Whether you have an appreciation of all things rural, real, and agrarian, because of blood, birth, or by choice, you will love the sentiment behind these words. Read on for 19 Country Girl Quotes!

I’m an English teacher and lover of literature, which is why I decided to compile a list of my favorite lines that put wings on my heart. Here’s to living like a country girl.

Feel free to pin & share any and all of these pretty images. I made them all just for you and I want them to show what you feel in your heart.

You’ll notice a theme in this collection. I think country girls are BOTH lovers AND fighters. I don’t know if it is this crazy election, or that I’m thinking (and subsequently crying) about my little girl going to kindergarten next year, or if it is the fierce love I see in so many shapes and sizes all around me. Here’s to loving, and fighting, and to happiness, Dear Readers. May you be lucky enough to have love worth fighting for, in all its packages.    

Here are the words that move me, and that I think will move you. Love you all, Wildflowers.

19 Country Girl Quotes

“What lies behind us and what lies before us is are small matters compared to what lies within us.”

 

“Always saddle your own horse.”

“She who is brave is free.”

“Speak your mind and ride a fast horse.”

“Comparison is the thief of joy.”

“Do you suppose she’s a Wildflower?”

 

Loving these Country Girl Quotes? You’ll LOVE Inspiration for a Wildflower. 

This is an ebook of essays about friendship, motherhood, life well lived, and more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More Country Girl Quotes

“Though she be but little, she is fierce”

 

Shakespeare wrote this often quoted line and it makes me think of a beautiful, petite student I taught. This young lady wrote as an 8th grade student (!) about something difficult she had faced in her life in an essay. She wrote about the fact that she had been kicked by a cow in the face and earned a rather large scar across her pretty cheek. She wrote about being fearful of cattle for a long time afterward, of being worried about how people wouldn’t see HER, but only her scar, and and how she overcame those fears because, like scars, those worries will fade with enough time and patience. It has been years since I graded that essay but I’ll never forget it. While my own four year old daughter is becoming a manifestation of this famous line, this student, who is now in her final year of high school, makes me think of this line every time I see her. It breaks my heart to think of the things that force us to be fierce, like the things others can see like scars, as well as the wounds we have on the inside, but the thing that sets us free from them is feeling that despite size, we can be fierce. 

“The Earth laughs in flowers”

“All your life, you will be faced with a choice. You can choose love or hate…I choose love.” 

The most important part of this line is “choice” because sometimes we forget who is in charge of our feelings. We can choose how we react to situations and we can choose love. Choose it, Wildflowers, and that includes loving ourselves.

“Do small things with great love.”

If I could have met any famous person, from any time, Mother Teresa would be my pick. Her story is a fascinating one and I encourage you to read any of the biographies about her. She wasn’t a nun in a church; she begged hotels for discarded soap to give to orphans in the street with which she’d give them a handwashing lesson so they’d be less likely to suffer from internal parasites. She was a badass and learning how to take more action with greater love is something I know I could improve upon.

“Two feet move your body. Four feet move your soul.”

Even More Country Girl Quotes

“Life is the flower for which love is the honey.” 

“She is clothed in strength and dignity and laughs without fear of the future.” Proverbs 31:25

“Some old fashioned things like fresh air and sunshine are hard to beat.”

I’m reading the Little House series to my kids and it is a true joy. If you haven’t read or need to re-read Laura Ingalls Wilder and her stories of living like a country girl, I suggest you get the series. Young and old alike love them, and they are great read alouds.

I was a little girl on my grandma Glory Ann’s couch when she read the Little House series aloud to us kids and I bet I read the series a dozen times on my own once I could. The pioneer spirit, terrific writing style, and wisdom that we can apply to our modern world makes this one of my all time favorite authors.

“I’d rather be on my farm than be the emperor of the whole world.”

“Simplicity is the ultimate form of sophistication.”

“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant.”

Eager to plant something? You might love this post on growing sprouts. 

You can take the girl out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the girl.

Am I right, Wildflowers? We can’t all stay living in the country. Some of us marry those with great jobs far away, build our empires in the city ourselves, or otherwise travel a road that leads us away from wide open spaces. You’ll spot that country girl by the way she pays attention to the weather, can build a fire in the ski lodge, waves at other drivers on the road, knows what to do when there’s a power outage, is the friendly girl in a crowd, and can solve a problem with brain AND brawn. Country girls are lovers AND fighters. You can quote me on that 😉

If you loved this list of Country Girl Quotes, I hope you’ll check out Inspiration for a Wildflower!

