Giveaway: Wild Iris Art

My farm is at the end of a long dirt road called Wild Iris Lane. It meanders through rolling hills of farmland and trees of pine, and in the summer, patches of wild iris in a wild array of lavender-tinted hues.

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  1. Laurie Dimino says:

    MaryJane,
    I love Iris because they totally remind me of my dear grandma. She used to have the most amazing gardens, and her iris were simply beautiful. She had mainly “blue” iris, but a few yellow scattered about as well. She was very proud of them, and I think they must have felt the same way about her, for they grew very well for her and stood so regal and tall. There is nothing shy about an iris. What other flower could have “a beard” yet still be so pretty and dainty?
    Would love to have the iris dish in my home! Thank you for the opportunity to win it.
    Farmgirl Hugs,
    Laurie

  2. Loyce Krogel says:

    I love iris because they catch my eye when I am in the woods. The dark purple is a welcome surprise among the greens and browns of Spring forests. I don’t grow iris but they bloom prolifically in the area I live. I see dark purple, golden yellow, cream, pale lavender and red-purple blossoms when I am in the woods. They brighten the day and make me smile.

    PS–I drive by a Wild Iris Lane when I go to town!

  3. Cathy R says:

    Iris are beautiful ~ so delicate ~ awesome colors ~ and deer leave them alone! My Mom loved iris ~ they remind me of her inter beauty and love! And I have a neice who collects iris treasures ~ if I’m the lucky winner will probably give it to her with the promise of a picture! Thanks for your generousity and delightful daily journal! Blessings, Cathy

  4. I am a botanist. I named my daughter after the dwarf lake iris, an plant endemic to the shores of my home state – Michigan. A beautiful little iris. Iris came into the world May 29th of last year. We didn’t think about the timing, but when I brought her home from the hospital, every iris in my neighborhood was in full, glorious bloom. It was a good sign.

  5. LA Brown says:

    Iris plants mean that Spring is finally here!

  6. Johanna Eldridge says:

    hmmm, what is it that brough such delight every June in that backyard of my memory? I love IRIS because they are the epitome of summer in our backyard growing up. Easy, breezy, laid back and over-the-top elegant at the same time. The spoke to me of the beauty of nature renewing itself with reckless abandon, heedless of February’s drifts of snow just 4 months before. They take the muck and the mud, the rocks and grit in the dappled border rock garden– what was just a place to discard the rocks that grew out of the lawn every spring– they take all that is unwanted and cast aside and THRIVE and SHINE amidst everything taken for granted in their quiet corner.

    Not having found a cultivar to take in the sandy soil of a Carolina barrier island as they did in the wet clay of Central New York, I have tried to recapture a smidgen of the effect with irises in our garden ponds… It’s not Monet’s Garden or my childhood backyard, by any means, but that won’t stop me from trying to recapture the Irises of Summer!!

  7. Regina Brown says:

    I love Iris because their old fashion. My Mom had them, my Aunt had them. Everybody had them when I was going up. They seemed to be the flower at the time! Bring back good memories.

  8. Wyo Di says:

    Iris, wild and oh so blue take me home to the Camas Prairie of Idaho. Those few select sites, the kind you wanted to keep a secret, along the country back roads is where they’d grow. Most likely, around old homesteads. Such a treat to find them on a Spring day traveling to the mountains! I was thrilled when I discovered them blooming our our property in western Wyoming; that site took me “home” to my childhood memories of sighting them on the Camas.

  9. Melinda Lee says:

    My Dutch Iris welcome Spring. Then in April Louisiana Iris begin to bloom. These are particularly special to me because one of my great aunts gave me a “start” of these purple iris about 25 years ago. I love the stories of pass along plants!

  10. Jenny Rummel says:

    I grow the Iris for three reasons: 1) It’s beauty
    2) My Mom gave me my first plant
    3) It’s the symbol for NAMI(National Alliance on Mental Illness) I have known many people who struggle with different mental illness. The Iris was choosen because of a painting by Vincent Van Gogh and it symbolizes strength.

  11. Julie Rufener says:

    In Central Oregon, winter is all about brown with Junipers thrown in the mix. Not much else for color if the sun refuses to show itself for days. Just as the world is coming back to life and the sun is shining again, the wild iris starts to bloom. As we enter our 3/4 mile driveway, standing along the way are these beautiful purple flags, as we call them. It just is always a reminder of the life that is lying just below the surface waiting to reappear and another chance to begin the circle of planting and harvest.

  12. Eileen Widman says:

    I Love Iris! They grace all of my gardens because of their uncompromising beauty and the fragrance that wafts across the breeze to bless my nostrils with the sweetest scent in all of the world! I love iris because they provide lovely green backdrop for many of my summer annuals and they always come back again. They have a never say die attitude. I have seen them growing along the roadside ditches where excess tubers have been dumped by gardeners that could not bear to compost them. I can’t wait for my first cuttings of them to come into my home to scent my indoor world.

  13. I only grow two iris’ – Sweet Lena that I got from you several years ago and the herbal Iris – orris root. Fragrant Iris’ both. Love them!

  14. drMolly says:

    As a botanist/plant person the simple yet elegant beauty of the flower appeals most to me. I love them. I have even transplanted some of their beauty to our “seasona” (& overflowing this year) creek by our house in Colton.

