Joy and Smiles

This certainly was a fun contest. I stumped most of you though. All eight are fake lifetime bouquets!!!! I put the names of everyone who got it right in a hat and pulled out Christina Rea’s name! Christina added this comment:

All are beautiful! I just have to say that I am so grateful to have found your journal online! I lived in Potlatch, Idaho for 14 years (so I knew of your farm) but moved back “home” to Missouri in 2011, without ever having a chance to visit your farm. I just saw your magazine while standing in line at the store yesterday and had an overwhelming feeling of finding myself extremely homesick for the Palouse. Reading your articles and stories have brought me home (away from home) … even if it IS only through the Internet. I thank you.

Thank you to EVERYONE who participated. In particular, I loved the entries that showed up in my mailbox titled CONTEST. Gotta love a farmgirl.

In the June/July 2024 issue of MaryJanesFarm, “Donut Beat All” (on newsstands May 14), I sang the praises of lifetime flowers and led you here to my journal for a chance to win your very own MaryJane-created fake-flower bouquet. Just take a look at the photos of the flower bouquets below and guess “real” or “fake” for each one before September 1, 2024. I’ll toss the names of those who guess all eight correctly in a hat and pull out a winner, who will receive one of my year-round, lifetime flower-power bouquets. Flowers can be fake, but the joy and smiles they bring are real. 

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

  1. Krista Butters Davis says:

    This was not easy. It’s amazing how realistic they all are. My guesses are…
    1. Real
    2. Real
    3. Real
    4. Fake
    5. Fake
    6. Fake
    7. Real
    8. Real

  2. Linda Everson says:

    1. Fake 2. Real 3. Real 4. Fake 5. Fake 6. Fake 7. Real 8. Real

  3. Deborah Cummings says:

    1. Fake 2. Fake 3. Real 4. Fake 5. Fake 6. Fake 7.Fake 8. Fake

  4. Amy Stovall says:

    Okay here goes:
    1 fake
    2 real
    3 fake
    4 fake
    5 real
    6 fake
    7 fake
    8 real

  5. Rachel says:

    1. Fake
    2. Fake
    3. Real
    4. Fake
    5. Fake
    6. Fake
    7. Real
    8. Real

  6. Jacqueline Holzel says:

    1 real 2 real 3 real 4 fake 5 fake 6 fake 7 fake 8 real

  7. Lesa Shoutz says:

    I think they are all fake.

  8. Linda Dunn says:

    1. fake
    2. real
    3. fake
    4. fake
    5. fake
    6. fake
    7. fake
    8. real

  9. Sylvia Phillips says:

    1. Fake
    2. Fake
    3. Fake
    4. Fake
    5. Fake
    6. Fake
    7. Fake
    8. Fake

  10. Stephanie Sparks says:

    My guess is they’re all fake. But they’re all REALLy beautiful!

  11. Rebecca LeDoux says:

    1. Real
    2. Real
    3. Real
    4. Fake
    5. Fake
    6. Fake
    7. Real
    8. Real

  12. Anne Marie DeBoard says:

    1 fake
    2 fake
    3 fake
    4 fake
    5 fake
    6 fake
    7 fake
    8 fake
    They are all so beautiful!

  13. Maranatha Miller says:

    1. Fake
    2. Real
    3. Fake
    4. Fake
    5. Fake
    6. Fake
    7. Real
    8. Real

  14. Beth Jones says:

    1. Real
    2. Fake
    3. Fake
    4. Real
    5. Real
    6. Fake
    7. Real
    8. Real

  15. Karen Grogg says:

    1. Real
    2. Real
    3. Fake
    4. Fake
    5. Fake
    6. Real
    7. Real
    8. Real

  16. Sarah D'Annunzio says:

    1.Real 2. Real 3. Real. 4. Fake 5. Fake 6.Fake 7.Fake 8.Fake

    The tomatoes were the hard one for me.

  17. Lisa says:

    Maybe guess is all are fake accept #1 🙂

  18. Bertha Dillow says:

    1. Fake
    2. Real
    3. Fake
    4. Fake
    5. Real
    6. Real
    7. Real
    7. Fake

  19. Cheryl Robinson says:

    1.fake 2. Real 3. Real 4. Fake 5. Fake 6. Real 7. Real 8. Fake

  20. Kathy Davis says:

    My answers are: 1-Real, 2-Real, 3-fake, 4-fake, 5-fake, 6-fake, 7-Real, 8-Both

  21. Renee k. says:

    1.fake
    2.real
    3.real
    4.fake
    5.fake
    6.fake
    7.fake
    8.real

  22. Glenda York says:

    Not easy. They are all beautiful. And, I think, they are all fake.

  23. MaryJane Knighton says:

    1. Real
    2. Real
    3. Fake
    4. Fake
    5. Real
    6. Fake
    7. Real
    8. Real

  24. Dixie Weberg says:

    They are so beautiful and they look so real.
    1. Fake
    2. Fake
    3. Fake
    4. Fake
    5. Fake
    6. Fake
    7. Fake
    8. Real

  25. TINA COLLINS says:

    1. Real
    2. Real
    3. Fake
    4. Fake
    5. Real
    6. Real
    7. Real
    8. Real

  26. Dione Mila says:

    They are all very beautiful, but if I had to guess:

    1. Real
    2. Real
    3. Fake
    4. Fake
    5. Real
    6. Real
    7. Real
    8. Real

  27. Judy K. Collins says:

    1. Real 2. Real 3. Fake 4. Fake 5. Real 6. Fake 7. Real 8. Real

  28. Cherry Sullivan says:

    My guess is that they are all fake, but I struggled with #2.

  29. Daryce Rolander says:

    They are all beautiful!! But I believe they are all fake!

  30. Rachel Fox-Tierney says:

    1 Real
    2. Real
    3. Fake
    4. Fake
    5.real
    6. Fake
    7. Real
    8. Real

  31. Kathryn says:

    1 real
    2 real
    3 real
    4 forever flowers
    5 forever flowers
    6 forever flowers
    7 real
    8 real
    All beautiful!!

  32. Karen Herring says:

    1. Real
    2. Fake
    3. Fake
    4. Fake
    5. Fake
    6. Fake
    7. Real
    8. Real

  33. Kathie Gowin says:

    1. Real. 2. Fake 3. Real 4. Fake 5. Fake 6. Fake 7. Fake 8. Real
    Whether real or fake- they are all beautiful!

  34. Kristin says:

    All Forever flowers, all beautiful

  35. Rebekah Turner says:

    I’m going with….

    1. Fake
    2. Fake
    3. Real
    4. Fake
    5. Fake
    6. Fake
    7. Fake
    8. Real

  36. Brittany Starkey says:

    1. Fake
    2. Real
    3. Real
    4. Fake
    5. Fake
    6. Fake
    7. Fake
    8. Real

  37. Pamela Hupp says:

    1. Fake
    2. Real
    3. Fake
    4. Fake
    5. Fake
    6. Fake
    7. Fake
    8. Real

  38. Mary Troy says:

    1real
    2real
    3fake
    4fake
    5fake
    6real
    7fake
    8real

  39. Christina Rea says:

    1. Fake
    2. Fake
    3. Fake
    4. Fake
    5. Fake
    6. Fake
    7. Fake
    8. Fake
    All are beautiful!
    I just have to say that I am so grateful to have found your journal online! I lived in Potlatch, ID for 14 years (so I knew of your farm) but moved back “home” to MO in 2011, without ever having a chance to visit your farm. I just saw your magazine while standing in line at the store yesterday and had an overwhelming feeling of finding myself extremely homesick for the Palouse. Reading your articles and stories have brought me home (away from home)… even if it IS only through the Internet, I thank you.

    • maryjane says:

      Thank you for sharing the importance of home–not where it is but the place where it lives in your heart. “Home is the nicest word there is.” Laura Ingalls Wilder

  40. Mary Huerth says:

    1.Real
    2. Real
    3. Fake
    4. Fake
    5. Real
    6. Fake
    7. Fake
    8. Real

  41. Janet Loney says:

    1. Fake
    2. Fake
    3. Fake
    4. Real
    5. Real
    6. Fake
    7.Fake
    8. Real
    Beautiful bouquets, Real or Fake and I enjoy Real and Fake flowers in our home.

