An Agricultural Revolution

[LuxyLucy 691]

 

Spoiler

(Music <3)

 

ISSUED BY THE COUNTY OF JEROVITZ

c. [564] E.S.

 

 

 

I thank Her Royal Highness, Alexandria Karina Wick (@Unbaed) and Lord Otto The Tarcharman (@yopplwasupxxx) for their respective works in the field of agriculture, that has given me the inspiration to create my own works, in the field of Agricultural Sciences.

 

 

In the heart of Hanseti-Ruska, where the sun-drenched fields yield a bounty of grains and vegetables, and the aroma of freshly baked bread wafts through the air, the impact of agriculture on our society and culture is profound and far-reaching. Here, amidst the rustic charm of rural life and the burgeoning bustle of urban centres, the seeds of tradition are sown, and the roots of civilization take hold, intertwining the fate of nations with the rhythms of the harvest.

 

A silent revolution has taken place in the peaceful countryside of Haense, where sun-dappled fields extend as far as the eye could see. This revolution concerned planting techniques and ploughs rather than swords and shields. Here, in the bucolic charm of rural life, farmers and monks work ceaselessly to extract nourishment from the bountiful soil, using traditional methods handed down through the ages and audacious inventions that promise to change the very terrain we call home.

 

 

 

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Around most Haeseni villages there are three large arable fields. Two of these fields grow crops while the third is left fallow. The village will also have hay meadows and common land where the people have the right to graze their animals. The three arable fields are divided into strips, each one being separated from the next by balks of unploughed land. To ensure that everybody has a fair share of the good land, each family is given strips in all three fields. These strips are long and narrow which reduces the number of times the plough-team has to turn round. On light soils a pair of oxen could successfully pull a plough. However, heavy clay soils need a team of eight oxen.

 

The three-field system of crop rotation is employed by Haeseni farmers, during the seasons of Horen’s Welcome (Jula and Piov) as well as the Amber Cold (Msitza and Dargund). Wheat or rye is planted in one field, and oats, barley, peas, lentils or broad beans are planted in the second field. The third field is left fallow. Each year the crops are rotated to leave one field fallow. This system ensures that the same crop is not grown in the same field two years running. Which helps replenish nutrients in the soil, manage pests and diseases, and increase overall yields.

 

 

 

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Credit for the map goes to her Lady Erika Kortrevich (@Toffee), love you sestra.

 

 

Hard Red Winter Wheat

The staple of the Haeseni diet, grown along the banks of the rivers Lahy and Dules, this variant of wheat was specifically cultivated to handle the harsh frosts and snow that cover the fields and despite such harsh environment, produce high yields of grain and straw. Feeding man and beast alike. It is most praised for its durability along with excellent characteristics in the baking process, the notable sought after crunch of bread often provided by this grain.

 

 

Buckwheat

Despite the name, buckwheat is not actually a cereal like the other staples of the Haeseni diet. It is actually a fruit related to rhubarb and harvested for its tiny triangular seeds, despite this once milled, it provides the perfect flour for pastries, providing a deep earthy and nutty flavor. It is naturally bitter so it is best paired with natural sweeteners or mixed with other flours to give them a softer texture. It is most commonly seen in the fields just south of Kovgrad.

 

Barley

Barley is a grain that is best grown further south along the river Lahy, within the Margrave of Kazan where the warmer climate shines overhead the lands of Hyspia. As a staple within the Haeseni diet it is most known for its use in malting to make beers, or further distilled into whiskeys. Though what is usually not used in the brewing processes often leads to stockfeed.

 

 

Rye

The most durable of the cereal grains for the harsh cold climates of the Hanseti-Ruska, it is often grown in the northern reaches of the Lahy river due to its ability to survive even full snow cover. Upon the arrival of Horen’s Welcome (Jula and Piov) it will develop rapidly, providing spring grazing for the livestock. It’s most commonly used in making Scyfling crispbreads.

 

Oats

Oats are less tolerable to the harsh cold compared to the previously listed staples of the Haeseni diet, however, grow quite fast and require far less effort in weeding as they quite easily wipe out the competing weeds for the soil's nutrients, along with can be ploughed over and re-used as green manure. Its most common use is as livestock feed, commonly among the cattle herds of the Koravian peoples within the County of Jerovitz. As a food it’s often used in porridges.