  15. Sabrena Orr says:

    Iris’ happen to be my favorite flower and also my grandma’s favorite flower. My grandma always grew iris’ and loved to share the flowers with anyone who stopped by. She gave me my first and instilled the love of gardening I have today. What a wonderful give-away. Thank you for sharing your beautiful pictures, Mary Jane!

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Giveaway: My Life in the Country WINNERS!!!!!

Thanks (I mean really thanks) to all those who shared what their favorite part about farm life is for a chance to win a copy of My Place in the Country by Jane Heim. Jane is over-the-moon happy with how many responses you left and upped her giveaway to five copies total.

I’d like to say how much I loved your responses, how awesome it is to picture women out there, in the country, knowing exactly why they made the choice to “go country” or why it’s a lifestyle of value. Your many responses have inspired me to write down why I chose, and continue to choose, country. So far, it’s been, well, carthartic. And lengthy. (Imagine that.) I love you. This journal is one of my favorite daily farm chores. Comfort Sisters indeed. Now, off to …

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  1. Laurie Dimino says:

    Congratulations to the lucky “6” winners! I am currently reading “the Dirty Life” as well and it is an excellent read! For all those looking for another good read I also suggest “BarnHeart” by Jenna Woginrich (the author of Made from Scratch).
    Definately a few books we fargirl type can appreciate!
    Thanks for offering such great giveaways MaryJane!
    Hugs,
    Laurie

  2. Joan says:

    Congratulations to all the winners Yahoooo! Enjoy!

  3. Teri Brian says:

    It’s mine! Thanks! What a great surprise. 🙂 Love your Blog Mary Jane & Jane Heim. Thanks again. Teri

  4. Teri Brian says:

    Jane,
    HaHa! I read the post so fast, I didn’t realize I was saying dibs to “The Dirty Life” by Kristen Kimball. Thanks, Mary Jane & Kristen! Both books sound wonderful. 🙂 Teri

  5. Meagan Brockway says:

    Mine please!

  6. Teri Brian says:

    Mary Jane,
    I don’t mind if you send Megan “The Dirty Life”. I can always purchase it later. Thanks again. I love your magazine, too. 🙂 Teri

  7. Meagan Brockway says:

    Teri – I am sending some good karma your way!

    • Teri Brian says:

      Thank you Meagan! And sorry I spelled your name wrong in my other post. I looked “The Dirty Life” up on Amazon and was able to read the content, it sounds like a really good book. You’ll enjoy it! 🙂 Teri

  8. Meagan Brockway says:

    Thanks Teri- don’t worry about the name thing…happens all the time!

  9. Pingback: Giveaway: My Place in the Country | Raising Jane Journal

  10. Wyo Di says:

    Well, It’s not mine, lol, but if we get to toil in the dirt, we’re all winners! Happy Spring and thanx to MaryJane!

  11. Deanna says:

    OH GREAT!!! I’m looking foward to the book, Thanks so much!!!

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Giveaway: Farmgirl Connection Cookbook

I have four extra copies of The Farmgirl Connection™ Cookbook that need four pairs of floury hands to break them in. (I’m not parting with my copy.) Have you heard of …

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  1. Laurie Dimino says:

    My Favorite all time recipe has to be for my grandmothers homemade Blueberry Pie. Why you ask? Simple- it was made entirely from scratch, using GIANT blueberries grown in my grandpas garden. He used to grow blueberries the size of quarters, and my oh my, were they sa-weet!. Of course all of the love that grandma added when she was baking the pie helped too!

  2. Heidi Bee says:

    As simple as it is, my favourite recipe is for Red Lentil Soup. The best ingredients make this a real tasty treat and the best part is… My kid loves it! I can slip in all the vegetables I want and she will gobble it up. The key to making it delicious is loads of garlic and the finest chicken stock you can get. 8 cups of stock to 2 cups of dried red lentils and add whatever veggies and spices you like (oregano, rosemary, corn and carrots are great!) Simmer away until lentils are soft and soup is thickened. Best served with fresh bread and your favourite cheese…mmmmm. It is a great way to eat up your lentils!

  3. Kathryn says:

    I was a single mom most of my kids’ growing up years and very often we did not have food money, so I literally had to make something, worth eating, out of very little. That is how “SlimPikins Casserole was born. I almost always had some form of cheese, pasta, or rice on hand. It was an all time favorite with my kids; they still ask for it when they visit me. My daughter has incorporated into her family traditions, as well.

    It is very simple to make…prepare rice or pasta ahead of time then throw in a cup or two (depending on your family size and what you have available) of leftover meat, any kind any style. Then a cup or two of whatever veggies you have on hand, canned, frozen, leftover, is thrown into the mix. Dump in any cheeses you have left, and a cup or so of milk and bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes, and VOILA! Dinner!

    • shanna says:

      I also used this one but always seemed to have a box of jiffy corn bread and mixed it up and poured over mixture , then baked. 6 kids always cleaned it up. fun and easy!

  4. Ellen says:

    My Grandma Joan’s Irish soda bread is the best! I’ve been making it with my mom since I was a young girl, and now I make it with my young girls. Sour cream is their secret ingredient. We listen to Irish music and dance in the kitchen while we’re making it. I love keeping our family traditions alive & well. My mom & her mom are from Ireland and I love talking to them about what life was like on their farm. They are great storytellers & awesome bakers! I’m so grateful to have such special memories and recipies.
    Slainte,
    Ellen

  5. Megan Corwin says:

    My favorite recipe is a crockpot chicken caccitore. Why is it my favorite? It doesn’t take much effort, but the results are fantastic.

