Country Woman April/May 2022

Spring has finally arrived. And I for one can’t wait to put away my winter clothes and spend more time outside. Fortunately, many of the stories in this issue are devoted to the beauty of nature. Meet Girl Scout Alicia Serratos, a California teenager who has helped gardeners in all 50 states launch seed libraries (page 10). And Jessika Greendeer (page 48), of the Minnesota-based Dream of Wild Health farm, who has devoted her life to protecting and preserving indigenous seeds. Their stories have inspired me to dedicate more time to my own garden this year. I plan to bring a bit of the outdoors in, too, by making the wooden vegetables on page 58. An old desk chair has been gathering dust in my basement for ages, and I love the idea…

Tool Time Have you come up with a creative way to use a common household item or appliance beyond its intended purpose? Let us know! Host with the Most How do you thank a relative or friend for being a gracious host? Do you bring small gifts with you when you visit? Or have you found another way to show them how much you appreciate them? The Best Medicine In each issue, we publish at least one humorous reader-submitted essay, and we’re always looking for new material. So if you have a hilarious story or anecdote to share, please send it our way! Borrection In our last issue, we featured the book EZ-Read Church Suppers but didn’t include the correct link. The book is available for $10 at tasteofhomebooks.com/BHUR. Share your tips or stories: countrywomanmagazine.com/submit See page 56 for submission…

Tell us about yourself. I grew up in Bolorado, but my husband, Steven, and I outgrew our home there and decided to go looking for farmland to raise our children and follow our dreams. We arrived in Kentucky in 2017 with our five youngest children and a great vision for the future. Through many trials and triumphs, we have grown closer together and have made a home for our 12 children and our 13 grandchildren to return to year after year and make memories. Life on a farm is hard, but the reward is worth it! What are your hobbies? I love gardening, and sharing the food I grow with family and friends! When the weather isn’t nice, I also enjoy crafting and creating a welcoming home. Do you prefer cooking or baking,…

Family Ties My mother was on the cover of Country Woman in 1994—she raised Angora goats and adopted four children. We all grew up on the family farm and are true country women. In 2020, I gave birth to my first daughter, my mother’s 11th grandchild! MICHAELA ALEXANDER NORTH MANKATO, MINNESOTA New Year, New Outlook The December/January issue of your magazine was wonderful. I especially enjoyed the story by Maggie Aright on page 59! CDLLA ADDAD SEATTLE, WASHINGTON Labor of Love I loved Jera Arandvig’s free quilt pattern in the August/September issue. I was around eight months pregnant when I started working on it, and my water broke while I was in a local quilt shop picking up the supplies I needed to add the final touches to the design. I was able to finish the quilt…

Q: How do you encourage your children or grandchildren to spend more time outside? My son and I love going to the local running track. We catch up and connect while walking around the track. Then we head over to one of the nearby picnic tables to relax a bit before heading home. PAULA TIMPSON VENICE, FLORIDA After a heavy rain, our grandson Cedar enjoys going for walks with us on our farm and looking for mud puddles. He jumps right in! TDRRI CAWALC CARTHAGE, MISSOURI Offer to sleep outside with your kids or grandkids at least once while the weather is still warm. You can spread sleeping bags along chaise lounges or pitch a tent in your yard. SANDY ERDMAN WINONA, MINNESOTA We live in the country and spend time foraging for wild edibles. I have…

Alicia Serratos, a 15-year-old high school freshman from Orange County, California, remembers when her passion for gardening began. “When I was little, my mom explained to me what was in processed foods, and it was really shocking to me,” she says. “As kids, we’re eating things that are supposed to help us grow, but they’re really not good for us.” Fortunately, Alicia saw a way around that—with her family’s help, she decided to grow her own produce to ensure she always had nutritious foods to eat. Not only has Alicia learned how to grow a garden, but she’s helped countless others access nourishing foods. On top of creating a community garden at her school, she’s spearheaded more than 100 seed libraries to help people in all 50 states plant gardens of…