Brother May I Have Some Oats

 

(Lady Primrose meandering along the fields of Jerovitz)

 

 

Red Beets

Grown for its edible taproot, is a crop with many uses whether medicinal or to nurture one's hunger. Often used to treat illnesses relating to digestion. They carry many culinary uses whether eaten in their raw form, put to boil, set on a roast or in salads. They also can be pickled, they’re a very versatile plant used in a wide variety of the Haeseni palate.

 

Sugar Beet

A highly valuable plant if not the most, the definition of a Haeseni cash crop that grows upon the Viscounty of Zvezlund. A relative of the Red Beet, the sole purpose of the sugar beet is the extraction of its sugary syrup when boiled. Practically identical to the sugar produced from the canes of tropical regions, but durable in the colder climates, delivering Hanseti-Ruska a prominent supply of sugar as a luxury for the Haeseni people.

 

 

Ruskan Blue Potato

A form of underground tuber, best grown in cold regions where sunlight isn’t as prevalent to avoid spoiling from sunlight and the frigid cold to protect from pest attacks and the spread of disease. They’re a hardy durable plant perfect for the colder lands of the Haeseni, most prominent in the County of Ayr, they’ve a wide use in culinary purposes and are beloved for their unique color which retains even after cooking.

 

 

Radish

A rapidly growing plant, allowing them to not be hindered by diseases, they are the perfect companion plant for other crops as their pungent odor deters pests from attacking the main harvest, or as a lure away from such. They are grown for their swollen tap roots and are generally used in raw salads.

 

Onions

A form of bulbous vegetable, are quite prone to attacks from pests and disease but a successful harvests provides a wonderful vegetable to store throughout winter, they are pungent and can irritate the eyes when chopped, but can be used in a wide variety of dishes, whether baked or boiled, braised and grilled, along with fried, roasted, sautéed, or even eaten raw in salads. They are often pickled for a long shelf life.

 

Carrots

A taproot vegetable, a good companion plant if left to flower, will attract predatory wasps that kill many garden pests. The taproot has a wide use in the culinary field, the greens can be used in a stir-fry or within salads, while the root can be used in soups and stews as well as salads, though most notably due to the sweetness, can be used in baking such as carrot cakes.

 

Turnips

A root crop that grows best in cool weather, most prominently grown in the fields of Furentaliz. They’re often used as a side dish with a pungent flavor that becomes milder after cooking, generally boiled in broths or as a vegetable stew. They are also useful as a fast growing livestock feed.

 

Parsnips

This root vegetable is a long taproot with a cream-colored skin. It is often left in the ground to mature and becomes sweeter in flavor after winter frosts leading it to be mostly cultivated along the north side of The River Dules, around the Duchy of Kvasz. One should be weary in harvesting them, the sap of a parsnip can cause rashes upon one's skin, or even blindness. They’re usually cooked but can be eaten raw, they have a sweet flavor and before the sugar beet was introduced was often used as a sweetener. They often are used in stews, soups or even in baking to add their sweetness to the dish, they even can be turned into a sweet wine.

 

 

Cabbage

A vegetable crop with dense-leaved heads. It is prepared and consumed in many ways, simplest of ways include eating it raw and or steaming it, though for long storage options it is often pickled and fermented, most commonly in Hanseti-Ruska being sauerkraut a tangy preserved food with many probiotics, an often used side-dish to add needed salinity.

 

 

Spoiler

(Music <3)

 

 

Mammoth Ruskan Sunflower

The domestic sunflower is a valuable plant in harvesting its seeds, it’s found farmed along the warm southern valley on either side of the river Lahy, though most notably within the County Jerovitz. The seeds are often used as a snack food, whether in a raw state or roasted with seasonings added. Along with uses in being converted into a sunflower nut spread or used to make a plant based butter. Though the most valuable use of the plant is in extracting the oils from the seeds, used for many purposes in cooking, skincare,  in the making of margarine or even as a fuel for industrial purposes. The dehulled seeds after the oiling process then can be used for livestock feed. Funding for new fields of the flower is often sponsored by The Countess of Jerovitz, Emma Kortrevich. 

 

Colza

One of the oldest vegetable oils, it is used in both edible and industrial forms produced from the seed. Though it’s usually not used for its cooking purposes due to the acidic taste. To produce the oil it will be slightly heated before then crushing the seed to extract the oils. Often used for fueling purposes in an industrial capacity to light the blazes of blacksmiths forges across the Kingdom.