  6. Joy says:

    My grandma’s rice pudding. My mom always used that recipe to make it for me when I was down or didn’t feel well. Now that my mom is only here in spirit, I make for those blue days. Always brings back happy memories and a warm feeling that I’m being hugged by my mom. 🙂

  7. Cathy says:

    My favorite recipes tend to be easy and good for you. By good for you, I mean that I use organic ingredients. Those ingredients may include organic, uncured Sunday bacon. I do believe that bacon is good for you, because it makes you happy (giggle). I deciphered a potato salad recipe over a few years by tasting and tasting some more until it tasted “right.” It’s a spin on German that has a distinctive Southern flare…and, of course, bacon. I will share the recipe later because I will actual have to sit down and figure out what I put in since I “eye” things a lot. I will post it as its own thread on the chatroom as cottagefarmgirl. If you like potato salad, I guarantee that you will love it.

  8. Jennifer says:

    I love anything you can cook in a crockpot. I love the easy way you can throw a crockpot recipe together and let it cook all day while you go about your business. Then it makes your whole house smell scrumptious!

  9. JJ Sommerville says:

    My favorite recipe isn’t really a true recipe, but here goes. My birthday is the first day of summer, June 21st. My birthday dinner has always been “Cornchicky hot hot hot”. It’s just BBQ chicken and fresh corn on the cob, usually the first of the year. Why the name? You know how when you are little, when your mom gives you hot food she tells you so? Well the corn and chicken hold the heat and I always burned my tongue on them anyway. 😉

  10. Nina says:

    If pressed, I’d say my favorite recipe is for breakfast strata. My husband and I have made it a Christmas morning tradition every year we can’t get home to have a big, calorie-laden Christmas breakfast with my family. I love the fact that there are infinite variations and possibilities – good local eggs and good local bread are must-haves, though.

  11. Penny says:

    I have had so many recipes that I love so to pick one is difficult, but lately I think my favorite is the rustic bread I make. Here is the link that I got the recipe from. http://theitaliandishblog.com/imported-20090913150324/2010/2/26/amazing-artisan-bread-for-40-cents-a-loaf-no-kneading-no-fus.html But I have changed it some to suit my family. My hubby loves wheat bread so I divide the flour(King Arthur) into 2 cups of wheat flour, 2 cups of bread flour and 2 1/2 cups of white flour. I also spray the tops of the loafs with water from a spray bottle instead of putting water in the oven. This bread is the easiest I’ve every made, also every time you make a new batch don’t wash the container, Hubby said that with every batch my bread taste better and better. Even the ladies that say they can’t make bread, can make this one….give it a try, you won’t be disappointed.

  12. Penny says:

    I also wanted to say, that my favorite cookbook is just as you described, taped together, pages falling out and stained from things being spilled on it while using it. I’m so lucky to have my Momma’s favorite cookbook. I love this cookbook, thank MaryJane for sharing and offering this giveaway.

  13. Kathryn Hanson says:

    Absolutely, positively: my mom’s BBQ ribs — MMMMMMMMM!!!!!

  14. Heidi Morris says:

    My biscuit recipe is my favorite recipe. It is the one recipe that all of my kids have asked for as they have left the house, even my oldest, who is a classically trained chef, wanted this recipe when he went out on his own. It is part of my oldest, most charished recipes, handed down from my grandmother to my aunt and then to me. It is a staple of our Sunday family night dinners for over 20 yrs. now, so I would say it is our family comfort food, the one that always reminds us that we are loved and blessed to have eachother.

  15. Talia Brooks says:

    I would say one of my favorites would be my Grandma’s chicken noodle gravy! It’s such a great comfort food, simply make a gravy with chicken noodle soup and pour over biscuits. It is amazing!

  16. My family’s (and mine) all time fave is meatloaf and cheesy potatoes. It’s my go to recipe. In the summer and for gatherings, I make cheesy potatoes in the crockpot and maidrites.

  17. Jan says:

    My own thrown together recipe for crockpot baked potato soup that even my pickiest grown son goes back for seconds!

  18. Dolly Sarrio says:

    My All time favorite is Mile High Chocolate Pie
    http://dollyiscooking.blogspot.com/2012/01/mile-high-chocolate-meringue-pie.html
    I have so many but that has to be my favorite.
    Thanks for the giveaway MaryJane! I would love to be entered.
    Dolly

  19. cheri says:

    My favorite recipe is for homemade bread…there is nothing quite like the aroma of fresh baked bread…everyone in the family smiles and heads straight to the kitchen as soon as the smell greets them at the front door 🙂

  20. Raynita says:

    Right now, my favorite recipe is Cinnamon Rolls made with my sourdough starter. Yum! What flavor the starter gives the dough! I make two pans just about every weekend and I have family and friends waiting for me to share:)

  21. Carissa Reid says:

    My favorite recipe is my family’s beef & noodles. My grandma used to make them and my mom has been teaching me. They are a lot of work, but so worth it.

  22. My favorite recipe or I should say my three daughters favorite recipe is my chocolate chip cookies. It is the only recipe I have memorized. Whenever my girls come home it is what they ask for every time!!

