From: Jeff Richard (jrichard@cnw.com)
Date: Wed 01 Jul 1998 - 04:54:27 EEST
Bruce writes:
>So, given the populations in Questlines, a clan would be about 1000 to
1200 people,
>living in about 200 nuclear family units/steads, each farming 1 to 2 sq km
(250 to 500
>acres). Presumably, much of this is odal pasture lands, with smaller
irrigated
>grain/alfalfa/fallow fields in a multi-year rotation and small market
gardens.
>Irrigation and cattle both mean ready souces of water, brooks and streams
from
>Skyfall Lake and/or Creekstream River.
That certainly sounds like Sartar in the 16th and 17th centuries. Don't
forget the pigs, though! I suspect that most steads actually cultivate 1-2
hides (40-100 acres) of land, with a few very rich steads having as much as
5-10 hides of land (200-1000 acres). These rich farmers are assisted by
landless cottars and thralls in their fields.
For those who have read Kerreneth's Saga on David Dunham's page, Blew Hat
>So, rural Quivinland is a rich country of heavily farmed, fertile farm
stead has 2-3 hides under cultivation.
valleys watered by
>innumerable brooks and streams. The cattle graze in the valley floors, the
sheep on the
>hill sides and the goats in the unpopulated moors on the hilltops. It
sounds a lot like
>Wales or Nova Scotia, but decidely more fertile.
Great description, just one complaint - No goats. Not unless the clan is
>How does that sound?
really really really desperately poor. Contrary to the goat-meat paddies
mentioned in Apple Lane, the Heortling Orlanthi have a serious dietary
taboo about goats. Pigs yes, goats no.
Sounds great, Bruce!
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