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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
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NINE PIGLETS AND A BULL CALF
All born yesterday. Poppy’s labour lasted all night and was not without its problems but she has nine lovely live and very active piglets and they are feeding almost non stop. The piglets are still on lock down so the only image of them I have is from the monitor. But here is Lady Astor with…
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So Tired Now
Every few hours for the last few nights I have been up to check Poppy’s Sty TV but nothing. She is way past her due date now and there is milk in that udder but still no babies. Poppy does not have a perfect udder. She only had five piglets at her first farrowing and this…
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Over-exposed
There was so much light yesterday that we were all squinting in confusion. Even Camera House apparently. Here are some behind shots of Lady Astor for the dairy farmers amongst you. Her udder is hard to see in detail with the light source being in front of her. To expose the black areas of her…
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Molly and Poppy
The two sows seem to be living together quietly now that I have locked Molly and her brood even further back in the barn. They have no shared walls now. And with the weather being so miserable and cold the piglets spend most of their time sleeping under their light – so it really is…
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Pig TV
Thanks to Jan from the Fellowship of the Farmy I can now watch Poppy’s activity in her own bedroom, from my own kitchen. This wireless monitor on the kitchen bench connected to a camera in the barn is a game changer. I am so excited about it. Instead of getting up and getting dressed and…
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Title Here
Yesterday Sheila toddled happily into the tiny field by the clothes line. She has to leave the barn when farrowing is close. And Poppy is getting very close – her due date is Thursday. I shifted Molly into the rat house and the moment she was gone the piglets turned into vandals tormenting the big…
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