Volume 1: Farming Chapter 34 Bone Meal Compound Fertilizer
In the sheepfolds simply built with earth, Qiu and the adult caracals were carefully checking the long-wool rams.
All the snow wolves were captured by the cub Ayun and used for work. It was impossible to drive the sheep to distant pastures for grazing this year, and it was impossible to feed all the cattle and sheep by only grazing around the tribe. Ayun asked the caracals to identify and classify the long-wool sheep, and pick out the rams with better wool-producing ability - keep as many ewes as possible, and there was no need to continue feeding so many rams. Only rams of medium size, neither too big nor too small, with denser inner wool would be kept as breeding materials. Marks would be drawn on the buttocks of these rams with plant pigments to avoid accidental slaughter when slaughtering.
Well... the weather is getting warmer, and it is the time when long-wool sheep shed their wool. If you turn the wool at this time, the wool will often fly everywhere, causing a group of caracals to choke and cough. However, no one would complain about doing this job. After all, the snow wolves who have been dragged to repair what Ayun called the "water conservancy project" during this period are all exhausted - in comparison, just coughing and sneezing is too easy.
After spending most of the morning on the "long-wool sheep breeding" work, when there was still some time before lunch, the caracals led two rams that had been eliminated back to the tribe, tied up the rams' four hooves with vines, pressed them on a stone slab specially used for slaughter, placed a clean ceramic basin under their necks, cut their necks to let the blood flow... When slaughtering, draining as much blood as possible can greatly reduce the fishy smell in the mutton. This is what Ayun, the caracal who was in charge of cooking the food, repeatedly reminded.
After bleeding, the animals are peeled, cut into pieces, soaked and cleaned in warm water, and cooked in a clay pot with salt, bean sprouts, a large amount of enoki mushrooms, and a large amount of wild vegetables - most of the black beans have been used for sowing, and now they can't eat bean sprouts as much as before; there are enough enoki mushrooms, as the human in charge of cultivation can always provide enough; the wild vegetables are also collected by the caracals, and they are better at this kind of gathering work than the snow werewolf cubs.
Before, Qiu and his people had no idea that the wild grasses growing wildly everywhere in the spring could be eaten. Coming to the Snow Werewolf Tribe really broadened their horizons... Although some wild vegetables tasted strange, food was food, and being edible was better than anything else.
Of course, there are also very delicious "wild vegetables", or leaves. When Ayun asked them to climb a tree with dense leaves that is common on the prairie to pick leaves, and told them that this kind of leaves is called "elm money" and is edible and very delicious, Qiu and his tribesmen thought Ayun was teasing them...
So Ah Yun grabbed a handful of fresh leaves and stuffed them into her mouth to eat in front of them...
The curious caracals followed Ayun's example and tried the leaves. After taking a bite, their eyes almost popped out - these tender leaves were actually delicious! Even better than some wild fruits!
Now, elm leaves have become the most popular food in the tribe. Rattan baskets taller than autumn leaves are filled with elm leaves. After being soaked in river water they are mixed with salt and chopped wild garlic. They can be eaten raw or steamed in the big steamer made by Ayun. They are eaten very cleanly at every meal without any leftovers.
"Stop stealing food." Qiu patted the little hands of the caracal cubs who came to help but were actually stealing elm seeds. He grabbed a few wild fruits that he had snatched from the bird's beak when picking elm seeds from his arms and gave them to them, then drove these little guys out.
When the Snow Wolf people are not around, the caracal cubs will run to their big bunk bed to play, but most of the time the caracal cubs prefer to stay in the mobile home, after all, there is no need to worry about them rolling around and falling down.
After steaming the elm seeds, Qiu asked the adult tribesmen to continue cooking mutton and wild vegetables, and went to the mobile house to check on the cubs' morning spinning results... Daily housework had to be done, and wool processing could not be put aside. Qiu also hoped that the snow wolves would build them a house after they were busy for a while.
Qiu turned the large spindle to check the thickness of the yarn, pulled out a piece and compared it with his fingers. He was very satisfied. This newly spun super thick yarn met Ayun's requirements. He immediately reached out and rubbed the cubs' heads: "Well done, with this thick yarn we can weave the blanket that Ayun wants. Spin more and Ayun will teach us when she is free."
Thick and fluffy handmade blankets made of coarse wool can be used to replace animal skins as bedding. The caracals and snow wolves who are wearing fur vests have no doubt that this is definitely better than animal skins...
Well, Ayun was very fair in the distribution of fur vests. The very soft vests woven with fluff were only given to the old chief Huoyan, the snow werewolves and the caracal cubs (excluding Qingyan), and the weak human Thrall. Everyone else could only wear vests woven with long fur - although wearing a long fur vest close to the skin would indeed be a bit itchy, it was much more comfortable than wearing animal skins that were not breathable and did not absorb sweat, so everyone still welcomed it.
