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**Welcome Wagon:  New Farmgirl from Maryland  |
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Linda
Farmgirl in Training
32 Posts
Linda
Swanton
MD
USA
32 Posts |
 Posted - Aug 02 2005 : 10:41:48 AM
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Hello everyone, I'm really glad to be a part of this. For the first time in my life, I am not working full time out of the house; no more commuting and no more corporate America. Now I can get back to my farm roots (never really left them because they are where your heart is), but will definitely have more time to pursue them. I live in Central Maryland, basically between Baltimore and Washington and although it's become quite crowded and hectic here, we have been able to maintain our basic skills and lifestyle learned while growing up in the 50s. Although I don't have a huge garden anymore, I know how to grow anything, cook it and/or preserve it and always loved doing that. I grew up on my grandparents farm in Western PA and they taught me everything.
My husband and I are planning on retiring to Western Maryland where life is completely different from here. We have 10 acres in the mountains in a very remote area where the only thing you can hear is the wind and the wildlife. We will be moving there in a few years where we will really be able to get back to basics. Alot of people retire to extravagant lives, we are looking forward to making ours much more simple than it already is.
I love to sew - home dec mostly, but also like to embroider and make quilts. I love flowers and my yard is full of them - even the bushes and trees flower. My husband and I love to go camping and hiking and are most happy in the woods and/or the country. I love Maryjane's magazine and am looking forward to meeting some Farmgirls.
Linda |
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BlueEggBabe
True Blue Farmgirl
417 Posts
Susan
PA
417 Posts |
Posted - Aug 03 2005 : 04:52:11 AM
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Morning Linda,
Nice to welcome another eastern farmgirl, although you will find out
real soon that we all seem like next door neighbors! Your retirement plans and land sound devine. Great to have that to look forward to after the hustle and bustle of metropolitan DC suburbs,huh? My sister also lives in Ellicott City and I am always astounded by the 4 lanes of traffic when I go to visit her!
Enjoy yourself while you get to know all of these wonderful ladies.
Sue
"If more of us valued good food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world."
J.J.R.Tolkien |
Edited by - BlueEggBabe on Aug 03 2005 06:40:10 AM |
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Linda
Farmgirl in Training
32 Posts
Linda
Swanton
MD
USA
32 Posts |
Posted - Aug 03 2005 : 05:11:40 AM
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Sue - thanks for the nice welcome, it's very nice to meet you.
Linda |
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MBurns
True Blue Farmgirl
1826 Posts
Marlene
Swisher
IA
USA
1826 Posts |
Posted - Aug 03 2005 : 06:51:29 AM
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| Hi Linda, Welcome from Marlene in Iowa. We are hoping to buy the farmstead on my parents farm to retire on. I want to be remote where I can hear the birds and feel the wind and there is little traffic. Good to meet you. |
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Linda
Farmgirl in Training
32 Posts
Linda
Swanton
MD
USA
32 Posts |
Posted - Aug 03 2005 : 07:05:17 AM
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Hi Marlene - that sounds great, I hope you get to do that, I can totally relate. It's good to meet you also.
Linda |
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Eileen
True Blue Farmgirl
1199 Posts
Eileen
USA
1199 Posts |
Posted - Aug 03 2005 : 08:19:16 AM
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Welcome Linda form a city girl turned farm girl living in western Washington State. We retired from our city life 10 years ago and would never go back for all the tea in china (or anything else for that matter.) We were never really cut out to be city folk anyway and like you my home has always had everything I could squeeze in blooming as much of the year as possible and a vegie garden as well.
You are going to find this a great place to meet new friends and feel like you just found out you had a thousand new sisters.
Eileen
songbird; singing joy to the earth |
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MBurns
True Blue Farmgirl
1826 Posts
Marlene
Swisher
IA
USA
1826 Posts |
Posted - Aug 03 2005 : 08:28:19 AM
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HI Linda, We like to camp also. we go to northern Iowa on a dirt road where there is a cabin and we have a spot for our camper. it has a walking path close by and there are nothing but fields and sky.
Love it. Where do you go camping? |
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Linda
Farmgirl in Training
32 Posts
Linda
Swanton
MD
USA
32 Posts |
Posted - Aug 03 2005 : 09:22:29 AM
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Eileen - thank you for the warm welcome. Yes, we are so far from being city folk - it's a real challenge staying that way when everything around you is city - but that has also made us happy with ourselves and proud to still have those values. I have already met some really great people here. Thanks.
