“Queen of all things organic and genuine.”
— The Pacific Northwest Inlander

During the summer of 2002, The Pacific Northwest Inlander visited MaryJanesFarm to interview MaryJane. The resulting article appeared in the September 16 issue of the weekly publication. When we first spoke with her last winter, the premiere issue of her magazine had just come out … In a letter pitching the story idea to The New York Times in mid-August, House & Garden Editor at large Deborah Needleman said: “She is … unstoppable, talented, etc. … her instincts and motivations are honest and sort of communitarian and ecological, and she makes others feel good and capable … I think she is someone with the potential to be huge.” In the following weeks, the Inlander became the first paper to publish MaryJane's newspaper column, Simply MJ. Every week, MaryJane wrote an article filled with her simple solutions and advice for everyday organic living, complete with photographs. In the fall of 2004, that column, a diary on Slate.com, and news that MaryJane was writing a book, brought her to the attention of Body & Soul Magazine editor Seth Bauer (a publication recently acquired by the publishers of Martha Stewart Living). MaryJane agreed to sign on as a contributing editor and write a regular column brimming with farm fresh anecdotes, how-to's, and photographs. Since MaryJane had always made the original Simply MJ column available to rural newspapers, she negotiated into the contract that the column would still be available at no cost to those papers.

SAMPLE COLUMN: (see list of 48 sample columns below)

QUESTION: I love your magazine! Do you have any ideas for eating out? This always ends up being a problem for me. -A fan, Georgeann Cheney, Stillwater, MN

MARYJANE: One important reason to eat organically grown foods is the effect it has on your immune system. With every organic bite you eat, your lymphatic system thanks you. Disease and allergies can be the result of a weakened immune system. Laughter and feeling good also bolsters your immune system. Author Norman Cousins claims he cured his cancer by laughing for several hours every day.

Pay attention to the food you eat at home and then limit how often you eat out. Choose a restaurant where the people who work there seem happy and there is a good selection of vegetables and fruit dishes available. Choose fish (unbreaded) over meat. Ask your host if they can leave out the MSG. Go with good friends, relax and enjoy it. Throw your head back and laugh.

P.S. Remember, the typical artificial strawberry flavor found in fast food milkshakes contains things like amyl acetate, amyl butyrate, amyl valerate, anethol, anisyl formate, benzyl acetate, benzyl isobutyrate, butyric acid, cinnamyl isobutyrate, cinnamyl valerate, cognac essential oil, diacetyl, dipropyl ketone, ethyl butyrate, ethyl cinnamate, ethyl heptanoate, ethyl heptylate, ethyl lactate, ethyl methylphenylglycidate, ethyl nitrate, ethyl proprionate, ethyl valerate, heliotropin, hydroxyphenyl-2-butanone, (10 percent solution in alcohol), a-ionone, isobutyl anthranilate, isobutyl butyrate, maltol, 4-methylacetophenone, methyl anthranilate, methyl benzoate, methyl cinnamate, methyl heptine carbonate, methyl napthyl ketone, phenethyl alcohol, rose, rum ether, y-undecalactone, vanillin, solvent, etc.

QUESTION: I've read that most aerosol furniture polishes contain harmful additives like nitrobenzene and phenol. What else can I use that really works and is easy? -Mary Ryan via email

MARYJANE: For routine dusting, put one cup of warm water into a spray bottle. Add a few drops of an essential oil like lavender, lemon or pine. Choose a favorite. Shake it well and spray two or three shots onto a lint-free cloth. It's simple, but it works. Launder your dust cloth after every use.

If you have some furniture that is unvarnished, you'll want to oil it occasionally. In a small jar with a lid, mix 1 tablespoon olive oil with 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice. (Pour the lemon juice through a screen so it's free of pulp.) Shake it up and apply it with a clean lint-free cloth. The lemon juice dissolves the accumulated dirt and the oil is absorbed into the wood, replenishing the natural oils that have been lost over time.

QUESTION: I've been gardening for years now, but I've never taken composting seriously. Information about how and why to build a compost bin is everywhere, and I've finally decided it's time to get started. But I'm not sure which foods I should compost and which I shouldn't. -Cindylou Ament, Moscow, ID

MARYJANE: You can compost almost any food, even marshmallows. Meats, oils and dairy however, can attract animals like rats, flies and maggots -- and they can make your compost smell bad. Stick with vegetable and fruit wastes, breads, pastas and coffee grounds. Even coffee filters and tea bags will decompose. The old, moldy leftovers from your refrigerator make great additions to compost. Make sure your compost pile is inaccessible to dogs and cats. On occasion, they'll be tempted, and the moldy old food can make them sick.

