Moscow farmgirl brings her book tour to Boise

Maryjane Butters has been away from her Moscow farm quite a bit over the past month on a national tour promoting her much anticipated new book.

After visiting the likes of New York City and Chicago, this Idaho girl is back in Boise for her latest tour stop.

Maryjane is a true Idaho farm girl. For two decades she has lived on the Palouse near Moscow, growing organic produce, creating her own food line and publishing a self-titled magazine.

Last year that magazine caught the attention of a New York publisher who asked Maryjane to write a book. She said “yes.”

"It’s the farmer in me, because farmers, in order to survive, often you have in your tool box something called diversification, and I have done value added, this and value added that, and if it means writing and communication, and telling my story that's just another crop I’m growing. I call it rural rootedness," Butters said.

“Maryjane’s ideabook, cookbook, lifebook" hit store shelves last month, and Maryjane hit the road. This self-proclaimed homebody left the farm behind and flew to New York City, Vermont, Chicago, Indiana and many points in between.

"Being away from home was harder than producing the book or growing food the 20 years I’ve been at my farm, and being away from home and feeling I was okay with that and being in front of TV cameras," Butters said.

"It’s different than just talking to the cows, isn't it?" asked NewsChannel 7.

"It’s different than talking to the cows," Butters replied.

But, wherever she's toured, big city or small town women have stood in line to get her autograph and tell her about their stories. She says that's more rewarding than any amount of book sales.

"My message is just that farm girl is a condition of the heart, that we welcome everyone who wants to participate, whatever your talents and strengths. We’re nesters, we love to decorate, we love to preen, we love to have healthy families and we love to serve them good food. I think it's a celebration of honoring whatever it is a woman wants to do, whatever," Butters said.

There are autographed copies of Maryjane’s new book available at Barnes and Noble.

But, to really get the Maryjane experience you might want to adjust your weekend plans.

This Saturday and Sunday, Maryjane is hosting her annual Fourth of July farm fair - a celebration of rural community.

Along with hundreds of expected visitors, "People Magazine" and PBS will also be on hand documenting the event.

For directions to her Moscow farm and a list of activities click on the link on this page.

Watch Alyson's interview with MaryJane on the KTVB website