have "un-frosted" me for a while. I love your little cottage on the sea. Thank you for sharing. I think I need a seaside vacation !:{.
Many Blessings–
Marji
Hi Margi, So thats’ where Old Man Winter has been this year? We haven’t had much to speak of here. But, I still say let the un-frosting begin!!! It’s time! Thanks for reading today!
Deb xo
What a wonderful early-March trip to the beach for ALL. Especially the gal from Alaska. We didn’t have winter here in PA either, but know AL has been frozen. We’ll soon start our weekend treks to Cape May, NJ to enjoy our cottage and start the Spring chores. But any day near the ocean is a vacation! Your photos have inspired me to snap some at our little Victorian gem by the sea, soon.
Hi Joan! I agree… It was time for a trip to the beach for ALL! Temps have been below 40 here all week… Brrrr…. Come on spring!!! Thanks for reading! xo Deb Would love to see pix of your little gem by the sea!
Deb,
What an incredible trip. Thanks for taking this land locked sea loving country girl along.
Hi Cynthia! You’re welcome.. Glad you could make it! xo Deb
I have always been a mountain loving farmgirl. Then my son married a girl from the Outer Banks. Her Grammie has a house on the ocean side with three stories of glass and a huge deck facing the water. Whenever we visit Grammie gives us the big guest room at the back that looks over the ocean. We open the sliding doors and watch the moon rise and listen to the waves crashing all night. And I have fallen in love with the ocean now, too. Love your blog and your gorgeous little Max!!
Hi Karin, Oh, blessed you are to sleep near the sea, hear the waves crash and watch the moon! So calming and magical… much like a night under the stars high in mountains under the pines, or under a big twinkling night sky in the high desert on a summers eve! It’s ALL GOOD STUFF! Thanks so much for your note! xo Deb
Oh, Deb, thanks for sharing your beautiful beach cottage and community with me. It was wonderful for my soul and dreams. I got my husband the Garden of Eden DVD for Valentine’s Day. He said it was the best gift ever..lol…we are ready to chip up everything. That will be our next purchase, a chipper. Keep sharing your shoreline……..Raynita
Hi Raynita!
You are welcome! I’m so glad you enjoyed Garden of Eden. It just makes sense doesn’t it? Thanks for reading! xo Deb
Where do I get this Garden of Eden video? Synopsis?
Inside pictures of your beach cottage?
I absolutely love reading your blog and all the retro pictures and photos.
I live in KS-no beach
We are getting ready to drive over 1000 miles to get to NC beaches.
Happy Spring Break!!!!
Hi Linda! Here is a link to the dvd.http://backtoedenfilm.com/ It’s great! As for images of thei nside of our cottage… they are mostly sprinkled throughout different blogs. Thanks for reading and Happy Spring Break!
xo Deb