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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


  • Then it rained but that’s OK

    Then it rained but that’s OK

    Just as we pulled the last 120 bales of hay under cover in the old crib, it began to rain. Perfect timing. But I have no pictures – I am not even sure how that happened.  We just worked and worked all day (then did admin at siesta time), and then got the last of…

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  • Father Christmas and Pancakes

    Father Christmas and Pancakes

    Father Christmas is a chook. Yes, I know this may come as a surprise. (In America they call chooks – chickens – whereas in New Zealand a chicken is more likely to be found in the freezer section of the supermarket and is never Father Christmas.  You forgot I was a New Zealander didn’t you – you do not…

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  • Butternut Squash Ice-cream

    Butternut Squash Ice-cream

    One of our best harvests this year (other than the piles of tomatoes we are dealing with ) are butternuts or butternut squash as they say here in America. Whitney  (one of the two chefs in residence) walked across to the other farm on her day off where the butternuts are growing ,  returned armed with a fat…

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  • Moos all night Long

    Moos all night Long

    One day I am going to start the motor and drive off with these big birds flying up behind me. Though it would not surprise me if Geraldine came along for the ride! The piglets are having a growth spurt and are demanding more and more food. Interestingly when I offer different kinds of food…

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  • New Friends

    New Friends

    Now that the small and infirm rescue piglets have moved on, the two big healthy piglets the last of Tahiti’s litter have been blended rather reluctantly with Molly’s Mob. They will soon get used to being one of a big group. They will certainly learn their manners over there. This has also eased the work…

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  • Collecting Myself

    Collecting Myself

      We now have two young trained chefs here to stay for a month. Immediately my dusty kitchen got switched back into gear. Although we have been eating well,  with all the lack of sleep I really think I have been flying at half speed. And now I have three workers, (though Nick will be…

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