You were made to farm, and now you're the emperor of an empire?

Chapter 163 The Three Old Ways of Farming

The people in the front row were responsible for weeding and loosening the hard soil with pickaxes.

The four oxen behind pulled the heavy plow, turning over the soil and stones.

Next to them were the people responsible for breaking up the hardened clods of earth.

Finally, there are the people who pick up weeds, tree roots, and pebbles.

The division of labor is well-organized, highly scientific and efficient.

These wastelands to be reclaimed are fragmented and scattered.

Roman selectively cultivates land based on soil structure and quality, choosing only suitable locations.

Some areas are planted with peas and broad beans, some with spring wheat, and some wasteland is planted with ginger and garlic.

Some wastelands are planted with onions, lettuce, and parsnip.

The yield from thin soil is not very high.

He chose the best and most abundant wasteland to plant spring wheat.

But if this round of spring wheat can yield 100 jin per mu, that would be considered a win, and he would have to sow 20 jin of seeds for that.

In any case, no matter what you plant, you have to plant something. Only when seeds and soil are combined can soil improvement be carried out effectively.

Roman attaches great importance to this spring planting season.

They were monitored throughout the process and found to be quite diligent.

Although the production model has changed, the fundamental principles remain the same, and the specific steps are still the same familiar routine.

Weeding, plowing, and collecting stones.

The same old three.

……

However, reclaiming wasteland is quite difficult.

The main reason is the shortage of cattle and horses.

There are only about seven or eight hundred oxen and draft horses actually working – some are pregnant, some are producing milk, and they cannot be overworked.

Four oxen or draft horses, pulling a heavy plow, can cover about three acres a day, but in a day they can still cover several hundred acres.

The number of cattle and horses is insufficient; it refers to cattle and horses in human form.

Because real oxen and horses plow the land.

But then there's the need to clear weeds, pebbles, rake the land, and fertilize—these steps are too time-consuming.

Roman was on-site to direct operations and keep a close eye on things to prevent any mishaps.

Farmers in this era don't even understand how to farm properly.

Half a month later, only more than 3,000 mu of wasteland had been reclaimed.

You should know that they are working hard without any worries.

They deliver all three meals a day to the fields.

The food was sealed in one hundred large wooden barrels. When it arrived, the lids were lifted, and the vegetable and meat soup, bread, and bean porridge were still warm.

Damaged farm tools are replaced with new ones, their bodies receive sufficient nutrition, and they sleep soundly and comfortably at night.

The result remains the same progress.

But who can be blamed for this?

This is what it means to struggle with the land.

Roman didn't urge them too much, and it was clear that most people had done their best.

Therefore, he only allowed Barlow to identify a few typical cases.

Unless they are feeling unwell, anyone who dares to slack off will be hung up and beaten until they are dead, so as not to waste their food.

He instructed them to plant seeds on the reclaimed land.

Depending on the soil conditions, some people grow spring wheat, while others grow various vegetables as a side dish.

Anyway, it's all about planting!
Plant them wherever you find a suitable spot!
The happiest stage of agrarian civilization is not the harvest, but the sowing.

Plant the seeds in the soil, hoping they will yield several times, or even ten times, the harvest.

There is no one on this land who doesn't like farming.

just.

Life on the farm is rarely smooth sailing.

……

"Is this enough?" Gweil turned to ask Sanna.

She scooped the marigold jam from the wooden bucket and poured it into an earthenware jar.

The jams had a rich fruity aroma.

She and Sanna went to the yellowberry field again recently, and this time they returned safely.

They brought back two full buckets of yellow berries this time.

Yellowberries have a long growing season, requiring the entire winter to accumulate nutrients, but once picked, they only have a shelf life of three to five days.

When Roman learned of this, he couldn't help but laugh, and he was also very pleased.

Sanna was a strong girl; that cursed place didn't terrify her.

During dinner, Roman told the two girls a secret recipe: to make jam by mixing lemon juice and maltose, which would greatly extend the shelf life of yellow berries, ensuring they would last for two or three months without any problems.

They made it according to his instructions, and boiled over a hundred pounds of jam.

These delicious jams are for the estate's own use only and are especially good for dipping white bread.

But he forgot to tell the two how to color the jam. The yellow paste was truly an eyesore.

Of course, this didn't stop the people at the manor from enjoying their meal.

After all, people living in this era don't really have high demands for food, let alone something so sweet and delicious.

Roman led the white horse over.

"What are you doing?"

“I want to bring some yellowberry jam for Grandpa Garin.” Gweil squatted on the ground, looking at the yellowberry jam in the jar, somewhat undecided.

She thought Garin might not be able to eat that many, but on the other hand, she felt it would be better to bring more of these delicious berries, which she and Sanna had picked one by one themselves.

If Roman brings more food, he won't eat as much.

After tasting the yellowberry jam, Green begged her to give him some. She had just nodded when she turned around and discovered that twenty or thirty pounds of yellowberry jam were missing from the wooden bucket; the gluttonous Green had taken it to the army camp. Now there wasn't much left.

Why bring him raspberry jam?

Roman pulled her up from the ground.

“I haven’t been to the mountains in a long time…” Gweil whispered. Garin loved sweets and beer.

Maltose, in particular, was the only food he hoped she would bring him.

"It would be nice to bring some beer if possible," he said.

Roman lifted Gweil onto the horse and helped her sit up straight.

“I mean, why can’t we let him eat here?” As he spoke, he mounted his horse and handed his hand to Sanna. The rather tall girl then climbed onto the horse as well, wrapping her arms around his waist.

The three rode together on one horse. Because they were lightly armed, the total weight was only a little over 300 jin (150 kg), which did not put too much burden on the excellent warhorse. A fully armed knight would be heavier than this, not even counting the horse armor, otherwise it would weigh 600 jin (300 kg).

"Really?"

Gweil turned her head to look up at Roman, from which she could only see his chin, nostrils and eyebrows.

"But will Grandpa Garin agree?"

The practice of treating patients with ulterior motives has always been stubborn.

"He has no choice but to agree!" Roman scoffed.

Gweil beamed with delight; she loved the way Roman spoke, it had a radiant quality to it.

If only Karin could come down the mountain, she wouldn't have to go to the mountains every month anymore; she could just go once every six months or once a year.

Roman pulled on the reins, and the horse galloped off.

They quickly rushed out of the Origin Manor.

Today, the sun shines brightly, horses gallop swiftly, and the spring breeze brings joy.

Gweil nestled in Roman's arms, her face feeling the intense spring breeze that swept over her, evoking images of a gentle breeze rippling across a grassland, a lake with undulating waves, and tender green willow branches swaying in the breeze...

The spring breeze carries the scent of freshly turned earth, mixed with the fragrance of green grass and various flowers, brewing in the soft and vibrant air, making one feel somewhat intoxicated.

Along the way, you can see farmers working hard to sow seeds in the fields.

Gweil and Sanna asked Roman what they were planting, and Roman patiently answered them.

Gweil knew that Roman was very busy lately. He had to arrange for many people to farm, and she also had to judge what to plant on those lands. She had to do many things herself.

Only after the spring planting season was temporarily over did he have time to take them to find Garin.

The hand that was holding her had become more worn and scarred, the calluses were thickening, and it felt rough and gritty to the touch.

(End of this chapter)