  42. Sharon m Henderson says:

    1.real, 2.real, 3.fake, 4.fake, 5.fake, 6.fake, 7.real, 8.real

  43. Juanita Nells says:

    Hi,
    I thinking all of the beautiful flower arrangements are fake..!! 🙂

  44. Patricia Bartholomew says:

    1 real
    2 real
    3 fake
    4fake
    5fake
    6fake
    7real
    8fake

  45. Margaret Dolan says:

    I think #2 are field flowers. All the others are forever flowers.

  46. Donna Greenbaum says:

    1. Fake
    2. Fake
    3. Fake
    4. Fake
    5. Real
    6. Real
    7. Real
    8. Real

  47. Rin Walker says:

    1. Fake
    2. Fake
    3. Fake
    4. Fake
    5. Fake
    6. Fake
    7. Fake
    8. Fake

  48. Wendi Donaldson says:

    1. Real
    2. Fake
    3. Real
    4. Fake
    5. Fake
    6. Fake
    7. Real
    8. Fake

  49. Veronica H. says:

    1. Fake
    2. Real
    3. Real
    4. Fake
    5. Fake
    6. Fake
    7. Fake
    8. Real

  50. Veronica H. says:

    1. Fake
    2. Real
    3. Real
    4. Fake
    5. Fake
    6. Fake
    7. Fake
    8. Real
    🙂

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A Gentleman in Moscow

Giveaway! There’s an acknowledgment due for this book giveaway. Is there a gentleman in your life worthy of a book? Tell me who!

My gentleman would be Joseph Barron, who I milled flour with for three years. From my Wild Bread book, here’s who he was in my life, and ALWAYS the gentleman.

  1. Debbie Fischer says:

    The Gentleman in my life would be my husband of almost 50 years Tom.
    He is the love of my life, he saved me and he has always treated me like a lady and still does!
    And I pray for many more years with this Amazing Man.

  2. Karen Martell says:

    The gentleman in my life is also my husband! We’ve been married for 36 years. He is by far the nicest, most helpful, and giving man I know. 🙂

  3. Krista Butters Davis says:

    The gentleman in my life worth acknowledging is my father. He has always been a hard worker and still is to this day. Resembling your Joseph. My dad will work hard and go without sleep just to ensure all his work is finished. He will also be the first person to offer up help even if he is swamped. My dad would give you his last dime and even give the shirt off his back if it meant helping someone out. He also has so many life skills and talents that he shares with his family. I have been privileged to learn many of these skills from him. My dad may not be a reader, but he is definitely a gentleman.

  4. Denise says:

    One of the gentlemen in my life would be my husband JT.
    He is considerate and protective. A hard worker who has integrity in his work and relationships.
    Our son James takes after his dad. He was taught to open car doors and other doors for myself and his sisters. He still does this for others now that he has grown. He too displays integrity in his life as well. They are both ready and willing to help others and they treat others well. I am very proud of the examples of gentlemanliness they have been and still are to our 3 grandsons.

  5. Nielsen,Winifred T. says:

    I can’t just say one person. Both my Dad and my husband have shown me many important things. Hard work, a sense of humor, kindness when it is hardest to give, love of reading, love of nature’s critters, and respect for all people and animals. I feel these gifts help define what I would call a gentle man and a gentleman.

  6. Dione Mila says:

    After 34 years of marriage, my gentleman and still my best friend is my husband, Paul. No one can make me laugh daily, challenge me when I’m stubborn, or love me wholeheartedly. I am truly blessed to have shared my life with him.

  7. Melanie Ford says:

    Oh my goodness. All are beautiful. I believe the only real bouquet is 3. All the rest are beautifully crafted with synthetics 💐 (I don’t care for the word fake. Is real beauty ever fake😉)

  8. Jenny Holle says:

    1. Real
    2. Real
    3. Fake
    4. Fake
    5. Fake
    6. Fake
    7. Real
    8. Real

  9. Tamara smith says:

    1. Fake
    2. Fake
    3.fake
    4.fake
    5.fake
    6.fake
    7. Fake
    8.fake

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Giveaway: The Life She Was Given

Giveaway! There’s a clue due for this book giveaway. What is The Life She Was Given about?

I’ll put your name in my hat of names, pull one out, and my copy of The Life She Was Given will be on its way to a new home.

  1. Suzanne Gibbens says:

    I will check it out. I’m so glad you are posting again. I know your life is busy but I have been a subscriber from day one and love hearing about what is going on with the farm. Happy spring.

  2. Heather Neeper says:

    I am shocked and intrigued! I would love to read the book and figure out how a mother can sell her daughter!!! And if Julia can solve the mystery of Lilly. This sounds like a book that will keep me up late!

  3. Kristina Ciminillo says:

    Looks like a fascinating read and will remind me of my Lilly & Willow, my baby and my daughter’s baby (miscarriage, and death by pneumonia at age 7 months). Perhaps reading about the search for healing of Julia and Lilly will bring us some too. 💓

  4. Debbie Fischer says:

    This sounds like a book I would love to read for so many reasons. I will have to check it out.

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When the Jessamine Grows

I have a sweet little step-back-in-time gift box looking for a home that has Donna Everhart’s book, When the Jessamine Grows, recipe cards for two of the recipes mentioned in her book (Joetta’s Switchel and Idiot’s Delight), an engraved wooden spoon, a hankie, Donna’s upcoming book-signing schedule, plus a few other bookish surprises. 

My gift box is all yours if you’ll share why Donna’s book appeals to you. I’ll toss your name into a hat and voila, it might be headed your way.

When The Jessamine Grows book cover

  1. Wanda Sue Aldridge says:

    As a child growing up in the South, learning about the Civil War was scary and confusing, wondering if this could happen again in my lifetime. I always wondered what it was like growing up in such a time. In junior high I was drawn to books about the Civil War, starting with Gone With the Wind. Then I read a whole series of books by Gwen Bristow. I have several ancestors who died in this war, and they never owned slaves. It was mostly poor farmers just trying to protect their land and homes. How sad it must have been when families were divided on opposing sides. Donna’s book sounds like a very interesting read.

  2. Krista Butters Davis says:

    Initially, I would not have been drawn to this particular style of book, but I am so grateful it has landed in my hands. I love having a whole new perspective on war from those who were still at home and dealing with what was going on there. They had challenges that were just as difficult. This side of history is equally important.

  3. Sheila LaPoint says:

    The few books I have read that have taken place in the south have always captured my interest so much that I can’t seem to put them down. The last one I read was “Where The Crawdads Sing.” I just loved that book. I think that looking at life from the perspective of the person and family that was at home and not in the war does sound interesting, and could be one of those that I may not want to put down. I lived in the South for 8 years and there is so much of the south that I love. Pass the Sweet Tea Please!

  4. Karen Martell says:

    Reading historical fiction is one of my favorite genres! Books that tell stories from times gone by leaves me wishing I could go back in time. Learning about those “left behind” to make a life and living while war raged around them is very interesting to me. 🙂

  5. April Tovar says:

    Since my dear Mr. Frank came into my life (and has since departed this Earth), I have grown to love historical stories about love, life and war. The sacrifices families made to survive, the hope and faith they had to maintain for their loved ones on the battle front, the creativity they had to come up with to make ends meet, feed and clothe their families. The post traumatic stress that was experienced, but never talked about. The resilience. Even with all the struggles previous generations have experienced, I believe life was simpler, and fuller. I’m currently raising two sons, trying my best to instill good morals, values and gratitude within them. With today’s challenges, I believe risilience is still a gift we are experiencing; one way or another and is still something to still be grateful for.

  6. Dana Okerman says:

    My great grandmother was born in 1879 and passed in 1973. She was my hero and I could spend hours listening to her stories about her life. The struggles and triumphs are what she was most proud of. She would tell me “If I could get through something like that, you can get through your problems, too. ” Donnas book reminds me so much of my grandma.

  7. Heather Neeper says:

    I love to read historical fiction, mostly about homesteading the west. I’ve never read a book based on the civil war. This sounds like a very interesting book!