When the mutton in the clay pot was cooked through and the aroma filled the entire tribe, the snow wolves, who had been working all morning, came back carrying hoes... Just like in the past, they only wore animal skin shorts to work, and each of them was covered in black and yellow mud from the soles of their feet to their knees, and their hands, bodies, and faces were also covered in mud spots. Everyone was exhausted and listless, and a large group of people walked without making any sound - no matter how lively and active a person was, they could not withstand such daily oppression, and they no longer had the energy to jump around and scream.
The adult caracals quickly scooped out water heated by the big stove from the two bathroom tanks, retracted their paws, and patiently helped the snow wolves, who could not move after sitting down, to wash their hands... This was Ayun's rule: when eating, any part of the body could be dirty, but the hands must be clean.
The people of the two tribes sat around in the open space in front of the mobile home, picked up their ceramic bowls, picked up their chopsticks (it was as easy for the caracals to learn to use chopsticks as if it were child's play) and began to eat. This was a rare time of day when the snow wolves could relax and rest, and everyone ate in a much more polite manner... If they ate quickly, Ayun would soon rush them to work again, so it was better to chew slowly.
Well, it miraculously solved the problem of the Snow Wolf Man's poor eating manners from another angle...
"Where's Sal?" Xiao Yun took a few bites before noticing that someone was missing.
"He's picking enoki mushrooms and won't let us help." Qiu replied, "I've reserved his share on the big stove."
Xiao Yun stopped talking. It seemed that the "importance" given to the caracal after its arrival had made Thrall feel a sense of crisis. He became more and more "dictatorial" in terms of cultivation and refused to let anyone else get involved. Last time, the caracal's cub approached the mushroom house out of curiosity and was scolded by him... Well, as long as he likes it, just don't cut off the enoki mushrooms in the tribe.
"But when the weather gets warmer, we should build a deeper mushroom house. The high temperature seems to affect the growth of enoki mushrooms." Xiao Yun thought about this and put Sar's matter aside. The temperature outside was only about 10 degrees, so it was not time to worry.
After lunch, the nimble adult caracals cleaned up the pots and dishes. Xiao Yun gave the tribesmen half an hour to digest the food, and called the tribe leader and five warriors, as well as the Black Panther warrior Qingyan and the caracal warrior Qiu to come for a "meeting".
"Our wheat fields have sprouted. I went to check this morning and the emergence rate is pretty good, but some of the seedlings are too dense. To ensure the harvest, we have to keep up with the follow-up work." Xiao Yun said, "My plan is to have someone who is more careful and skillful go with me to check the emergence of the wheat seedlings, and control the growth of the too dense places to ensure that the wheat seedlings develop evenly. As for the candidates, Qingcao Dahe Yangmao Ashan Ayue, as well as Qingyan and Tumanuo people, what do you think, tribe leader?"
Whenever Xiao Yun made a decision, he would always ask for the clan leader's opinion. His attitude was absolutely respectful to the clan leader... But every time he asked for his opinion, he would definitely block the clan leader's options... So after thinking for a while with a serious face, the clan leader's answer was always the same: "I think it's feasible."
Qingyan had no expression. He was just there to make up the numbers during the "meeting". Qiu was a little excited but also had mixed feelings. The Snow Wolf people didn't just let them do the easiest jobs. This proved that the Snow Wolf people regarded the caracals as their own people. This was a good thing. But seeing how the Snow Wolf people looked like they were being tortured, Qiu was a little scared...
"The matter of transplanting seedlings cannot delay the daytime work, do it at night." Xiao Yun said cruelly. Anyway, everyone can see at night, so working overtime in the dark is not a big deal. Besides, he has never thought of asking these people to do intensive farming like Chinese farmers. As long as the results are roughly the same and there are no big mistakes, it will be done...
The two werewolf warriors present, Ashan and Ayue, first showed cute expressions of shock, and then looked as if they had lost their parents - they thought they could be relieved from the hard work of digging ditches, but in the end it made things even worse!
"Then there's the issue of topdressing the wheat seedlings. I'm very sad to tell you all that all the soil and fertilizer we prepared last winter were used up... not a single bit left!" Xiao Yun said seriously.
"Hmm..." No one understood what was said, and each one was more confused than the other. Only the patriarch continued to have a sullen face.
"I've thought about it, and the only thing that can be put into use quickly without burning the wheat seedlings is bone meal compound fertilizer, which means we need a lot of bones, any bones will do." Xiao Yun looked at the soldiers, "You are the ones who know the grassland best. If we need bones left over by wild beasts or the skeletons of dead animals, where should we find them?"