20 Things Country Girls Know: A List You Haven’t Read Before. For those raised where there are no stop lights, where you wave at every passing vehicle (probably referred to as a rig) because that’s the polite thing to do, and where you can name every single kid in your class and probably your whole school, there are many truths that you manifest that are different than that of our more urbanly raised Wildflower sisters. This is not going to be a post about 4-wheel drivin’ or mud on your boots. It will be about matters of the heart and of practicality, which are the prime ingredients to growing any Wildflower, right?

1. Your actions stick with you. When you are from a small town where you attend school with the same kids in elementary, middle, and high school, being awful to someone isn’t a sin that is forgotten, even if it is forgiven. Your choices stick with you, year after year, for better or for worse. Choose wisely, regardless of where you put down roots, Wildflowers.
2. An Appaloosa doesn’t change their spots. Country girls have lived with the same folks for a really, really long time and they know that it is a very rare thing indeed for a person to change. Girls who were mean in high school will probably be mean in the future. Boys who are good to their mommas will likely always be so.
3. Cowgirl boots and a lifted pickup with sassy bumper sticker does not a country girl make. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and that’s how a classy country girl should interpret those who haven’t an ounce of rural living or common sense to their credit and still hope to be part of the club. As Dr. Seuss said, “Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.” Be you, Wildflowers, wherever you are, and be the best You you can be.
4. Never say whoa in a horse race. If you are working, striving, and aiming towards a goal, keep after it. You don’t win by slowing down. That’s not to say all of life needs to be a race, but if you’re in one, don’t slow down.
5. Courage is being scared to death and saddling up anyway. John Wayne said a lot of things, and this is my sister’s favorite. Courage doesn’t mean doing something difficult. It means facing fear and not letting it win. Accepting fear as part of the experience, and owning the fact that often times what is necessary isn’t comfortable (and can be downright terrifying) is part of living life fully, being a grownup, and being a stand up person. Saddle up, and be better and stronger for doing so.

[Read more…] about 20 Things Country Girls Know: A List You Haven’t Read Before

10 Easy to Grow Vegetables for your Fall Garden is a post that will help you decide what to plant for the easiest, best yield for a successful Fall garden. Read on for the list and for some helpful resources perfect for beginners!

 This post contains affiliate links. 

Confession Time: You may remember me saying that despite being a canning blogger I don’t have a garden. I don’t have a garden yet because I have a 12 foot hand-dug well that likely wouldn’t support a big veggie garden. I have no fences and many wild creatures great and small that would love to eat whatever I planted, and truthfully, I haven’t the thumb for it at this phase of my life. My kids are little and I recently killed the pretty pink cactus in my shower. I have been growing sprouts in a mason jar on my countertop BUT, Wildflowers, I have friends in high places indeed.

My friend Teri Page of the blog Homestead Honey is an amazing gardener and I asked her to share her best gardening tips for us in a  guest post. She knows her stuff, has the right thumb for the job, and has written a fantastic post (with a rad resource at the end! Don’t miss it!) for you all. I’m so grateful for her expertise. Read on for her post; thank you Teri!

10 Easy to Grow Vegetables for Your Fall Garden

Fall gardening is a great way to increase your harvest, save money at the grocery store, and enjoy garden-fresh produce year-round, but if you’re new to fall gardening, it can feel a bit overwhelming! What do you grow? When do you plant it? What about frost? Today I’ve put together a list of my top ten easy to grow vegetables for your fall garden, and I invite you to check out my eBook, Homestead Honey’s Guide to Fall Gardening for step-by-step advice on how to select the best varieties, when to plant, and how to protect your crops from cold weather. 

To start, I recommend taking a look at what your family really enjoys eating and select a few favorites from the list below – no sense in growing food that won’t be enjoyed! For instance, I know that turnips will do really well in my zone 5B garden, but my family does not love them. Instead, I’ll focus on growing beets and greens that I know we will all enjoy.  

Next, take time to select varieties that will do well in cold growing conditions. Seed variety names like “Arctic King” or “Winter Blend” are good clues to cold-hardiness.  

Ready for a few easy-to-grow vegetable ideas for your fall garden? Keep in mind that this list is not at all exhaustive. I’ve suggested plants that have done well for me in my garden in Northeast Missouri. In planting a fall garden, I battle extreme heat, drought, and a fairly high pest load, so if I can grow a successful fall garden, I know you will be able to! 

