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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


  • Dropsy and Loosy

    Dropsy and Loosy

    Yesterday as well as dropping my phone in the drink, I lost one of my only pair of earrings (they have been my only pair  for about twenty years, maybe longer) and I cannot for the life of me find my camera! This terrifies me – where could I have left Camera House, I am tired…

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  • Once more into the breach

    Once more into the breach

    Difficult the calf, who was always so hard to feed and who ironically never got the scours, has come down with pneumonia.  Her tall bony body is thumping with it. The man said calves never recover once they start to thump, that I should just let her go. He said it kindly.  Like many of the…

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  • At Last

    At Last

    An ordinary day. But a long one. This is the first time in a long time that I have been working all alone all day and I did not get the chores done until 8pm. However I WAS taking my time and everyone was fed and watered,  even Our John, eventually. I have ten more…

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  • Piggie Loves

    Piggie Loves

      Use your inside voice, Bubba. Ok Mama. Pig kisses. Got to love them. Yesterday I started another ricotta to be made into ricotta salata. I will make as many of these as I can for the winter (they take 90 days to cure) . Creme Fraiche which we eat with EVERYTHING. and another buttermilk…

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  • A Wedding

    A Wedding

    In the Country. Our good friends down the road had a wedding for their daughter under the trees in their three acre back yard and were kind enough to invite us. We went to the wedding then milked the cow, fed the calves and went back for the dinner and dancing. As usual I annoyed the…

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  • Pig television

    Pig television

    Yesterday the gentle mid summer Lull continued. All the calves ate their meals like good little calves. Little is a tiny maybe little bit better but at least holding his own.  He still smells bad and the flies are at him the way they always pick on animals who are sickly. I was watching him yesterday morning…

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