Buy props used in MaryJane’s books and magazine!
5% of profits will benefit www.firstbook.org, a non-profit that provides new books to children from low-income families throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Here’s how:
MaryJane will post a photo and a description of a prop and its cost along with a few details as to its condition here: https://shop.maryjanesfarm.org/MaryJanesCurations. It’s a playful way to be the new owner of a little bit of farm herstory.
Hi MaryJane- we are at Daytona Beach and THIS morning I am looking out at the ocean and the inner coastal waterway where life is calm. The police called me at 5am this morning to ask if I had any safety concerns to being before the judge this morning at 9 am. It occurred to me the guy might get out on bail! He is only 19 years old and already has a hefty criminal record. This breaks my heart . He certainly wasn’t born with the desire to spend his life in jail. Other than a stress headache to beat the band yesterday, I am so lucky and my life this morning is blessed! But I am left felling we have much to do in our nation to pull kids up and out of poverty and see that they get an education and a chance to live lives like we do. I kept thinking about that yesterday being the 4th of July. We are not all free today in our country because our jails are full of kids that never got a chance.
Thank-you MaryJane for your sweet response of caring. It meant a lot to me. I am so glad I picked up your magazine at Tractor Supply one December. I never guessed it would lead to new friends and so much love and caring all the miles between Idaho and Florida!!
I was hoping to hear from you. Happy to think of you on the beach letting the waves help wash it away. What is that famous quote, something like, none of us are free until all of us are free? We have a young man here we employ that we’ve stuck with (going on three years) through thick and thin, in and out of jail, probation officers, ankle bracelets, etc. Up until a couple of weeks ago we drove him to jail every Friday night for weekend stays (hubby loaded him up on books to read). In addition to my husband, who has taken it upon himself to parent him, he has probation officers, judges, and counselors who are also there for him. He has a good work ethic but has made the WORST decisions about booze, money, etc. He helped us haul hay yesterday for the 4th. Knowing everyone was going out to celebrate and party last night, I said as he was leaving, “Straight and narrow tonight, K bud?” He said, “I promise.” It’s been two steps forward, one step back. We also recently hired his new room mate who we think is a good influence on him. It’s all about opportunities and people believing in you, right? When a kid grows up without that, well, guess what can happen?
MaryJane, what a loving and important thing you and Nick are doing to try and help your young farm helper who got so sidetracked from a healthy and productive life when he was too young to understand all the consequences. Once they reach adulthood and have been in and out of the justice system , change comes so hard and jail itself just hardens them even further. I once was doing a health day focus for a group of 7th graders and the teacher made a remark to me how the one thing that kept him teaching was the need of the huge numbers of “throw away kids” . Throw away kids was a term that hit right to the matter. We have all seen kids whose moms or parents have no parenting skills or real desire to help their kids have a chance at life. As babies, the moms get lots of attention but the the child grows older and care becomes a challenge, the parent is too busy with her own limitations to care. The kid just grows up with lots of exposure to crime and little or no supervision. By 7th grade they are behind grade wise and already getting involved in risky behaviors. Throw away kids in our country? It is unthinkable but it is true. Thomas Jefferson had no idea when he penned the words of the Declaration of Independence that we would be so indifferent to our children. But then , he was a slave owner by choice. That issue and poverty have kept so many deserving children and young people from ever having what we take for granted. I commend you for trying to give someone a chance. I know it is very hard. I want to think that perhaps love and gritty Farmgirl stance will win in the end!! You are a role model!