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Entrepreneurship:  MJ's latest venture  |
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Clare
True Blue Farmgirl
2173 Posts
NC WA State
USA
2173 Posts |
 Posted - Jul 11 2004 : 07:38:34 AM
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Check this out!
http://www.maryjanesfarm.org/bb/
Gardener, Stitcher, Spiritual Explorer and Appreciator of all Things Natural |
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cecelia
True Blue Farmgirl
497 Posts
cecelia
new york
USA
497 Posts |
Posted - Jul 11 2004 : 12:30:59 PM
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Clare, looks like heaven to me, but unfortunately right now, too many miles away!
Cecelia
ce's farm |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Jul 24 2004 : 9:19:15 PM
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Wow..is that wonderful or what? It has always been sort of my dream to have a farm/bed and breakfast..never have seen it before now..and it is just perfect!! I love the wall tents..what a fabulous idea!!!
Jenny in Utah
Bloom where you are planted! |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Jul 26 2004 : 1:16:52 PM
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I got to sleep in a sleeping porch once a long time ago at a freinds cabin at a lake and it was heavenly!! man..wouldn't that be nice!
Jenny in Utah
Bloom where you are planted! |
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Juliekay
True Blue Farmgirl
237 Posts
237 Posts |
Posted - Jul 26 2004 : 2:56:18 PM
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Bf and I are planning a long road trip one of these days, and I'd love to make one of my stops Maryjane's farm to stay at the B&B.
Julie |
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jpbluesky
True Blue Farmgirl
6066 Posts
Jeannie
Florida
USA
6066 Posts |
Posted - Jul 26 2004 : 4:30:39 PM
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In the South, sleeping porches are a great thing to have. I have slept in a few. One of our friends had a cabin on a Lake Como near Apopka, Florida; we slept there several nights in the late summer/early autumn, when the winds were fierce, and it was great to burrow into a sleeping bag and listen to the branches blow.
There is nothing like sleeping in the open air and hearing the night sounds. As a child in the midwest, the large windows in our house were open in the summer, and my bed was right next to one. I heard sounds in the night which were so interesting - footsteps down the sidewalk at midnight, birds awake too early, rustlings of who knows what - all while I was snug in my bed on the safe side of the big window screen.
Air conditioning-for all its wonderfulness and comfort - cannot bring one close to night sounds that speak to the spirit and heart of all of us.
jpbluesky
Love those big blue skies and wide open spaces. |
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Paula J.
True Blue Farmgirl
68 Posts
Paula
OK
USA
68 Posts |
Posted - Jul 27 2004 : 07:03:59 AM
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When we were in Florida, we toured one of the Southern Living Idea Homes (over by Panama City). It had a huge porch/sleeping porch along one side. It was absolutely beautiful. Of course, it was "duded up," with a fireplace and lots of extra amenities. And it was in an area I personally wouldn't have chosen. But, for people who love fishing and the like, it would have been just perfect. Me, I prefer a good book, a place to garden, and a little less opportunity for alligators!
Oh, yes, and there was a second "sleeping porch" on ground level. There were screen that could roll up or be pulled down.
If anyone wants to look at it, you can try www.southernliving.com and click on the Idea Houses link. It's the one called Camp Creek.
pj
Paula J.
northeastern Oklahoma
dragonflybodywork@earthlink.net |
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terese
True Blue Farmgirl
63 Posts
terese
chagrinfalls
ohio
USA
63 Posts |
Posted - Jul 30 2004 : 11:01:33 AM
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That would be so difficult in Ohio..possible but, difficult our weather is so...????My husband and I need a second honeymoon..why is it that looks and sounds so wonderful to me. Even the work sounds great. My friends all go to mexico and stay at resorts. I want to sleep in a tent outside...thank god i have found all of you..
dream big,
terese
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Jul 30 2004 : 10:27:23 PM
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I know what you mean about that..I love camping trips and more of a "roughing it" sort of vacation..and other gals I talk to seem to dream of cruises and fancy hotels and all....its nice to have you gals that are kindred spirits!
Jenny in Utah
Bloom where you are planted! |
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Clare
True Blue Farmgirl
2173 Posts
NC WA State
USA
2173 Posts |
Posted - Jun 17 2005 : 08:54:27 AM
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Here's a link to a piece that MaryJane wrote for the Idaho Rural Partnership. Might give y'all some ideas.
http://irp.idaho.gov/RuralLifewithMaryJaneButters/tabid/223/Default.aspx
****Gardener, Stitcher, Spiritual Explorer and Appreciator of all Things Natural****
"Begin to weave and God will give the thread." - German Proverb |
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jpbluesky
True Blue Farmgirl
6066 Posts
Jeannie
Florida
USA
6066 Posts |
Posted - Jun 21 2005 : 05:23:42 AM
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Clare - Thank you for the link. This, too, was an interesting article. I say "too" because I also read one of the MJF book reviews that mentioned a quote from this article. In both pieces, although I found them very down to earth and realistic about today's urban/farmlife/dreamers, I also felt an innate sadness. I am one of those dreamers. I am a marketing target. I guess we all are in one way or another. But the sadness I felt was in wondering if our rural history in this country is becoming just that - history. When folks come to farms for tourist reasons, I once again get the sense that "real" farmlife is ebbing away.