  8. Debbie Fischer says:

    I love reading Historical Fiction and enjoy the Civil War era, they are interesting books and I learn something new I think every time I read on. Looking forward to reading this book.

  9. Donna Greenbaum says:

    Historical fiction is my favorite genre.
    Donna’s books are always fun to read and keeps me busy reading them.

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GIVEAWAY: “Mismatched Lids, The Way Home”

In the June/July 2023 issue of MaryJanesFarm, “The Way Home” (on newsstands May 9), I led you here to my journal for a chance to win three mismatched vintage enamelware lids. On page 21 of that issue, you’ll find instructions to make hangers from them like the ones shown here.

For a chance to win, tell us how you discovered our magazine and what led you to subscribe in the comments below. I’ll toss your name into a hat and draw a lucky winner sometime soon.

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

  1. Carla Hager says:

    Hi Mary Jane ☺️, My dear mom enjoyed your magazine when it first came out yrs ago. I read her old ones and she subscribed me the magazine too.She passed away on November 23rd 2015.I miss her dearly. We did many arts and crafts projects together. She lives on whenever I pick up a new issue!!! Yours is one of the few magazines that inspires me!

  2. Corine Runnion says:

    A friend had a Mary Janes Farm.I read it while visiting and was hooked, that was over 10 years ago.
    I look forward to each and every one. Thank you!

  3. Louise Hoeckh says:

    I bought one of your magazines off a magazine rack and was hooked. I’ve been a subscriber for several years. I save all the magazines for future reference. I love the recipes, activities, crafts, and stories. Can’t wait each month to read it.

  4. Ann Matthews says:

    My husband gave me your magazine as a gift.

  5. Wanda Sue Aldridge says:

    How cute is this? I love it! Now I will be on the lookout for wayward lids when I am out thrift shopping. Or, maybe I will be lucky enough to win this set. I have started a collection of aprons all because of MJF. I was waiting in the checkout line at a Tractor Supply in 2010 when I spotted your magazine. Intrigued, I browsed through it while waiting in line. I decided to buy it because it looked very interesting. When I got home I read it cover to cover, and subscribed soon after. I loved everything about it, and the Sisterhood. I have been subscribed ever since. Thank you Mary Jane for everything you do to bring us “Farmgirls”together .

  6. Stephanie Guillory says:

    Many years ago I moved to a city where I knew no one! I joined a group to study as a Master Gardener and met some amazing people! One of the women was quite a bit older than I am but she took me under her wing and taught me many things , like an older sister and mentor! She fed me from her garden, taught me how to enjoy life, and became the best friend I’ve ever had! Your magazines were on her table and she shared them with me! I’ve been a subscriber since! My friend passed away a few years ago! When I get my copy in the mail I think of my friend and all the great memories we shared!

  7. Marcy Hogan says:

    When we moved to North Idaho 5 years ago, I noticed MaryJanesFarm on the newsstands in our area. (Do they call them newsstands anymore? 😉 ) I have always loved comfortable country style and projects that re-purpose found items. My husband enjoys those types of projects, as well. MaryJanesFarm has those and so much more. I enjoy that the magazine celebrates the rural way of life and all the amazing opportunities we have. I picked up a copy of MaryJanesFarm and decided, after that first read, to subscribe. I recently purchased a copy of Cast Iron Kitchen and have already tried a few recipes. I love cooking with my cast iron and this book and MaryJanesFarm magazine provide so many options. Thank you!

  8. Denise says:

    I’ve been a subscriber for so long now I’m not sure how I found you but am I glad I did! I love your magazine!

  9. Mardell Grayhek says:

    I first discovered Mary Jane’s Farm after visiting your old store front in the Shops at the Coeur d’ Alene at the Coeur d’ Alene resort. It was a breath of fresh air. I bought a fabric panel that pictured the flour mill in Oakesdale WA where my husband used to buy my flour for bread baking in the early ’70’s. The panel is still waiting for me to take the plunge to make a small quilt. Now that I have retired enjoy more time to read my collection of the magazine, I am looking forward to gathering my fabric, batting and a tall glass of ice cold water to sip as I stitch.

  10. Penney Miller says:

    When my son and daughter-in-law gifted me a subscription to your beautiful magazine almost 10 years ago, I discovered much more than a magazine. I discovered a lifestyle, a comfortable space, a vacation place, a cooking class, a grocery store…. let me explain.

    I came home today from a visit away and discovered my order of Outpost meals waiting. My family discovered these when we vacationed in your B & B. I think we may have bought some of everything from your little grocery store. It’s motorcycle season so time to stock up again on these great meals for touring on two wheels!

    Every issue has something new and exciting to try in the kitchen. After all these years of reading your wisdom, I always have things on hand in my well stocked pantry to fix delicious meals the day the magazine arrives.

    I feel so at home when I am reading your magazine! Something like discovering a best friend!

  11. Bev Anderson says:

    Love your magazine. Thanks for entering my name in for the drawing

  12. Sue Cole says:

    I grew up in Colorado and had respect for farms small towns and antiques.Now living in the Willamette Valley in Oregon ,your magazine looked interesting over 11 years ago I bought one and save every issue

  13. Donna McKeown says:

    I’ve been enjoying your magazine for many years.
    I love it ❤️

  14. Sandra Hoots says:

    I believe I found the first one at a book store. It has been so long that I can’t remember. One magazine and I was hooked. I look forward to every subscription. After I’ve gone through it I share it (with the understanding that I want it back) Then I share it with my daughter (who now has her own subscription). Then it gets donated to our library. I love your magazine. It makes me smile 🙂

  15. Terry Steinmetz says:

    I found MJF magazine at a bookstore in town, bought a copy (it was about plums) and read it non-stop. Next thing I knew, I sent in my subscription and have been subscribing since. It still attracts me and I still read it non-stop. And I loved it so much, I ordered all the back issues that were available. Plus all of your books are on my bookshelf. I can’t get enough!!! Thanks for being there and bringing comfort and joy!

  16. Marianne Hintermeiet says:

    Discovered Mary Jane’s Magazine at the Volusia County, FL public library. My daughter gifted me a subscription for my November birthday. Enjoying my first issue (June-July 2023). I relish reading every article and will save issues to reflect upon again and again.

  17. Kathleen Burt says:

    Read Mary Jane’s Magazine for years. Have retired now and love reading this magazine even more. Can take time to really read and enjoy many informative articles. Recipes are always a plus. I am a quilter and really enjoy Ed the quilting stories.

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Winner!!! GIVEAWAY: “Flour Sacks, Courage+Dreams=”

OldPhotoArchive.com

The winner of the stack of vintage flour-sack fabric from our Flour Sacks giveaway is Brenda Forrest, who said in response to our query, “tell me why you connect with the nostalgia of MaryJanesFarm” … 

Picking up a MaryJanesFarm magazine at the local grocer newsstand several years ago was a true ‘pick up’ life saver. The magazine has been inspirational, a dream builder, a challenger, and yes, even nostalgic. I grew up in a city but now live in a small rural town. (My brother thinks I lost my mind loving the slower pace; personally, I question his sanity spending hours in traffic.) I could go on for hours with stories of the items I’ve crafted (from a clothespin bag to a small home), but the inner joy and encouragement the magazine has brought me tops the list. That said, I couldn’t resist the chance to comment on your blog about ‘flour sacks’. My flour-sack memory holds a special place because while visiting country cousins during my childhood (about 12 years old), we stitched cheerleading outfits from my aunt’s stash and competed with the girls at the next farm. Although cheerleading was not my ‘thing’, I was awed with the origins, textures, and colors of the fabric used for our outfits.

So, thanks for the opportunity to relive memories, ideas for projects, and encouragement to dream in this season of my life, which by the way is my 6th decade of life. I ‘met’ MaryJane’s magazine when I was in my 50s! Testimonial for ‘It’s never too late!’

Congratulations, Brenda! Watch for an email from the farm. 

Thank you to all the women who responded with such lovely comments. I thoroughly enjoyed reading them!

  1. Trini Stickle says:

    I never had a dress made from a flour sack, but I remember using them as dishtowels in my childhood!

  2. Carol Mcbride says:

    My Mom’s family were farmers or worked for farmer’s. I remember loving flour sack dresses worn by School mates when I went to a one room school house in fourth and fifth grade. They were happy and stylish in my eye. I always dreamt of having one but , alas never did.