  23. Doris Campbell says:

    My favorite recipe would have to be my Big Grannys Cobbler. She lived in a 3 room house there was always a pot of pinto bean on the stove. Sometimes as many as 30 family members and friends there. Always a dessert, cold bread puddin, Banana puddin or cobbler. Loved the cobbler here’s the recipe.
    3/4 stick of butter
    1/2 cup sugar
    1/2 cup flour all purpose (in the south we use self rising no salt or baking powder)
    1/2 cup milk
    2 cups fruit
    1 tsp. baking powder
    1/4 teaspoon salt
    melt butter in baking dish in which cobbler is cooked.
    in another bowl mix sugar, flour, baking powder, salt ,milk pour over butter
    add fruit on top. do not press around edge. bake 350 for 30 minutes.
    Also great in a dutch over over camp fire. Yummmmmmmmmmmm 🙂

  24. Lise Rousseau Silva says:

    My favorite recipe was for my Great-Aunt’s sugar cookies, thin and crisp but chewy, too, lemony with a slight crunch of sugar on top. The perfect compliment to a cup of stove-top brewed coffee. Unfortunately, she made them so often she kept the recipe in her head. So, when she passed the sugar cookie recipe passed with her. I have never been able to duplicate them, and believe me, I’ve tried!

  25. Candace (sweettea) says:

    My grandmother was a depression-era frugal farmgirl who never had a farm. She did have a large city lot though and was able to keep chickens, a large garden, grapes, and a few fruit trees. I remember grandma sitting on a bench outside her backdoor pitting cherries for cherry cobbler in the warm summer sunshine. This is her recipe. The recipe calls for a number 2 can of sour cherries for those of us who don’t have a cherry tree in the backyard.

    Grandma Sillman’s Cherry Cobbler

    Serves 6

    Sour Cherries ( No. 2 can)
    ½ cup Sugar
    1 Tb. Cornstarch
    ¼ tsp Salt
    1 Tb. Lemon juice
    1 Tb. Butter

    Biscuit Topping:
    1 ¼ cups Flour
    1 ½ Tb. Sugar
    1 ½ tsp. baking powder
    4 Tb. Shortening
    1/3 cup Milk

    Cook 1 cup juice, cornstarch, sugar, and salt until it boils 1 minutes. Add lemon juice and butter. Put cherries in greased casserole and pour liquid over it. Top with biscuit topping. Bake 400° for 20 to 25 minutes.

    Of course, this recipe would be perfect if adapted for use with the Farmgirl Budget Mix.

  26. Steffenie says:

    My favorite recipe(s) are those shared with me by my Husband’s Aunt Rosie on her visits to our small Texas ranch from Long Island NY. There is nothing written down and some ingredients are a challenge to find but I love being able to bring the Country Italian foods that my husband grew up with to our table.

  27. Caron VanSlyke says:

    I make something called Brownie Delight that starts with a large baked brownie, and then chocolate pudding, cream cheese and cool whip are added on top! it’s a hit every time I take it to a dinner!

  28. Chrissy says:

    On the mornings I don’t have to rush, I like to make a one dish skillet wonder, by frying some bacon, then frying a small potato with a little onion in the bacon grease, green pepper, and mushrooms,(if available) until done. Beat an egg with a half teaspoon of water and pour over the hot potatoes. The egg will cook quickly. Lay a slice of American cheese over the top and with the heat off place a lid over until the cheese melts. Serve with the bacon, and a hot buttered biscuit and some fruit. You can cook a little sausage instead of the bacon, leaving it in the skillet while cooking the potato and all. Yes, this is hearty, I usually follow it by eating a much lighter or no lunch and when I have hard work to do.

  29. Cheryl Nolan says:

    My all time favorite recipe has no official name, it is simply referred to as “the fish dish”. I learned it from a college roommate who learned it from her boyfriend. It’s so simple, and yet, its freshness and adaptability make it my “go to” recipe. Many of the ingredients can be increased or decreased as desired. I tend to be heavy-handed with the garlic, basil and feta.

    It never fails to impress-I’ve used it at home to cook for my parents, for other friends and a boyfriend. The ease means you can spend more time socializing and the simple ingredients make it easy on the budget.

    It tastes like a warm spring or summer day on an Italian coast.

    Directions:
    Choose a light tasting, boneless, white fish (i.e., orange roughy, cod, halibut, sole, tilapia) (you can also substitute chicken)
    In a large skillet, in 2 tablespoons olive oil, saute 1 large sweet onion and 1-2 cloves of garlic 3-5 minutes or until onions halfway cooked.
    Add 1-2 large cans of chopped, peeled tomatoes (depending on the amount of fish/chicken you have to cook) and bring to a light simmer.
    Add and cook your protein in the tomato base-the sauce should just cover the protein
    cover with a layer of fresh basil, stems removed, cut in small slivers chiffonade-style (amount to your liking, I use at least 1/3 cup).
    A few minutes later, heavily sprinkle crumbled feta cheese (again, I like a lot), cook just until the feta melts, no need to cover the pan.
    Add fresh cracked pepper and salt to taste.
    Serve over steamed rice or potatoes.

    It even tastes great as leftovers-if there’s any left.

  30. Lorie says:

    I would have to say my favorite recipe is for lasagna. I love all the tastes that come together. I could eat it all the time with homemade garlic bread. Just thinking of it makes me hungry.

  31. Debbi Downs says:

    My family always requests my chicken n dumplings and yeast rolls. Thin dumplings are my secret and the rolls are Gran’s recipe since she was 14. Always a crowd pleaser.

