We need to find meaning. We need to be useful. We need to know that who we are matters. I give, you give, we all give.
Winnie Nielsen says: I love those burlap roses! What a perfect addition to an outdoor wreath. If I had a barn, I would want a wreath like that to hang somewhere and add that touch of Farmgirl presence!
Mary Jane, I hope you have a very Merry Christmas with your family tomorrow!! I count having the opportunity to meet you this past summer as one of my greatest blessings of 2013~! Farmgirls Unite!
Winnie Nielsen says: Love the simplicity with limited colors. It looks perfect for Idaho farm interiors too!
Simple and beautiful!!! I just love the pine cones, and the ones on the cover of the recent issue too! My honey and I try to go up to the mountains early November and gather pine cones that have fallen from the Ponderosa Pines and Blue Spruce. We use them for decorating and for fire starters for our soapstone woodstove.
Christiane Berry says: Beautiful colors of Christmas. Must ask is this re-cyclying and re-using at it’s best is this container and another one on a post made or recycled tires or snowmobile rubber tracks…they are very creative.
MaryJane says: Yes, used vehicle tires. Our local hardware store sells them.
An educational, green way to fund-raise for your school or favorite organization, The Equal Exchange Fund-raising Program allows donors to buy high-quality, delicious products while supporting small-scale farmers and artisans who, in turn, support their communities and the environment. The fund-raiser features Equal Exchange’s organic and fairly traded coffee, tea, cocoa, and healthy snacks, and Ten Thousand Villages’ handmade and fairly traded crafts and gifts from small-scale artisans around the globe.
An added bonus? Kids learn about where their food comes from and how everyday actions as small as buying a candy bar can affect farmers and families around the world. Perfect for school fund-raisers that typically feature cheap products and low-quality candy, Equal Exchange even provides free, downloadable lesson plans and short videos for the classroom.
“Our Equal Exchange fund-raiser was much more than a fund-raiser; it was a vehicle that sparked conversations among our students, faculty, and parents about how our behaviors and practices in our own community impact communities across the globe. Besides, it’s easy to choose organic and fair trade when it tastes great!”
– Brimmer and May School
Winnie Nielsen says: This is a fabulous program! I wish every school would choose something like this instead of the usual wrapping paper and boxed candy!
Winnie Nielsen says: How did the women of years past create such beautiful and long lasting handwork when they had no modern conveniences like today?
I never tire of seeing photos of vintage linens. While reading Winnie’s comment, I was reminded of a newspaper clipping that I found years ago in our family Bible. It was of my Great Aunt’s wedding ceremony. The clipping not only spoke of the wedding itself but also of the gifts that were received at her shower, all handwork. Embroidered, tatted or crocheted bed linens and table linens. It was a treat to read and I would love to see this tradition brought back.
Terry Steinmetz says: I love the linens as well. I am constantly picking up pieces at garage sales or our thrift shops. My glamper & house has plenty to go around. Sometimes I just look at them and wonder who made this ot that & how did they use it.
Have you heard of Team Rubicon, a group that provides disaster relief? Here’s a letter we received yesterday:
I just wanted to let you know that we love your product. We were on the ground in Tacloban, Philippines, 4 days after the storm hit doing relief work and setting up operations for our teams out there. Conditions that first week were challenging and extreme. We never complained, and your instant (just add water) pouches of food sure helped.
We ate the awesome Outrageous Outback Oatmeal in the mornings and fought over the Shepherd’s Pie in the evening. We didn’t have the luxury of taking a lot of them, but when the 15 of us were able to sit down to eat them, it was all smiles.
I have some photos of us enjoying it, if you’d like them. We’d love to stay in touch and take them with us on our next deployment. We’re exploring the possibility of heading back there in the coming weeks.
Thanks!
Kirk Jackson
“The story of Team Rubicon was written by a team of eight who travelled to Haiti to provide aid immediately after the 2010 earthquake. Today, that story is continued through the service of over 8,000 strong. The phrase “burn the boat” refers to the general, who upon landing on the enemy’s shore, orders his men to burn the boats so that there is no path other than forward toward victory. From Joplin to Burma to Rockaway Beach, we’ve crossed the Rubicon. Now, we burn the boat.”
Find out how you can support or join the team at http://www.teamrubiconusa.org.
And take a minute to watch their awesome video. Just AWESOME!
Winnie Nielsen says: Awesome! What an endorsement of your products as well. At a time like they were in, a delicious , hot , organic meal was so perfect. Mary Jane to the rescue!!
Karlyne says: You have a great team – they have a great team!
Chris says: Found this post while looking for that awesome oatmeal. I couldn’t exactly remember what it was, but it really hit the spot (that’s me in the top photo). Looks like I’m on the right track to buy a few for the next time we head out – either camping or on a response!
Thanks!
MaryJane says: So very pleased to finally, well sorta, meet you Chris. Properly. I must confess, we’ve been turning your photo into a food label so you’ve been on our radar (computer screens) and lying around here and there on our desks for quite some time. Keep in mind that “we’re” a room full of women and you’ve taken on the status of George Clooney in our design studio. If you didn’t find what you were looking for over on our product/shop area, let me know, “we’d” be glad to help you. No doubt:)
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.
how winter lovely! Looks like queen Annes lace ( a wild carrot actually ) or is it Fennel? Both are in the same family.
Around here it’s called cow’s parsnip. I call them floating doilies.
Again, amazing snow art at your farm. The Winter beauty is breathtaking out there!
Yes have heard of cow’s parsnip , didn’t know that’s what it was. I like your name ” floating doilies” an apt term indeed.
Happy New Year”s MaryJane, and remember to celebrate with your sweet cows! Maybe with some old fashioned parsnip wine? Apropos and perfect for the cows, since they love parsnips, fodder beets and stock carrots too. Makes their milk creamier and sweeter.