I must add.... as I don't have any decorating skills!
It is an open floorplan so everything is visible from everywhere.
-Flooring is "natural" pine (light in color)
-Stone in the kitchen is quartzite (med-dark).
-Cabinets are "antique" pine (med brown)

I really do like butcher block(and will find the money if required).
But from Ikea there is light birch, med-dark oak, and beech.
I don't want "too much" wood. And if I use wood should it be quite contrasting? Can the butcher block be lighter or should it be darker than the cabinets themselves?

This is really tough for me, and at the expense it really needs to look pro!
Thanks again, any tips appreciated.

Linoleum (Marmoleum) w/ the chrome or stainless metal edging? That's what my grandmother's old farmhouse kitchen had (from the 1920's).

Zinc would work fabulously if you're bent towards fabricating yourself. Otherwise, very expensive.

Here is a link that might be useful: Zinc--rotometals

I think you can't go wrong - should you go with wood counters - with having it be light to match the floors or medium to match the cupboards or darker to give some contrast. You'd have to show us pictures to give our opinions of darker or lighter I think but I don't think you can go wrong.

I personally like the look of subtly contrasting layers (making up that term - I don't really know much about design but this feels like the right word). In other words for example let's say medium floor, light-ish lower cabinets, darker countertop, contrasting backsplash (that also pairs well) and then lighter upper cabinets again (with pops throughout such as something even as simple as a white sink on a black counter). So in your case if you have light floors which run up against medium cabinets, and then more matching cabinets above, I would probably be inclined to do something on the counter other than wood, or else put a LOT of thought into that backsplash.

I happen to ADORE wood countertops, but then that's also cause I have white painted antique cabinets (I have old fir flooring). I would have gone w/ wood had I found a hard and water-friendly enough wood (cause of the sink) that also happened to be not too light (light wood counters weren't found in the old houses around here) and one that wasn't too full of contrasting stripes. It just got too complicated and I ended up loving that zinc look (zinc was found in lots of houses as old as mine, 1913, but in their pantries) so I went w/ stainless. Stainless isn't as nice as zinc but it's cheaper, more durable and makes a similar statement if done with a farm sink, old cupboards and lots of wood around for warmth e.g. in the floors or island top. I also may not have done stainless had I not planned on doing it with honed white marble subway tile which is a dream combination - along with all that wood I mentioned. But marble wouldn't go in the farm house I'm guessing and if it's truly a very old farm house I'm not sure stainless would work - it might not be rustic enough. It's surprisingly NOT modern looking though, if it's surrounded by other old-fashioned looking things including appropriate lighting. It's just soft and watery and clear/reflective in a way and handles scratches really well (they all blend in and seem to buff out with every cleaning/drying) and it lends a lot of light to an otherwise dark room such as mine.

I'd love to see pics!

Wilsonart Soapstone Laminate, if you want something that mimics an old countertop material but is inexpensive. (or is Arborite a type of laminiate?)

I think arborite is a laminate (thanks Google). But as many here can attest some laminates look kind of awesome, particularly the one palimpset mentioned.

I would think that IKEA butcherblock is going to be your best rustic looking non-laminate option. I would consider doing different sections with different stains and routed edges for a more mixed and matched looked.

Maybe a section done in copper? If you are the extreme DIY type check out circuspeanuts copper counters. It might be a bit much for the whole kitchen but a section of it might be a nice change from too much wood.