Homesteading in a fantasy world

Morning arrived, and I really had to pace myself during my chores, because I really wanted to use the plow as soon as possible. I manage to hold myself back enough so I could do everything at a reasonable speed.

When I finally got done with chores, the first thing I did was bring the plow just beyond the vegetable field to where I was going to start the potato field. It was going to have to be quite a long field because I didn’t want to be too close to the river.

Now this was extremely hard work for the bull, so I went to get grain and bring one off the water troughs from the pasture over to the soon to be potato field.

Now two acres of new land will take a few days just to plow it. It will take that long because breaking new ground is one of the hardest jobs there is on a farm. It would only be worse if this was forested land.

Luckily, I don’t have to worry about that for a really long time, if ever. Trough filled with water brought from the river, I was ready to bring the bull over and start working and hopefully the plow will work as intended.

My grandfather's plow design turned out extremely well. It works perfectly. The structure holds even against rocks and continues to do it without a problem.

Currently, the weakest link was the bull. He was not used to this constant strain, and I had to take constant breaks, but I was not bothered even if it took a week. I will still be well within the planting time for potatoes.

We usually just rest a bit after every furrow. I decided not to make one big field but two one-acre ones. I don’t know why but I just wanted it like that. Today we didn’t even get half done before I decided to stop. I didn't want to strain the bull too much, and I wanted to inspect the plow as well.

Taking the bull back, I made sure to give him extra grain, but if I constantly feeding him while plowing, I will have little left to give afterwards. When we got back to the barn, he just laid down, exhausted. Even I was tired of guiding the plow in a straight line and making sure it didn't go too deep or too shallow.

Walking back to the field, I inspected it. There were many rocks that I will need to collect before I harrow the field. I will most likely have to harrow twice, so all the big grass chunks will be broken down. When the plowing will be done, harrowing will be a cakewalk for the bull compared to plowing new land.

Inspecting the plow, some fittings have come a bit loose, but that was to be expected and I hammered everything that was a bit loose down even further, making it is now completely finished and tested. After that I fitted the steel arrowheads I made to make completed arrows.

I noticed the sunsets were getting later and later, meaning I must be in the northern hemisphere. I hope there will be white summers that I’ve experienced, when the sun almost doesn’t set for the entire day.

Those were always my favourite times during the summer. Although overall my favourite season has always been winter and from the build of the houses and the memories of my previous self, there will be winters here.

Now the question is, will winter still be my favourite season here? Winter with all the modern technology and comfort is different than here, I guess time will tell that. I hope the fantasy element will make up for the lack of modern conveniences in that regard.

Next day of plowing brought a problem during midday. We were working quite happily until I hit a large rock. The plow got the real test with this one and the tip surprisingly held up. I guess the quenching worked. But the rock that I hit is extremely large.

First, I thought I will need to go around it, but then I remembered I got abilities. I went and brought the axe while I left the bull to drink water and eat some grass, so I can fix the rock problem. This would have been even a problem on earth. That would need to be solved by power tools or explosives.

But now, with the piercing cut and a simple axe, I was able to hack it apart into pieces that I was able to bring to the side of the field. It took about four hours do completely get rid of the rock and that left me with a huge hole that I will need to fix somehow.

I still had some dirt left from the vegetable fields. Using the bull and the sled cart, I loaded it up with dirt and filled in the hole. I was able to use my counterweight ability to jump and pack down the soil to the same consistency as the rest of the field.

This also took time, and it was already late. I didn’t feel like starting to plow for a bit and then ending it. So, I packed everything up and brought the bull back. Still got quite a lot done. Only 1/3 is left to do and then the first field will be done.

Next day everything went smoothly and even the bull was getting stronger and better at pulling the plow. We got the first field done and half of the second one. Which meant tomorrow if everything went well, I will finish the first steps of making the potato fields.

Tomorrow as I woke up everything wasn’t well. Clouds were in the sky and promised rain. It wasn’t raining yet, so I skipped making cheese this morning and hurried to the field to try to get as much done today before the rain started.

Was it my pleading or something else? But the rain held off until we got done with that plowing, before the downpour started.

Seeing how heavy the rain was coming down and seeing the even thicker and darker clouds further away. Just in case, I quickly got some boards and laid them triangular over the vegetable plants that were in the planter boxes, so the rain won’t hurt them if it got even worse. I would say this was one of my best calls in this world yet because the rain got a lot stronger.

