WELCOME!

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.

Join Us!


LATEST POSTS


  • TRACKS

    TRACKS

    Yesterday John picked up the snow plough on the way home from the airport and ploughed his way up the lane. A dramatic return. And now I can get my car out again!

    Read more

  • COMING UP FOR AIR

    COMING UP FOR AIR

    The relief of warm air is palpable. I can touch, maybe even palpate, this relief. This morning is 7f ( -13C) as I awake. Above Fahrenheit’s less that scientific Zero. But measurement is all an invention to some degree or other. After we run out of fingers that is.

    Read more

  • SLUGGISH

    SLUGGISH

    I almost cried this morning when I woke – checked the temperature and found that it was only -17f ( -27c) – the forecast was calling for -26f and after struggling through yesterday I was in despair.

    Read more

  • LAST NIGHT

    LAST NIGHT

    Last night as the wind blew hard and the temperatures dropped so fast my face ached, I got all the chores finished. Finally got in the house. Finally peeled off the layers of messed up miserable ramshackle outdoor homeless person clothing. Finally got my iced up gloves off and started thawing out my hands. Finally…

    Read more

  • THE ARCTIC DESCENT

    I am just so grateful that this drift down into deep freeze is only for a couple of days. Some people choose to live in temperatures like this. Not me though. I am not set up for it.

    Read more

  • BLOW HARD

    BLOW HARD

    And now it is blowing – hard. I can hear it but cannot see it yet. The wind is what will make today unpleasant.

    Read more