Not to mention the Snow Wolf warriors, Black Panther Qingyan and Caracal Qiu also fell into deep thought at the same time, racking their brains to think about a problem they had never considered before - they had seen all kinds of strange things after having contact with Ayun so much, and they were used to it.
"When the tribe migrated here last year, there were a lot of bones in the nest of the scorpion-tailed lion that I drove away. It's about four hours northeast of the tribe. We can go and drag the bones back from that nest." Ashan came up with the idea first.
"This is possible." Xiao Yun immediately gave his uncle a thumbs up.
"When I went to the swamp in the south to get mud, I saw a lot of beast remains soaked in the mud in the places where there were many slime monsters." Ah Yue was not very confident, "Ah Yun, can those be used?"
"Of course it's possible, but won't there be any danger?" Xiao Yun frowned. In this world, there are werewolves, cats, minotaurs, magical beasts, and of course all kinds of monsters. Xiao Yun would not accept letting his precious tribesmen take risks in places where monsters are densely populated.
"The slime monsters are just disgusting, they can't be dangerous." Hongye said with a smile, "Well, Ayue and I will go and drag those bones soaked in the mud, and we--"
"No, forget it. It might not be worth it if we trap you in it." Xiao Yun said immediately. The swamp south of the tribe is not as dangerous as the swamp on the tauren's side, but it is still a swamp after all.
"Hmm... I've been to the swamp over there. If we need to drag bones out of the mud, I think my people are more suitable." Qiu thought for a while before speaking. As a warrior, it was basic common sense to know the place where his people lived. He also killed a few of the slime monsters that A Yue mentioned to ensure that these little monsters were not dangerous before leaving. "The cubs of my tribe are very light and will not sink when walking in the swamp. Let the cubs walk into the swamp and tie up the bones with vines, and the others will drag them outside."
Adult caracals are quite petite. The warrior Qiuren form is only as tall as Xiao Yun's chin (about 1.5 meters). After transforming into a beast, its body length is almost the same as that in human form. The cubs are naturally even smaller... The smallest cub looks like a kindergarten student. After transforming into a beast, it is only about 70 to 80 centimeters long and light, only about 40 to 50 kilograms. It is effortless for Xiao Yun to hold it up.
"This is not safe either. What if the slime monster attacks the cubs?" Xiao Yun thought about it and shook his head. Caracals are also precious resources.
Hongye had to say, "You worry too much, Ayun. It only takes one arrow to kill the slime monster. Before the caracal cubs set off, Ashan and I can first clear out all the slime monsters in that area..."
Now that things had come to this, there was no reason for Xiao Yun to refuse. After all, the swamp was relatively close, and using the ready-made bones in it was the cheapest thing. He could also get back the swamp mud for making bone meal compound fertilizer.
After the discussion was roughly over, Xiao Yun looked at the tribe leader again: "Let's go to the swamp tomorrow morning and get those bones back. What do you think, tribe leader?"
The clan leader hesitated for a moment, then nodded solemnly, looking like an experienced man: "Okay, let's do it."
The Snow Wolf Warriors didn't react. Qingyan and Qiu's mouths twitched uncontrollably under their seemingly serious expressions - they were really not used to the way Ayun and the Snow Wolf Chief interacted with each other!!
Not to mention the hard work of the whole afternoon, in the evening, after dinner, Xiao Yun dragged Ashan and others, who were looking at others with envy while they went to rest, to the wheat field.
Only ten days had passed since sowing, and some of the seedlings that had emerged had already shown signs of dense growth, or vigorous growth. Spring-sown wheat that did not need to overwinter was not afraid of withering and freezing to death due to its tender seedlings, large number of stems, and insufficient sugar storage at the tillering nodes. However, if the group had poor ventilation and light transmission, few secondary roots, and shallow soil burrowing, it would be a disaster if it fell over in the later stages.
It is not difficult to solve this problem. You can control the excessive growth of the above-ground part by hoeing 6 to 8 centimeters deep between the wheat rows to cut off part of the roots and reduce the absorption of nutrients. The difficulty of this job lies in the fact that it requires meticulousness and patience, and is particularly time-consuming, but it is worth it in order to cultivate strong wheat seedlings.
Well, it is easier and more labor-saving for caracals to plow land that has been plowed several times than for werewolves. As I said before, they are shorter and don't have to bend as much as werewolves. Caracal cubs can do the job well and quickly... Don't be fooled by the small size and softness of these kittens, they are much stronger than an adult male like Sar.
After working for most of the night, Xiao Yun, who was not a devil at all, sent everyone back to take a shower and go to sleep. After all, it was not possible to finish the six hundred acres of wheat fields in one night, so they could just work for a few more nights. There was still work to do tomorrow, and not resting would only waste time.
In the morning, in order to collect bones to make bone meal compound fertilizer, Xiao Yun generously... stopped forcing everyone to continue digging the canal, and instead took them to the edge of the swamp, letting those who needed to collect mud collect mud and those who needed to drag bones drag bones.
