Thank you for dropping by my Raising Jane Journal to participate in my giveaways! We’ve chosen a winner for this giveaway already (click here for details), but don’t be afraid to leave a comment anyway. I love reading them. And stay tuned for more great MaryJanesFarm giveaways.
This copy of my first book, MaryJane’s Ideabook, Cookbook, Lifebook: For the Farmgirl in All of Us, was in our store window and ended up with a sun-faded cover.
But its insides are like new, and as every farmgirl knows, it’s never good to judge a book by its cover. Better to judge it from some of its online reviews, like this one from Amazon’s “Never Enough Books”:
“I’ve been a farmgirl, citygirl, tried the Mother Earth News route years ago, so it was with some skepticism that I checked out this book from my library. Don’t be put off by the reference to “Martha Stewart of the West” because the only similarity I can see is that both Martha Stewart and MaryJane Butters are hard-working women. I don’t think I have ever before read any non-fiction book as closely and with as much pleasure as MaryJane’s Ideabook, Cookbook, Lifebook. I couldn’t be satisfied with the library’s copy, but had to have my own, plus ordered one for my daughter-in-law. The pictures are beautiful, from antique implements to happy people. The verbal sketches of family, friends, and helpers is uplifting.
What struck me most about Butters was her positive attitude. She advocates organic farming and living, but rather than trying to force others to conform to her way of thinking and doing, she found ways to work with local farmers. In using local products, she has connected growers with consumers and built a business for herself, family, and friends.
I’d rate this right up there with Aldo Leopold and Sand County Almanac.”
To lay claim to this (sun-faded) copy, tell me what at MaryJanesFarm has inspired you … magazine, books, products, chatroom, or journal. We’ll put your names in a basket and pull out a lucky winner sometime soon. Check back to see if it’s headed your way.
I love the magazine! I am a transplanted country girl, raised in the city and now living on my husband’s family farm. MaryJane’s Farm magazine is inspiration and encouragement to live the country life I want to live.
You’ve taken me back to a simpler more honest time in life. You’ve inspired me to create a better life for my family.
I grew up on a farm in the 70’s and your magazine reminds me of the best parts of my childhood.
I just love how everything about Mary Jane farm is about everyday living elevated to such beauty a n d whimsy! Love it!!!!!
Your magazine has taken me back to when I was a young girl living in the country. Not a care in the world except feeding the animals and taking in the sunshine. Where folks didn’t have to lock the doors and as kids we played outside all day long until Dad rang the dinner bell to head home. Makes my heart swell with memories. Thank you for bringing my childhood back to me.
I love the chat rooms! I have learned so much from the farmgirls and the magazines! Most importantly to be who you are! Don’t wait for another time to find your inner Farmgirl take action now!
My Aunt Joellen bought me my 1st subscription to your magazine and I have been reading it ever since. We make it a point to let the other know with a picture by text that
“guess what came in the mail today?”. We both love it and read it page at a time. Her parents (my grandparents) were farmers. Every summer we stayed on the farm with them. It is some of my best memories and learning experiences that I have. And Yes Mary Jane, I was a city girl with a farm girl heart!! I know have chickens, garden and live
within the city, BaCliff, (Galveston Area) Texas. Thanks for having a beautiful magazine.
The Mary James Farm magazine has provided me endless hours of enjoyable readings over several years. A few of my favorites are chatroom and product ideas from crafts to instant camping meals. Keep the ideas coming.
I am inspired to start over my vegetable and herb gardens . I have been taking care of my mother while she was sick with cancer and I am trying to get my life back
together . I love MaryJanesFarm !! I will use your book to help me .
Have been a lover of MJF for years! Especially all things self sufficient, I have just upgraded from 1/2 acre in town to 2 back in the country were I grew up! The magazine is shared with Mom & 3 sisters(who are getting their own subs for bdays this summer/fall!)as I like to keep all my issues! We all grew up on a big farm showing cattle, sheep, horses, crops & gardens & active in all 4-H activities.
