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Keeping in Touch:  Honoring our ROOTS  |
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ruralfarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
4309 Posts
Rene'
Prosser
WA
USA
4309 Posts |
 Posted - May 18 2008 : 8:20:00 PM
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When I 1st received my MaryJanes Idea book. I read it word for word, drinking in all the info provided. Now it is my greatest resource book on all things farmgirl.. As I began to read... I was interrested in the group of women from LaCross that MJ wrote about. Having spent 10 years in Whitman County I knew of the group, So I didnt really let it resignate with me... until later. It must have taken root somewhere in that "Steel trap" of mine.. as it continues to "ask me questions". It also reminded me of a group of farmgirls back in the day when I was a young wild one growing up Coulee City.. a group of women from Leahy Junction. I also recalled a group my grandma was with from Clyde WA. and my mother-in-laws group called Columbia Neighbors...As a farmgirl.. I am 100% farmgirl, although I dont have many of the amazing crafty talents that many of you have.. I tend to be more into canning, growing my own food and fermenting foods..... my "talent" or at least passion is in writing - and well not even writing as much as researching and sharing my finds.... So, I hope you will play along.. and still my curiousity.. Here is what I want to know.... If you have a mom, granny or someone that you know,who has been a part of a group like this (other then OUR farmgirls groups) but ones that have been long standing.. Let's honor them here...........I read somewhere that it is "when we honor our roots, we gain our wings".
Rene~Prosser Farmgirl #185
" Plant goodness, harvest the fruit of loyalty, plow the new ground of knowledge. Hosea 10:12 |
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MarySueK
True Blue Farmgirl
96 Posts
Susan
Richland
WA
96 Posts |
Posted - May 19 2008 : 09:47:08 AM
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Hi Rene-
My mom grew up in Ephrata WA during WW II which seems like it was a nice little town - garden clubs, all the kids playing together, etc. They were always canning things and being frugal, which was what you did back then. Her family had air force wives who would board with them (there was a base NW of Moses Lake). My mom was the same way, so I had to do lots of canning too when I was a child and I HATED it - especially the tomatoes since your fingernails and cuticles get all funky after a few days of canning. But I guess it does get into your blood somehow. A few days ago I was wondering if maybe I needed to buy a pressure canner, or if a steam canner would be good enough. And I have been looking on the internet for homemade mustard recipes, since the CSA gave us a bunch of ground mustard seed last week.
Sue in Richland, farmgirl #196 |
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ruralfarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
4309 Posts
Rene'
Prosser
WA
USA
4309 Posts |
Posted - May 19 2008 : 3:34:44 PM
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Susan, Such a small world.. I grew up in Coulee City ( not far from Ephrata) and I learned canning EARLY
Rene~Prosser Farmgirl #185
" Plant goodness, harvest the fruit of loyalty, plow the new ground of knowledge. Hosea 10:12 |
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simplebasics
Farmgirl in Training
22 Posts
Michelle
Pomeroy
WA
USA
22 Posts |
Posted - May 21 2008 : 7:25:58 PM
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Having grew up in Moscow, Idaho I feel especially drawn to Mary Janes. The life we had up on Moscow Mountain included gathering chicken eggs, feeding pigs and helping on others farms with haying, let alone conquering horse back riding, goat milking, churning milk to butter, piano lessons, swimming in the creek (also served as frog catching and "ice skating" in winter)"Flanningan Creek", to be exact! Sewing and sewing and sewing...
As for honoring our ROOTS, I have to say I am more comfortable back in the country than I ever was anywhere else!! Have developed an Organic Skin Care Line that includes honey from the local beekeepers and a barter system with good friends here (goats milk and fresh farm eggs). We may form a Mary Jane Sisterhood, because we really already are!!!
another Moscow, Idaho girl! |
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ruralfarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
4309 Posts
Rene'
Prosser
WA
USA
4309 Posts |
Posted - May 21 2008 : 8:22:56 PM
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Michelle, I am so honored by your post. Thank You! I know what you talk about. I am a dry land wheat girl myself. Do you have a web address for your skin care line. My hubby is from Dayton - has many buddies in Pomeroy... we all attended Walla Walla community College together in the early 80s... HA! small world is it not?
Rene~Prosser Farmgirl #185
" Plant goodness, harvest the fruit of loyalty, plow the new ground of knowledge. Hosea 10:12 |
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simplebasics
Farmgirl in Training
22 Posts
Michelle
Pomeroy
WA
USA
22 Posts |
Posted - May 23 2008 : 12:43:03 PM
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Hey, that is neat!!!
I think I know where Prosser is, too!
