Intro
This is the 17th story in the New World Series. The folks along the northern trade route were very happy and a lot warmer now that the river boatman had more textiles and warm coats to trade. However, that left a lot of folks without sufficient trade goods for luxury items like ale and fruit jams for winter use. Most settlements had wild berries and fruits from hedgerows, and many now had a fruit tree or two in a farmyard thanks to the town of Seeds & Seedling of story 10, however, those fruits were only enough for fresh eating; more fruit was needed for them to be able to make homemade jams and ale. Learning of this from the river boatmen, the town of Seeds & Seedlings, sent a group of elves with fruit tree seedlings over the hills to the west of town to establish a settlement to provide the river boatmen with more fresh fruit for those who needed it.
(https://i.imgur.com/LwiHroj.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/6pVWaUu.jpeg)
Map seed #123251219 Valley One River, Small, fair, Disasters Off, Easy 8 no seeds or animals
Mods activated for this map and load order:
Map Changing and Starting Mods: Banished UI Maps, Banished UI Town Names, Labor Window, RK Minimized Status, CC Light Rain (added during Chapter 12), Number 12 terrain, Override Fewer Trees (just released), Override Map (Kid), Settlers Deco, Jinxie Natural Decorations, Kid Tree Replacer Only Pines, New Flora Edit, New Trees (BL), Family Start
Tweak Mods: Fishing Dock +25%, Hunting Season, Increased CC, 1:1 Alternative (Voeille), Override Fairy Clothes, Rock Respawn, Tiny Smoke.
Major or Must Have Mods: An Empty Square, Nomads (Kid), override Uneducated, Storage Crates, Kid Workshop, Kid Abandoned Places SE, Kid Fairy Garden, Kid Forest Deep, Kid Tiny, Kid Workplace
Supporting Mods: Kid Deco Magic Mushrooms, Kid Forest Fellow, Kid Fruit and Nuts, Kid Grow Hunt Fish, Kid Hedgerow, Kid Houseboat, Kid Patchwork, White Picket Fence (TS)
Mod Note: I have tested and used the override Fewer Trees mod several times and just now realized that the mod was never released. Early tests did not seem to produce much of a difference but recent uses did, it may have something to do with the map. In this story I am using one of Kid's tree replacer mods and there are fewer trees because of the override. Here is a picture of the same Map of Fruit & Nuts as shown above but without the override Fewer Trees.
(https://i.imgur.com/pAVxEiR.jpeg)
Download override Fewer Trees here: https://worldofbanished.com/index.php?topic=4494.0
(https://i.imgur.com/uDr0Y0Z.jpeg)
Welcome, eager explorer, my name is Beline. You've arrived just in time for the first of the season strawberry picking; everybody loves fresh-picked strawberries. Only hobbits grow better strawberries than our town of Fruit & Nuts does. Sit a spell and I'll tell you how that came to be.
Chapter 1
We came here from the town of Seeds & Seedlings just to the east of here, where we gathered fruit and nuts seeds and raised seedlings for the river boatman to take to those who wanted seeds for orchards or seedlings for farmyards.
There were 29 of us, 16 adults with 13 children. In early spring, our scouts came ahead and set up a magic portal for the rest of us to come through. They had a stockpile of resource ready when we arrived with 3 carts of firewood, iron tools, hide coats, and potatoes. A family of forest fellows and a few fairies came through the portal with us. Yes, we are wood elves and know a little magic. The portal will enable us to return home to visit family and friends whenever we want to.
(https://i.imgur.com/gVxBS1G.jpeg)
The terrain here was the same as back in Seeds & Seedlings, but the trees were a bit different. There were some of the same groups of fruit and nut trees, but the evergreens were a greener variety than the fairy pines back home, and we found no oaks or maples here. There were scattered birch trees throughout the valley with more by the ponds and the river as well as willow trees just like back in Seeds & Seedlings. We thought the weather was much the same until it started to snow. It had been a warm early spring day when we came dressed in our cooler fairy clothes; we quickly got the hide coats out of the carts and turned our thoughts to seeking shelter.