All things MJF keep me Going during the Iowa winters. This property has established-apple,cherry, & peach trees, black raspberries & gooseberry bushes! I can’t wait for spring, have lots of ideas & plans for bees, & chickens along with all the new flower beds & garden areas we have in mind! House needs a little updating but, has full partially finished basement with canning storage room!! This was the neighbors parents home & they are wonderful, plow your long driveway & have welcome party for you types! Plus all the knowledge of the house & property they give!
I have been doing a lot of knitting & looking at seed catalogs, looking forward to more great ideas from your products! Thanks MJF
Your magazine…each page plants a seed of possibility….thank you!
By day, I’m an ordinary civil engineer. But by night, I become…….URBAN FARMGIRL!!!
Able to leap compost bins in a single bound!
Able to grow herbs! Blindfolded! With one had tied behind her back!
Look!! Up in the sky!! (thank goodness cows don’t fly). It’s UFG!!!
Definitely, your magazine.
I love the magazines especially! I get to lose myself in a world of stories, recipes, colors, ideas, and connections with other readers and feel like I get a little closer everyday to having my own farm. I’m always so inspired with what’s in the pages!
I love country cook books, my life is in the counrty
I love, love, love this magazine and look forward to it arriving everytime. When it does, I settle down with my cup of coffee or tea and read it cover to cover. I love the recipes and the ideas and I love the “Readers Write” section. Five years ago, I bought a 8.5 acre property with an old log house on the Key Peninsula in WA and my husband and I have been rennovating and making it into a small hobby farm ever since. This magazine allows me to get ideas and to connect with all my sister farmgirls. I have learned so many new things from your magazine. I now have my own blog where I share tales from my farm (Revels from the Roost: Tales of Crow’s Croft Farm) and I continue to learn and grow as a farmgirl day to day.
Love your magazine; reading everything in it. Crafts and cooking are my favorites!
Your books and magazines have helped me to cut out the clutter that surrounds me. You provide a sense a calm and the opportunity to pursue some of my dreams of making my life peaceful. I am so happy to have found MaryJane!
Magazine is beautiful and inspirational. Would love to have a book
The Magazine and books inspire me daily. I have learned SO much from them and they never “get old.” I also LOVE the farm girl sisterhood.
Nothing however has inspired me more than Mary Jane herself, thank you for sharing your life’s story with us. Your many accomplishments and experiences have truly inspired me to live a richer life and be a better person.
The first time I bought Mary Janes was because if the cover, it named crafts, recipes, articles, everything appealed to me.
Hi “ALL” I LOVE Mary Jane’s Book’s, Magazine, & EVERY THING” !!!!! I’m a Mary Jane thinking & doing & feeling & believing “Sister” with you “all” 🙂
I adore and find inspiration in your magazine.
MaryJane Farm magazine has really helped me along my homestead journey. We moved put of the city 4 years ago, and I now have a garden and livestock. I love all the tips and tricks and the products in the magazine are helpful without being overwhelming. I look forward to every issue!
I love my Mary Janes Farm magazine! I look forward to each issue. We just moved back to an average in the Midwest after 32 years in the southwest desert. This year there will be a really large garden and I’ll be canning and preserving food.
Can hardly wait for spring to arrive. Farming in the best!
I’ve been a fan and reader since the first issue of the magazine came out. I was tickled right from the start with the Bakeovers (originally called the Tarte Tian), and especially using the shepherd’s pan bread and the fry bread mixes. I think it was the baking issue that had a whole bunch of yummy recipes and these paved the way for Bakeovers to become one of my kids’ favorite meals. MaryJanesFarm inspired a lot of tasty, healthy, homemade dinners in my house.
Enjoy all the great reads & ideas & pictures, too! Thank you!
I love your total natural organic recipes and your natural clean living a responsible life ideas. Thanks, Dale
Magazine!! Just makes me feel happy, love it:)
The commitment to use, production of Organic products.
