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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


  • The small smiles

    The small smiles

    When I was about thirteen I began work for my Dad in his workshop at the estuary by the sea. It was the school holidays. Dad built boats. The sea and all its surrounds were our breath and bread and butter. Dad was teaching me to weld that summer. One day he got me to move a whole…

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  • bred

    bred

    The girls have been bred by the Lady Vet and her very long very skinny silver syringe that she stores down her top so it does not get cold.  Both procedures went smoothly. In a little over a month we will take blood samples for a pregnancy test.  Fingers crossed now.  If I had a penny for…

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  • Toot Toot

    Toot Toot

    I am sorry – ‘Toot Toot’ has nothing to do with anything, it is just a sound I make when I am moving an animal aside. It is just so cheerful, musical even. Just a childish ‘Toot Toot’ all by your self out in the field. The other day a friend and I were talking…

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  • ‘Tis a puzzle meant

    ‘Tis a puzzle meant

    You will all remember that Hairy MacLairy left the property to go to the big farm over the rise in mid January. Due to the high rate of problem deliveries I decided not to have any more lambs. So he went off to play with some other ewes.  Mid January. Yesterday I was taking photos of…

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  • What if we did not need to sleep

    What if we did not need to sleep

    As I bounce out of bed in the mornings .. and I really do bounce.. as John brings me my first cup of coffee on his way out the door between 4.30 and 5 am. PLUS I am one of those annoying Morning People -I sometimes wonder how much better it would be if we did not need so…

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  • Barn Swallows

    Barn Swallows

    Yesterday morning I found a small barn swallow chick sitting on the floor of the milking parlour. I carefully replaced it in the nest and they were still all together last night. Some sad news though. On our walk last night, as we passed into the wilder area right down the back, I came across…

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