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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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An overview
Another noisy night but by morning the wind is down and the clouds seem settled. And listening to a storm is better for a body than reading the news – I know that! The farm is green and fertile and growing like mad. HERE IS a short 10 minute walk about the FARM. We walk
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The Rain Came with a Vengeance
Last night we were visited by what is described by the weather people as a severe thunderstorm. That’s us – on ‘57. Thunder, lightning and hail. And huge gusty surging high winds. Not steady wind – erratic live furious sometimes gale force winds ambushing the trees and roaring in voices. At one point there was
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No Flying, Quacker
I keep checking the weather forecast urgently for rain. Again and again through the day, as though the flurry of my fingers will bring in the clouds. Similar to a certain person opening and closing the refrigerator door again and again as though a pre-cooked feast will miraculously appear in the vegetable drawer. We got
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Hot in The Plains
The piglets are eating down all their shade. Slowly all their greenery is being ripped back down to nothing. And boy do we need shade this week. My twice a week farm hand has the piglets tame enough now that she was able to get the sunscreen zinc on all their floppy ears. One of
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A Run Around
I cannot bear being locked up or locking anything up. People, birds or animals. Their enclosures are always big and full of greens and light. But it hurts me to have animals behind doors. A farmer has to. Close gates. I know that. But with the ducklings gone I let the chicks out of the
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The Ducklings move Up in the Farmy World
Yesterday was another fiercely hot day for everyone. But there were no problems. Here is the pig’s tin water. It is a big cow trough with a built in hog waterer that looks like a hole in the side with a shallow water reservoir. It is in deep shade because I don’t want these pigs
The Kitchen's Garden
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Letters To My Mother
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The Kitchen's Garden 