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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


  • Your voice echoes when there is snow in the clouds

    Yesterday it snowed again. But it was a gentle sweet silent snow that did not last too long. But the clouds sat heavy. Heavy clouds breathing light snow. Like kind gods. A benevolent uncle kind of snow. I set about trapping and catching the frostbitten chickens who had run off to the barn before the…

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  • Frostbite on Barn Chickens

    Still cold. Do you see Daisy’s breath? First  something pretty: The Old Codger has given me his snow shoes .. aren’t they wonderful. When I walk the dogs across the snow in the morning I shall be wearing these .  I look forward to our morning walk. And now for something not so pretty. The…

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  • How to make dog biscuits for pigs

    “Well!” I hear you say! “Treats for Pigs?”. But every good pig deserves a treat – Especially Our Sheila who survived the Big Chill with A Plomb and the easiest way to train a pig is with treats. Sad but True. I am the same. Here is the recipe: 2 cups wholemeal flour 1 cup oatmeal…

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  • Sundogs – like bookends for a frozen day.

    Yesterday was officially freezing.  Real freezing cold. Not that fake cold when your dressing gown is in the dryer and you have to run to the toilet in your nightie and the toilet seat is cold and you shiver and say God that is cold. No, this was real cold. Razer cold that shaves at…

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  • Struggling to Farm in the deep cold and driving snow

    Yesterday the snow and the wind fought it out all day and into the night.  The umpire fled, the cheerleaders bolted. The game deteriorated into a brawl. It was all about hard faced driving snow.  Snow piling up just where you want to walk, then blowing itself up into, around and ahead of the next…

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  • The Gift of a Day to Prepare for a Storm.

    Yesterday was almost warm. I know it doesn’t look terribly warm, and blowing so the snow was washed up into beachy tidal drifts but warm enough so I could spend hours outside preparing the barn and my animals for the deep cold that is forecast. Though I will believe the weather when I see it.…

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