Jean England Freeland profile

Jean England Freeland is a retired professor of history, who recently gave up the intellectual life to become a farmer—or at least, a farmer’s wife. In her former existence she taught European history (including France) and ancient history (including Rome) for more than three decades. She remains fascinated by the connection between Gaul and the Romans and manages, on nearly every trip, to explore something that ties Rome to something in France or vice-versa.At home, she spends her time harvesting, cooking, and "putting up" strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, plums, oranges, lemons, apples, grapes, pears, tomatoes, peppers, okra, and pecans, all produced on the farm in northern Louisiana. Every spring, it seems as if half of the inhabitants of the parish (that is "county" to you) come through her driveway to buy something at the farm’s roadside stand, which usually features the earliest and best tomatoes in the area, thanks to her husband. She makes jam to die for.The actual growing is mostly left to her husband, who also serves as her editorial consultant. She reluctantly concedes that whenever he disagrees with something she has written, he is usually right. The driving is also left to her husband whenever they venture out in their Airstream to see the USA. At some point they plan to take off for Alaska and hope not to get eaten by a bear.The farm does not have cows (thank heavens!) but there are several cats and one dog, named Spottie. There are also ducks and pet catfish in the lake, all of whom demand to be fed on a regular basis. If neglected, the ducks climb up into the yard and quack loudly and for a very long time. Really.Having taken up the study of French at an "advanced age," Jean is thrilled whenever someone French actually appears to understand what she is trying to say. When a friend asked her how good her French was she admitted that "When I am in France I pretend to speak French and the French pretend to understand me." She firmly believes that pretending counts.