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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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Sharing the Milk
Lady Astor and I had a good think together yesterday. Cows and I mind-think – think like a cow and all that. My Plan has always been to share-milk with the cows this year. They are older girls and have not ever been house cows. I had intended to do this with both – but…
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What does wind look like?
I can’t show you what the wind looks like. There are no leaves or long grasses bending in supplication to the wind to help me show you. I cannot take one picture that lets you feel the full force of a roaring westerly wind, a howling she- gale heaving itself across the prairies. It can…
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The Herd welcomes Naomi
What is the definition of a herd of cows anyway? How many does one need to have a herd? Because yesterday Lady Astor gave birth to a lovely tiny, tiny heifer. She also has no belt at all, just a tiny bit of white on her side and her belly. But she is so delicate…
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Hotel Towels for Farms
+ OK. Here is a question. What happens to old hotel linen? I have been thinking about this a lot lately. Maybe I have spent a little too much time in hotels. When their sheets get too old or their towels loose their fluffiness and those blankets get pilled. Where does all that stuff go?…
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Elsie The Wild
I have decided not to try and milk Elsie again. She got progressively worse each time I tried and both of us ended up scraped and sore. (Me flinging myself totally across the room to miss a right cut to my jaw). I could not even get the cups near her yesterday. She kicked out every time I approached. …
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A Surprise Baby
A real surprise. Elsie has given birth to a wee heifer. She was already here when I went out to do the chores yesterday morning so the girls got to see her before departing. They had the best visit. The calf is a beautiful wee bouncy heifer she has the same markings as her mother on…
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