-
In addition to the securing of an immediate food source and trying to become mushroom farmers, the Buckle crew starts the long process of testing a solution to the famine-starved land. Fertilizer, worms, prayer, and a plot. Oh, and labor - a lot of labor. The soil can support healthy plants, if it is turned with good soil and lots of manure or compost. It's time to test that and the Buckle crew fans out to find a way.
Charlie heads to Farmer Part's lands to see if the adventurer-friendly old man will allow the test to be done on his acres. Kat makes contacts with stables and other places manure might be found as well as any other ideas she has for getting fertilizer. A lady new to the Buckle, Lilah, agrees without hesitation to try and find healthy worms - she must have been a tomboy as a child, the bard thinks with a smile.
It's a long shot but if the method works...he must find Jil again, and see if he can find Connor or Brisbane. Aden was planning a meeting to that end soon, wasn't he?
-
Charlie looks up from the top of his shovel and cooly decided right then and there that Katelyn needed a new beauty product other than stale poo. She looked a mess, head to toe in mud, worms, and semi fresh manure. He grinned at the sight of her hauling more of the stinky stuff to the three acre plot Farmer Part had agreed to let them use. It had only been a few days but between the two of them, they'd managed to weed, turn over, and begin the process of applying the manure Katelyn had shrewdly bargained from the stable master at the Castle. His one regret was the nightly bath, Katelyn insisted they take in the ice cold river. At least he didn't have to clean a tub after.
-
Specific things being done to start the plot and test large-scale farming:
-Charlie and Kat are in charge of getting land, and meet with some success in the often-adventurer-aided Farmer Part. It is hoped that his intermittent scarecrow problem will in fact help keep predators and possibly dark elves away while the crops are prepared.
-Andrew uses some of the coin left in the Buckle fund plus that which was donated at the Haute event to try and obtain manure, limestone, and good soil with which to fertilize the mushrooms and the farmland to help Kat's efforts.
-Andrew also tries to find some locals out of work who are willing to help tend the soil for a reasonable wage in an attempt to faster prepare the land. Rather than fixing on strong young male backs which are hard to find as most are tending garden plots for sustenance, he looks for women who need work and offers to hire nannies for the children during the hours they tend the farm. He also lends his own back to the work of tilling, turning, seeding and weeding as often as he can.
-While they wait for Lilah to return from obtaining worms, Andrew hires a younger lad or lass to scour Mariner's for a Prunillian shrine that they might get the experts involved in what crops to grow, and how to grow them, along with Farmer Part's knowledge of his own lands.
-
Charlie rocked back on his heels squatting by the edge of the field, surveying the work he and Kat had done. Three acres, turned, weeded, then raked. He absentmindedly picked dirt from his nails, glancing at Katelyn who was already making noises about soap and yet another bath. Bollocks, he prefered himself a bit dirty, it made for natural camoflauge. Farmer Part had been very helpful in giving pointers, but the old man had let the two do all the work. Now all that remained is getting the seed from Andrew. Charlie hoped the Boss would come through soon, it looked like rain.
-
*Katelyn pulls Charlie toward the river, promising to scrub his back, and thinking that his neck and behind his ears could use a good scrub, too. She has the happy glow of a job well-done.*
-
*Glitch'nich walks into the silver buckle holding a box*
I have collected a box of mushrooms as asked.
*he opens the box and shows several types of edible mushroom*
-
Rubs his hands together. Excellent. Let me get my 'dirty' clothes on and we'll see about starting these...Muse, I hope Vell and Melody are able to find out if we're doing this right! Milord Glitch, have you any suggestions on how best to 'plant' these?"
-
*Melody, not knowing much about farming, follows Vell about on their rounds, listening and note taking. She uses her power of persuasion where needed to elicit positive and helpful responses in those they deal with*
-
Sometime after the meeting, Andrew finds a note pinned to his office door.
Back ta Farmer Parts, Boss. We're needin seed.
Charlie.
-
Elly would help in the testing as she has previous experience with disease from her studies in Hlint, though she would bow to those with great experience in this particular area.