(https://i.imgur.com/rtzQwFD.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/ZJdUxI7.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/0mKKq61.jpeg)
Chapter 2
Our scouts said that while they gathered resources, they saw several big old pines suitable for carving out treehouses. One of those large pines was quickly carved out and a family with a 5-year-old daughter and newborn twin sons moved in. There was an apple tree and 2 walnut trees nearby and a fairy dust plant right next to the house. That meant we could plant some fairy gardens here in this valley. We saw several more of those large purple flowers around the valley.
(https://i.imgur.com/hZe1BD1.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/INYVp4i.jpeg)
The mother of those twins, Aleigh, was the oldest female of the group at age 20. My best friend, Ruthany, and I were the 2 youngest, both age 15. My mother was not happy with my marriage to Jonniel who was 21; I was expecting our first child. Ruthany and husband Marvie had a 2-year-son and Ruthany's 2 young sister to take care of; her parents died of an unknown fever our healers could not cure. Yes, it was a bit frightening; our elven healers are the best there are. Jon and I helped them with the children as much as we could, so the 2 big pines east of the stockpile and portal were carved out for us. There were some cherry trees between our 2 treehouses.
A family with 2 young children had just moved into their treehouse not far from the portal when it began to rain, not a gentle spring rain but a downpour with thunder and lightning. The forest fellow's frightened babies gathered close around their parents for protection. We all knew those forest fellows would protect our children as well as their own if need be.
(https://i.imgur.com/UkFtDh3.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/jW3WPNQ.jpeg)
The rain let up a bit by the time another couple with 2 children moved into their treehouse just to the south of the portal. A hunter's hideout was built close by; 2 herds of deer were spotted in the area by our scouts who were all hunters and had bows with enchanted arrows. The rain continued.
Chapter 3
The continuing rain had one positive affect; mushrooms were sprouting abundantly in several spots along the river. Some of the mushrooms grew quite large and were easily carved out into cozy comfortable houses with pantries full of mushrooms. A couple with a newborn moved into the large mushroom by a pond northwest of the portal. Another hunter's hideout was being built close by; 2 more herds of deer were spotted.
(https://i.imgur.com/mnR43l5.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/psrOU7V.jpeg)
Southwest along the river was another pond and 2 more large mushrooms. Our last 2 families with children moved into those mushrooms. There were pear trees and berry bushes nearby, and a short distance to the north a dead tree extended into the river and proved to be a good fishing tree. We were sure the rain would have more of those large mushrooms growing along the river.
(https://i.imgur.com/WTnFEEp.jpeg)
We had more of a chance to look around our valley when the rain finally stopped. There were scattered birch trees but also several small groves. Beautiful yellow spring daffodils bloomed in clusters under the birch trees. The small grove next to our house was very pretty in spring and early summer. It was then we first saw the strawberries. Not only were there several plants growing under the cherry trees, but there were many strawberries growing wild all over the valley. We weren't the only ones who saw the strawberries; many birds and chipmunks were enjoying the feast.
Chapter 4
The dry days were few and far between that spring and summer; the mushroom houses were quite cool and damp. Small campfires burned inside to take away the dampness and chill. Our tree houses were not as damp, but they were pretty cool; the sun even in winter would warm the wood and keep the interior quite comfortable, we had very little sunshine.
We were concerned for the coming fall and winter; gathered branches would not be enough. If our spring and summer were anything to go by, we could expect a lot of snow come winter. A tiny chopper was set up next to the stockpile. Forest fellow father stood watch that we were not cutting and chopping up too many trees. That too was expected, the forest fellows were, after all, the protectors of the forest.
(https://i.imgur.com/o76MhZx.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/kNvi34F.jpeg)
We gathered more branches, wild foods, and herbs before the first frost in autumn, we had a lot of territory to cover. We did not find many herbs and were concerned because our overall health was a bit low. We hoped our hunters would get more deer; our food supply could be a lot better. We were also concerned that our extra supplies were still stored in the carts we brought with us. We found a few large tree stumps to carve into storage barns and some smaller ones became small sheds.
