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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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How to Treat Organic Pear Trees with Fire Blight
Sigh. The young pear trees have fire blight. If I remember correctly Blight is bacterial, it will enter your tree through a wound or badly timed pruning cut. It loves warm wet weather. When all your new fruit shrivels up and the new growth dies back it is likely that you have Fire Blight. It…
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A pregnant Pause
Yesterday The Farmy dropped through into one of those delicious Pauses that we often see but don’t have time to feel. A gentleness rises up and envelops us. Encouraging us to yawn as we work, and sink onto rocks to watch when we are done. The animals feel The Pause. They simply lay down and…
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Another Peek at Route 66 – Just for Kicks
I am trying to distract myself from staring at Charlotte all day, she has SEVEN days to go before we can even think about expecting any piglets after all. Pigs are usually farrow quite close to their dates and I hope she goes all the way so we get nice fat healthy babies. So another…
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A Route 66 Reconnoitre
When I was small I wondered whether the colours that I saw were the same as the colours you saw. I wondered if what we both called blue was as blue to me, as it was to you. I asked my mother,” What if the green of your eyes is not the same green I…
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Hope you are right!
I have been watching The Poll and so far the winning group is 8 or 9 piglets. What do you think of that Charlotte? “Trying not to think about it miss c. Now tell the barn flock to stop staring at Tui on the nest, they are staring too loudly. I need sleep!” Oh? Oh. Everyone is…
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Pigs build Nests just like Birds but not in a Tree
If pigs have the materials available they will build a birthing nest for their piglets. Even pigs farrowing in confinement show signs of attempting to gather materials. Chewing at bars and trying to rip away the sides of their pens. It is all very ancient but although Charlotte is in the barn, and not outside…
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