//depending on the time for the quest this is Elly's actions if I can't make it.
-
Andrew raids the Silver Buckle food stores for seed and hunts it locally - he also notes that if Denon Wisefoot can obtain good seed shipments, he'll pay a premium. He focuses on barley since it's a sturdy, fast-sprouting, fast-growing crop but beats out wheat seeds from unthreshed wheat and brings corn kernels and oats as well, for testing on expanded plots if the barley grows.
The land is going to take work - all of them will need to pitch in, including the newest recruit, Celador. Celador's idea to grind and add limestone to the soil is incorporated along with the manures, composting from the Buckle, and other fertilizers.
Local farmers out of work in Mariner's Hold as well as the venerable Farmer Part and his clan are consulted on the best methods to grow. He sends tents, clothing, and other comforts ahead as he plans to have guards camping to protect the crops once they are sowed, in case the Vin'larie return.
-
A ragged boy of about 11, wearing overalls tracks Andrew down at the Buckle and hands him a note. "It's from Charlie, Mister. He said I should look for someone wearin a red coat." After handing him the letter the boy looks at him expectantly, his tummy rumbling loudly. The letter reads,
Boss,
We're still waitin on that seed. We've worked the limstone dust in like Celador said and it's rained twice now in a week. Hurry fore Famer Part has me wearing overalls, chewing a blade of grass, and clutching a pitchfork like some local yokel..wait too late.
Charlie
-
A belly laugh at Charlie's note, and for the boy, a large loaf of bread and some of the sugared fruit he keeps handy in a pocket. He wraps the bread in cloth and starts to hand it down before pausing. "Where do you live, son? I'll walk you there - so no one takes this from you." After having Heloise make a venison sandwich for the boy to eat on the way he escorts the lad, making sure the child gets to whatever home he has safely - and the food is put into his hands at his door, along with two gold as tip for the letter.
The barley seed he's collected so far, along with all the new compost from the wooden boxes near the stables and some provisions for his farmers, are loaded onto a wagon and hitched to a quiet mare as Allegro would rather prance shoeless through river rock than pull a cart. He hires a local out-of-work driver and sets out after speaking to Elohanna and checking to see if any of the other Bucklers involved want to ride along to help guard the compost and seed the land.
-
The boy's eyes widen in disbelief at all the food, but he nods, "Yessir, I live out near Farmer Parts. M'names Bigsby, Elliah Bigsby. No need fer ya to trouble yerself, sir..I know me own way back ta home." The boy looks down at his bare feet and reconsiders. "I will take a wagon ride mister, provided ya dun mind?" With that he tears into the sandwich like its his last meal, but tucks everything else into his shirt.
-
"Of course. Let me get you something for the road..." While the wagon is packed, he has Helly make another sandwich, and gets some milk for the boy as well. "If anything happens, Mister Bigsby, you duck under the canvas in the back and stay there. Otherwise, tell me about yourself; I love a good story."
-
"Um, sure thing, Mister. A story huh? Well, ain't much ta tell. We're farmers an its been hard, too hard ta get by ya know? Me Da, his names William, he's whatcha call a sharecropper, meanin he works fer another farmer near Parts. Me an me three sisters we work too, dun get any schoolin, but that's okay on account I dun wanna go ta no school!" Elliah folds his bony little arms in front of himself, defiantly.
-
"William, a fine name - my middle and my son's middle as well. Are you Elliah William, perchance? The bard settles on the narrow wagon's bench, his legs entirely too long for the space allowed. "Schooling can take many forms, Elliah. Don't be so quick to dismiss it. Farmers need to write and count, and higher numbers are useful. They give you an advantage over others who feel that they don't want to go to school either. You can learn in many ways, not just sitting in a schoolroom - for example, here is a bushel of barely. I want to know how many handfuls I have for spreading, so I will take my hand and stack it up and down so I know how many of my hands tall the sack is, then across, then estimate how many handfuls are in the sack . How would you do the same?"