 

 

Cucumber

A creeping vine that roots in the ground and grows up along supporting frames, a spherical fruit that heavily relies on a local bee population to grow, just before bloom bees will pollinate the flowers with pollen from other plants in order to form the seeds and fruit of the cucumber. They can be sliced and put into forms of salad, though they’re most commonly pickled, put in a brine with a variety of spices or sugars, a saline staple of the Haeseni diet.

 

Prikaburren (Prikaz Berry) (Read this post for a more in depth description)

Thriving in the cold environments in the north of Hanseti-Ruska is a vine plant that grows along the sides of large boulders or in vineyards within the lands of the Westerwald, under the dominion of the County of Ayr, within the Karoswood, clinging along the cliff sides on the way up to Zenorein along with along the mountain sides of Kovgrad. They’ve been a staple of Haeseni culture for centuries, used in a variety of purposes such as wines, jams and teas, a time honored fruit of great significance within the Kingdom.

 

 

Cranberries

Found growing in bog farms within the lands of Ayr past the Gates of Muldav along the river Dules. The Westerwald would be the perfect wetland environment, vines grow within the waters where the large berries float on the surface of the water. Fresh cranberries are hard, sour and bitter so the majority of them will be made into different products, juices along with sauce. Though most commonly they will be dried as an easy to carry tart snack for a Haeseni to enjoy.

 

 

Ruskan Olives

A highly durable shrub, it is able to grow in environments with poor soils, resists droughts and can weather the cold. The plant itself is highly valuable in many manners, the oils produced from the fruit can act as a base for salves that relieve muscle pains along with an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, the leaves can be used to help with gastrointestinal issues, minor wound healing or as an antibacterial. The flowers even serve purpose when made in an herbal infusion that may help with fevers. These sparse shrubs are often seen growing along the plains of the Viscounty of Koppány.

 

 

Krasnostop Furentaliz

In the lands along the Verelund, upon the Barony of Furentaliz there are long winding vineyards that grow dark, ruby-colored variants of grapes with purple hues. The plant is capricious, intolerant to the frosts and suffers from attacks of disease, requiring constant watch over from those that work it. But upon a successful harvest of these rare grapes, a rich red wine would be produced with an aroma of wilted cherries and prunes, a slight acidic tone in the drink. With patience the crest of vines will deliver an iconic Haeseni wine.

 

 

Haeseni Wild Apples

Within the more mild climate of the Karoswood in the shadow of Jerovitz, would be a well beloved fruit tree of the Haeseni, the apple would be quite small, having a well pronounced tart taste that will sweeten as it ripens. They’re often an additive in many dishes for their burst in flavors, for porridges and stews. Though they’re most adored in the baking of Ruskan cakes and pies. The Koravians have taken a liking to using their particularly tart flavor in producing Ciders, a common scent one may smell when passing through Jerovitz is the boiling of such apples for their juices.

 

(The Ladies Mikhaila, Primrose and Erika are depicted here harvesting the wild apples)

 

Rhubarb

A fleshy vegetable that consists of edible stalks, the green leaves at the top are poisonous and should not be consumed, but the red stalk beneath is often used in a similar style as fruits, they have a strong, tart taste. It is most commonly used along with sugar in baking pies, crumbles along with other desserts. The majority of Rhubarb is grown around the Viscounty of Novkursain.

 

 

Pears

Found along the Verelund in orchards ran by those within the Barony of Furentaliz, would be medium sized trees growing a pomaceous fruit, a delightful fruit providing many culinary uses, edible to eat as a fresh fruit but also turned into a juice, dried, or even fermented into perry, a form a pear cider. There is even use for the tree’s wood, often used in producing woodwind instruments along with furniture.

 

 

Ruskan Tomato

This plant's fruit is an edible berry, though often treated as a vegetable. They’re a vineyard plant that grow within the lands of Zvezlund, they’re small and bright red and can be planted in cold temperatures, however will not survive a frost cover. The flowers are also able to self-fertilize. It has a strong umami flavor and is an important ingredient in creating sauces or used in soups. For the braver folk, it can even be turned into a juice or used in liquor cocktails.

