Last month, my husband and I decided to leave Chicago and move to my family’s farm in Brazil. I am a writer. My first novel, The Seamstress, was released in hardcover by HarperCollins last August, and will be in paperback next month. My husband James is an attorney who worked for a prominent firm in Chicago.

Thirty-one years ago, my parents bought a plot of land in Taquaritinga do Norte, a farming community in Pernambuco, Brazil. It is three hours from Recife, the state’s capital and the city where I was born. The farm has always been a vital part of my family’s life; even when we moved to the United States in the early 1980’s, we kept close ties to Taquaritinga and visited often.

What do we grow on our farm? Shade-coffee, bananas, cashews and (in smaller quantities) fruits like cajá, jackfruit, mangoes, and pitomba. In addition to fruit trees, there are hardwoods like sucupira, jatobá, and Pau Brasil. We also raise pigs and goats, and have seven very spoiled guard dogs.

Four years ago, my sister returned to live on the farm. Now, the business is at a transition point. It has become much more than a vacation place, but is not yet a self-sustaining enterprise. There are many opportunities for an organic shade coffee farm like ours. Because of this, my husband James and I decided to move back to Brazil to lend a hand.

6 Responses to “Our Move”

1. Anderson says:

   July 9, 2009 at 6:44 pm

   Hilarious picture, and a wonderful idea. You are well missed back in the states.
2. Megan from Chicago says:

   July 9, 2009 at 7:59 pm

   Parabens on your move to Brazil! How exciting! I’ll be following your adventures from here, an exercise in curbing envy, to be sure.
3. Ângela says:

   July 9, 2009 at 8:27 pm

   Frances,

   minha sogra me deu seu livro de presente e devorei cada palavra que você “costurou.” Boa sorte na sua empreitada e vou acompanhar seus escritos por aqui.

   Abraços
4. Isabella says:

   July 9, 2009 at 11:19 pm

   WOW! Essa, com certeza, é uma mudança radical! Espero que um outro livro venha bem isnpirado nessa mudança!

   Good luck!
5. Aunt Mary Jo says:

   July 11, 2009 at 5:15 pm

   Your book is exquisite. I am proud to be related to you. I admire your willingness to fly into a new adventure. Love.
6. Jessie says:

   July 18, 2009 at 10:21 pm

   Love the pic! Glad to be able to keep with you all! Wishing you all the best!