The Kitchen's Garden

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I am Cecilia. A New Zealander who farms in Illinois.

My farms are organic and regenerative and full of stories. I have been writing here about environmentally sustainable farming and food and travel since 2011.

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LATEST POSTS

AN IDEA

More pouring rain in the night- great massive thunderstorms that sent the dogs shrieking for the basement.
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AND AGAIN

The rain. On my hay. Raining on my winter feed. Every I bring home more free feed than ever for the pigs and every day the grass is growing – still I am feeling the ‘will I have enough hay for the winter’ fear. That you and I go through together every year.
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WELL…

Now there’s a deep subject. Weather Gods let us get one cut of hay in, then last night it rained onto the second cut while watering in the oats and corn.
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GOT IT IN

my own hay, with my own crew, and the co- workers own gear. So after Wednesday’s rain we will cut again. This was the developing hay field of quite light grass and it still took days to dry. Next we get into the heavy stuff. But there is a good deal of satisfaction in bringing…
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PLAYING THE ODDS

Sod’s law proclaims that you are more likely to get rain if you cut hay and more likely to get dry weather when you sow a field in corn and oats for summer hog grazing.
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LETTERS AND CABBAGES

Dear darlings – it is Saturday. I have finished chores and am sat down here at my desk with you and a cup of coffee. I feel I am beginning to get my rhythm back. Starting an (almost) full-time job plus maintaining my (full) full-time farming job has certainly created some challenges but in this…
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