(https://i.imgur.com/NJtlCsC.jpeg)
It snowed in late autumn. The forest fellows took shelter under the evergreens with their little ones.
Chapter 5
(https://i.imgur.com/tSMdNHI.jpeg)
We managed to transplant a few fruit trees, and to prepare 2 fairy gardens closer to the storage carts and new barn. We stacked some firewood closer to the houses, and we built a frock maker by the treehouse west of the portal; we did not want to run low on coats over the winter. Children seemed to grow so fast and always needed new clothes. The weather was getting too cold to spend a lot of time trying to find what wild foods were left to find in the snow. We built a magic garden with a white picket fence east of the storage carts to insure some food production over the winter.
(https://i.imgur.com/qlJ08P1.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/iPjwQHF.jpeg)
A mother tree was found northeast of the stockpile; we would soon need to replenish our wood supply, but a forester would have a hard time getting anything done before warmer weather returned and the snow melted. We were correct in thinking it would be a cold snowy winter.
We had a few warm days with sunshine in early spring of year 2; the snow melted rapidly. Our feet were cold and wet, we elves were used to going barefoot most of the year, but not in winter or early spring. We would have to think about building some roads around town soon.
(https://i.imgur.com/ed1Cqx4.jpeg)
We did some exploring before the rain set in again. We found a large tree stump near the mother tree that we carved into a healer's hut. Those warm days of sunshine had our 2 newly planted fairy gardens sprouting plants; the fairy dust had them growing well already. There were wild oats in both gardens that would hopefully improve our overall health, along with some help from the healer.
(https://i.imgur.com/yqo9tgF.jpeg)
What we were most concerned with was the fruit trees; the early warmth and sunshine had some of the fruit trees blooming early, then we had a few frosts that could have damaged the buds and blossoms which produce the fruit. We would have to keep an eye on them.
Chapter 6
(https://i.imgur.com/kJqZAJ7.jpeg)
We were surprised when beautiful purple lilacs began blooming around the valley; we did not notice any last spring. Perhaps they suffered from frost and snow damage like we feared would happen to the fruit trees this year. The fruit trees did bloom when we had a few more sunny days, but there were fewer blossoms than there were the previous year. When it began to rain heavily again, we feared the bees would not get those blossoms pollinated and we would have little or no fruit at all.
We were surprised again when 4 families came through the portal from Seeds & Seedling. They were family, friends, and neighbors who came to help us and had a message. It seems this heavy rain was affecting a larger area than just our valleys; there'd been flooded farm fields and damaged crops. The elders back home said this is not the first time they've seem periods of heavy rain like this. This time, we had river boatmen who were asking for donations of foods that would travel and store well to give to those in need. There was still a large number of requests for seeds and seedlings so our hometown could be of little help; they came here hoping, with their help, we could.
We were not sure how much help we could be, we were just getting started. First, we had to give our helpers dry clothing and places to live; there were 16 of them, 11 adults with 5 young children. We carved out another one of the large mushrooms by the northwest pond for a couple with 2 adult children. Our forester found another old evergreen by the herbalist that could be carved into a treehouse; a couple with 2 young children moved in.
(https://i.imgur.com/bnfWYNM.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/ctaPGXD.jpeg)
There were sure to be more mushrooms and large evergreens, but a young single male and two families with young children moved into 3 tiny houses they build along the new road that ran to the west in front of the magic garden. Those big paving stones were pleasantly warm to walk on with bare feet when it was sunny and kept those feet a lot dryer when it was raining.
(https://i.imgur.com/J4meC2E.jpeg)
Chapter 7
Another stone road was built from the portal east, past the new tiny town hall, past the stockpile, and over to the new tiny storage shed. Laborers began emptying the supplies from the carts we brought with us when we arrived last year. It was good to have more workers.
(https://i.imgur.com/sbqaWgu.jpeg)
The town hall now had a list of all the food and other items we had on hand. We hoped to have enough items to share with those who were in need. A trading jetty was built on the river over to the west.