 

Gooseberry

A bush berry often found deep in the thickets of the Karoswood and Westerwald, though it may also be seen grown in gardens among the occupants within the County of Ayr. It is often appreciated for its cooling properties in aiding with fevers. These bushes will often see their branches cut off instead of using their seeds to grow a new plant. The fruit itself can be eaten raw, though it’s favored in desserts such as pies and crumbles. They’re also used in making beverages such as fruit wines and teas. Along with that, they may be dried into a fruit snack or made into a jam spread, they can also be pickled or stored in sugar syrup.

 

Strawberries

A hybrid flower that was cultivated by the people of Novkursain, it’s not actually a berry and is a part of the rose family of flowers. It is often enjoyed for its aroma, bright red coloring, juicy texture along with sweetness. It is enjoyed fresh, though has a wide variety of other preparations such as in jams, juices, the baking of desserts such as pies or famously dipped in chocolates, showing off the mercantile prowess of the Haeseni in agriculture.

 

Blackcurrant

A particularly hardy plant, it is one of the only few that’s able to survive north of the River Lahy, shadowed under the Castle Morteskvan within the Duchy of Vidaus. It is a relative of the Gooseberry, producing bunches of small glossy black fruit that develop along the stems. The fruit can be eaten raw, but is usually cooked in sweet or savoury dishes, along with being used to make jams, syrups, alcoholic beverages and can even be used in making dyes. It’s a particular favorite of Scyflings in the making of their pastries.

 

 

Plums

Believed to be one of the first fruits domesticated by the Haeseni, they’re an orchard fruit that grows along the lands of Furentaliz and Koppány. The fruit is a drupe, with a firm and juicy flesh, they can be eaten fresh from the tree, though can be dried to make prunes along with being made into jams or even fermented into wine and distilled into brandies. The kernels within the fruit create a poisonous oil.

 

Raspberry

Similar to the strawberry, it’s a member of the rose family, a perennial plant with woody stems, they’re grown for their fresh fruit to snack upon. Though can be made into juices or baked into a variety of pastries, they can be found spread all over the wild lands of Hanseti-Ruska.

 

Cherry

An orchard drupe, their orchards are often dotted along Koppány, the trees require a chilling frost to break their dormancy and bloom to produce their fruits. They can be a challenging fruit tree to grow and keep alive, often under attack from pests soon after the blossoming takes place. The wood is valued for its rich color and straight grain in the creation of fine furniture. While the drupe itself can be eaten fresh, it is often used as a sweet flavoring in baking or an additive to soups.

 

Pomegranate

A favorite for the populace of Koppány, orchards of this fruit dot the hillsides. The pomegranate fruit’s husk is red-purple in color with an outer, hard pericarp, and an inner, spongy mesocarp, which comprises the fruit's inner wall where seeds attach. The seeds of the fruit are characterized by their thick fleshy seed coats. It is commonly made into a juice that may either be sweet or sour, the juice is often added to intensify the flavors of dishes. It also finds uses in the making of pomegranate molasses and vinegar, the seeds are seen used in salads or used as a spice for their acidic tones, a highly valuable fruit with a large variety of uses, it is said Lady Dszamila Korvacz will use it’s reds to dye the fabrics of her dresses.

 

 

(Music <3)

 

Peppermint

One of the oldest herbs used in Haeseni culinary and medicinal products, it naturally occurs under the shade of the mountains that cover Novkursain and Kazan, it typically grows in moist habitats, including stream sides and drainage ditches. Thriving in shaded locations, it expands by underground rhizomes. The oil has a high concentration of natural pesticide, it is often observed to repel pest insects, most notably the mosquito along with being able to repel rodents, making it quite useful in protecting storage locations from being spoiled. Fresh or dried peppermint leaves are often used alone in peppermint tea or with other herbs in herbal infusions, it is also often used for flavoring candies, fruit spreads and alcoholic beverages, often paired with the barley beers and whiskeys made by the Scyflings of Kazan.