  3. Adriana Cronin says:

    Hello! I came across an article from you that appeared within the many Pinterest RV remodel posts I had gone through. It was about Lily, the Airstream.

    To say I’ve been searching for the right one myself is an understatement, and as I turned 62, I realized it’s time to do it! I tried to click on the link to the step by step instructions, but nothing came up and noticed the article was from 2012. I know this may be a long shot, but do you still happen to have this information on hand? I’m so impressed and thank you for sharing your time and talents with everyone!
    Adriana, Naples, FL

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GIVEAWAY: “Flickers, Sunbeams”

In the Aug/Sept 2022 issue of MaryJanesFarm, “Sunbeams” (on newsstands July 5), I led you here to my journal for a chance to win 12 shiny, flicker-deterring CDs.

For a chance to win, share your flicker stories, tips, tricks, and hints OR share a tip or trick you’ve learned for deterring any pest around your home or farm in the comments below. (It might make it into one of our upcoming issues.) I’ll toss your name into a hat and draw a lucky winner sometime soon.

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

  1. Diana Johnson says:

    When I planted my sweet corn, I had a radio playing in the rows to keep animals away. Plus I also hung, on a stick, aluminum pie dishes, when the wind blew, the noise scared any animals away.

  2. Linda Hulbert says:

    I put cds tied on twine between posts to keep birds out of the garden , it helps to keep our tomatoes from getting pecked.

  3. James Brougham says:

    My wife and I refurbished an old Totem Pole. After 3 weeks a @#$%flicker pecked a 3inch hole where I had plugged a prior hole. One week later the flicker returned and pecked another 3 inch hole…it was repaired and we hung shiny streamers all on it…the flicker has not returned…I don’t seea place to post a photo….

  4. James Brougham says:

    After 2 attacks to our recent refurbished Totem Pole we hung shining streamers ..flicker hasn’t been back..would like to post a photo but do not see where I can do that

  5. Pamela K. Hassell says:

    Here in Texas, we have a recipe for deterring those annoying black birds, “Cackles” that noisily flock together and leave behind their droppings ! All u need is several aluminum pie pans hung from tree branches ! It must be the reflection from the sun that the birds don’t like ! It works wonders

  6. Robyn Wise says:

    1/2 Pine sol and 1/2 water in a spray bottle will get the flys away…

  7. Marcy Hogan says:

    We live in Priest River, ID, and have our fair share of flickers. This year we had one of them peck a hold in the cedar siding on our house. Cedar is supposed to be a natural deterrent for insects and whatnot so we’re not sure what Mr. Flicker was searching for. Perhaps he was attempting to hollow out a nest in the side of our house?! My husband did a lot of research and tried all the spray solutions, which kept Mr. Flicker at bay for maybe a day or two. In the end, we invested in a Bird-B-Gone Super Sonic Bird Chase and have not had an issue since! It is an outdoor sound device designed to deter pest birds. It generates distress and predator calls from over 22 types of birds. You can adjust the volume, frequency, and calls for whatever pest you are encountering. I was concerned it would deter all the other birds on our property from visiting but that has not been the case. We have plenty of other birds visiting our porch, roof, and areas surrounding our property. Even Mr. Flicker and his cohorts come around but they are now pecking on the trees, not on our house or outbuildings. I highly recommend this device. It has saved our cedar siding!

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GIVEAWAY: “Sunbeams, BakeOver Skillet”

In the Aug/Sept 2022 issue of MaryJanesFarm, “Sunbeams” (on newsstands July 5), I led you here to my journal for a chance to win one of my Perfect BakeOver Skillets.

For a chance to win, tell me one of your experiences using either our recipes or products in the comments below. (It might make it into one of our upcoming issues.) I’ll toss your name into a hat and draw a lucky winner sometime soon.

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

  1. Amanda says:

    I love your Strawberry Jam recipe that uses ChillOver Powder. It’s a game changer!

  2. D'Wanna Hanes says:

    I love my Farmgirl badge and “Certified Farmgirl” bumper stick – they remind me that even though we now live in a small apartment, I’m still a farmgirl at heart and that adapting to change is one of a farmgirl’s superpowers! I’m “farming” in our kitchen and on our porch, in containers 🙂

  3. Donna Rowe says:

    I am so happy and into year 5 now of following your sourdough bread book. It has been a life changer! I was very happy stretching myself with your kamut grain but now it is very hard to come by! Thank you again for giving us such confidence!

  4. Mary Jo Taylor says:

    The BakeOver recipes were an inspiration! I made the Sweet Potato & Garbanzo BakeOver the day my Mary Jane’s arrived (yesterday). I had to improvise the pan but love the dish. Looking forward to trying all of them!

  5. Penney J Miller says:

    When I read all the BakeOver Easy recipes in the April/May 2022 issue I wanted to try them all. The first two I tried were the Cabbage BakeOver Easy and the Apple BakeOver Easy. It’s so great to make exactly the right size in the right cast iron pan. And like the name, so easy!

    Now I can’t wait to try every one of the new recipes for the Original Bake Over. It will be so hard to choose which to make first!

    Every time a new issue of MaryJane’s Farm is in the mail I know where I will be spending the afternoon. Keep up your amazing work.

  6. Joyce Walls says:

    I made the Quiche Tartlets from the Aug-Seo issue and they are delicious 😋 I always try the recipes because cooking is my thing.

  7. Deborah Nay says:

    I have had my wok from maryjanes for years. Still using it. I have made everything in it. Love her bake overs or anything she has. I need to order me a new one for sure. I am 67 so that tells you how long. Her magazine is the only one I get each month.

  8. Karen Rowell says:

    Haven’t done it yet, but I’m looking forward to using your Chill Over!

  9. Cynthia Szelag says:

    My husband feels that bread in the grocery stores are not healthy because of all the nut oils and other toxic oils that are used. So, I decided that for Mother’s Day, I would ask my grown-up kids for the Wild Bread book so I could make my own sourdough starter and start making a much more healthy bread for us to eat. I did get this great book for Mother’s Day, and then life took over and I have not been able to start making the “counter mother” because I was away so much. Now that things have settled down, I can get the “mother” started and start baking!!!

  10. Donna says:

    I love your cast iron pan recipes! The first one I tried was the bread. It was the best bread I ever had. Came out perfect the first time. When I get your magazine the cast iron recipe is one of the first things I check out and make. Thank you for a wonderful magazine!

  11. Lisa OConnor says:

    I have the jar recipes going at all times. It’s so nice to have something ready to pull out of the fridge, weather it’s sweet or savory. It’s also a good way to have portion control and what could be prettier than colorful little jars filled with goodness when you open your fridge!

  12. Virginia Bentz says:

    My mother loves to read her Mary Jane’s. She will read front to back and back to front. She reads articles out loud to me and is always trying a fun new recipe she finds in issues of magazines.

  13. Lori Moon says:

    I love scones. but hsd never made them myself. I tried your walnut orange scone mix. It was SO GOOD.
    It gave me the courage to try a from scratch recipe. Loved your scones.

  14. Jennifer Kallstrom says:

    Haven’t had the opportunity to try any items or receipes yet but they look and sound good!

    • Peggy Shrefler says:

      I haven’t tried any of the recipes or ideas from the magazine yet.
      I just became a new member of the magazine, as my friend bought me a subscription. I must say the day it comes I sit on my front porch reading every word. It is so full of interesting facts.
      My husband and I for years raised our own vegetables, berries, pigs, chickens, turkeys, etc. Now he has passed and I don’t do all that myself, but I continue canning from a local farmer’s market.
      I’m anxious to try some of your Bake Over recipes, they look so good.

  15. Alissa says:

    I havent yet tried a bakeover but they look delicious! Im certain my boys and husband will love it!

  16. Missy says:

    With every golden magazine that I receive I’m taken back to a simpler time in the present. The classic traditional touches I read and see in the art are comforting to me as I’m sure they are for all your readers. I thank you for that.
    I also would like to thank you for making it so easy to “veganize” or make your recipes vegetarian. When I got the April/May issue I had to have the Cabbage BakeOver ASAP! Oh Boy was that delicious and so much so I made twice in one week.
    Mary Janes Farm Magazine is my golden ticket fr simpler times in the rough times. God Bless

  17. Janice R. Elie-Wright says:

    I’ve not tried your recipes yet. I’m a new subscriber to Mary Jane’s Farm. I look forward to each section of the magazine. A new recipe is in my future!!

