Raising a healthy Jane (or just being a healthy grown-up Jane) comes from good food and proper nutrition. Grab your aprons, I’m on kitchen duty with food to spare and recipes to share! When time allows, here’s where you’ll find one of my how-to-convert-to-an-organic-diet recipes.
Last Saturday, when we went to our local Farmers’ Market, Mom and I got a friendly reminder to dance like no one’s watching …
Where do you think these two got their moves? 😉
Winnie Nielsen says: Don’t you just love the freedom that children have to just respond to music? They make it look so easy!
That is my favorite quote -from a song no less. I used to sign all my emails with it . And it is so the truth!
Cindi Johnson says: I wish I had been fast enough with my video earlier this spring when a little girl walking in front of me walked under low hanging willow branches about to burst into leaf. They must have tickled her as she stopped, reached up into the branches and started to twirl while swaying her arms, giggling at the feel. It was such a beautiful dance between nature and innocence! I smiled the rest of the day. I think the tree did, too.
MaryJane says: Wonderful image!
Winnie Nielsen says: I love this embossed yellow bowl. So vintage cute!
Winnie Nielsen says: Sipping some Pomme Mary Cider from the Vintage Virginia Apples trip and reading my new book “an Apple Harvest” while looking out the balcony at The ocean at Virginia Beach!! It has been an appletacular day starting with more apple pie for breakfast with, cheese, crisp apple for lunch from the orchard and now our fav selection of cider front the tasting room. Did I mention it is 90 degrees here and the beach is full of swimmers? Kinda weird from mountains to beach is the span of an afternoon on my apple trekking day in Virginia.
Celebrate 30 years for Earthbound Farm Organic and win! You may know Earthbound Farm from the cartons of organic greens in your produce aisle—they’re the leading grower of organic produce in the U.S.
It’s Earthbound’s 30th anniversary, and they’re giving away 30 prizes a day for 30 days to celebrate!
In 1984, founders Drew and Myra Goodman moved to California from Manhattan and started farming a 2 1/2-acre raspberry farm organically. Before long, they became the first company to market prewashed, packaged salad, starting a salad revolution for baby greens nationwide. Their product line now includes specialty greens like kale and arugula, as well as fruits and snacks.
“Behind the salads and greens, the fruits and veggies, we’re a community of people passionate about happier, healthier living. Happier in a ‘growing closer over a meal made from ingredients closer to the Earth’ way. Healthier in a ‘synthetic chemical-free’ and ‘oh-no-what-did-I-just-eat-free’ way. And we want to share it with you. So get ready to cook delicious, learn wholesome, plan goodness, and explore wonderful.”
Earthbound has profiled four personality types of organic customers: Innovator, Champion, Nurturer, and Explorer. What “salad sign” are you? Take a simple quiz with fun questions like “Favorite dynamic duo?” with choices including “Thelma and Louise, Batman & Robin, and Mr. & Mrs. Potatohead” at EBFarmPromotions.com to find out.
Just by taking the quiz, you’ll get an exclusive coupon, a salad-in-a-jar recipe tailored to your “salad sign,” a background image of your “sign” for your computer, and be entered to win a limited-edition reusable shopping bag and other “mystery” prizes throughout September … it’s a win-win!
jayne gilmer says: love the HERB BLEND- we go through one big container a week for 2 people!!
Winnie Nielsen says: I am the Nurturer profile and the beet salad with goat cheese sounds delicious!! I love this brand and buy it all the time.
Lynn Terwin says: Best salad mix love it with grilled chicken or salmon:-)
Winnie Nielsen says: Ohh, I love this Mama Scarcrow and Baby! This is the sweetest set ever. I never stopped to think how big scarecrows grew up. Scarecrows have long been a fascination and favorite of mine. This set has the right kind of face that I just love too. Thanks for sharing!
I am here in northern Virginia where early Fall is showing signs of arriving. It is 70 and cloudy right now which is a huge change for this Florida girl!
MaryJane says: What fun thing are you doing in Virginia today???????
Winnie Nielsen says: We went to Middleburg, Va just up the road and ate lunch at the historic Red Fox Inn. It was awesome and the place was used in both the Revolutionary and Civil Wars as a hospital for the wounded. Prior to the Revolutionary War, it was known as Cripps Ordinary and a well know place for travelers to stop overnight . Then we went to this old Mill Park from 1789 that milled bith flour and corn until 1971. Right next door to the park area was this place call Little Apple Pastry Shop where they make homemade pies!! We are having Apple Pie for dinner!!!!!!
MaryJane says: With cheese?
Winnie Nielsen says: Absolutely!! We bought this aged cheese in this very cool local meat and grocer called Shop to Farm where they raise all their meat on non GMO organic feed. The pie and cheese was so delicious we each ate two slices each!!!!!! Tomorrow it is onward to the Virginia Vintage Apples where we can taste the various ciders!.
MaryJane says: Vicarious apple living/travels via Winnie!
Connie-Killarney says: awwwwwwwwwww I love how she reminds me of Raggedy Ann. I sew all kinds of dolls and I really love this one!
MaryJane says: I love her eyes made from one side of a clothing snap. What kinds of dolls do you sew?
martina king says: any patterns for these, they are so cute would love to make them as I make a lot of dolls!!
Ramona says: Is there a pattern for this?!! It is just too cute!
Here’s a farmgirl website that’s bound to dazzle your little darlins … Peppa Pig!