 

 

Mint

An aromatic perennial herb, it has wide-spreading underground and overground stolons, it’s practically an invasive species across the entirety of Hanseti-Ruska. It thrives near pools of water, lakes, rivers, and cool moist spots in partial shade. In general, mints tolerate a wide range of conditions, and can also be grown in full sun. Mint will grow all year round. They’re also fast-growing, due to such it only takes one plant to provide more than enough mint for a single home’s use. The harvesting of their leaves can be done at any time, fresh leaves should be used immediately or stored up to a few days in a cold container such as upon an ice cube tray. The leaves have a warm, fresh, aromatic, sweet flavor with a cool aftertaste, and are used in teas, beverages, jellies, syrups, candies and seasoning for many dishes.

 

Dill

An annual herb that requires warm summers with high sunshines levels; even partial shade will reduce the yield substantially. It is only suitable for growing in the southern reaches of the River Lahy just before the Vander Falls that lead down to Hyspia. Leading to the Scyflings of Kazan as the only cultivators of the herb in Hanseti-Ruska. The fern-like leaves of dill are aromatic and are used to flavor many foods, such as fish dishes, soups and are often used in the pickling process. It is best when used fresh as it will lose its flavor rapidly.

 

Garlic

A bulbous flower plant, used as a seasoning ingredient along with being a traditional medicine. Often used as a home remedy to ward off colds and flu in households, its ability to be stored for long periods of time makes it a common sight dangling in Haeseni homes. It isn’t just colds it wards off, though; it is said in folklore that it is used to ward off the vampyric, adding a nature of superstition to the hanging garlands of garlic in one’s home.

 

Ginger

Found along the southern half of the River Lahy, growing within the lands of Zvezlund and Kazan. The ginger root is widely used as a spice along with as folk medicine, it grows annually. Prior to planting the seed rhizomes, farmers are required to treat the seeds to prevent pests, and rhizome rot. Some such methods are cattle dung emulsion, smoking the seeds or hot water treatment. Upon a successful harvest of the rhizome, it is a fragrant kitchen spice, often used in pickling in vinegar, or used as an ingredient in many dishes. They can be steeped in boiling water to make ginger herb tea, to which honey may be added. It can also be made into candies or ginger wine.

 

Horseradish

A root vegetable grown in the gardens of the Viscounty of Koppány, It can be used in traditional medicines, the root is able to stave off scurvy along with assisting in treating the common cold. It is best grown in places that experience a frost during the Amber Cold - Msitza and Dargund, to ensure the plant stays dormant, after the frost kills the leaves, the root will be dug up and divided. The main root will be harvested and one or more large offshoots of the root will be replanted to produce the crop for the next harvest season. It has a distinctive pungent taste that is released upon being crushed, it seems to deter herbivores from eating the plant, often seen uninterested upon taking a whiff of the scent. The plant in the culinary world is used as a spice or condiment, being mixed with vinegar, it will be grated into a condiment with added sugar and served with a variety of foods.

 

 

Baby Bella Mushrooms (Influenced by the work of Her Royal Highness; Alexandria Karina Wick)

Named in honor of Prinzenas Theodosiya Ysabel i Markev, due to the luminous white within the mycelium caps that were reminiscent of her skin tone, these small brown-capped mushrooms grow within the Karoswood in little clearings around rocks, while not farmed in any capacity, they’re often foraged, a wonderful addition to soups and stews or as a diced topping to many dishes.

 

Ruskan Tarragon

It is a widespread and wild species of perennial herb, it is a hardy and vigorous plant, spreading at the roots and growing over a meter tall. It has preference for poor soils and happily tolerates drought and neglect. It produces many leaves that are mild and good in salads and cooked food. It also is made in creating a popular sweet drink by mixing water with sugar and tarragon leaves, giving it a unique green color.

 

END OF REPORT.

 

 

 

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HER LADYSHIP, PRIMROSE EMELYA KORTREVICH,

The “Rose” of Kortrevich

 

[prophetisms 982]

Amidst workmen bustling and careful preparations in Koppány, Dszamila read over the agricultural missive with great pride for her girlhood friend.  “The fruits of your labors have paid off,” she spoke aloud, even if Primrose wasn’t there to hear her praise yet. It would’ve been left at that, had Dszamila’s eyes not caught the section on pomegranates. 

“Godan, Primrose! Do niet reveal my secrets already!?”

[GMRO 6187]

"THE BIHARIST DREAM IS REAL. IT IS REAL. FARMING IS THE TRUE IDEAL OF EVERY HAESENI. TO EVERY MAN HIS FIELD!!" Screamed the aged Ser Rickard Tosali-Ruthern.