  18. Tammy Kitchen says:

    I have enjoyed Mary Jane’s farm from the first time I picked one up in my local farm supply store. At that time I was new to hobby farming with a few goats, sheep and a donkey. I sent a message about sitting by the fire with my spinning wheel on New Year’s Day and discovered you’d printed it in your letters section. Years later you had a great article about a lady raising sheep and spinning the wool like I’ve done. Your magazine inspires me to enjoy each day as it comes out here in my little piece of paradise.

  19. Connie Godwin says:

    Anxious to try your recipes for all of the BakeOver meals (gluten free of course)! Would love to have one of your perfect skillets that make all the meals in your magazine look scrumptious!

  20. Mary W says:

    MaryJane – I love your magazine and your recipes have never steered us wrong! I asked for ‘Wild Bread’ for my birthday and have been making us homemade bread ever since. Now, we have embraced the BakeOver! With a newborn and toddler at home, I love being able to prep ahead and have minimal hands on time at the 5pm ‘witching hour’.

    For now, our BakeOvers are a bit under the weather….I have been using my coated cast iron pan but as you say, it’s too heavy to flip. We like the recipes as pies, but would love to get flipping soon. Hence, please enter us in your giveaway!

  21. Susan Arend says:

    I just returned from a lake vacation, soothed with family boat rides, rippling water, and green, green , green! I live in a city and have to admit, feel a bit lost when I return. That evening, my mailbox practically giggled when I opened it- my Eating Pure in a Processed Foods World book had arrived, along with a lovely handwritten note from Colleen and Joyce. Asparagus bake and oatmeal spice cake are on my radar first! Thanks for soul- consoling Mary Jane’s Farm everything. I’m here to stay!

  22. Terry Steinmetz says:

    I am so thankful that I tried MJ”s Bake overs. Now when I get too many leftovers, I clean the left-overs onto my island, decide the right combinations, heat in my cast iron pan (which is heavy!) saute the veggies, meat etc.. Then I make the crust, bake and enjoy an easy meal, with leftovers used and eaten. Happy me…happy hubby!

  23. Vicki Atkinson says:

    I am so excited to see a recipe using gluten free flours! I would love to win one of your Perfect Bakeover skillets. This sounds like a perfect dinner for just the two us now that we’re empty nesters. I love my Mary Janes farm magazine, read it cover to cover.

  24. Jenni Burgoyne says:

    Hi I fell in love with your magazine when a friend showed me one of your issues. My bf just bought me my very first one yesterday. The August issue. I was so excited I brought it for lunch to show my friend. I’m excited to try this skillet biscuit mix. Thank you for sharing.

  25. Kerri Chaney says:

    I subscribe to a CSA in the city of Cincinnati. Cooking with in-season veggies can sometimes be a bit challenging (kale or greens all winter long?). The BakeOver Easy recipes are so fun and such a nice way to use up all the different veggies our family receives from our CSA. Thanks for helping me use it up & change it up with these recipes!

    • Vicki S. Atkinson says:

      I am a gluten free girl and when I saw your bake over recipe I was so hoping it would taste great. What a sweet surprise! So many gluten free breads are not good at all but I loved your recipe and I’ve used it with several different fillings! I’m so happy when I find good gf recipes, one of my favorites!

  26. Theresa Donner says:

    I am a long time MayJane’s Farm subscriber! And I have them all! My son is a beekeeper and I share a lot of articles with him; he has also dabbled in home made kombucha which I love! I showed your articles to him on those too! I would love to be the proud owner of your BakeOver Skillet so I can try the amazing recipes. I love your magazine and will continue to subscribe and share! Glamping is also on my buckey list!

  27. I have been a MaryJane’s Farm magazine subscriber for many, many years. I made your Honey Sweet-Potato Coins with Ricotta-Cranberry Sauce from the Dec 2020-Jan 2021 magazine for Thanksgiving that year and Christmas and again in 2021. These were a big hit! Frankly I love all your recipe ideas and ideas in general and have often bought items according to your recommendations. Thank you for a wonderful magazine and this giveaway.

  28. Sharon Koelling says:

    I am dying to try the Sweet Potato and Garbanzo Bakeover but do not have an appropriate skillet! It sounds amazing and I usually have all the ingredients on hand. I have a herb garden so I can use fresh or, in the winter, my own organic herbs.

  29. Mardell Grayhek says:

    If I have to narrow down a recipe, it will be the Cast Iron Skillet Bread. A delight! The whole Wild Bread cookbook is wonderful simply to read and learn. I thoroughly enjoyed the stories about the Barron Flour Mill. We used to buy flour from them so it is good to have that history. I had fun telling our girls all about the mill and of course, Mary Jane!

  30. Maxine Brown says:

    just recently got my first magazine and ordered future ones by sending a check, I found many interesting items

  31. Kelly K Vriezen says:

    I’m new to Mary Jane’s Farm magazine and I’m smitten! I immediately subscribed and my menu for the upcoming week now includes the Steak & Potato BakeOver, Black Bean & Corn BakeOver, Chicken, Bacon & Swiss Hand Pies, and Quiche Tartlets. I’m also going to try my hand at inventing a sweet BakeOver! Maybe peaches & blueberries? I definitely need your BakeOver Skillet!

  32. Irene L. Shank says:

    I recently subscribed to your magazine. When I received my first issue, I thought I would sit down and read it completely in an hour or so. Was I completely surprised! It has taken me days to go through the August-September 2022 issue. It is so interesting and educational that I cannot just skim the page and move on. Every page has intriguing and thought-provocating information that I find I have to concentrate and absorb every word. Thanks for reading material that is so relevant to living our best life.
    Needless to say, the BakeOver Skillet would be great addition to my kitchen!

    • Mardell Grayhek says:

      Irene, I think these BakeOver Skillet recipes are just what we need in these times where groceries have sky-rocketed and they are so versatile too!

  33. Linda Moser says:

    First time I ever purchased your magazine, seems like a very informative and interesting read, can’t wait to try some of the recipes and other things I’ve been reading about.

  34. Barbara Swanson says:

    I cannot count how often I have pored over your Bakeover recipes. Many times I had the urge to try them but either didn’t have a mentioned ingredient or just plain didn’t get it made. One day in a flurry of inspiration, I made my first Bakeover! Again, I did not have a mentioned ingredient but…I decided to improvise. So, I took one potato, one beet, one turnip a bit of chopped onion and made my first one. I’m a fairly good country cuisine cook but this recipe totally took my husband by surprise. He’s hooked on Bakeovers. The problem now is…keeping up with my new inspiration. Thank you for a wonderful addition to our meal planning!

    P. S. He still doesn’t know how easy this recipe is. 😊

    • Mardell Grayhek says:

      Barbara Swanson, I think improvising is the best way to get started. It looks like we may be in for some more shortages this fall so I will probably do the same. I love this recipe and all the ways you can make it new each time.

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GIVEAWAY: “Flour Sacks, Courage+Dreams=”

Thank you for dropping by my Raising Jane Journal to participate in my giveaways! We’ve chosen a winner for this giveaway already, but don’t be afraid to leave a comment anyway. I love reading them.

In the June/July 2022 issue of MaryJanesFarm, “Courage+Dreams=” (on newsstands May 3), I led you here to my journal for a chance to win a stack of vintage flour-sack fabric. 

OldPhotoArchive.com

For a chance to win, tell me why you connect with the nostalgia of MaryJanesFarm in the comments below. (It might make it into one of our upcoming issues.) I’ll toss your name into a hat and draw a lucky winner sometime soon.

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

  1. Crystal flanders says:

    I love Mary Jane magazine because it has simple recipes, a lot of them using cast iron which my husband and I collect and use. I also love the crafts and quilting in the Mary Jane magazine. I live out in the country and love the gardening section. Like Mary Jane herself we also have cows that we raise and also chickens. we just love the country life which is something that Mary Jane magazine reflects and I especially love her old Airstream campers, someday I’d like to get one myself.

