Product Description

MaryJane Butters’ sense of purpose is as big as the Idaho landscape where her organic farm is nestled. She wants nothing less than to reconnect us all with the food we eat and the heritage of farming that belongs to all of us, and nothing more than to empower and encourage rural women everywhere ... she is cultivating not just a farm but a philosophy of living. — Body & Soul

Carpenter, waitress, janitor, upholsterer, secretary, milkmaid, wilderness ranger, environmental activist, entrepreneur–the founder of MaryJanesFarm has worn many hats in her day, but none more proudly than that of modern-day farmgirl. Speaking to the farmgirl in all of us, MaryJane Butters offers a captivating introduction to the organic lifestyle, resurrects forgotten domestic arts, and shares lessons gleaned from her diverse background and two decades of life as an Idaho farmer.

Whether you simply need encouragement to embrace a more authentic, wholesome lifestyle or you’re looking for guidance on building a greenhouse, chopping firewood, hosting a town event, caring for a flock of chickens, making your own butter, growing a winter salad, or choosing a water filter, MaryJane’s Ideabook, Cookbook, Lifebook is both an inspiration and a practical road map for farmgirls of all stripes.


Dreams are MaryJane Butters’ business, and she has always pursued them without pausing to consult conventional wisdom.
— House & Garden

MaryJane Butters, a natural teacher, has a gift for simplification, and makes it seem that everything she does is easy and attainable.
— The New Yorker

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #58403 in Books
• Published on: 2005-05-24
• Released on: 2005-05-24
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 416 pages

About the Author
MaryJane Butters discovered she was a writer when, at age forty-five, she needed a mail-order catalog for her line of organic foods, produced at her Idaho farm. When her passion for good stories got out of hand, her catalog became a "storefront" magazine (MaryJanesFarm), finding its way into stores like Barnes & Noble and Wal-Mart, and eventually landing on the desk of a literary agent in New York.

MaryJane grew up in Utah in a self-sufficient family of seven, longing for fertile ground where she could raise her own flock of chickens, maybe a cow or two, and a family. Working her way north, she made her living as a carpenter, waitress, seamstress, secretary, janitor, wilderness ranger, community organizer, and milkmaid.

Rooted now on her own five acres for the past twenty years (seven of those as a single mom), MaryJane has accomplished everything she set out to achieve, including a few surprises. Twelve years ago, she married her neighbor, Nick Ogle, a third-generation farmer. Together they raised four hard-working children, plus bees, chickens, goats, cows, peas, beans, hay, wheat, and every vegetable imaginable, including a biodiesel crop to fuel MaryJane's car. She also cultivated twenty-seven future organic farmers in her apprenticeship program called Pay Dirt Farm School, bought an historic flour mill, and created the "Farmgirl Connection," a website that brings together hundreds of women sharing their farmgirl dreams and big farmgirl hearts.

From AudioFile
The Martha Stewart of the West proves that not only is she proficient at organic farming, carpentry, food preparation, and much more, but also that she can sell with the best of them. Her delivery is clear and forceful. She seems like someone you might like to have as a neighbor or as a manager running your company. Tender moments such as sewing a last-minute Christmas rag doll for her daughter share air space with the organization of a vendor sale. She happily provides Web sites of products she likes as well as her own. So what if you don't need to know how to keep an outhouse smelling fresh--this is a great listen. J.B.G. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Customer Reviews

Well worth it!
I believe that I first heard of MaryJane from the Food Network's "Food Finds" show. Intrigued, I checked out her website, and ordered a few products, along with an issue of her magazine. I was pleased with what I received and ordered more of both. And when I heard that she would be coming out with a book, I put it on my wish list before it was published...but then I sort of forgot about it. Recently, I was perusing my wish list, looking for an item to fill up an order so that it would qualify for free shipping, and I spied this book. It was considerably more than I needed to spend, but for some reason, it felt right. So I ordered it, not knowing exactly what to expect -- would it just be a rehash of the magazine? How can something be an "Ideabook, Cookbook, Lifebook"? Having received it, now all I can say is "WOW"! I am definitely more than pleased with my purchase. While not an exhaustive report on any one subject, it is overflowing with tidbits about such a variety of topics that I am truly amazed. And I can see why it was named "Ideabook, Cookbook, Lifebook". MaryJane touches on everything from her daughter's beautiful farm wedding, to ways to easily sprout seeds, to a how-to on building your own "wall tent", to vintage embroidery patterns for kitchen towels. There's a primer for most of the basic stitches in sewing. There are recipes and reminiscences. Advice on cutting kindling. Vacation ideas. Breathtaking photos. And most importantly, there is inspiration. If you want to buy a few acres and start your own farm, this book gives you some ideas to explore. If you want to sell your produce, this book gives you sources for supplies. If you want the best garden hoe, the best food dehydrator, the purest jam -- this book tells you where to go. And if you're just a "farmgirl" at heart, this book feels like your best friend. There are so many tidbits tucked here and there throughout the book that I imagine that most people would find something to pique their interest. As a matter of fact, when I was flipping through the book, trying to find an item I had seen before and wanted to share with my husband, he stood over my shoulder, repeatedly stopping me when he spotted something that caught his eye. Trust me, that usually doesn't happen. Our reading interests don't often overlap. (But I'm pretty sure I could talk him into building a wall tent now!) All in all, if you're at all interested in this topic, I really don't think you could go wrong with this book.

Beautiful, Useful & Inspirational!
This book was not what I expected, it was so much more!! This is a gorgeous book fit for the coffee table. After reading it, rereading it and referencing it several times, I am hard put to decide where to keep it on the shelf in the library. It could easily go with the cookbooks, gardening, farming, etc. I finally just put it by itself where it's easy to find since I refer back to it so often. This book has wonderful ideas, great recipes and many helpful hints. It is also worth the money just for the glimpse into Mary Jane's life. I can't wait for her next book.

Loved it!
First I want to say of "jefffsdate's" negative review: Get a clue! I grew up in small town Texas and though there were a very few Mexican people, we generally had no "people of color". Ever been to Idaho? Not many people of color running around there either, nor are there where I live now in a rural area on the east coast. Also, duh! The magazine was made to be a product catalog which is clearly stated.

Aside from that comment, I want to say this book is lovely. I identified strongly with it. I am multiracial too. Imagine that! The photos, the ideas, the feel, everything reminded me of my country small town upbringing.

I've ordered many of MaryJane's products and she and her husband answer the phone on occassion. Nothing I've ordered from MaryJanes Farm hasn't been wonderful.