The thin morning mist had yet to clear, and the air held the damp chill of freshly turned earth.
Leaning on his wooden staff, Old Walker stood at the highest point of the field ridge.
Before him stood all the farmers in Newborn Town who had claimed plots of land.
His cloudy eyes swept over them, his voice hoarse but firm.
"Next season, we plant rye. But rye is fussy. It needs fertilizer. Our land has just had a round of Sea-Salt Potatoes suck it dry, and its fertility has already hit rock bottom."
A low murmur rippled through the crowd.
Their lord had issued a new decree: this season's winter wheat plots would be contracted out to individual households and groups, with the final harvest directly tied to merit points.
The soil's fertility would directly determine their livelihoods and fortunes over the coming months!
Old Walker tapped his staff against the ground, drawing everyone's attention back.
He turned sideways and pointed to a dark-faced man beside him whose hands were covered in calluses.
"This is Jide, widely recognized as the best veteran farmer in the pioneering corps. Today, he'll teach us how to tend the soil and make it yield more grain."
Jide rubbed his hands awkwardly. Not daring to look up at anyone, he crouched straight down and scooped up a handful of soil.
"The old method is called the 'two-field system.' You grow beans one season and grain the next, using the beans to nourish the soil."
He slowly crumbled the soil in his hand, letting the powder sift through his fingers.
"We didn't plant beans, but the dung from those black beetles our lord gave us is even richer! With it, we can plant overwintering rye straight into this land."
Jide stood and began explaining seed