Ten Easy to Grow Vegetables for your Fall Garden 

1) Lettuce 

Lettuce loves cool weather, so it’s a great choice for your fall garden. I have enjoyed picking salads from the garden through the end of December when I protect beds with floating row cover and clear plastic. 

2) Spinach 

If I had to pick one vegetable for my fall garden, it would be spinach. Enjoyed fresh or cooked, spinach thrives in cool weather, becoming even more sweet tasting after frost.  

3) Mustard Greens 

I like to add a few varieties of mustard greens to my salad blends, to add a bit of spicy kick. They endure the cold quite well, and grow quickly in the late summer and early fall. 

4) Cilantro 

Cilantro is a true cold weather plant that, in my zone 5B garden, will last well into the winter months, even without frost protection. I like to let cilantro re-seed itself by leaving plants in the ground to flower and produce seeds. In the spring, cilantro is often among the first plants to germinate.  

5) Garlic 

Homegrown garlic far exceeds the flavor of anything you will find at the grocery store. Its cold-hardiness makes it an excellent choice for your fall garden. Although you can also plant garlic in the spring, for a later summer harvest, my preferred method is to plant garlic in the fall and let it overwinter, harvesting it in late June. Check out my Ultimate Guide to Growing, Harvesting, and Storing Garlic for more detailed cultivation information! (https://homestead-honey.com/2015/06/21/growing-harvesting-and-storing-garlic/) 

6) Beets 

Beets are one of my favorite crops because you can enjoy the green tops and store the roots for months in cool storage. Beet seeds will need lots of consistent moisture to germinate, but they are a relatively easy and quick growing crop.  

7) Mache 

Mache, also known as corn salad, is a cold-loving green that makes a lovely addition to salads. I will sow it in the fall for fresh eating, and again in the later fall to overwinter for early spring greens. 

8) Kale 

Kale is a powerhouse vegetable that grows year round, gets even sweeter after the first frost, and re-seeds itself in the garden. I love to plant Lacinato and Red Russian kale, but I’ve also heard great things about Vates. Sow your kale in succession from early spring through early fall for a variety of sizes for salads, smoothies, and stir-fries. 

9) Chinese Cabbage 

Chinese cabbage is one of my favorite cool weather vegetables. We sauté it in stir-fries and also enjoy it fermented into Kimchi.  

10) Radishes 

For a quick-win fall crop, be sure to add radishes to your list. In fact, sow radish seeds every two weeks, and enjoy continual harvests.  

 

For more inspiration, pick up a few seed catalogs (High Mowing Seeds is a great one for fall gardening because they sell many cold-hardy and short season crops that do well in Northern Vermont) and start browsing!

Use this list as a jumping off point, and dive into Homestead Honey’s Guide to Fall Gardening Ebook for more detailed guidance on how to plant a successful and bountiful fall garden. Happy growing! 

Wildflowers, this ebook has me thinking of all the ways I CAN garden…I’m so inspired that my husband is going to think I’ve lost my mind! Teri makes a daunting process much simpler and I know so many of you would love to dive in with her to eat fresh, home grown veggies all year long. Imagine the money you’ll save! Get the ebook here!

Teri Page is the creator of Homestead Honey (https://homestead-honey.com) where she writes about gardening, homesteading, fermentation, foraging, and off the grid living. She is the author of Family Homesteading, which is now available for pre-order (https://amzn.to/2O1EpFK)! Teri is also a life and business coach who enjoys working with women who are ready to live their homestead dream!

This post will share some of our favorite resources for identifying wildflowers in your area and includes both helpful apps and books that are sure to educate and inspire.

This post contains affiliate links. All opinions remain my own.

I called upon my friend Emily who is a flower enthusiast and budding flower entrepreneur (follow her lovely Instagram here!) to help me write this post. These are the tools she and other flower lovers like her use to identify flowers both while out and about and at home after a hike.

How to Identify Wildflowers with Apps

That Garden App is the go-to app on Emily’s phone. It is simple to use. Take a photo plant or butterfly, and the app brings up a list of possibilities. You confirm your matches, and the app saves all your photos so you can look back to see what you identified last week or month. And, this app opens a search page for the plant where you can learn more. This app is free and is endlessly helpful for quickly identifying the plant in front of you.

Garden Answers is another helpful app. Similar to That Garden App, it creates a photo album with results of your plant searches and helps you identify quickly the plant or flower you are seeing.

There are lots of flowers or plant ID apps out there and they all do about the same thing. Get a free one as an app is a preliminary stage in plant ID and the real investigation happens at home, with a good book. A beverage to enjoy while reading is optional but encouraged.

