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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


  • Sneaky Sip and Save the Planet

    Sneaky Sip and Save the Planet

    It was warm enough yesterday for Poppy to take all her piglets oout into their backyard.  The babies will come out with her for a while then scamper back under their warm light. Poppy has collected some sticky weed seeds in her tail again, I must deal with that today. See that cheeky piglet having…

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  • The Waiting Room

    The Waiting Room

    When it is almost time for the cows to be milked I open the waiting room and they stroll in and eat hay while waiting for me to get ready. They are usually an hour or so in there so I sure that they have attended to their bathroom  business before coming into my clean milking…

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  • The elderly Rooster

    The elderly Rooster

    It rained for most of the day yesterday which kept the pigs inside and the cows outside. Cows, big hot beasts, love a gentle rain but pigs not so much. As soon as the rain stopped the piglets slowly ventured forth. This old rooster (below) Son of Son of Neanderthol Man, oldest of the roosters,…

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  • Taking the Lead

    Taking the Lead

    I milk the cows every evening.  There are two cows, Aunty Del the young Ayrshire and Lady Astor the older Holstein/Dutch Belted cross. Up until now Aunty Del has always come into the  milking room first, in fact when I open the door I have to leap back so she does not run me down.…

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  • Away, and back

    Away, and back

    Yesterday I rose at 5am, fed the pigs and filled the waters, shifted the cows and ran the dogs, then changed, put my hair up, found my city boots, searched high and low for a slap of lipstick then jogged out the door by 7.15 am so I could drive North and catch the 8.30 train to…

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  • The Pods

    The Pods

    The dogs have begun to sleep in their winter pods again. In the summer they sprawl out on the veranda floor but in the winter they find their pods and curl up like fossils out of the wind and sleep  there. Here is a better picture for you in case you want to make these simple…

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