  32. Eileen Widman says:

    I have so many favorite foods. The main thing is that they must be home made from scratch using Organic ingredients and farm fresh raw dairy products. No GMO grains and as local as I can find or grow myself.
    The freshest greens from my garden made into a quick stir-fry. Winter soups made from my frozen or home canned veggies and locally grown organic grass fed, no grain fed beef. Home grown eggs and chickens. Summer cold soups made from freshly juiced ingredients. Raw borscht is one! Apple Pie for me Cherry pie for my husband. How on earth do I pick just one. In winter a fresh hot home made soup. In Spring a fresh greens salad or stir-fry , in summer a fresh fruit and cottage cheese salad, in fall hot squash soup with crusty home made bread to sop it up.

  33. Mandy Horr says:

    ONE of my favorite recipes is my grandpa’s favorite cookie. They were sugar cookies that we made the dough for and then made a raisin filling for them. We’d lay a sugar cookie dough circle down, add a spoonful of the raisin filling and then put another circle on top. Seal the edges, brush with water and then sprinkle with sugar and bake. They are so soft and yummy. We always make them at Christmas and they remind me of my grandpa who has been gone for many years.

  34. What a fun giveaway! My current favorite recipe is this one: http://coldantlerfarm.blogspot.com/2012/01/crusty-bread-in-five-minutes-son.html. I’ve tried and failed at bread for years, and this is the first recipe that’s given me confidence to try again!

  35. Bunny St. Clair says:

    My favorite recipe from family is my Mom’s fried chicken cooked in a cast iron skillet. My favroite recipe that is “my” recipe is pineapple upside down cake — also cooked in a cast iron skillet. I do most all my cooking in cast iron.

  36. Penny says:

    An obvious choice for those with a little Norwegian in their background, but an inexplicable mystery to others. Favorite has got to be LEFSE. This description will do it no justice, but it’s a thin “tortilla” made w mashed potatoes, spread w butter, and sprinkled w sugar. Then it is quartered and rolled. And don’t be skimping on the butter and sugar. It’s still a staple at holiday meals and am fortunate to have a sister willing to carry on the tradition.

  37. missy says:

    My favorite recipe is 878-2583 Okay okay it’s actually the telephone number of my favorite Chinese restaurant I call for take out but in my world it’s a recipe to me!! lol

    My favorite recipe is any NEW one I can get my hands on from my mom’s TOP SECRET recipe box.

    hugs
    -missy-

  38. Jean says:

    LOVE COOKBOOKS!!!!!
    I want to put my floured hands on it! I remember helping Mom in the kitchen, making pot pie and some people call it dumplings. But I loved rolling out the dough. She kept things in her head. Little of this and that.

  39. beth says:

    too many favorites!!! my mothers pot roast, my grandmothers fried chicken, her cinnamon rolls which none of us have been able to copy since there was no recipe and she used potato water and mashed potatoes in the dough. no bake cookies, my mothers choc chip cookies, mine are never the same, recipe on the chip bag, must be the difference in ovens? my grandmothers lep cookies which spent the fall in reused pickle jars in the attic so they could “age”. another recipe no one else can master.

  40. Melanie says:

    I have so many favorite recipes…I’ll share one of my favorite chicken recipes with you. It’s easy and delicious! Take boneless chicken breasts, pound them into thin cutlets, and dip into a mixture of melted butter and fresh garlic. Then dip into a mixture of bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Roll up, secure with a toothpick, and bake in a 350 degree oven until done (approx 25-30 min). I hope I win one of your cookbooks; I’m a recipe and cookbook fanatic! 😉

  41. Cathy R says:

    Oh I’d love to put floured hands on one of the cookbooks! I have a lot of favorites ~
    for winter it has to be Caesar Salad 101 by Martha Stewart ~ with extra garlic!
    Thanks for your generous giveaway! Blessings from across the ridge, Cathy

  42. Turtle says:

    How perfect! A tried and true collection of simple, real home recipes! My favorite basic no nonsense recipe is my great aunts buttermilk biscuits. There is nothing unique or really original about it but it always makes good flaky biscuits. My great aunt taught me to make them one visit to the farm more than 35 years ago during the cow slaughter time. (on an interesting note my aunt was blind, her husband, my uncle was deaf. They were happily married more than 60 years and lived forever on a decent sized vermont dairy farm.)

  43. Teri Brian says:

    Mary Jane, my favorite recipe is baked pork chops. Place 4 pork chops in a baking dish, cover with 1 can mushroom soup & 1 can milk. Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees. Serve with mashed potatoes and vegetable or salad. I love this dish because it has so much flavor. It’s comfort food and makes you feel good. Thanks! 🙂 Teri

  44. Monica says:

    My favorite recipe is a Pistachio Cake recipe that was my grandmothers. She made the cake for special occassions all the time. I feel so blessed to have that part of her with me still. She passed away in 1991. My kids never got to meet her , but i share stories about her everytime i make the cake. They feel much more connected to the wonderful woman i knew!

  45. My favorite recipe? You do this to me every time with these “favorite” questions. I have top tens of everything because I can’t pick a favorite book, food, color, etc., Or, I have subcategories with a favorite in each category. Fav dessert, fav veggie side, fav quick bread, fav soup, fav tray bake, fav pizza – you get the idea. But, I want to earn a copy of this Farmgirl Connection cookbook (Oh boy, do I want a copy!) so I’ll spin my recipe box and see which recipe it points to. Be right back…
    Ok, I’m back. My recipe spinner picked “Spaghetti Carbonara”. I never had this dish growing up. But, ever since getting my own hens and fresh eggs, I have recently learned to make this incredibly comforting, easy and delicious food and it has skyrocketed to the top of our family’s favorite list. Because really, who can resist bacon and eggs pasta? Genius!

