[ text | On Winter Storing and The Husbandry of All Animals for The Lake Folks Good] @gilia.stloe

[seaboard]

To: The Good People of This Lake, Our New Spirits in Attendance, and All Others Whom I have Not Yet Come To Know,

It has come to my understanding, that we have no taken proper stock of all items we shall need for the coming winter. This worries me, if we have no stores, what might become of us, or any others that seek shelter here? There is no crops in the fields to take in, when it so near to harvest time.

So I have taken it upon myself, to take full account of all products of food, grain, drinkable liquids, ales and their similarity, spices, livestock, both that I have seen kept and could be capture and kept, hides, lathers, cloth, and other such items that I have seen but do not wholly know the purpose of.

Please find included the list thereof:



[ The list is just that as follows, and it is long, it is detailed, and she hasn't slept thanks for asking, she has had to count everything. Some of it she clearly has no idea what it is for. All the things you'd expect her to know have been given with notes beside them about the best method of storing: whether that's pickling, salting, smoking, dry jars up high to keep away from moisture in well-airated rooms. Do you people know you have literal, WHOLE CONTAINERS OF CINNAMON?!?!?!? DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY THAT IS?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

Then there are other things that she has simply placed a question mark next to: chocolate, candies, whatever the fuck a 'bleach' is. Do you eat that? ]

Much of this food is fresh, clearly a harvest from another place. But none of it will last more than two weeks more if we do not preserve it. Which is where I must request for any one of able body who can assist me. I fear what will come of us if we do not immediately seek to preserve the food we have been given. If you have not the knowledge of how a task should be done, please do but ask - I am Second Child, and it is my duty and task to see after my people's good, and see to our winter stocks every day for our entire island, to which I can provide instruction in the preserving of all food and other items.

I hope you can find the time to help me in this endeavour as I pray you know it is for all our goods over the season yet to come,

Gilia St. Loe, Second Child of the Sea, Daughter of the Sea-Father.

Comments

[legbreakings]

You expect our captors will stop providing for us?

[ Which is a fear he had been having in the early days, too, and then renewed when the supplies at that gas station place started to grow sparse, but so far they haven't been cut off. Even if he has been careful to always bring a little more home than they used, so they can sneakily set up a reserve. ]

[seaboard]

I fear winter sir, as any must. When the snows close the roads over? When the food rots and we have no crops? I fear. I fear so deeply.

[legbreakings]

Being mindful of our stocks is important at home, too, though we don't get snow the likes of which you describe in Yunmeng.

I didn't think we would be left to fend for ourselves during a harsh winter here. They want us alive to make us suffer.

But starvation under circumstances where we can't easily provide for our own food would be suffering.

[seaboard]

I am very familiar with what it is like when the snow is so thick you can't leave your own house. Even our castle roads are blocked, and we have more ability to clear it than others.

What a person may choose when they are hungry... it bears not thinking about.

[legbreakings]

I hadn't considered these dangers.

I have been worried about monsters in the woods or more metal creatures.

I did not give much thought to nature and hunger.

But you are right. There is nothing more dangerous to people than people.

[seaboard]

I know little of those things, now or in any other place. As I have said, my life has been peaceful, if removed.

But this is a danger I know well. Often enough I do not even sleep in worry about it.

[legbreakings]

Then we will concern ourselves with it.

It is best to be prepared for as many dangers as we can be.

Is there anything I can do to help?

@bombshell

[bombshelled]

holy shit, Gil! that's some list.

[ Your name is still too long, Gilia, sorry. ]

the freezers in the supermarket still work, right? we can store stuff in there as long as the power stays on.

[seaboard]

The rooms that make the rooms so dreadfully cold?

[bombshelled]

yeah. every supermarket should have them. it's how they keep their stock fresh.

[seaboard]

Let a deep cellar?

Does it stop the rot from breaking it down?

[bombshelled]

uh... yes?

it's like

okay, does the place you're staying in have a fridge?
a big closet box thing in the kitchen that's cold inside?

it's like that, but a whole room.

[seaboard]

Oh! The strange cold cupboard that makes a humming noise. Yes, I know that device. I had no idea what it was for.

un: jiangyanli

[soups]

i have been curious how we will handle food here during less fruitful months. i know many people just take whatever food stuffs the shelves provide, but i am admittedly not so brave as to have tried many of them. i'm used to more natural selections.

i've dried out some duck to save. a lot of the produce here is unfamiliar to me, but i plan on using some of our spare rooms to keep whatever i can.

[seaboard]

You are welcome to come and take what you need - I am seeking to pickle, dry, smoke and salt everything I can find before it all rots and goes off. If we all work together, it will all be much quicker.

[soups]

i will certainly do all i can. i know there is also a magic placed on the food in the stores -- that cold magic that makes things last for such a long time. i have considered fishing and placing my catches in them so they'll last.

i don't know if the magic works on all foods, though. i can only hope.

[seaboard]

Oh! Magic is how those cupboards work? Another spoke of them to me, I should hope that helps slow the process down so we can store everything more appropriately.

[soups]

i'm not sure, but it's all i can think of as to how things stay so cold and fresh. it's like a talismen has been placed that makes the air ice itself !

[seaboard]

That makes a great deal of sense. I had not encountered any spirits here yet, so I had wondered.

[Text, @atlas]

[theprezident]

[ Did none of you read the list and see the very alarming thing about bleach. ]

First of all: For the love of god do NOT eat the bleach. That is definitely not food. You will die.

So far, our captors seem to be gracious to feed us, so hopefully Foodland will get restocked all through winter. Still, I wouldn't count on that, so I think preserving the food is a good idea. I just hope they don't take it from us.

I have no idea how to preserve things, but I'm up for learning!

[seaboard]

[ WHAT IS IT ARE YOU SURE IT DOESN'T GO ON FOOD. ]

To Master Rhys,

I thank you ever so much, for sharing that with me. It smelt dreadful, I could not imagine what dish it was supposed to be used for.

I hope they do so - but it is my concern when the road becomes impassable and we cannot reach it.

Can you handle the smell of vinegar well?

my regards,
Gilia St. Loe.

[theprezident]

It's for keeping white things white. Like clothes or porcelain.

You think we could get that much snow?

[ That seems fake. ]

I think I can handle vinegar?

[seaboard]

To Master Rhys,

I only know that I do not want anyone to be caught without food and appropriate provisions in the case that it does get so deep.

If it is agreeable to you then - I shall need another hand to stir and soak all the vegetables for pickling.

Regards,
Gilia St. Loe.

[theprezident]

Sure thing! Just let me know when and where.

[seaboard]

I set out for Foodland a little before dawn, and I am normally there before the sun has reached far beyond the horizon. If you would like to join me in the morning so I can make the most of the daylight hours? I would obliged.