  2. Bev read says:

    My grandma had alot of aprons made from feedbacks. My grandpa was a pig farmer and used alot of feed. I really adored those pieces of fabric. When her aprons got to worn she would tear them into straps and use them in her rag rugs. Never anything wasted was her motto!

  3. Jan Hubbard says:

    I never saw any flour sackcloth but I heard my friend talk about the feed/flour sack bags with the pretty designs while she was attempting to show me how to quilt. ( the quilting was not a take). She said that one time she went with her dad to buy feed. She dashed to see the feed sacks. She found what she wanted but it was in a high level. She told her dad which one she wanted. To her amazement, her dad pulled out the bag she desired without a single word. She said it made her happy for two reasons. She got her fabric but even more important to her, her dad took the time to get that desired bag just to please her.

  4. Mary says:

    I connect with nostalgia of Mar Janes Farm because my grandmother raised me in the ways of the past and I loved it. She often said I was born in the wrong century. I love to garden,can, weave, quilt, spin and do bobbin lace. I love to sit on the porch and listen to the birds and feel the breeze just like I did on her porch. I was very blessed to have been raised to love to work.

    • Jessica Null says:

      I love everything about MaryJane’s magazine. I love the nostalgia recipes, crafts and gardening section. Nostalgic quilt fabric is my favorite! How I wish I could go back in time when life was simpler !

  5. jill judge says:

    First off, thank you for this opportunity! My mother told us about flour sack material used for little girls dresses. My mother was a quilter that used 1930’s fabrics almost exclusively, said it reminded her of her childhood home. I now have her fabric and a quilt, memories close to my heart.

  6. Stephanie Guillory says:

    I grew up in a lower middle class Cajun family. I was the first in my family to ever graduate from college and proceed to even higher education. I am the oldest of 5 children so I had my share of changing diapers, babysitting, even cooking dinner, and housecleaning up until the day I left for college. It was never part of my future to consider that it was ok for a woman to plant a garden, bake bread, or work a homestead. Instead I made my father proud and became a CPA. I raised my 3 children and when they were gone and on their own I slowed down my work week and took a Master Gardener’s class. One of the older ladies in my class became my mentor, showing my that fun began in the garden and then in the kitchen. She introduced me to Mary Jane’s Farm and I have been a fan ever since. My “inner farm girl” comes out now and shocks my friends but I feel I am finally finding my true self. My sewing machine hums out Christmas projects and my hands are now stained from garden produce. Thank you for the example you have shown me and the inspiration. Please continue.

  7. Colleen says:

    I was fortunate and blessed to grow up with the loving role models of BOTH sets of grandparents, as well as my parents, in my life. We didn’t have a lot of money, but we had gardens (flowers and vegetables), loved picking berries, fishing for brook trout, and hunting for deer. Mother Earth gave us all we needed, including knowledge that was handed down from generation to generation. Processing wild meat, canning fruits and vegetables, sewing our own clothing, gathering our own firewood, baking wonderful Finnish-American foods, and making our Christmas gifts by hand. Learning how to sew on a treadle sewing machine, how to knit and crochet, and Grandma’s gift of rag-rug making . . . all of these gifts have blessed the lives of my siblings and myself. I thank the dear Lord above, for all of this. Call it nostalgia? I call it “family”.

  8. Louise Hoeckh says:

    Your magazine reminds me of many things from my childhood and especially my mom. Mom was raised on a farm. She often talked of many things I read about in your magazine. I love the crafts, recipes, and stories.

  9. It isn’t nostalgia at all. It’s a reminder of how to live well, and it’s a snapshot of how I actually do live; growing good food in a beautiful garden, caring for my neighbors and community, showing kindness and feeding the chickens. It reminds me to keep doing what I’m doing and just keep getting better at it.

  10. Aprile Wicker says:

    I love reading your magazine! It takes me back to simpler days. I have a collection of flour sack towels passed down from my great grandmother! Love them dearly!!

  11. Lee Ellen Phipps says:

    I love your magazine. I didn’t grow up a farm girl, I was a city girl from New Mexico. I listened to my grandfather’s stories of his childhood days in rural Missouri starting in 1910. For me those were days of family. Of growing your own food. Of making your family clothes and quilts. Of neighbor helping neighbor. It was a life I wanted. Still do. So when I got married I wanted all those things but sadly didn’t achieve all of it. I can a good part of my families food, garden, quilt, try to help my neighbors, and love my family dearly. Even at age 65 I still strive to obtain what I read in your magazine. A way of life that God is helping me fulfill.

  12. Debbie Fischer #1582 says:

    I connect with MaryJanes Farms to interact with all my Farmgirl Sisters I have met over the years.
    I can not imagine my life without them or MaryJanes Farm.
    Thank you,
    Debbie

  13. Cheryl Herron says:

    I connect with the content of Mary Jane’s Farm magazine because I grew up on a small cattle farm in the Midwest. I especially like craftiness of the magazine and helpful hints for the day to day.

  14. DeAnna Dobbs says:

    Every issue has something that reminds me of my childhood at my grandparents home. Food was grown in the garden and nothing was wasted. My grandmother sewed all of our clothes and we learned to embroider at an early age. I long for those simple days in my complex days full of technology and busy-ness. Your magazine transports me there issue after issue. What a gift!

  15. Jennifer Rock says:

    My grandmother grew up in rural Texas during the depression and married a honky-tonk man. They divorced when my mother and uncle were very young during an Era when divorce was not common. My grandmother had to leave my mother with my great-grandmother on the Texas farm while she went to beauty school to learn a living. The farm was self-sufficient and they relied on themselves to raise what they ate including collecting eggs for breakfast each morning. My great-mother made their clothes at home from material that was available, including feed sack material. My great-grandmother was the person the local doctor asked to help him with his calls to patients, and she took in over 13 local orphans during the depression and war Era. Eventually my grandmother finished beauty school, and came back for my mother and uncle. She started her own business. It is the self-sufficiency of my great-grandmother and grandmother that I think of when I read about the farming and craft stories in Mary Jane’s. My mother ran her own business, and so have I. In my opinion, Mary Jane’s provides a connection to a strength of spirit found in rural America, and makes me proud of the women in my family who over came adversity to support family and community.

  16. Jessica Null says:

    I love MaryJane’s magazine for the recipe’s, crafts and gardening section. I’m a country girl and Love quilting! My favorite fabrics are feed sacks! I wish I could go back in time when life was simpler !

  17. Imogene Vinson says:

    I grew up on a farm in the 30s and 40s. We had very few clothes and they were all homemade. My mother worked very hard to keep food and clothes for her 4 kids.she had big gardens chickens and made biscuits twice a day. We used lots of flour and a blessing when the patterned sacks came to be. They were all so pretty she would pick what she could use to make my dresses and my brothers shirts At about same time chicken feed also was in printed sacks. Two of those would make her a dress. She made aprons, bonnets underwear all out of the pretty flour sacks. When she passed away she left me with a quilt top, most every square was a scrap from a flour sack. Lots of them I could remember the dress I wore. I put that quilt top together and hand quilted it into a real treasure of memories for me. A prized possession. When looking for quilting material I find myself picking little flower patterns thinking they look similar to those flour sacks. Thank you so much for the article loved it.

  18. Rebecca Ayars says:

    My Mother had kitchen curtains made out of flour sack material and also matching cabinet curtains.I remember loving the look as a child on our big farm house kitchen. My sister and I made doll clothes from the scraps! I love your magazine and finally got a subscription last year! I read it from cover to cover! I love to craft and your magazine always has ideas for me! One of the few magazines I save❤️

  19. Semra Keller says:

    I have been a follower of Mary Jane since her first book. Everything from the crafts, recipes and the stories are what draw me in and touch my heart. I am always inspired and find something to make in each issue. Thank you!

  20. Darla Voyce says:

    My mother was raised in poverty. We threw very little away. This left us girls with wonderful memories and priceless items and generations of family photos and recipes, and lessons on how to use, repair and reuse things. Thanks Mom. This magazine brings back wonderful memories. Thank you Mary Jane.