As for my skin care line, YES....
it is: www.simplebasics.etsy.com
Good to meet up with you and *wow*, yes
it's a small world!! ~~**~~
another Moscow, Idaho girl! |
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ruralfarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
4309 Posts
Rene'
Prosser
WA
USA
4309 Posts |
Posted - Jun 16 2008 : 9:06:27 PM
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Hey Michelle,
Do you have a "hard copy" print out of your products?
Rene~Prosser Farmgirl #185
" Plant goodness, harvest the fruit of loyalty, plow the new ground of knowledge. Hosea 10:12 |
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ruralfarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
4309 Posts
Rene'
Prosser
WA
USA
4309 Posts |
Posted - Jun 29 2008 : 08:55:52 AM
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MIchelle,
I finally took some time to look at your products.. HOW COOL! Do you sell them at Farmer's Market or simply on your website...
Rene~Prosser Farmgirl #185
" Plant goodness, harvest the fruit of loyalty, plow the new ground of knowledge. Hosea 10:12 |
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SandyJ
Farmgirl in Training
19 Posts
Sandra
Waitsburg
WA
USA
19 Posts |
Posted - Jun 29 2008 : 12:23:34 PM
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I just started posting and I live between some of you in Waitsburg WA. I havn't posted but am starting to now. I used to love to can and still make jams and things. I always thought tomatos were supposed to be done in a water bath.
SandyJ |
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ruralfarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
4309 Posts
Rene'
Prosser
WA
USA
4309 Posts |
Posted - Jun 29 2008 : 12:39:09 PM
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Sandra....
My family lives in Waitsburg (knopp's) and my in-laws are in Dayton (Groom's)...how exciting.. My sister in law is a farmgirl in Dayton... too cool!
Rene~Prosser Farmgirl #185
" Plant goodness, harvest the fruit of loyalty, plow the new ground of knowledge. Hosea 10:12 |
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ruralfarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
4309 Posts
Rene'
Prosser
WA
USA
4309 Posts |
Posted - Sep 18 2008 : 11:52:10 AM
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I recently set down with some of the women in my life. My grandma, a high school friends mom, and my MIL. They all belonged to a "homemakers club". I guess that the state univercities use to sponsor them and send out extention officers to put on canning classes etc. I guess that all fell away somehow.. But these groups are still going, the women kept them going on thier own. I love the thought that there was something that brought them to one place but it was thier own love of each other and the art of homemaking that kept them.
I wish I had been "smarter" back then. When I was a newly wed I didn't pay as much attention to "traditions" as I do now. I didn't really grasp the honor it was to be able to sit in these women's kitchens and learn those traditions that are spoken or done and it is humbling to go back now and be willing to learn and listen (of course always with notebook in hand). I am glad that I am willing to go back, maybe that shows some growth on my part. I couldn't help but to relate these kinds of roots to that of my favorite tree.. From a glance it is all trunks and branches and leaves... yet what feeds it and nourishes it and holds it up is the things that you don't really see unless you "dig deep". More and more as I can or make jams, or embroider or sew.. I find myself thinking of all the women who have done this in different times.. and how much "easier" we have it in so many ways, and how by doing and keeping the skills alive we honor them and how it makes me slow down and take the time to be willing to sit at these women's feet and "glean" all I can while I can. There is something interresting about roots aren't there? that make me want to tug on them and see how deep they go.
Rene~Prosser Farmgirl #185
http://farmchicksfarm.blogspot.com/
"Despite the gardener's best intentions, Nature will improvise. ~Michael P. Garafalo
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Jami
True Blue Farmgirl
1238 Posts
Jami
Ellensburg
WA
USA
1238 Posts |
Posted - Sep 18 2008 : 12:00:24 PM
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Rene, there is a group (not sure if still going strong or not) here in Ellensburg called The Happy Homemakers...I too thought of them when I read through that same chapter in MJ's Ideabook and they are just like those other groups mentioned in this post...the real deal and our predecessors.
Jami in WA
Farmgirl Sister #266
http://woolyinwashington.wordpress.com/ |
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ruralfarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
4309 Posts
Rene'
Prosser
WA
USA
4309 Posts |
Posted - Sep 18 2008 : 12:12:36 PM
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Thanks Jami~ Don't you just love them?
Rene~Prosser Farmgirl #185
http://farmchicksfarm.blogspot.com/
"Despite the gardener's best intentions, Nature will improvise. ~Michael P. Garafalo
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Sep 18 2008 : 2:35:00 PM
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My Grandma was very involved in the Grange where I grew up in Calif (central coast...Arroyo Grande, a town that was rural then and a touristy town more now)the grange has all but died out there now. There is still farming, but more big farms and less small family ones for sure. My grandparents had a dairy farm outside of town and that is where my mom and uncle were raised. I have always really felt bonded to my grandma..who died in 1992. She taught me all the things I love to do the most, and I learned to love animals from my grandpa who died in 1994. I miss them every day. I try to do my best to pass down stuff to my daughters and neices and my little granddaughter so the skills and way of life arn't lost in our family.