    Spaghetti Carbonara
    1 lb dried spaghetti or other pasta like bucatini or fettucini, cooked according to package instructions in salty water. Reserve a cup of hot pasta water before draining.
    1/2 pound of bacon, cooked ’til crisp, chopped
    1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (optional)
    1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese plus more for serving
    Handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped (optional)
    3 eggs plus 1 egg yoke
    splash of cream, half n half or milk
    salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

    In a large heatproof serving bowl beat the eggs, egg yolk, cheese, & cream. Work quickly to put the hot drained pasta into the egg and cheese mixture and stir vigorously to allow the heat of the noodles to cook the sauce without making scrambled eggs. Use some of the hot reserved pasta water as needed so that the pasta looks evenly coated with the sauce. Stir in the bacon, tomatoes and parsley. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

  46. Ashley says:

    My favorite recipe is probably my coconut macaroon’s salad.

    Preheat the oven to 325F. Cover cookie sheets with parchment paper or well-greased aluminum foil.
    Stir together until well combined:
    2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
    1 large egg white
    1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
    1/8 teaspoon salt
    Stir until well blended:
    3 1/2 cups flaked or shredded sweetened coconut
    Drop the dough by scant measuring tablespoonfuls onto the sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake, 1 sheet at a time, until the cookies are nicely browned, 20
    to 25 minutes. Remove the sheet to a rack and let stand until the cookies are completely cool. Carefully peel the cookies from the paper or foil.

  47. Ashley says:

    oops I didn’t mean salad on my comment

  48. Linda says:

    My fav. has to be German Chocolate Pound Cake-the “real” one from years ago. The one from Adam’s Best Flavorings/Extracts that you could pull a copy of the recipe off a pad in the grocery store. It’s gooey moist at the top center (if you don’t over cook it), not too sweet, and very addictive! It’s a childhood memory recipe and I still love it! You can still get it on their website. YUM!

  49. Elizabeth says:

    My favorite recipe is my mom’s chocolate chip cookies…basically just the recipe off the Tollhouse chocolate chips bag! They’re so good though, and have to be made by my mom to taste the sweetest to me!

  50. Joan says:

    My favorite recipe is my very own chicken pot pie from scratch. Love it, love it, love it, oh and did I say love it.

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Giveaway: My Place in the Country

Hold yer’ horses, we’ve got another giveaway! These two handspun workbooks were sent to me this week, and their author, Jane Heim, is offering them to whoever would give them a read, and her some feedback. All you have to do to win is answer what your favorite part about farm life is (below in the comments section), and my grandbaby StellaJane will pick the two winners from a hat. Jumpin’ Jehoshaphat! I sure do love my community of Janes.

Click here to see our winners!

  1. Laurie Dimino says:

    My favorite part about my “farm” life is the connection with nature and the overall calmness that comes over you when you are working on the farm. I live in suburbia and have laying hens and raised bed gardens, and will be adding to our “farm” next weekend with the addition of two baby rabbits. My “farm” is “small” just 3/4 acre, but it is my little piece of paradise. The satisfaction of harvesting your own food is such a great feeling. Thank you for the opportunity to win “My Place in The Country”.
    Farmgirl Hugs,
    Laurie

  2. drMolly says:

    I would say that my favorite part of “farm life” is the fact that I can be closer to the “real world” with my interaction with my animals (chickens & rabbit), my work in my gardens (get my hands dirty with real soil) and my orchard & berries. I was born to be a “farmer” just was not in the right place at the right time, I guess, but this way I can touch it.

  3. Rebecca Walsh says:

    I only “farm” in my flower garden but live in the middle of what used to be an old farm. I love the sounds, birds before dawn, spring peepers in spring, dogs barking at twilight, Gun shots echo in fall, the occasional bawling cow or whinny of a horse, turkey gobbling in early morning. And the view from my ridge cannot be beat at sunrise and sunset!

  4. To know that I participate in life. I can stir up a bit of soil, anywhere, plant a seed and an entire series of effects begins, which I shall watch over and nurture. Depending upon the seed, I may be feeding many people, or a few birds who brighten my day. even the lowly thistle , with it’s brilliant purple flower gives me an empty husk at season’s end , that I may decorate it for an indoor display. To know that these skills are portable, even into a city, where I can take a tiny 1/4 acre of land on a busy street corner and turn its bare ground into a “Garden of Eatin'”.

  5. Gayle J says:

    My favorite part of farm life is watching everything grow and mature ,from the beginning to the end. The smells, sounds,sights… all the senses are used in farming.

  6. Evelyn Dalton says:

    My favorite thing has to be that my life runs on my schedule and Mother Nature’s of course. We homeschool as well, so we can incorporate whatever we see necessary each day. My children are exposed to a more real and nature way of life. They know what it takes to feed our family, how necessary every step is, etc. There is no way I’d willingly trade this.

  7. Dolly Sarrio says:

    I love it all! The peacefulness, the beauty, the wildlife. The ability to see the stars at night without lights hindering that….beautiful sunrises and sunsets. I do love the chickens and animals although so much that they all have names and I am not a great pioneer woman can’t eat my own chickens..Simple, country living at the end of our 1/4 mile dirt drive is what I love. Thanks for the giveaway.
    Hugs from Dolly.