  21. Linda Crouch says:

    I have loved the magazine for years! The sewing and quilting segments are my favorite. I have been sewing since my grandma taught me over 50 years ago. I love making useful and beautiful items for family and friends. I have made tea cozy’s from flour sack fabrics in the past. I have so many ideas swimming in my head about what could be made from these flour sacks! Thanks for such a wonderful creative magazine, I am delighted every time it shows up in my mailbox!

  22. Karen Clouse says:

    This magazine is wonderful!! It has everything and covers every topic that is interesting to me. Quilting, cooking, writing and articles on all topics that most women think about. I never pick-up an issue that i don’t see a recipe I want to try, a book I want to read and was so excited about being able to write something for the magazine and submitting it. I love to sew, quilt, read and write and this magazine has it all. I make sure I pass along to all my friends and find wonderful ideas for gifts for friend and family every time I open it!! This issue provided me with a Christmas gift already and the possibility of taking a creative writing course too. Thank you so much.

  23. Connie Merrill says:

    The beauty and simplicity of Mary Jane’s Farm is a reflection of the memories my momma shared with me of her childhood. As a child of the Depression, she developed (and passed on to me) a kind of practical creativity- using what’s available, even if it is someone else’s cast-off, to make what you need and to make it beautiful to boot. The articles, stories, and pictures remind me of her and inspire me to value the simple beauty of a life lived fully and well.

  24. Helen Dobbs says:

    I enjoy reading Mary Jane’s Farm from front to back in each issue–the great ideas and recipes are inspiring. I love vintage. My husband is building me a “she shed” that I am furnishing with my Grandparents old bedroom and kitchen furniture. In an area that is finished in old barnwood and tin, I have an old wood cookstove. I plan to use curtains made from my Grandmother’s old flour sacks in this area, but don’t have enough flour sacks to finish the rest of the window coverings. Love you flour sack article in the magazine I received today.

  25. Kathryn Brooks says:

    I love all things vintage. I enjoy reading about simpler times. I think I am an old soul person. Restoring and repurposing. Rescuing old quilts and giving them new life. Displaying my great grandparents photos (who I never met) rather than storing them in a box. These are all things I’m passionate about. Your magazine speaks to all these things. Back to basics.

  26. Paula Behr says:

    I connect with the nostalgia of MaryJanes Farm for many reasons: I love Cast iron cookware, gardening, sewing, cooking, baking, painting, learning, healthing (I know, not a verb…yet) reading, upcycling, designing, and drawing. And MaryJanes Farm explores all of these life areas in a fresh, fun, environmentally friendly, and soulful manner.

  27. Angel says:

    I connect with the nostalgia of MaryJanes Farm because it reminds me of my Granny and all the “old ways”. I’ve learned a lot of the old ways from Granny, but at 95 years old, there are a lot of things she can no longer teach me. MaryJanes Farm fills in a lot of those gaps, plus brings me a lot of “new” things too, things that will be the “old ways” one day for my daughters.

  28. Laurie Brown says:

    Your magazine takes me back to simpler times and yet still connects to the present day. The article on feed sacks caught my eye. I’m a quilter and have been trying to collect feed sacks so I can make a quilt and some pin cushions. I want to show and tell my grandchildren about the past. Thank you for a great magazine. Keep doing what you do.

  29. Joyce Jose says:

    I love your magazine for the crafts, recipes and farm girl articles. I love needle arts, reading, and gardening and this magazine has it all. I could read it from cover to cover. It is a wonderful escape from the world today.

  30. Colleen Misner says:

    I love the simplicity of a life lived in harmony with the earth. I wish I had known my grandmothers. They were both very courageous women. One raised a large family while her husband had to sometimes be gone long times for his work. The other traveled alone as a widow from Ireland with a 2 year old and a 3 month old baby! MaryJanes Farm inspires me to look back at what might not have been simpler times but, perhaps simpler and more direct ways of handling everyday problems in more creative and more courageous manners.

  31. Diann Valdez says:

    First of all I really enjoy MaryJanes Farm magazine. Brings back lots of memories. My Grandmother did a lot of sewing, crochet and so much more. She made aprons with the sack cloths and used pieces for quilts or to cover homemade pillows. When worn out nothing wasted, she would make the rag rugs too. I have a couple of them, one not quit finished so I’ve been trying to finish it myself. Love the colors and simplicity. Thank you for bring back simple life but so meaningful. Gods blessings to you and your family. 🤗

  32. Cheri Burda says:

    There has always been and always will be the opportunity to learn and use what we have been given in life. We have lived on a small lake for 45 years; just a strip of land that we try to make the most of. Vegetable gardens and berries. Fishing and hunting nearby. Raised 5 children here and they are all resourceful and are teaching their young ones a life of making the most of what is at hand. MaryJanes Farm, brings memories and often new things that continue to make life better. like her motto says…eat better, feel better and live better.

  33. Susan Bartels says:

    I love Mary Janes Farm magazine, it truly brings back many wonderful memories of growing up on our little country farm in Wisconsin! My dad grew the most incredible vegetable gardens while my mom tended to her beautiful flower gardens. Growing up in rural WI we didn’t have a lot of money but we did have a roof over our heads & lots of good homegrown food to eat. We had a small farm with milking cows. Pigs, goats, chickens as well as our pet dog, Cubby a beautiful borderline collie, cats & my rabbits snowball & cottontail.
    My mom & grandmother were wonderful seamstresses & made all of our clothes growing up which is the main reason for me writing this because I read about flour sacks & a chance to win a stack of vintage flour-sack fabric & brought back precious memories of our handmade clothes which were made from these beautiful printed flour sacks. Your June-July issue just arrived today in my mailbox & I was so excited after reading it I had to call my older sister & tell her all about it and I told her I was going to order a subscription for her as I knew she would enjoy your magazine as much as I am! Thank you so much for for creating this awesome magazine!

  34. Bobbi Hammons says:

    As if I didn’t love Mary Jane’s farm enough but now you have painted a picture that I could only imagine before.

    As a lot of you, my Mother grew up during the days of wearing feed sack clothes. I imagined rough beige itchy bags that smelled of corn! She didn’t talk about it much until I was old enough to appreciate it… like 40?

    Somewhere buried deep in a cedar chest there is a quilt made of her feed sack clothes but she was never able to get possession of it. We don’t know where it ended up.

    She was raised on a farm and even I (as a child) got to experience the beautiful life of a farmer. I enjoyed “slopping the hogs” , brushing the horses, milking the cows on a “t” stool. What a delight to float a watermelon in the milk cooler! We dried apples for pies, made cracklings’ and always had a plate of country ham and biscuits on the stove. We raised a big garden full of vegetables and I surely thought, if I wasn’t helping my Grandfather dig in the earth and water the plants by a quart jar, the garden would definitely fail.

    Neighbors would sit on the porch and visit and we would make homemade ice cream. As kids we fought over who got to turn the crank of the ice cream maker next! As the sun set we would catch lightning bugs and put them in jars with holes on top. It was a very compatible game to see who could catch the most.

    I can still close my eyes and see those days, those fairytale times for me. I imagine my Momma in those beautiful feed sack clothes thanks to you. I don’t have to picture her in a dreary scratchy sad way. She LOVES flour sacks and 30’ fabric. To be honest with you, I didn’t know flour-sack fabric was available! I made her a 30’s quilt last year and I’ve only been quilting about 3 years.

    Your magazine shows me pictures that bring memories back to life, makes my mouth water for both new and forgotten recipes;Reminds me of a simpler way of life; Brings a big smile on my face when it welcomes me at the mailbox! I look forward a quiet comfy place to get lost in between the pages of today and yesterday. Thank you for bringing me this joy.

    Blessings!

  35. Kim says:

    Love your magazine! There are so many reminders of how much simpler life can be and I needed this. Thank you. The flour sack fabric was used in quilts that my grandmother made and my husband’s grandma made. They were mixed with old sheet fabric and work shirt fabric to make beautiful works of art that are still useful today!