Linda |
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Linda
Farmgirl in Training
32 Posts
Linda
Swanton
MD
USA
32 Posts |
Posted - Aug 03 2005 : 09:28:19 AM
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Marlene - we camp at the State Parks in Western Maryland - in the mountains. The state parks there are very quiet, and very beautiful. There are all kinds of hiking trails, great places to fish, quiet/peaceful surrounding and lots of wildlife. We have a small pop-up camper that is perfect for the two of us. I love everything about camping except sleeping on the ground!! So the pop-up gives us a nice place to sleep and shelter when it's raining. We can still read and play board games even if it rains. We try to go once a month during the good weather season - it keeps us sane. Glad to hear that you camp also - it's so great to love the outdoors.
Happy trails to you too. |
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Kim
True Blue Farmgirl
146 Posts
Kim
Pflugerville
Texas
USA
146 Posts |
Posted - Aug 03 2005 : 3:03:44 PM
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Welcome aboard! I'm Kim from Illinois, but temporarily in Kansas for work for 2 months
farmgirl@heart
Be at peace with yourself and the rest will follow |
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Shirley
True Blue Farmgirl
734 Posts
Shirley
Olympia
Wa
USA
734 Posts |
Posted - Aug 03 2005 : 6:41:47 PM
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Welcome Linda,
I have a son and 3 granchildren in Cumberland, dont know how close that is to you.
Have a great time on here, its fun
shirley in Olympia, Wa |
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Linda
Farmgirl in Training
32 Posts
Linda
Swanton
MD
USA
32 Posts |
Posted - Aug 04 2005 : 06:38:53 AM
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Shirley, I've been to Cumberland many times - we go right thru there on our way to our property in Western MD. It's about 2.5 hours from me. That makes your grandchildren pretty far away from you.
Linda |
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Barn Goddess
Farmgirl in Training
29 Posts
Mary Jane
Henry
Virginia
USA
29 Posts |
Posted - Aug 04 2005 : 07:04:43 AM
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Hi Everyone, I read about Mary Jane's farm in Country Home magazine and immediately got on her website. This is my first chat room experience, so I'll be learning as I go. My husband and I spent our entire lives in a large city, but I always wanted a farm. So, when he retired May, 2003, we moved to a 35 acre farm in rural southwest Virginia. We rescue animals and have cats, goats, sheep and a donkey. I have learned an awful lot (the hard way) about farm life. But, now I can say, I'm a bona fide farmgirl. My husband prefers city life so I tell everyone he is a farmer's husband. My veggie garden improves each year....I'm going natural all the way. I actually have a pumpkin patch this year. Our city friends thought we had completely lost our minds...the nearest bank is 18 miles one way, nearest grocery store 16 miles one way, but this is the best physical move I've ever made. I'm looking forward to being a part of this new experience.
Mary Jane (yes, that is my name) |
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Linda
Farmgirl in Training
32 Posts
Linda
Swanton
MD
USA
32 Posts |
Posted - Aug 04 2005 : 07:32:41 AM
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Mary Jane - hi and welcome. Sounds like you have found your dream and are actually living it - good for you!! I know you are new here, and just wanted to tell you that you may want to post your own message so that others will know you are here. Just click on "New Topic" and type in the same information you have put here. Then everyone will see it on the main Welcome page instead of "maybe" reading it on my topic. You will get the hang of this - we all had to learn - let me know if you have any other questions - and you will love it here - the people are great!!
Linda |
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westernhorse51
True Blue Farmgirl
1681 Posts
michele
farmingdale
n.j.
USA
1681 Posts |
Posted - Aug 04 2005 : 07:47:30 AM
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Hi Linda, nice to have you with us. Im Michele and live in N.J. very crowded also. My husband and I want to do the same at retirement. We dont have the property yet, still trying to decide. We are both 53, he can retire at 62 but may go till 65, not sure yet. Simplicity in life is a wonderful goal. I want a few sheep for spinning, chickens for eggs, my veggie patch and lots of herbs. We would like to find an old existing farmhouse(in N.J. it's getting harder) a small house with a barn on about 2 to 3 acres. I would be very happy with that. I'd like to have a small studio for all my spinning, rug making and weaving equipment and supplies. And a place to dry my herbs. Retirement looks better all the time. Great to have you with us. Michele
"she selects wool and flax and works with eager hands". Prov. 31:13 |
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Barn Goddess
Farmgirl in Training
29 Posts
Mary Jane
Henry
Virginia
USA
29 Posts |
Posted - Aug 04 2005 : 08:54:34 AM
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Linda, Thanks for the tip. It will take me a while to get the hand of this.
Mary Jane |
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**Welcome Wagon: New Farmgirl from Maryland |
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New Farmgirl from Maryland