I LOVED reading the story of the group of women in MJ's book. Just awesome.
Jenny in Utah
Proud Farmgirl sister #24
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
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ruralfarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
4309 Posts
Rene'
Prosser
WA
USA
4309 Posts |
Posted - Sep 18 2008 : 2:41:17 PM
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Jenny,
Aren't we blessed with a "richness" that is hard to place a value on? There is such a wealth of spirit in heritage isn't there.. You honor your grandparent when you pass down the things that made thier heart beat...I love standing out in the wheat field knowing that my grandpa breathed in that same smell, or walking through the garden and know that, the yellow rose was my grandma's favorite.. or calling her and saying "how come my pie does't taste like yours", to find she had some little secret buried that she now trusts me to pass down....
Rene~Prosser Farmgirl #185
http://farmchicksfarm.blogspot.com/
"Despite the gardener's best intentions, Nature will improvise. ~Michael P. Garafalo
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Tapestry
True Blue Farmgirl
1223 Posts
Cheryl
Wisconsin
USA
1223 Posts |
Posted - Sep 18 2008 : 9:46:40 PM
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Oh Rene' I know what you mean. As I crocheted the other day it made me think of my maternal grandmother who first showed me some knitting and crochet stitches and used to make me little girl aprons on her old treadle machine. She's been gone now several years and I still miss her so much! I have heard her speak of her neighbors from when she and grandpa were raising children out on the farm and how they used to have big corn feeds at harvest time for all the neighbors who had come to help with harvest. During the depression times were hard and she said sometimes that was all they had...lots of corn and maybe some tomatoes and the women would do their best to feed the hungry men. I don't know if they had a real name for their group or if rather it was just something they did...help your neighbor. It's something not so many do anymore. It's a shame and that is why I love this site so much. It gives me hope that the world will change.
Happy farmgirl sister #353 Look for rainbows instead of mud puddles  |
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ruralfarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
4309 Posts
Rene'
Prosser
WA
USA
4309 Posts |
Posted - Sep 19 2008 : 07:24:18 AM
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Cheryl,
So well put. I found myself giggling the other day a little when I took some tomatoes to a neighbor that I dont know very well. and the look on his face was priceless, like maybe I was handing him a poisoned apple....and we arent a big city, but that mentality of "i'll do it myself" seems to prevail at times. After we visited more he shared how much he has been craving tomatoes out of the garden and how thankful he was.. but it took him a bit to come around ( good thing I am the pushy kind) hahahah.... We started an "Abundant harvest" group at our church where we take the garden overflow and let people who dont garden or cant, take the stuff home....Just seems right somehow, and the way the community I grew up in always did it, it was a given that there would be baskets of whatever in the church foyer... glad we are getting back to that.. sad it went away for a time.
Rene~Prosser Farmgirl #185
http://farmchicksfarm.blogspot.com/
"Despite the gardener's best intentions, Nature will improvise. ~Michael P. Garafalo
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LivingWell4You
True Blue Farmgirl
1411 Posts
Karen
Hillsboro
MO
USA
1411 Posts |
Posted - Sep 19 2008 : 07:51:34 AM
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Rene, I love the Abundant Harvest idea! We tried to start a "Serve God, Save the Planet" study at our church this spring (based on the book written by Matthew Sleeth, a former top level doctor at a hospital - I forget his title - who saw the effects our lifestyle was having on people's health and resigned to educate people. He now lives in a house the size of his garage, hangs laundry on the line, let the yard go to wildflowers, etc.). No one signed up - not one! Lots of questions later about how the group was going and amazement that no one signed up but it just wasn't time yet. I was hoping that the group would have a community garden project so maybe this is the route to go since we do have a lot of gardeners.
Breaking old mindsets is a hard thing. I just have to keep remembering that I was there, once upon a time, and it's been a process for me to. "There but for the grace of God go I."
God bless -
Karen
Farmgirl Sista #311 |
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ruralfarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
4309 Posts
Rene'
Prosser
WA
USA
4309 Posts |
Posted - Sep 19 2008 : 08:01:18 AM
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Karen,
Boy do I hear you. Same thing. I started a group using Joran Rubin's stuff.. which is really commercial in some ways, but thinking OK people will sign up for that, as it is such a babystep he has a great little devotional etc.. same thing..NO One.. however I get a lot of phone calls about "what do I do", what can I eat, what should I eat... etc.. SO I guess like we always say.. little ripples....
