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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


  • Hell is not hot. It is Deep Cold.

    Hell is not hot. It is Deep Cold.

    Do you remember the polar vortex of 2014? I think it was ‘14. We hit -20 and stayed there for way too long. That was a bad winter. Though there were two of us farming then. We lost The Duke of Kupa that winter. That was the first time I had ever heard the term…

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  • The Storm arrived …

    The Storm arrived …

    And today is not going to be pleasant. Since I woke up this morning (at 5am) to start my writing (for the Sustainable Sunday Letter) we have had snow, sleet, rain and very strong easterly winds. This image, below is called ‘Through the Glass Easterly.” They call it a wintry mix. Which sounds like a…

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  • Well, Yesterday was a Roller Coaster

    Well, Yesterday was a Roller Coaster

    But that is fine. i am not afraid of heights. We already know that the exhalted and unpaid position of caregiver has its ups and downs. This is what I wrote yesterday: then ran out of time and proceeded to zoom through the day. ‘The In Between; this weather and that weather’. I have always…

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  • Farming in a Slushie

    Farming in a Slushie

    They predicted snow and we got rain. Oh joy!’ All that fuss about 4 inches of snow. Nope. It is too warm. We have four inches of slush. I am working in a great big fat flat slushy. The temperatures are staying stubbornly warm and we got inches of rain mixed with wet snow. Yes.…

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  • The Transformative Dance of Royal Snow to Common Muck

    The Transformative Dance of Royal Snow to Common Muck

    It is a modern dance. And though common as muck; mud is Not common here for this time of year. We are back In the Mud for maybe a day. Then the forecast wanders all over the place but the forecast for tonight’s snow at 4 inches ( not too bad ) and Friday’s snow…

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  • I clean when I am Anxious

    I clean when I am Anxious

    I am working with a little anxiety at the moment; The house is sparkling. But never finished. So there is always more cleaning to do which is good. That makes me less anxious. Cleaning, tidying, doing that pesky personal admin, tidying one’s desk, that all helps us run our lives smoothly and alleviates ordinary anxiety.…

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