This is not meant to be a complaint - far from it. It is just a thought that crossed my mind while reading the article.
jpbluesky
Heartland girl |
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Clare
True Blue Farmgirl
2173 Posts
NC WA State
USA
2173 Posts |
Posted - Jun 21 2005 : 06:23:06 AM
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I felt the same thing, Jeannie. When my brother was looking at options to help him stay in farming, he refused the agri-tourism segment. He would rather not farm than do that. So that's what he did. Someone in another post mentioned also no agri-tourism, but rather agri-education so that families can educate the public and keep farming. Unfortunately, I don't think our economy or the majority of America value those things that the family farms present. Slowly though, organic farmers are making inroads in this direction.
You're right, we are marketing targets... but ... if that's what it takes to get healthful food on my table, (if I can't grow it myself), then so be it. The other stuff I'll stay away from. My dollars are slim-to-none, too!
****Gardener, Stitcher, Spiritual Explorer and Appreciator of all Things Natural****
"Begin to weave and God will give the thread." - German Proverb |
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jpbluesky
True Blue Farmgirl
6066 Posts
Jeannie
Florida
USA
6066 Posts |
Posted - Jun 21 2005 : 10:47:36 AM
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Clare, ah the realities of life! But I am, as you say, hopeful for the organic farming industry. From what I see it is growing and entering into the lives of mainstream consumers. That can only be good!
jpbluesky
Heartland girl |
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countrykat
True Blue Farmgirl
85 Posts
kathy
paola
kansas
USA
85 Posts |
Posted - Jun 24 2005 : 10:55:30 PM
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| I loved the screen door on the hut. That reminded me of the backdoor, the one to the porch. The sound of the spring as the door was snapped back and slammed shut in the way that old wooden screen doors do. That's a project I can get into this summer. We need a new screen door for the kitchen door to the deck, looks like I'll be replacing it with a hand fashioned wooden door. How fun! |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Jun 25 2005 : 06:22:53 AM
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I would love to stay in one... but since I pay rent on a townhouse here in Moscow I thing my BF would skin me alive for paying to stay at the Farm. LOL
Ciao
Alee |
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BamaSuzy
True Blue Farmgirl
138 Posts
Alabama
USA
138 Posts |
Posted - Jul 06 2005 : 11:32:49 AM
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I read the link to Mary Jane's article and it was really interesting but there are so many of us on really small farms, that just kind of shake our heads at the thought of renting a giant tent for $2000 and things like that....those of us who are selling eggs by the dozen and goat milks soap for $3 and $3.50 per bar and working our butts off....
Mary Jane has done wonders with her tourism and that sort of thing but there are draw backs...There was a great farm in our county and they started two big tourism draws....one was Pumpkin Days where they opened their farm to folks picking pumpkins and had a Maze, store that sold jams and jellies, etc. and then a HUGE Christmas lights thing where you could go on wagon rides and see all the Christmas lights and all that...
They eventually got in with a huge marketing firm which got articles written about them in all the major papers, TV free spots on news shows and all kinds of stuff....but the marketing team wound up taking a good percent of the profits....and this year the farmers just decided it wasn't worth it and didn't even do the Christmas lights thing...
So we all need to be careful and not try to jump out too quick too far....
Instead of renting a $2000 tent for a big event, there's probably much more farmers like us that are just wanting to buy a small canopy from Wal-Mart to use as our produce stand by the road, or trying to build a little stand that looks good from what we have on hand....
I admire everything Mary Jane has done but we all need to be careful and not overextend ourselves....we don't need to limit our visions and dreams but we also need to be careful...
You can bury a lot of troubles digging in the dirt! |
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Lena@HickoryGroveFarm
Farmgirl in Training
33 Posts
Marlena
Brunson
SC
USA
33 Posts |
Posted - Jul 21 2005 : 06:30:32 AM
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I LOOOOOVE the tent house. I saw some sort of outdoor room a couple years ago, and have been wanting that. Then I saw MJ's in Country Living magazine and just about came unglued. It is how I found this site!
I agree that hosting big events can be expensive and time consuming- and insurance issues should be addressed too. A $1 M umbrella insurance policy might not be a bad idea, and a rider for an event can be more affordable than you'd think. Especially if something happens...
Aside from that, I think agritourism is kind of an act of love- It's a community service really. I feel that if you do what you love, you'll be more successful than if you do something just for the money. That said, it's not for everyone! If you really like your privacy and goodness knows we have enough to do without setting up major events, maybe it's not for you. I'm actually not sure if it's for me! I keep going back and forth on the matter... I guess I'll know when it's right.
What I REALLY took from MJ's example is that if we think creatively, "outside the box," so to speak, we can reach our goals. I've never heard of anyone incorporating a farm and taking in shareholders before! I've never seen wall tents turned into B&Bs, either. Then again, I've never seen a person that can do so many things, period. Move over, Martha... or at least join the bunch!
I think MJ's best talent is in bringing people together. I'm trying to learn from that.
Lena
Budding Farm Girl and member of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Art
see www.marlenam.com |
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Entrepreneurship: MJ's latest venture |
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MJ's latest venture