TIP: If you have a general idea of the flower you are trying to identify (based on an app or your own previous knowledge) you can use the books mentioned to refine your definition. In one sense, the app can be used “in the field” and the book (heavier and not as portable perhaps) can be used to narrow down your results after your trek.

How to Identify Wildflowers with Books

One book that is very helpful is the “Field Book of Western Wildflowers” It is organized by family (like rose, peony, dogwood, etc) and it has detailed illustrations and a thorough description to help you decide the family and name of flower you are enjoying.

 

“Western Garden Book” by Sunset is not only for identifying wildflowers but is a very in depth resource covering cultivation, flower identification, planting zones, growing information, water & sun information, and more. It discusses wildflowers, trees, plants, shrubs, fertilizer, lawn information, planting instructions, weed advice, etc. This is the book for a Dear Reader who has a green thumb and wants to learn more about gardening as well as plant identification. It is weighty, has beautiful photographs, and is a wealth of information.

The National Geographic Pocket Guide to Wildflowers is easy to take along on your hike or picnic, has beautiful photos, and is very thorough as well. This would make a great gift for a friend and is the way you could identify a flower if you have no cell service, no storage with which to take a photo (me, 90% of the time), or a dead phone (me, 50% of the time). Sometimes technology fails us, but this little book won’t.

 

California Foraging is for the Wildflower reader who is interested in nibbling on the edibles afield. This resource is indispensable for identifying plants that are safe to eat. If you aren’t in California, get a book that is specific to your area.

 

Before you pick some wildflowers to arrange and enjoy at home, check to see if they are protected. Sometimes wildflowers are better left to grow undisturbed and in any case, snap a photo and share it on Instagram using the hashtag #thedomesticwildflower so we can see it!

If the flowers on your jaunt are more likely to be planted by man rather than the man upstairs, The Little Guides: Flowers is my favorite resource. It was given to me by my dear friend Abby years ago. She’s the one who said to me a little over a year ago, “let me build you a blog!” and I said yes and here we are. How funny it is that she gave me this way, way before I ever dreamed of having a blog called The Domestic Wildflower, back when she and I shared membership in a scholarship program, several Chico apartments, a trip to Europe, and years of friendship. She’s also a great book chooser 🙂 Grab yours by clicking the link below!

 

For bouquets of wild plants that you are sure are safe and legal to collect, find what you think is beautiful and arrange it however you would like. I wrote a post here about wiring wild plants to wreaths and arranging them in metal buckets that I think you’d enjoy. Check it out!

How to Plant Your Own Grasses

If you are interested in diving into planting grasses, check out this gorgeous infographic shared from https://agreenhand.com/how-to-grow-grass-fast/ !

Please share in the comments below which resources you love for identifying plants in your area!

If you loved this post, you should read how I made homemade lilac syrup here.

This post will share an inspiring little collection of essays, those that have been the best loved on the blog, and how to get your hands on the ebook.

It is currently February, and we have had a wet, long winter by all accounts. It is kind of dreary out, I’m sick of sweeping up the dust from the wood stove, and I’m really missing fresh tomatoes and strawberries.

I’ve written many encouraging essays for this blog and for other sites that had absolutely nothing to do with canning, sewing, or the like. When I started this blog it was when I had a one-year-old and a three-year-old, and I needed a creative outlet that I could do silently when they were napping. The sewing machine was too loud, cleaning also was too loud, and I found that a wave of words flowed forth every day at nap time. It felt so good to write whatever was on my heart and since you can’t encourage a toddler to be potty trained or inspire them to eat their veggies, I had to inspire you Wildflowers, I guess.

I compiled into an ebook all the essays that have been best-loved, pinned and re-pinned, and shared all over.

Get the ebook here! 

Yes! I Want Instant Access!

If ebooks aren’t your thing (they weren’t mine until my youngest started noticing that my lamp was on to read a paperback- now I have to read on my phone, much to my dismay) I would be so honored if you’d share this post with your friends on Facebook (hallelujah for a break from political shares!) Pinterest (my fave!) or otherwise.

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Thank you, readers, for helping me make this blog my favorite way to spend nap time.

The cover image for this ebook is of me of course, and I’m wearing the back interest tank I made for this sewing post. It’s one of my favorites 🙂 Thanks to Della of Circle Bar Photography for always making my projects look way more polished than they really are. She’s the best.

Here’s to springtime is right around the corner, Wildflowers!