Peppa’s a popular British preschool animated television series, also broadcast here in the U.S. on Nickelodeon. Each episode is only 5 minutes long, tailored to tiny tots’ attention spans. The show stars Peppa, a girl pig, George, her little brother, their family, and the kids’ friends, each a different kind of animal: Suzy Sheep, Candy Cat, Danny Dog, Pedro Pony, Emily Elephant, and more.
Your little ones can now join the fun on their wildly animated website, PeppaPig.com. You’re bound to be all smiles while Peppa skips across the screen and narrates in a darling British accent peppered with oinks, drawing youngsters into activities including coloring, painting, games, and more.
Another fun pig-themed game for the whole family is Pass the Pigs. It involves little pink pigs that you roll like dice. You get different points according to the way the pigs land … and part of the fun is the named positions: two pigs standing upright are a Double Trotter, two on their backs are a Double Razorback, and the best position of all—a Double Leaning Jowler—is when both pigs rest on their snouts and their ears. Choose the Pig Party Edition, serving up more pigs, more points, and more fun.
Whatever you choose, these porcine pastimes will provide hours of pig-tastic, puerile play.
Winnie Nielsen says: I bet your grand girls would love this game with the pigs ! It looks like fun for adults too. It is interesting to see other children ideas besides what fill our stores here in the US. Lots of new and exciting ideas on this link.
Love the Pig Party game. It is sold at our local ” Mennonite Mall”, a family owned store. It is an old fashioned dry goods store, much like the Lehman’s mail order store that caters to the “plain people”. They sell all the old fashioned toys you thought were no longer made, and especially board games. Just their selection of real china children’s teasets is fantastic. I do most of my Christmas shopping there. PLus they sell all the sensible old time clothes. Like when was the last time you saw an all cotton full slip for instance? It is also where I got the sweet hankies and your “dancing bees” toy , MaryJane.
MaryJane says: Yes, our sweet cow hankies and dancing bees. Life’s little pleasures can be so simple! I love the Lehmans catalog. I’ve been buying from them since I was in my twenties.
Yes Maryjane, simplicity is often the real key to happiness. Remember what Gloria Steinem said : ” it’s never too late to have a happy childhood “.
MaryJane says: I’ve never run across that quote. Sweet.
Connie-Killarney says: Oh, I am really excited now since I am going to be a Granny bear! I am saving all of these websites!
Winnie Nielsen says: Could be the beginnings of a pumpkin?? Or just the regular squash, cucumber? Given the season, I am thinking this was the early view of future “Pumpkin Moonshines” as Tasha Tudor called them.
Winnie Nielsen says: don’t you love how each color has it’s own unique taste both raw and cooked?
Connie-Killarney says: My son-in-law eats the red ones like an Apple!! I love them in Potato Salad! I am excited that my peppers was one of the veggies that did well in my attempt to expand my garden this year!
While Mom and I went back-to-school shopping, Mia got to spend the evening with NannyJane. When Mia arrived, Nanny was busy unloading her Jeep with some mysterious items.
Mia and Nanny made a terrarium! And look how cool it turned out! Nanny even thought to get Mia a mini watering can so she can diligently water it every day. Who needs a pet when you can have your own terrarium?
My favorites are the pink-and-green-leafed plants.
I sure am looking forward to Mia’s back-to-school shopping and my date night with NannyJane. I wonder what adventures we’ll have?
Winnie Nielsen says: Mia, I remember making terrariums when I was a child. They are very exciting to watch because there are always unexpected surprises that happen in those little worlds. Enjoy your own “secret garden”!
StellaJane, I hope you had a fun time with your mom getting ready for the new school year. I just bet NannyJane has something up her sleeve for the two of you to do when it is your turn for date night!
Megan says: Our dates did work out wonderfully. 🙂 Both girls enjoyed some good old farmgirl fun with Nanny and a little shopping with me. Fun had by all! And we were ready for back to school. Pretty much anyway. 😉
Great granddaughter/nanny project. Only if it’s a terrarium you really seldom need to water it as it is enclosed and keeps damp ( self watered) all by itself. Enjoy it as it is an historic way to keep plants.
Megan says: Yes, a true-blue terrarium would not need much water, but ours has quite a few openings so it doesn’t entirely create its own ecosystem. 🙂 It is a good lesson in keeping things alive.
connie-Kilalrney says: Oh I love this!! that reminds me of the 1970’s I had several Terrariums and my daughter Holly and I would decorate them according to the season. Back then the Wool-Worth’s in our Mall had a whole section of Terrarium Accessories! We mounded a hill under one of the plants and for Winter we had white sand for snow and little Ski Figures and a face powder compact mirror at the bottom for the skating rink. awww I have to show this post to my Holly.
Megan says: Oh, I love the compact mirror for your ice rink. That is too cute! How fun.
Buy props used in MaryJane’s books and magazine!
5% of profits will benefit www.firstbook.org, a non-profit that provides new books to children from low-income families throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Here’s how:
MaryJane will post a photo and a description of a prop and its cost along with a few details as to its condition here: https://shop.maryjanesfarm.org/MaryJanesCurations. It’s a playful way to be the new owner of a little bit of farm herstory.
Love this idea of the aprons with a pocket made from vintage hankie! Adorable.
Yes, the vintage hankie is too adorable for a pocket especially tied like that! I can hardly wait to try that idea . And I have stacks of hankies to use that is for sure. Also want to make a quilt using them.
That is Farmgirl to Me, Barefoot and an Apron on!! Love the picture!! and I too love the Hankie for the pocket! Both are just fabulous!