  36. Norma Banks says:

    I would love to win this fabric. My Mama and her 11 siblings were raised in Casey County, Ky. Mama was born in 1930. And she grew up with flour sack dress, she use to tell us kids about how it was back then, their family worked hard for everything, share croppers. But she went to school until 8th grade. For the most part they were happy. Mama was 90 when she died(1 1/2 yes ago). Miss her a lot, but she and Daddy raised us with faith in God and each other. I would like to try to make some clothes for my grandkids. Thank you for reading my letter.m

  37. randi winters says:

    It is fascinating to me to study the role fabric has played in our history. As an artist myself I was immediately drawn to the article about flour sacks and how they were used during the war years. the patterns are wonderful and the story about them is so interesting. I love that the flour sack companies responded by making more beautiful patterns on their sacks for people to use in their projects once the flour was gone. I love everything about Mary Jane’s Farm magazine and as an artist I especially enjoy all the vintage illustrations throughout the magazine. The whole magazine is a work of art! While other magazines get put into the recycle bin, I can’t bring myself to part with a single issue of Mary Jane’s farm. Thank you for such a beautiful and informative magazine, you speak to my soul in every issue.

    • Love learning that flour sack companies paid attention to beautiful patterns as a way to please the girls and women who were sewing up dresses and more. This is so caring and kind.
      PS. I save all of my Mary Jane magazines as well.

  38. Penny says:

    I have always connected with all things vintage. Sometimes I think I was born in the wrong era. That’s why I enjoy Mary Jane’s farm so much. Even though I live in the suburbs I still enjoy raising chickens gardening and many handcrafts etc.❣️

  39. I have loved your magazine since the first time I placed one in my hands. The pages show how to live simply and joyfully without waste. The ideas harken back to a time when everything was used and then found new life to be used again. The flour sacks are the perfect expression of this lifestyle! I would love to own some for my own projects. Thanks for all you do to better my world!

  40. Judy Ussery says:

    I really enjoyed reading the article about flour sacks. I’ve collected several sacks over the years. I also have several that belonged to my Mother In law. I’ve been making aprons for a craft sale we have each year at our Family Life Ctr. at our church, in July. Flour sack would make some beautiful one. I’m afraid I’d want to buy them all. I love old stuff. Antiquing has been my passion for many years. I also enjoyed all the old farm implements in this months issue. Love your magazine.

  41. I love your magazine beautiful magazine.
    What I like best is everything is in color.
    I’m 81 yrs young and would like to make a flower sack
    skirt for my granddaughter and myself.
    Peace, love, Joy.

  42. I love the flour sack dresses! My great grandmother use to wear little dresses made out of the flour sacks and when they wore out, whatever scraps were left she made a quilt. I still have the quilt and it is used a little but I do not it to wear out. So fun to look at those little pieces of fabric and think about Momma’s Cooper life back then. Such an amazing woman. She was a true Farmgirl.

  43. Christina Schlunz says:

    I am a new subscriber to Mary Jane’s Farm. I have enjoyed the nostalgia of the magazine so much! The flour sack article really drew me in. It reminded me of Grandma’s and Mom’s aprons. I love all of the vintage fabrics, and would love to see them made into pillows or pillowcases. There is something about the closeness you feel to days gone by when you lay your head down on or near a vintage piece of fabric. How fun to combine flour sack fabric pillows with the pillowcases my Grandma hand embroidered, and her beautifully hand done doilies!! Now that both of these wonderful ladies are gone, I always search for things to bring a memory of them back to me.

  44. Cathleen stouffer says:

    It takes me back to a time that was so simple or so I thought I get a feeling inside that’s pure pleasure of reading and seeing things that I remembered a time that will always be treasured an escape from the way this world is now. I’m not a very good sewer but my friend is and I would love to give her the fabric to make some thing wonderful.

  45. Kristine McCarty says:

    I love Mary Janes farm. Honestly, it brings me back to times with my grandmother. I learned so much from her. I didn’t know it then, but I do now what an impact she made on my life living more simply. I remember making Barbie dresses from her old feedbacks in the 70s. The prints were so pretty. Those are long gone now, but to able to own some of the original patterns would be a awesome thing. Thanks for your magazine.

  46. Susan Gamel says:

    I am not sure what headline caught my eye on a Mary Jane’s Farm magazine, but it reminded me of my Mom and her love of making violet jelly. I picked up that issue and have subscribed ever since then. Your articles often remind me of my Mom and her stories about her family and home country of Switzerland. Sometimes as I read your articles a smile pops up, a sigh and even a tear. But all with good memories. My Mom enjoyed crocheting and knitting. My husband’s Grandmother was a quilter and I too enjoy quilting. Many of Gram’s quilts were pieced from old shirts, pj’s, dresses and aprons. What wonderful memories pop up from the nostalgia in each issue!!

  47. Mary St Mane says:

    Mary Jane inspires my creative side whether it be cooking, sewing or gardening. She’s an amazing women to have created such an empire on the basic needs of all women. Life is short and we need to do more of what you talk about in your articles. Exercise is key to a good life and I feel like you inspire people to get moving. I’m very much a believer in staying fit.
    I have a small collection of feedsack fabric. I display it on a rack and the colors are beautiful. It’s like gold to me.

  48. Cathey Tisdale says:

    I’m a new subscriber to Mary Jane’s Farm. In the June/July issue the Flour Sacks article made me think of a conversation I had with my momma. We were looking at a photo of my mom and her sister, dressed exactly alike .She told me my grandmother had made those little dresses by hand( she had no sewing machine) and the fabric was from flour sacks. Reflecting on this memory made my heart ❤️ full!

  49. Tiffanee M Noack says:

    As a quilter, vegetable & herb gardener, beekeeper, mom to two horses and two cats, lover of cooking and baking I simply love Mary Janes magazine as it enlightens me to various subjects from philosophy to gardening, crafts, nature and the vintage life of the past. I have used and coveted feed sack material in my quilting as it reminds me of my long lineage of makers in my family. Happy memories of growing up with craftiness and the love for the outdoors and all things created by God around me.

  50. Julie McFaddin says:

    I love Mary Jane’s Farm because it encompasses so much of what makes me happy and nostalgic! So much if what our country was based on and had grown up on. I sometimes think I live happily in the past even though my present is full of life! I would LOVE TO WIN the flour sacks and make fun things for all my grandchildren and friends and family!
    Thank you for the continued inspiration!

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Winner!!! GIVEAWAY: Two-Wheel Farmer

The winners of the t-shirts from our Two-Wheel Farmer giveaway are Colleen Maki, who said in response to our query, “send me one of your tried-and-true household or garden tips” …

“To get rid of pesky weeds, pour simple BOILING WATER over the weed, and it’s like magic … gone in no time at all!”

and Cheryl Stanley, who said …

“I like to grow milkweed for the monarch butterflies. They are the true meaning of summer for me in Indiana. I had never seen one before 2011, when I moved here. This year, I have been collecting a lot of seeds and learned about herbalism. I made my first goldenrod infusion. So exciting! I love your magazine and all the support of farmlife and women.”


Congratulations, Colleen and Cheryl! Watch for an email from the farm.

Thank you to all the women who responded with such lovely comments. I thoroughly enjoyed reading them!

  1. Connie Warren says:

    Congrats! I love that tip!

  2. Zelia C hayden says:

    I discover Mary Jane’s products at a country restaurant and nursery in Nashville Indiana. She had a few dresses made by Mary Jane. I began my search and discovered the magazine. I love all the receipts, stories, and even the wonderful advertisements. I’m not a big magazine person but this is my favorite reading of all time. I see a lot and would love love love flour sack fabric. It’s so beautiful.

  3. Jane says:

    Today I bought my first Mary Jane’s Farm magazine at Barnes and Noble- I love it!! And inside was an article about Tasha Tudor, who my friend, Joy, is a big fan of. I’m mailing this one to Joy, and going back to the store and buying another one, for me! This magazine is so nostalgic, with beautiful photos and drawings.

  4. Sarah says:

    1.Real 2.Real 3.Real 4. Fake 5.Fake 6. Fake
    7.Fake 8.Fake
    The tomatoes are the hard one for me. I think #2 and #3 look the most real!

  5. Sherry Stine says:

    I believe they all are fake.

  6. Cindy Jacobson says:

    1-Fake; 2-Real; 3-Fake; 4-Fake; 5-Real; 6-Fake; 7-Real; 8-Real

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