It was a proper rainstorm without the heavy wind part. I didn’t want to be alone in the house, so I was in the barn with the cows and watching how the rain fell. It was a surprisingly good day. I always loved rain and after it everything smelled so clean.

Like always with heavy rain, it didn’t last for too long, only about two hours. But the river has still risen a lot during that time. Luckily, the bridge seemed to be high enough that this amount of rain didn’t hurt. But if there was a rainy season it might start to affect the bridge.

I might need to put some extra support to the sides to help hold the bridge in place if the river rises too high and starts to push against it. After the rain stopped, it didn't take too long for the sun to start shining again.

Removing the boards so that plants could soak in the sun's energy, I did the same and enjoyed the sun. Everything felt so alive at this moment. I truly love living on a farm.

The next day, everything was still a bit damp. But it was good enough to collect the rocks. With Bull pulling and me collecting, a new rock pile started between the two fields close to the road. That didn’t even take half a day and the harrowing part went fast and easily as well.

The bull was better trained now and I think it got even stronger during the few days of hard labour. With all these advantages, we finished the first round of harrowing today. The next day will be the break day then. Hopefully, it will be a sunny day so it will dry out all the grass and weeds. Then I can harrow the following day.

It did turn out to be a sunny day. I took an easy day filled with swimming, making arrows and actually doing two new bows. I wanted the backups just in case one breaks and to have them ready in different places if needed.

Current bows are short hunting bows that are good against non-armoured or lightly armoured target. But I was contemplating on making a true war bow.

For that I would need a different type of wood and hopefully the forest beyond the hills will have what I need. In the forest over the bridge, I only found either too young or too old trees for a proper war bow. This problem will have to wait until farming is done.

Next day the harrowing was done, it didn’t even take half a day. I watched and was satisfied with the current field. It was exactly as needed to start making potato furrows.

So, I proceeded to remove the turning plates from the plow and store them away. This will be a lot easier for the bull and I should be able to make the furrows. Plant the potatoes and then covered them up, all today.

Thanks to all the experience the bull had, everything went even faster than I anticipated. This was a good thing, because I didn’t realise how long it will take to bring all the potato sacks out from the celler and towards the field, even when I used the cart to help bring them faster.

I always found putting potatoes in furrows interesting. When I was young, I was taught to put one potato near the heel of my feet and the other in front and continue like that until all the potatoes were placed. Now that I’m older, I don’t need to use that technique, I just eyeballed it.

But before I started to place them, I spread manure underneath where the potatoes will go. This will make sure that the potatoes will have the nutrients and power to actually grow strong. Placing potatoes was so much easier here simply because I could bring and hold the entire sack.

The next and final job turned out do actually be the hardest. The bull needed to walk on top of the furrows to not trample on the potatoes. It took some time, broken potatoes, and handfuls of grain encouragement do finally teach him what he needed to do. Once he had learned everything went fast, but even then, we finished with the last of the light.

Skill increases farming level 5

Level up animal husbandry

Animal husbandry now level 4

Strength +1

Dexterity +1

Vitality +1

Empathy +1

Skill increases basic animal handling level 10 is upgraded to animal handling level 1

Choose one of the following abilities

guiding thought

calming touch

steady foot

Skill increases basic animal training level 10 is upgraded to animal training level 1

Choose one of the following abilities

health check

positive thought

animal inspection

Two levels in farming and a class level up that seems small compared to being able to pick two new abilities. I liked the guiding thought most out on animal handling choices, so I picked that one. Animal training one is a bit harder. I will not pick positive thought it seems a bit hollow to me. If you want positive thoughts, just give what they like.

I want both other abilities. But in the end, I took animal inspection hoping the health check ability will be offered again when my basic animal care tiers up. I try my new ability out on the bull that was next to me.

Name: none

Species: highland cattle

Gender: male

Age: 3

Health: excellent

Diet: grass, leaves, flowers and shrubs

Evolutions: none

This ability was less useful than I expected. It does give me more information, most interestingly that there is an evolutions part. I wonder if that is how animals get stronger, meaning they do not have a class system. If true, it’s a useful discovery but one that will need to wait until tomorrow. I guided the bull back and made some food and go to sleep.