(https://i.imgur.com/66zzJlB.jpeg)
We studied the list carefully. Apples and nuts had good keeping quality that the river boatmen preferred. We made sure our 2 apple and walnut tree clusters each had a worker assigned to do the picking, we had more clusters of fruits and nuts than we had workers to tend them. Our fairy gardens both had hazelnut bushes. We set aside bushels and crates to be taken to the trading jetty: 200 apples, 60 chestnuts, 100 hazelnuts, 100 walnuts, and 200 wild honeys that we thought would be appreciated. We could always add more fruits and nuts if the fall harvest was good. We knew our magic garden and hedgerows would supply us with enough for our needs. Whether it was the variety of foods we now had or the new herbalist healer, our overall health had improved.
(https://i.imgur.com/5sXT3Yz.jpeg)
Chapter 8
(https://i.imgur.com/TGwNlZL.jpeg)
Weather permitting, we continued to lay roads. It would be quicker and easier to get to the trading jetty and the fishing tree on stone roads. Some wood pieces cut by the woodcutter were laid between some of the outlying treehouses and the stone roads and storage sheds.
(https://i.imgur.com/zsvBXNg.jpeg)
Some wood fences began appearing around the gardens and hedgerows; despite all the wild foods available, the wildlife enjoyed helping themselves to ours. We didn't really mind sharing, and we enjoyed the deer and their fawn out in the sunshine among the trees and the wildflowers. We seemed to have a little less rain that summer but what rain and clouds we did have kept everything fresh and green and blooming longer.
(https://i.imgur.com/qCzIr41.jpeg)
The good weather and road building took its toll on our tool supply. We had to do a bit more tree cutting but there were some logs and plenty of iron on the stockpile to start some tool making. A tiny blacksmith was built there by the stockpile. The tree fellows didn't mind; fellow father kept an eye on the woodcutter. Mama went off with the little fellows to play nearby but always returned to the shelter of those pine trees when rain or night fell. Our children were also enjoying playing out in the sunshine. Jonniel and I had another son that summer; we named him Farrett.
Chapter 9
(https://i.imgur.com/NwlMrim.jpeg)
It was spring of year 3 when the first boatman arrived at our trading jetty. It was Howarden, the resource merchant. He only had stone that we didn't need or want, but the weight of it in his riverboat is what got him to us; the rivers were running high and fast due to the rapid snow melt and heavy rain. There was definitely a need for the fruit and nuts that we had. He would take what he could and give us a voucher to exchange for what we wanted when the general good merchant got here. Hopefully, it would not be too long of a wait.
We took more apples and nuts to the trading post and once again checked over our inventory and adjusted our workforce accordingly. The only grain we had was a small amount of wild oats. The magic garden magician planted a patch of oats next to the small hedgerow across from the garden.
(https://i.imgur.com/v3V9wrR.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/1scz1L9.jpeg)
I gathered some of the wild strawberries and planted them in a patch next to the cherry trees that had strawberries growing beneath. I hoped the scarecrow Jonniel made for me would keep the birds away; the birds got more of the wild strawberries than we did. Everybody loves fresh-picked strawberries.
(https://i.imgur.com/2xNu5qb.jpeg)
A patch of mushrooms was grown up by the northwest pond. The mushrooms growing around the pond that did the best were transplanted into the patch. Many of the wild mushrooms did not last long because of the heavy rain. We were still getting heavy downpours, but it rained less that summer and fall.
Chapter 10
That winter was again very cold with heavy snowfalls but, here again, we thought we had more days of sunshine in between those snowstorms. We took advantage of those lulls to build a couple of homes for young singles who had still been living at home.
(https://i.imgur.com/g8GYpsp.jpeg)
Another tiny house was built in town in the row with the other 3 tiny houses. Another big old pine was discovered near the mother tree, and it was carved into another treehouse. A plum patch was discovered there; there were 2 plum trees, but we would have to wait until spring to find out what was growing beneath them. Both new houses were occupied by young single girls; we hoped for the older young singles who would soon marry.
(https://i.imgur.com/EviwrOJ.jpeg)
The roads made getting around that winter easier, especially the stone ones; the winter sun melted away most of the snow that fell on the stones. It seemed the winter passed much more quickly that year.
