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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


  • News!

    News!

    Good news and middling news .. kind of. Marmalade had her kittens yesterday. That is the good news. The bad news is that she had SIX kittens. The good news is that we have homes for  three and the rest have work to do in the West Barn.  But first poor wee Marmie has to raise…

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  • Back to The farm.

    Back to The farm.

    Home again. Home again. Jiggedy Jig. Back to the farmy we go. And autumn has come. I came home to a pigs welcome. And a pigs welcome is a such a joy.  When I first walked out into the field yesterday morning, Sheila was lying down sleeping in the sun. She saw me, leapt up…

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  • Back to Busy – ness

    Back to Busy – ness

    I am off again. By the time you read this I will be in the air on the first of my three flights home.  When I get home I will cut off my nails,  pack away my good boots. Shoo the spiders out of my gumboots and begin again. The first order of business will…

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  • Rugged

    Rugged

    I am staying at my Youngest Son’s house now – with him and his beautiful new wife and child – on the other side of the hill to Senior Son.  With my relocation the weather turned on its heel, the warmth scuttled for cover and we are now being blasted with strong cold winds. And on this…

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  • Life as a Wall

    Life as a Wall

    A climbing wall. As you can see from the lead image even children can climb this wall. Little tiny children. Yesterday my daughter suggested going to a climbing wall in Lower Hutt, Wellington, New Zealand. She said: Give it a try. I said: I am too tired. She said: But you must. I said: I have no shoes. She…

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  • Shopping in Wellington

    Shopping in Wellington

    No! Not for clothes. No point in doing that. No point in shopping for clothes unless it is a new carhart jacket.  When I get back to the farm it will be work clothes all the way – until January when I return to New Zealand for Senior Son’s wedding. So I am leaving my…

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