Monthly Archives: December 2015

Hear Ye!

Posted on December 11, 2015 by maryjane

Welcome New Sisters! (click for current roster)

Merit Badge Awardees (click for latest awards)

My featured Merit Badge Awardee of the Week is … Nikki Hurlbut!!!

Nikki Hurlbut (#5131) has received a certificate of achievement in Make it Easy for earning a Beginner, Intermediate & Expert Level Make it Easy Merit Badge!

“I had my latest daughter in Jan of this year. I am in the National Guard, so I am required to get back down to weight and physical fitness in 180 days.

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Starting in March, it came time to start losing the weight. My family and I started eating organic farm-raised eggs (which we usually do, but we were more strict about it), drinking raw milk when I was able to, and cooking with coconut oil instead of vegetable oil. I ran every day and was able to lose weight quickly.

To lose more weight for my National Guard requirements, I increased my workout. This consisted of running every day, eating a light breakfast (which was difficult since I wasn’t use to eating breakfast at all), a small lunch and snack during the day, and a healthier dinner for the whole family.

In Sept of this year, I ran my first 5K. I didn’t finish last, so I am very happy about that. I have lost a total of 60lbs since the beginning of my journey. I am extremely happy about the results!”

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Posted on December 10, 2015 by maryjane

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GIVEAWAY: “Farmgirl Sisterhood, Hearts a-Flutter”

Posted on December 10, 2015 by maryjane

WINNER SELECTED, 2/15/16
And our winner is … Rachele (see winner’s post here).

Original post:

For a chance to win a free, one-year membership to my Farmgirl Sisterhood (6,700 members strong and growing!), tell me how MaryJanesFarm connects you to other women in the comments below. I’ll toss your name into a hat and draw a lucky winner sometime mid-February.

As a member of the Farmgirl Sisterhood, you’ll have exclusive access to our monthly Sister Issue newsletter; get extra tips, discounts, and opportunities; participate in our Merit Badge program (think Girl Scouts for grown-ups); and more. Read all about it at FarmgirlSisterhood.org.

Stay tuned for more magazine-related giveaways! If you’re not yet a subscriber to my magazine, MaryJanesFarm, subscribe here for $19.95/year.

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Posted on December 9, 2015 by maryjane

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GIVEAWAY: “Moo-n Over Main Street, Hearts a-Flutter”

Posted on December 9, 2015 by maryjane

WINNER SELECTED, 2/15/16
And our winner is … Shannon Hudson (see winner’s post here).

Original post:

For a chance to win a copy of our Moo-n Over Main Street Metropolis children’s book, tell me what your favorite dairy product is in the comments below. I’ll toss your name into a hat and draw a lucky winner sometime mid-February.

A 34-page cowpanion to my fifth book, Milk Cow Kitchen, this adorable adventure story is about a milk cow named Sally O’Mally who finds love in the home of a single mom and her daughter who never gave up hope that someday, they’d have a backyard milk cow. Includes five reader-to-child educational pages that are jam-packed with conversational questions, including an irresistible hands-on project.

Stay tuned for more magazine-related giveaways. If you’re not yet a subscriber to my magazine, MaryJanesFarm, subscribe here for $19.95/year.

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Posted on December 8, 2015 by maryjane

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GIVEAWAY: “ChillOver Powder, Hearts a-Flutter”

Posted on December 8, 2015 by maryjane

WINNER SELECTED, 2/15/16
And our winner is … Jeri Hart (see winner’s post here).

Original post:
For a chance to win a sample of my ChillOver Powder, tell me about the most memorable gelatin dessert you’ve ever eaten (good or bad) in the comments below. I’ll toss your name into a hat and draw a lucky winner sometime mid-February.

My innovative ChillOver Powder is for all the people who grew up loving gelatin desserts but gave up on them, knowing their animal origin. It sets up in half the time gelatin does. It seals in flavors more quickly. And it doesn’t melt at room temperature. Once you try it, you’ll never go back.

Find Traditional Gelatin Dessert ChillOver DoOver recipes in the Feb/Mar issue of MaryJanesFarm. Stay tuned for more magazine-related giveaways.

If you’re not yet a subscriber to my magazine, MaryJanesFarm, subscribe here for $19.95/year.

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Posted on December 7, 2015 by maryjane

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Weird Veggies

Posted on December 7, 2015 by maryjane

You know how, when you’re really hungry, all sorts of strange things start to look or sound appetizing?

When I lived year-round close to 40 miles from the end of a dirt road, I dreamed about all kinds of foods that were out of reach.

Sometimes, it would be hamburgers or candy, or …

boot leather.

Hmmm … jerky, anyone?

Photo by Ragesoss via Wikimedia Commons

Well, this time of year, I get such a yen for some good ol’ dirt-grown grub that I’m liable to think about nibbling on anything I can get my hands on.

(Hide the houseplants, here she comes.)

photo by James Rickwood via Wikimedia Commons

I get it, Bessie.

I really do.

I suppose that’s why a few odd foods caught my eye lately and made me say,

“I want to BITE that.”

Like, now.

To gain some perspective, I think I need to bounce my cravings off you, to see if you can relate to me the way I relate to Bessie.

So if you don’t mind, take a look and let me know if any of these peculiar crops induces the urge to indulge.

Samphire

Photo by Natalie-S via Wikimedia Commons

This succulent-looking wild veggie, common on sea coasts, is enjoyed by English enthusiasts who prefer it pickled.

Oca

Photo by Nzfauna S via Wikimedia Commons

Tangier and sweeter than potatoes, the flavor of this native Andean root has been described as almost fruitlike (I’d love to taste the “Apricot” variety, popular in New Zealand).

Fiddlehead

Photo by New Brunswick Tourism via Wikimedia Commons

One might migrate to Maine just to try these fabulous baby fern fronds (although you can probably find them closer to home). Northeasterners gather them in the woods and serve them fresh or boiled with mayonnaise and butter.

Tiger Nuts

Photo by Tamorlan via Wikimedia Commons

These tasty looking little nuggets aren’t actually nuts, they’re the tuberous roots of the chufa sedge plant. In Spain, they’re often soaked in warm water before eating and are used to make tiger-nut milk (like almond or cashew milk). I hear they have a sweet, nutty flavor … yum.

Romanesco

Photo by Aurelien Guichard via Wikimedia Commons

Don’t you just love the look of this captivating cauliflower variety? According to the folks at Mother Nature Network, the Romanesco’s spirals follow the Fibonacci sequence, which is a bit over my head, but not too sophisticated for my stomach.

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Posted on December 6, 2015 by maryjane

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Monthly Archives: December 2015

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