ALL NOVEL 60: Farmland Expansion!
Spring has finally come.
Every year, our farming season begins at this moment.
This year, Billy graduated from the orphanage and officially became an apprentice gardener at our house. Billy will help take care of the fields, orchards, and rose garden within the estate.
The head of the outside fields is Millie and Jack, the village representative. We have also hired a few new people from the orphanage and the village.
Sophie has gone for training at the village jam workshop, as per her request. It seems she is more suited for indoor work.
Father has granted permission to expand the fields, so we have been very busy since March.
Radcliffe Territory’s Luke Village was previously all open grassland, prioritized for defense. Last year, after seeing the rich landscape on my botanical garden tour, Father had a change of heart. Due to the increase in spirits in our territory and the forest, thanks to me, and the resulting safety of the nearby woods, he decided to expand the farmland.
Everyone wishes to live in a prosperous land, right?
Before starting the work, the retainers thoroughly explored the surrounding forests. They found that the number of monsters had decreased significantly, while the number of wild animals had increased. Although there are still dangerous monsters deep in the forest, we will continue to cull them and plant magical warding grass within the forest.
The farmland expansion doesn’t involve clearing new forests. We’re plowing the previously fallow land within the protective wall’s perimeter. The area is quite large.
This time, we will cultivate a 200-meter section around the village’s perimeter, excluding the fields between the mansion and the village. This amounts to a significant area.
Father decided on the division of the fallow land around the village, and we had the prospective farming areas simply fenced off with wooden fences. The men will reinforce the fences later.
Poco, the earth spirits, and I will till the land. We’ve also ensured that the farm roads can serve as emergency escape routes, making them as solid as paved roads. They might even be better than the roads in the village!
I rode around the planned farmland on horseback with the retainers. The spirits swam and flew around us! While I was excited by the new scenery, Isaac warned me.
“Don’t wander off on your own. You’ll just end up falling and getting hurt.”
Hugo, who was riding alongside, laughed and agreed, “That’s right!”
Ugh. They have such low opinions of me!
Even so, Isaac and Hugo gave me a tour of the village on horseback. The river flowing from the mountains was wide, with an increased water volume due to the snowmelt, and very clear. The road ran along the river, extending far into the distance.
“What about the defense upstream of the river?”
While the land has protective walls, the river’s upper reaches are unprotected, right?
“In that case, we have built sluice gates along the protective wall’s line, and inserted sturdy magical metal fences into the water. These fences are enchanted to only let water and fish through.”
I see.
There aren’t many aquatic monsters in the great forest. However, large magical beasts might invade, so the fences are enchanted for protection. Magic sure is convenient.
On the south side of the river, there’s a large pasture, and to the southeast of the village, there are fields of rye. The east, west, and north wastelands are still untouched.
The village may be small, but its area is extensive. It made me realize just how vast the wastelands around the village are.
Someday, we’ll transform all this wasteland into a green paradise!
I’ll do my best!
As it gets warmer, furrows are made in the newly cultivated fields, and vegetables are planted according to the planting plan by the villagers. We have stationed guards to monitor the surroundings during work.
The main crop is potatoes, but leafy vegetables and summer vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers, and eggplants are also essential. Melons, watermelons, and pumpkins were highly requested by the villagers. After harvesting the leafy vegetables, carrots and radishes will be planted. Millie and the others are in charge of these tasks. We’ll need more people depending on the future workload.
Each section will need at least three to four people.
We’ve added two new fields behind the mansion (north side), making a total of five fields, including the three existing ones. With the pasture for the horses and the flower garden for the bees, we now have six sections.
We’ll rotate between radberries, edamame, melons, and purple sweet potatoes (sweet potatoes) for now. We planted various blueberry varieties in the remaining section, which will provide jam ingredients every year! The flower garden has just started sprouting green leaves. We have prepared perennial seedlings to plant in May after soil preparation.
By the way, how do we manage water for the vast fields?
Father, the retainers, and the village’s earth magic users have all worked together to channel water from the river! For areas far from the river, thanks to Kuu’s guidance, we found water veins, and Poco miraculously helped dig several wells.
Both people and plants can’t survive without water.
Well, Kuu and the water spirits patrol the fields, so there’s no worry about drought. Currently, Kuu moves on rain clouds during irrigation, which is cute, like riding a flying nimbus!
Another important task is making compost in the village.
Serious composting has begun. Near the pasture, we produce cow manure compost, and at our place, we produce horse manure compost. We also make leaf mold and bark compost from plants. There’s also leaf mold in the forest.
In my previous life, some people made compost for home gardening. In Japan, we needed rice bran, but I wonder what we’ll use here. Maybe wheat bran? There was something like wheat bran pickles, and black bread’s fermentation yeast is also wheat-based. I think mixing in my magical compost during fermentation will work well.
You never know until you try.
This is a long-term project, aiming for five or ten years down the line.
In spring, Uncle Roy, the head retainer, decided to retire. He’s turning fifty soon and wants to leave outdoor work to the younger generation. He will now focus on training the next generation and protecting the mansion and village. Hugo will become the new head retainer, and Kevin will be promoted to deputy head retainer. It’s based on seniority since we don’t have many people.
To fill Uncle Roy’s position, his sons have been appointed as retainers. Even though it’s a commoner retainer family, it’s a historical one, so it’s hereditary.
Uncle Roy’s second son, Theo (22), and third son, Riley (18), both served as guards for the Margrave family since they were fifteen. They returned to coincide with Uncle Roy’s retirement. Living in the city, they chose to return to this rural area. I’m curious about their feelings once they settle in. By the way, the eldest son, Gale (25), is scholarly and not skilled in martial arts, so he works as a civil servant in Ragnard.
A new spring brings a fresh breeze.
Let’s work hard this year too!
Yeah!