Started following years ago. Now I’m 61, a widow of 3 years, ready for the next chapter of my life. I just closed on house of my own. Looking forward to implementing all my back issues of magazines. With 3 acres to play and work with…I can’t wait to get started! I am on a limited income, but hopefully that will soon change as soon as I get organized. Been meaning to start collecting your books. Soon!!!
I’m a 69 yr. old farm girl, totally. I love your magazine and also have Milk Cow Kitchen, which is outstanding. Both have beautiful pictures and colors and I absolutely love your recipes. And I love books and have plenty of cook books. But not YOURS. What a wonderful addition to my collection it would be. I actually use your recipes. They are so tasty and, I feel, healthy. At my age, I want to do all I can to stay healthy and pass this way of life on to my children and grandchildren. I would love to have this book. I’m a little faded and sun damaged too! But it’s what’s inside that counts.
I am inspired by MaryJanesFarm.org website and sent so many there to check it out. Especially the slide show of the B & B Glamping tents. Also love the magazine and started our own MaryJanes Farmgirl sisterhood here in Big Springs.
The glamping book I bought a few years ago is so fun to look at and I always look forward to my monthly magazine, I read it cover to cover.
I have been a subscriber to your magazine since way back! Back when your issues were every three months. I have a few of your books as well but alas not your first book! I look forward to every magazine now as I have for years and each one inspires me to know what the important things in life really are! You farmgirls know what I mean, they are not things at all, they are values!
I am very inspired by the fun recipes, cast iron cooking, I find in my MaryJanes Farm magazines. I save all my copies and pick at random for a fun article or idea to ponder on. I share with my friends by giving them subscriptions each year.
I find much inspiration in the pages of your magazine. From the recipes to the letters to the editor and the back page, I really look forward to getting my copy in the mailbox. Thank you for that little joy in life!
I love the idea of owning a sun-faded copy of this marvelous woman’s first book! Since it IS her first, her best ideas, recipes, and lifestyle are undoubtedly resting within its pages and that thrills me most of all!
Since reading some of your articles my daughter and I have started raising some of our own food and making our own butter. We’ve experimented with different herbs and seasoning in the butter also
I love the sewing projects, especially the aprons. Would love a faded copy!
Almost, if not all, articles are an inspiration! Keep up the good work. Thank you!
MJF inspires me in so many ways. My 82-year-old mother and I share my books and magazines and can’t wait for new issues.
The magazine for sure (and my sister)…. I purchase the magazine subscription every year for my sisters Birthday, and she shares the best of the best with me! 🙂 We have made many recipies and used many of the gardening/farming ideas! Thank you!
I love the magazine and all its great information. It encourages women to push forward and be the woman she wants to be. It helps anyone who reads it grow!
I love the magazine so much that I even love to give the subscription as a gift. My list of people that I gift it to continues to grow 🙂
I am a country girl in my dreams, doing all the things I read about in your magazine. So many fun things to try, so little time. I love books of all kinds and would love to add your book to my overflowing bookcase and baskets of books. So many books, so little time.
It was one of Mary Jane’s book that I realized you can make life outside as comfortable and pretty as indoors! And using things you already have around the house.
And how easy and fun to eat healthy at home. I love the farm house feel you get reading Mary Jane. So inspiring!!
I enjoy everything about the magazine especially the health section and the wonderful ideas for crafts, etc. It brings back many memories of my grandmother and mother of how they cooked, sewing,, etc. I also have a country home now and plan on using alot of your ideas that you publish in your magazine. I have taken it for 3 years now and have kept every magazine. Love it! Keep on keeping on!
The magazine started it for me — it has been an inspiration when needed the most. Thanks!
First I love the magazine. Can’t wait to get it! I like the recipes, the sewing projects, especially the issue that had the girls dress pattern made from pillow cases which our church ladies plan to make. I love the camping ideas. We used to have an RV but no more so I just dream now.
Thank you so much for a wonderful magazine. Love it.