(https://i.imgur.com/2n3W8DT.jpeg)
Herberto, the general goods merchant who came to the trading jetty in late spring of year 4, also thought the weather had improved. A lot of towns still needed food because of last year's poor harvests; he had hide coats and hazelnuts but would be happy to take more nuts plus apples. He gave us some crates and barrels we needed for our fruits and nuts. The largest barrel he said was the ones people were using to make cider, so filling them with apples for trade would be a good idea. We had such a barrel back in Seeds & Seedlings, so we were familiar with making cider. We did not know there was a bigger brewer' barrel that was used to make ale from apples, pears, or wheat; Herberto said not much wheat was used because folks needed the grain to eat. He also said that people had been trading for more ale and jam then cider. He took our order for wool saying chances were good he could get some for us; there were more textiles and warm coats available now. That's what people are trading for now instead of ale and jam, and why they needed more fruit to make their own.
(https://i.imgur.com/g5rJOJc.jpeg)
It rained heavily just after he left but when the rain subsided a beautiful rainbow appeared over the river in the northeast. We took it as a sign that the worst was over.
Chapter 11
In late spring of year 4, more friends and family came through the magic portal to help us; they too thought the worst of the bad weather was over. There were 8 adults with 3 children who arrived from Seeds & Seedlings; Fruit & Nuts' population rose to 66, 41 adults and 25 children.
(https://i.imgur.com/RDDyhkT.jpeg)
One tiny house was built just east of the main tiny shed and woodcutter; a couple with an adult daughter and a young son moved in. It was next to the vacant land we designated as a town cemetery.
(https://i.imgur.com/G4odOYk.jpeg)
A young single male moved into another mushroom house that sprouted along the south end of the river. A couple with a 2-year-old daughter built a tiny house by the north pond, and the last new family to arrive built a tiny house not far from the magic garden. It only rained a few times and not nearly as heavily as it had before.
(https://i.imgur.com/XYu3fj9.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/qKjnDkG.jpeg)
Chapter 12
In late summer, Annine, the food merchant came. She only had chestnuts but would take more nuts and fruit if there were any foods we wanted to order; we said pumpkins like we had back in Seeds & Seedlings would be nice. She saw we had wild honey which folks would want for making mead or fruit jam now that so many were making their own. When asked, she really couldn't tell us what fruits were most wanted for cider or jam making; she was rather new at being a boatman. She only knew that with a few more boatman on the route, they could accept and trade fruits that were not as long-keeping as apples were. Apples were always welcome. She would ask her customers and the other boatmen what fruits were most wanted, and she would check with Riverboat Depot if there were any honey pots available; as far as she knew, only Newburg made pottery.
(https://i.imgur.com/54sM4LW.jpeg)
While we waited for her return, we thought we would do a little experimenting to discover what ciders and fruit jams were the best tasting. We could then concentrate on harvesting more of those fruits. We set up one of the apple barrels that the general good merchant gave us and began by making apple cider; we all liked apple cider back in Seeds & Seedling. We had 2 apple trees in patches with walnuts, one in a fairy garden, and we also got apples from the magic garden. We could also make cider from berries, cherries, pears, and plums. We had no peaches here in the north.
(https://i.imgur.com/visHsBU.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/0eNJHbf.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/FiuNGhv.jpeg)
We began building a tiny tavern near the cider barrel so when the weather got colder, we could enjoy our cider inside and visit with friend and neighbors at the same time.
Chapter 13
We did not plan to brew any ale for ourselves, but we had apples and pears for those who wanted to; there were 2 pear trees growing with several berry bushes right in town by the fairy gardens and storage barn. One of the fairy gardens also had 2 pear trees. We would enjoy our cider in the tiny tavern that was completed in Autumn of year 4.
(https://i.imgur.com/cnjFD8A.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/ap6QHFy.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/ks140i0.jpeg)
Pears and cherries could be used to make cider; there were 2 cherry trees close to our house. I had transplanted a lot of the strawberry runners from under those trees into a patch with a scarecrow. Jonniel built a fence around it for me. With the sunshine and warmer weather, the strawberries thrived well into late summer and autumn. We would have to preserve some so they would not go to waste. Our good friends and neighbors to the south of us had a hedgerow with plum trees, hazelnuts, wild honey, and a lot of rabbits.