  8. Sara Thompson says:

    What cute booklets.
    My favorite part of farm life is the quiet and the stillness. It just seems like we are closer to nature when we wake to birds singing instead of traffic noises or the garbage truck.

  9. Wyo Di says:

    Fresh air, digging in the dirt (aka gardening be it vegetable or flower), knowing your food source, baby animals, fresh eggs, and just simply connecting to Mother Earth and enjoying the calmness. My heritage comes from folks who lived off the land; something I’m so very proud of.

  10. Betty Shreve says:

    My favorite part of farm life…the smell of a new born calf, hearing the song of the pigs waiting to be fed,milking the cow twice a day, picking fresh vegetables for dinner and canning, working in the hayfield with family and friends, and gathering for a big family farm style dinner after a long day working on the farm, complete with homemade bread and homemade butter, outside in the shade of the big old trees. Then a rest in the hammock, watching clothes dry on the line.

  11. Jennifer Venable says:

    There isn’t one thing I can say I dislike about farm living. However, if I had to choose a very favorite it would be the peacefulness I feel when I am working with my animals and taking care of their needs. They are instant stress relief and therapy for my soul. They offer so much to me in return for feeding, watering, and loving them. It’s truly a wonderful life.

  12. Jenny Pipes says:

    My favorite part of farm life is the animal friends for sure. My beloved cow MOna meets me with a smile in her eyes each time I go out back and provides our family with milk, yogurt, cheese, cream and an adorable calf each year. My sheep provide companionship for Mona and wool for me to spin and knit with. The chickens and ducks provide eggs and the turkeys are not only fun to watch but provide our holiday meals. (this year we will have second generation turkeys…Lucille is sitting on a nest!!) Even the dogs and cats have their place and provide so much to my life. Life is good.

  13. kristen stone says:

    The thing I love about farm life is everything is hands on and you can grow anything you like, raise the animals and know what care they have been given as well as what they have been fed. There is no way to know what you get in a store but if you raise it or grow it yourself you know where it comes from .

  14. My “farm” is in suburbia :). We have a small piece of land, and a small house…BUT…we are working it! Last year, I built a few boxes and did “lasagne” gardening, the yield of tomatoes & cucumbers was staggering. This year, I am actually planning our food based on space, preference, and water use (it gets pretty darn hot here..). We also got two chickens :), both just started laying a week or so ago. They were liviing in my pantry, and we finished the new coop the day Pepper laid her first egg! 1 egg each..my son is just thrilled, and I am not allowed to use them until he fills a “dozen”. I love connecting to my land.

  15. Tammy D says:

    Living in a metro area makes me miss the farm life and the serenity that it exudes. The quietness to hear yourself think or to think problems through. The ability to connect with the land. I think the thing I loved the most about living on a farm was the community around it – the people just seem to be more grounded and down to earth.

  16. Amy says:

    My favorite part of “Farm Life” is the fresh air and realness of providing for my family. No fake food, no fake environment. Just the Real stuff!

  17. Cathy R says:

    It’s my little “heaven on earth” and produces all of the fruit of the Spirit ~ love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faithfulness……and it’s in Idaho! Thank you for the giveaway ~ so fun! Blessings, Cathy

  18. Pat Lacy says:

    Nature and nurture…

  19. Colette says:

    My favorite part of farm life is waking up in the morning and hearing the noises the animals make as they go about their day. I can hear the ducks talking to each other as they sift through the mud puddles as they search for goodies. The rooster announces his presence to his non existent rivals while the hens cluck and let us know they have laid today’s egg. The pigs grunt and snuffle through the grass, digging up juicy roots and grubs. Sometimes the goats will escape and stand on the porch, looking through the door window for us and hoping we will come play with them. The sound of new chicks in a plastic bin in the living room, cheeping and scratching and growing. All these sounds remind me of why it is I love to live on a farm.

  20. Debra L says:

    My favorite part is getting up having my coffee, and going out to collect my eggs. Growing my own food and eating it fresh.

  21. Joan says:

    Okay this is a little different for me. I don’t have a farm but what I do have is a backyard garden that we grow vegetables all year long. We have two huge potted plants that grow strawberries. When I come down for my breakfast, I sit in my country decorated kitchen, open the backdoor and just sit at the table listening to the beautiful sounds of all the Blue Jay, Robins, and tiny Sparrows. Then of course my cat jumps on my lap and wants to catch them….This is my little farm… not a traditional farm but it works for me. Hugs, Joan

  22. Janice Aisquith says:

    My favorite part is when Spring is coming, and the garden will soon be started. I always get excited about that because I know that soon after that I will be canning all the wonderful things I have grown, and the fruits of that labor will last for months to come. It’s always especially rewarding when you are watching that first snowfall while enjoying something grown from your garden back when the weather was warm!

  23. Meagan Brockway says:

    My favorite part of farm life is my ability to connect on a deeper level with the things I hold dear- my family, animals, and a commitment to living as close to natural as possible. I love using my antique tractor to plow and feel a connection to history and those that used it before me. I have a bakery on my farm where I utilize the eggs that my chickens produce and other ingredients from neighboring farms. My horses are pampered and fed homemade horse treats and carrots from the garden fertilized by their own horse manure compost. My husband loves my cheddar and broccoli soup made with fresh broccoli from the backyard garden. It may be a little (or a lot…) more work than the mega grocery store, fast paced life but I wouldn’t trade it for anything!