For me I am still in the early stages of learning with so much to learn, which is why I love you gals so much you all "stretch me".. and at times when I am more quiet on the forum it is just reading and checking out sites and absorbing it all. As there is just so much knowledge and talent here.
Rene~Prosser Farmgirl #185
http://farmchicksfarm.blogspot.com/
"Despite the gardener's best intentions, Nature will improvise. ~Michael P. Garafalo
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LivingWell4You
True Blue Farmgirl
1411 Posts
Karen
Hillsboro
MO
USA
1411 Posts |
Posted - Sep 19 2008 : 09:48:13 AM
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It can be overwhelming to try to keep up with all the wonderful info on this site! I went through that a few weeks after becoming a farmgirl. Had to just "back away from the site" as it was becoming dangerous.
The thing that really surprised me with the group this spring is that last summer when I was hoping for 3 or 4 women to walk meet with me and help each other get healthier, 33 women signed up! So it ended up becoming more of a class than a support group - which was okay with me on one hand because we ended up with 15-17 faithful attendees and it opened a lot of eyes. So this spring when Robbie was saying "I just hope somebody signs up," I was like "Don't even worry about it. Look at the response I got last summer." So it was a bit of a shock (and disappointment) when there were no names on the sign up sheet. But my wonderful husband took it all in stride and said, "Well, we'll just meet together and go through the book." And we did for a few weeks and then other things got our attention and we got off track. We go back to the book from time to time just so we can stay focused. If you're interested, I have an extra copy of the book that I can send you. Just let me know.
God bless -
Karen
Farmgirl Sista #311 |
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ruralfarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
4309 Posts
Rene'
Prosser
WA
USA
4309 Posts |
Posted - Sep 19 2008 : 10:27:14 AM
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Karen, I would love to read the book (I will send it back when I am done)... When I was reading your post I had to chuckle as I "SO know those women" as I "is" one. We all know that we need to do better, do more, change.. but then we realize, "holy crap" this is work..............hahahah then we retreat! I will send my mailing address. Thanks for the encouragment!
Rene~Prosser Farmgirl #185
http://farmchicksfarm.blogspot.com/
"Despite the gardener's best intentions, Nature will improvise. ~Michael P. Garafalo
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electricdunce
True Blue Farmgirl
2544 Posts
Karin
Belmont
ME
USA
2544 Posts |
Posted - Sep 19 2008 : 11:27:07 AM
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The lady who lived across the street from us taught me how to knit and how to crochet. My mother let me use her old Singer Featherweight (I still have it) to make doll clothes with and I took embroidery lessons from a woman whose husband was a retired sea captain. She and her husband made the most beautiful hooked rugs, I always remember the runner they made for their stairs filled with visions of the oceans and the boats and sea creatures.
My mother's father was a tailor, and my mother knew how to sew, occasionally made clothes for herself, but did not enjoy it. She did teach me some hand sewing, and we had classes at school when I was little. No one in my family was much of a joiner, and I went to boarding school from age 6 so I never had much opportunity to join any groups as a child.
Maybe that is why I enjoy reading books about all the amazing women homesteaders and pioneers, and reading all the posts here. I have been under the influence of fabric as long as I can remember...
It occurs to me I'm way off the topic, but it just kind of spoke to me, I know how much sewing, especially hand sewing, soothes my soul.....
Karin
Farmgirl Sister #153
"Give me shelter from the storm" - Bob Dylan
http://moodranch.blogspot.com
http://domesticnonsense.etsy.com |
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ruralfarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
4309 Posts
Rene'
Prosser
WA
USA
4309 Posts |
Posted - Sep 19 2008 : 11:47:49 AM
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Karin,
Not off topic.....Not at all. Love your post, love that there are those things that take us back and remind us the "thread" that runs through time.
Rene~Prosser Farmgirl #185
http://farmchicksfarm.blogspot.com/
"Despite the gardener's best intentions, Nature will improvise. ~Michael P. Garafalo
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LivingWell4You
True Blue Farmgirl
1411 Posts
Karen
Hillsboro
MO
USA
1411 Posts |
Posted - Sep 19 2008 : 1:39:56 PM
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Rene, the book will be in the mail and headed your way no later than Monday. Enjoy!
God bless -
Karen
Farmgirl Sista #311 |
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ruralfarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
4309 Posts
Rene'
Prosser
WA
USA
4309 Posts |
Posted - Sep 20 2008 : 8:54:53 PM
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Thanks Karen, Can't wait!, you girls challenge me all the time to continue to learn, thanks for that.
Rene~Prosser Farmgirl #185
http://farmchicksfarm.blogspot.com/
"Despite the gardener's best intentions, Nature will improvise. ~Michael P. Garafalo
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Keeping in Touch: Honoring our ROOTS |
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Honoring our ROOTS