(https://i.imgur.com/ks140i0.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Sr4DtoP.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/fjhU6WN.jpeg)
A preservist workplace was built while we waited for the jam shop to be finished. Between the 2 jam-makers we could make jam with honey or wild honey plus apples, berries, plums, rosehips, or strawberries. We would only be making enough of each to sample like we were doing with the cider, and to keep the fruit from going to waste at the end of the season like with the strawberries; we wanted to have more fruits to trade which was the reason we settle this town of Fruit and Nuts to begin with.
Chapter 14
It rained again while the jam shop was being built, but like the other rains that spring and summer, the autumn rains were light rain showers that did not last long. The years of heavy rain took their toll on the bee population and the harvests of wild honey. We set up 2 beehives across from the jam shop, but we would continue to collect wild honey too. Honey or wild honey were needed to make jam and mead.
(https://i.imgur.com/NK1a2SU.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/euFb9gL.jpeg)
It was pointed out to us that we had another patch of cherries and strawberries up by the northwest pond, right in front of the hunter's hideout. Over by the mother tree was a plum patch with 2 plum trees, wild honey, flax, and herbs. There was another fairy dust plant right by the nearby storage barn.
(https://i.imgur.com/E3ink5L.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/ySypagQ.jpeg)
A young single male who had often gathered wild honey expressed an interest in becoming a beekeeper; a tiny house was built for him in the row with the other tiny houses near the beehives. He also expressed an interest in finding a bride but there were no young girls who would reach marriageable age anytime soon. He would have to wait a while.
Chapter 15
The wait was over for the wool we ordered; Herberto, the general goods merchant, returned in early summer of year 5. We traded apple, nuts, and wild honey for 120 bales of wool and ordered more. Our frock maker got right to work making warm coats for us for next winter. When we needed summer fairy clothes she would make more for us using the flax from the plum patch.
(https://i.imgur.com/vUdXQYE.jpeg)
Herberto couldn't really tell us what fruit folks would prefer for making their own cider and jams. He did say that, in the past, most of his customers traded for ale rather than cider, although if he had apple cider someone was sure to take it in fall. He rarely got orders for mead. He often had orders for fruit jam but not for any specific kind; customers were happy with whatever variety he had and traded for it, whether they had ordered it or not. He couldn't tell us what fruit they would want to make their own our jam with.
We were on our own to figure out what fruits they would most want to trade for; Annine, the food merchant, had not yet returned with any information. Ale was made from wheat, apples, or pears. We had no wheat, but we had apples and pears. Both those fruits could be used to make cider, and the apples could also be made into jam. Apples were often traded for here in the north because they stored well year-round. We would make sure we always had plenty of apples to trade.
One of the laborers made a quick trip through the portal to Seeds & Seedling to pick up some apple tree seedlings, he said there were cherry, pear, and plum seedling there if we needed them. We extended the wood road from our new tiny shed and strawberry patch, past our house, and east into the forest. An apple forester would plant the apple tree seedling in a large circular in that area. A fruit gatherer was set up nearby, the worker would gather all the wild foods in a larger area and would then also gather the apples when there were some to be gathered. Early autumn was a good time to plant fruit tree seedlings.
(https://i.imgur.com/JaYiF1h.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/7hBvkmc.jpeg)
Chapter 16
Autumn was also a good time to drink apple cider. Herberto did say if he had apple cider with him in fall, customers always traded for it. We hoped they would trade for our apples to make their own or they could use berries, cherries, pears, or plums. A cider barrel, like the one we had, worked just as well as a tiny tavern for making cider. We were hoping Annine could tell us which of those fruits besides apples we should produce more of for cider makers.
(https://i.imgur.com/8IqeyfK.jpeg)
We thought those wanting to make their own jam would have enough rose hips and blueberries gathered from the wild; our fruit gatherer got plenty even over the autumn and winter months. The fruit forester's apple trees will have no problem getting pollinated; there were plenty of bees producing wild honey in the undisturbed forest to the west. We just needed pots for the honey. The forester could plant plums trees too if more were need; plum jam was delicious.