  24. Turtle says:

    The daily connection to the natural life, the earth, it’s seasonal changes, smells, sounds… you don’t find that in a concrete building! 🙂

  25. BONNIE says:

    MY MOST FAVORITE THING ABOUT FARM LIFE IS IN THE FALL WHEN THE ANIMALS LITTLE MUZZLES ARE STEAMING IN THE BRISK MORNING AIR. GOING OUT TO DO CHORES AND STOPPING TO WATCH THE CHICKENS AND PIGS FORAGING FOR EDIBLE REMNANTS OF SUMMER PAST. THERE IS JUST SOMETHING ABOUT THE FALL THAT MAKES FARM LIFE SO SOOTHING. THE COLLISION OF BRISK FALL AIR AND THE TRAIL OF WOOD STOVE SMOKE MAKES FOR A SPECTACULAR VIEW AND THE SMELL IS SO ENCHANTING. I DO LOVE FALL ON THE FARM.

  26. Jenny Rummel says:

    I love the tranquility farm life brings. Even when working there is a unique peacefullness intertwined with the labor. Maybe that’s it. Work does not seem like work. The labor presents more joy and satisfaction…moving at my own pace, getting to enjoy my accomplishments and feeling connected to nature. I do love watching my hens muck about the yard. They are very silly beasts! And I love having my pugs supervise everything going on…like making sure I plant seeds correctly and that the hens behave themselves.

  27. Heidi says:

    My favorite part about farm life is waking up knowing that though I will wear myself out today doing chores, I am making a difference in the lives of those I love. My hubby will not eat systemic pesticide laced veggies, hormone and antibiotic riddled beef and chicken, and he will not be having any high fructose corn syrup today. Amen.

  28. Eileen Widman says:

    My favorite part of Farm Life, The fun of sharing my eggs and produce with people who drive by on their way to some sightseeing point of interest. Or the kids who bike up my driveway on their tour of America and ask for water. Having a great conversation with these folks and telling them what I love about my farm and actually showing them where and how things grow! I am always surprised about how little interaction they have had with the real stuff of life like where potatoes grow! I have had more fun showing them where the potatoes are when they look at the plants and ask well when do they get potatoes on them? When I plunge my hand into the dirt and pop them up out of the ground still attached to their umbilical cords. I love everything about my life!

  29. GrandmaLen says:

    My favorite part of my farm (my 1/3 acre in the middle of a historic small town) is hearing my chicks asking to get out of their coop in the morning or telling me there’s another egg in the nest. I love to shovel the garden – a rhythm of self and nature develops and the work’s soon done. And then I love to see the newly planted seeds breaking through the soil; the first set of leaves; the first squash flower; a cucumber warmed by the sun; my grandchildren’s grins when they taste the early strawberries; my hometown farm – I love it. My favorite part of my farm is the knowledge that God is good and I am blessed.

  30. Amber T. says:

    My favorite part of our ‘urban farm life’ is that I constantly use nature to teach my children. Teaching my sons to plant and seed, nurture it and then reap the rewards? SO much better than television. Mother Earth is such a fine place for me to enjoy life with my family and learn and grow with them. It restores our peach and happiness.

  31. Deanna says:

    I live in rural Wyoming, and what I love of the farm life is the closeness you get to nature, fresh grown corn, fresh beef, fresh eggs. For me, it’s supporting the local farms by buying there products!!

  32. Teri Brian says:

    Mary Jane,
    My favorite part of farm life, besides the peace & quiet, is the feeling of being connected to the earth. I love the feel of the soil, the smells, the knowing that your efforts will create wonderful bounty. I love the sight of a star studded sky, that spreads in all directions. I love the feeling of belonging.
    Thanks for the chance to win. 🙂 Teri

  33. Majal says:

    I love watching seeds sprout! It seems like magic, every time!! Right now, we are starting seeds for our first market garden in the greenhouse, and having one of these workbooks would be great for organizing in a pretty way!

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photo-of-the-day

  1. "Auntie" says:

    Precious fence, around what must be a lovely older home…

    “…the sun coming out after a spell of March rain ………. The countryside glistens and the sound of the brooks running between ferny banks is music.”
    ~Gladys Taber

  2. Debbie says:

    Hey! That’s my picket fence MaryJane! 🙂 From a pinin’ for Pickets!
    Love it… Picket fences are right up there in the farmgirl romance department in my book!
    Deb

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photo-of-the-day

Our winter wonderland from last week. This week the snow is melting.

  1. Laurie Dimino says:

    What an ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL view! Here on Long Island, ole man winter never really hit us. One itsy bitsy snow that fell on a Saturday and was all gone by Tuesday. Nothing like the weather we had last winter here when we had record snow falls. They mysteries of Mother Nature are alive and well.
    Thank you for sharing such a gorgeous picture.

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photo-of-the-day

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Great Find: Motivational Sign SOLD!

Looking for a lil somethin’ to motivate ya? Positive affirmations, when seen every day, have the power to change your mindset and steer you toward your goals …

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  1. Susie says:

    Love it ! So true 🙂

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Giveaway: Winner of Maggie’s Organics Hoodie!

Drum roll pleeeez …

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  1. Laurie Dimino says:

    CONGRATULATIONS! Enjoy this beauty of a hoodie!

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