-
Elliah squints at Andrew suspiciously, "I ain't dumb mister..that's easy..we take the bag ta Parts scale, he's got these stones ya balance yer grain gainst. Everybody's knowin proper weights fer grain."
-
"And if the scale is for some reason unavailable? If you don't have access to one, or think perhaps you're being cheated and need another way to estimate? I'm not trying to change your mind, Elliah. Only to point out that a little advantage can make a big difference." As the driver gives the mare a light slap with the reins, the bard lays a leg over the jockey box and almost to the tongue. "Speaking of knowledge, I could use quite a bit. What do you know of growing barley, assuming the soil is up to the task?"
-
"Maybe.." Elliah offers reluctantly some of his usual stubborness fading, "Lookee here, I still dun want no schoolin. As fer that barley growin, we've only ever grown wheat o corn in these parts, so I dunno. I reckon it would, barley's a grass like, nearly a weed." He scratches his head, dislodging a few bits of loose dirt before continuing" Ask Farmer Part, he's had a hand in growin most everythin this side of the Hold." Elliah points at a familiar farmstead as they crest a rise, horses straining only slightly at the incline. "We're nearly there..this is where I get off, Mister. Thanks fer the food!" With that, Elliah leaps nimbly to the road with a wave, bare feet and all and quickly disapears into the tall grass off the road.
-
A wave at the boy's retreating back, watched for as long as it's in view - seconds - then he motions the driver on toward Farmer Part's and returns to his violin playing.
-
Charlie stands at the entrance to Farmer Parts. The aforementioned pitchfork in his hands, but no sign of overalls. Katelyn hovers nearby. Both look tired, but happy to see Andrew and his wagon. "Got the seed we're needin , boss? Furrows are ready and me and Kat jest finished picking the last of the loose stones. We're ready." Charlie offers a grin, he looks thinner than last Andrew saw him, but more muscular from all the work.
-
"Seed aplenty, I hope. I have mostly barley, some wheat and corn and a smattering of rye and oats. And food! By the Muse you look hungry..." The bard unpacks bread, meat, and juice as well as vegetables from the Buckle's gardens. "There will be a slight delay in seeding, though. I had a long talk with Jilseponie. She mentioned that raking out the larvae is a critical step, one we might not have done to the degree she says is necessary. Also she mentioned that Connor and his wife have also cleansed a bit of land and shown that it works, so I will be headed to Krandor once the seeding is done to see if anyone at the Krelin Inn can tell us more about that. I would like to visit first but I don't think we can wait much longer here." A pause, a half smile. "It has been a long time since I stepped foot in there." With a long breath, he starts unloading rakes. "Regardless I'll be here to assist with the raking and larvae hunting, plowing and seeding. So eat up, and then we'll get this seed safe under shelter and go speak to the good farmer."
-
Charlie, ravishes a carrot as Andrew speaks, barely chewing before swallowing and comes near to choking before a "Aw *cuss*, yer sayin we gotta go over all them furrows?!" Charlie continues to cuss for a while, shaking his head before Kat's hand and look makes him stop and hang his head in resignation. "Fine, yer gonna help ya said, right boss? " Charlie finishes the carrot and reaches for a small loaf of bread, chewing and swallowing quickly he gulps down some water from his canteen. "Best keep a rake in yer hand then. What's Kat's part in all this?" He ignores a glare from her and continues, "She ain't much fer hoeing, I'm tellin ya, but she does a fine job of healin blisters." He mutters out more mostly under his breath. "An givin em."
-
"Minu may be behind me, she had some clinic duties to finish up, but for now it's just us, so yes - I'll be raking along side of you. We'll need to figure out how deep the larvae went. It's possible they are not dead but merely dormant until more food comes, I don't know. Still - a bit of song and Kat's ministrations and we'll be fine I think - I'm happy to sing us songs of speed to make the work quicker."
-
*Kat smiles* I can give us all some endurance and strength. I'll rake, too, though I'm sure I won't clear nearly as much land as you two.