QUESTION: My feet sweat a lot in the summer. Is there something natural I can use to prevent odor? -Emil McCarthy, Moscow, ID

MARYJANE: Stinky feet are the result of bacteria that thrive in dark, warm, moist places. When you shower or bathe, scrub your feet with soap and then dry them thoroughly. Wear clean socks. (Hang your socks outside to dry, if possible. Sunshine and fresh air kill bacteria.) Buy some powdered sage and mix it with equal portions of baking soda and cornstarch. Sprinkle the dry mixture on your feet and rub it in. (Sage has excellent antibacterial properties.) Next, dust your socks with some of the mixture. Avoid rubber or plastic shoes. Choose socks made of cotton or a blend that wicks perspiration away from your feet. Don't wear the same shoes two days in a row; let them dry out for 24 hours. Consider the anatomy of your feet also. If you have a weakened arch, try an insert, which will allow your feet to relax more, giving off less heat.

Send your questions to MaryJane Butters, c/o MaryJanesFarm, 1000 Wild Iris Lane, Moscow, Idaho, 83843. Questions may also be e-mailed to maryjane@maryjanesfarm.org. Please include your name and daytime telephone number. For more information, visit www.maryjanesfarm.org

• Commentary: Boys Who Crochet January 20, 2004
• Commentary: Wax, Wick, and Wavering Light January 8, 2004
• Commentary: Gifts from the Home December 10, 2003
• Commentary: Each Other December 3, 2003
• Commentary: Gather Up October 31, 2003
• Commentary: Rethinking Venison September 19, 2003
• Commentary: Rethinking Salsa September 5, 2003
• Ask MJ: squash harvest August 7, 2003
• Commentary: S'more Fun Around a Campfire July 31, 2003
• Ask MJ: garlic scapes July 24, 2003
• Commentary: Garden Hoses July 18, 2003
• Ask MJ: make your own toothpaste, drying flowers July 3, 2003
• Commentary: Sharpening and Caring for Your Garden Tools June 26, 2003
• Commentary: Hard-to-Find Gardening and Farming Tools June 19, 2003
• Commentary: Dried Food is Simplicity Itself June 12, 2003
• Commentary: See You on the Front Porch June 6, 2003
• Commentary: Simple Hanging Baskets May 30, 2003
• Commentary: Apron Strings and Purse Things May 23, 2003
• Commentary: Graduation May 16, 2003
• Commentary: Family-Friendly Travel May 9, 2003
• Commentary: Take a Kid Camping May 9, 2003
• Commentary: Gone Fishin' May 2, 2003
• Commentary: Give the Gift of Time — To Yourself! April 25, 2003
• Ask MJ: natural easter egg dyes April 18, 2003
• Commentary: Welcoming the Day April 11, 2003
• Commentary: Nesting April 4, 2003
• Commentary: Sprouting Sprouts March 28, 2003
• Commentary: Creating Photo Collages March 21, 2003
• Commentary: Mothers March 14, 2003
• Ask MJ: potted bulbs March 7, 2003
• Commentary: Grow Your Own Winter Greens February 28, 2003
• Commentary: Something About Buttercup February 21, 2003
• Commentary: Heirloom and Antique Seeds February 14, 2003
• Ask MJ: mild bathroom cleansers, starting plants from seed February 7, 2003
• Commentary: The Art of the Egg January 31, 2003
• Ask MJ: winter herb gardening, stevia January 24, 2003
• Ask MJ: antique sewing machines, fragrance free dish detergent, oils for baking January 17, 2003
• Commentary: Green Power January 10, 2003
• Commentary: Salad Spoon December 27, 2002
• Ask MJ: poinsettias December 20, 2002
• Ask MJ: whitening laundry, indoor plants December 13, 2002
• Ask MJ: entertaining children December 6, 2002
• Ask MJ: home canning November 28, 2002
• Commentary: Grow a Simple Holiday Gift November 21, 2002
• Commentary: Take a Vacation at Home November 14, 2002
• Ask MJ: eating out, furniture polish, composting, sweaty feet November 7, 2002
• Ask MJ: eating organic, indoor pollution October 31, 2003
• Ask MJ: cutting back on coffee, Valentine's Day and flowers, non-toxic nail polish October 24, 2002