The fruit we thought would be most wanted for jam making was our strawberries. Jonniel and I planted a 2nd strawberry patch. Jonniel made another scarecrow and extended the fencing. Our choices for jam making were definitely strawberries and plums. We were eager to find out which fruits others would want.
(https://i.imgur.com/oRN7ICo.jpeg)
Chapter 17
(https://i.imgur.com/3CZE9pW.jpeg)
Annine, the food merchant, finally returned this summer of our 6th year here; you just missed her. Yes, eager explorer, it did take a while for the boatman to get here, but she brought us pumpkins and pottery pots for our wild honey for which she has many orders. She's had many requests for pots and jugs from customers on her trade route who were already making their own ale, cider, and jam.
This year's fruit harvest had just begun so we did not as yet have much fruit waiting at the trading post, but she said Herberto would be here soon to pick some up. He too had many orders for wild honey and fruit, and requests for pots and jugs.
Annine also brought us the information we had been waiting for; she had quite a bit to say. She asked her customers what fruits they would most want for making ale, cider and jam; and she asked other boatmen to ask their customers too.
Elves, like ourselves, prefer to make cider with whatever fruits we can gather from the wild or from hedgerows. The Elves of Rainbow Falls prefer plum nectar.
Nords like those in Newburg who farm prefer ale from barley or honey mead served in their mead halls.
Dwarves from the Quarry and the Underground City like other dwarves who mostly trade for food, prefer a hearty ale made from wheat served in their ale houses.
When asked the above questions:
1) Does your settlement prefer Ale, Mead, or Cider?
2) What Ale is preferred? Apple, Pear, or Wheat?
3) What fruit would Cider be made from? Apples, Berries, Cherry, Pear, or Plum
4) What fruit would be used to make Jam? Apple, Blueberry, Plum, Rose Hip, or Strawberries
Humans replied that:
1) Cider was preferred over ale, 3 to 1
2) Ale made from wheat or pears tied
3) Cider made from apples 3 to 1 over berries. Pears would be used if apples were not available.
4) Jam from berries, blueberries, and strawberries were preferred 3 to 1 over rose hips, the type of berries depending on availability.
If no fruit was available, there was always root beer that could be made from roots.
(https://i.imgur.com/DYkKAuw.jpeg)
It's too bad you arrived on your houseboat after she'd already left; she could perhaps have answered some of your questions about the route and the supplies. We've had good service from the river boatmen, and we hope it continues, perhaps more often since we will have more perishable fruits to trade. Our apple production is good, and we've added an extra worker to the pear and berry patch. We have 2 patches of strawberries, and our gatherer collects plenty of other berries, rose hips, and wild honey. Herberto brings us crates and barrels for our fruit, and pottery pots for our honey, when he can, plus wool. We have no complaints, eager explorer; if it takes too long for the boatmen to arrive, we make jam with the perishable fruit.
Chapter 18
There is not much more that I can tell you, eager explorer. As I said, this is our 6th summer here, 16 of us with 13 children came here through the magic portal from Seeds & Seedlings, and now Fruit & Nuts has a population of 71, 47 adults with 24 children, all happy and healthy.
(https://i.imgur.com/B0TkxBb.jpeg)
We have a total of 20 houses, 7 treehouses including my families, 9 tiny houses, and 5 mushroom houses along the river. We will soon need more housing for young couples; many children have become young adults and will soon reached marriageable age.
(https://i.imgur.com/WEbXsB2.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/o0l7yyv.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Nj3MegC.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/F1IaZoC.jpeg)
We have a good supply of resources, firewood, tools, and clothes plus a good variety of food. We keep our citizens supplied with all they need and are proud we will be supplying fruit and nuts to settlements who are in need of them. We are grateful to the river boatmen for supplying us with crates, barrels, and pots, and for all the information they brought us. We are glad you stopped by here at Fruit & Nuts, eager explorer, and we hope you will enjoy the rest of the summer.
The End