Doing this not-too-tiring work is almost like a holiday for the snow wolves who have been exploited so badly. Everyone looked at Xiao Yun with gratitude.
Xiao Yun: “…” Uh, it seems that the training is a bit too much. He needs to be careful about the severity, otherwise he will develop Stockholm syndrome. Who can he complain to?
Four caracal cubs lined up, each holding a long vine in their hands. The older cub, about one meter tall, raised his hand towards Xiao Yun: "Ayun, shall we set off?"
Xiao Yun immediately bent down and touched the heads of each one. The fur on the baby caracal's head was also soft. Even though it was all cut into stubble like a dog's (……) hair, it didn't hurt to touch. He smiled and said, "Be careful. Tie one end and I'll be back soon."
Going a little deeper into the swamp, standing in Xiao Yun's position, he could also see the skeletons soaked in the mud with dense aquatic plants... The most deceptive part of this swamp is here. There is not much water on the periphery, and most of it is hard ground. The places soaked with water are all relatively shallow mud pits, at most above the instep. If you don't look carefully, you would think this place is at most a shallow low-lying area - but if you go deeper, those places that seem to be covered with extremely lush aquatic plants may be deep pools that can swallow people, or deep and thick mud pits that you can never get out of if you fall into them.
The caracal cubs seemed to have a lot of experience walking in this kind of confusing swamp. Not long after the four of them walked in holding one end of the vine, they all bent down and transformed into animal form... The caracal's fighting form has thick fur and great buoyancy, so it won't get stuck even if it steps on a particularly soft surface. The tension when landing on all fours is also greater than when landing on two feet, so it can step on any place with aquatic plants.
The four cubs started in different directions. The youngest cub first came to the skeleton of a wild goat, which was mostly buried in the mud, with only its head and back exposed. It had completely turned into bones. It flexibly tied the vines to the neck of the wild goat with its two front paws and wrapped them around it twice, then ran back leisurely...
Many animals that got stuck in the quagmire starved to death or had their flesh digested by the slime monsters. When they were dragged back, very few of them were dragged back intact. Most of them either fell apart halfway through being dragged, or a lot of bones fell off during the process. The adult caracals would pick up the scattered bones that were closer, and the caracal cubs that were farther away would slowly pull them back...
A few hours later, with the efforts of the caracals, the ants moving mountains pulled out a mountain of various animal bones from this swamp that had existed for who knows how many years...even the skeleton of a monster was dragged out.
The torso was humanoid, with four arms and a beast-like lower body. Its triangular skull had a straight, sharp horn over a meter long. The horn was brown-black and the tip was red. When the upturned skeleton was dragged out of the mud, Hongye exclaimed in surprise, "Isn't this... isn't this a snow beast?!"
"Really, it's a snow beast!" Qiu, who had once been chased by this thing and had to flee for his life, said in horror.
"Oh, one of those very powerful monsters?" Xiao Yun stroked his chin and looked at the huge skeleton that was as smooth as jade and not stained with mud during the dragging process. He knocked it with his hand, turned his head and looked at everyone, and said seriously, "Is there no poison in the bones of this monster? If there is poison, it can't be used and can only be thrown back."
The soldiers stared at him blankly.
"Uh... I haven't heard that snow beasts are poisonous. I only know that their horns can emit lightning..." Hongye said with a twitch of his mouth.
"Magic? Well... knock off the horns and use them as ornaments. The other bones can be ground into bone powder." Xiao Yun took apart a section of the ribs of the beast and looked at them. "The bones are of such good quality and have plenty of calcium. I hope they can provide more nutrition for our wheat fields."
The soldiers stared at him again in a daze.
All these various bones were dragged back to the tribe. Those with loose bones were smashed into bone meal with stones, while those with dense bones were cut into pieces and steamed in a pot, and then smashed into powder. The bone meal was mixed with swamp mud in a ratio of one to three, and then this compound fertilizer with sufficient nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content was applied to the wheat fields. Generally, this homemade compound fertilizer was used to pad the bottom of flower pots, but Xiao Yun didn't have any ready-made fertilizers, so he didn't care so much and used it as topdressing for the wheat seedlings.
We took care of the topdressing of the wheat fields, continued deep tillage of the wheat seedlings to ensure that the wheat seedlings did not grow too densely, and worked hard to dig canals for the wheat fields... After nearly a month of busy and painful days, the two-meter-deep and one-and-a-half-meter-wide canal that surrounds sixty large wheat fields was finally completed. The ditch bottom was compacted, and the upper water inlet and the lower water outlet were dug at the same time.
The tribesmen all crowded at the upper water inlet, waiting to cheer for the fruits of their labor. Ten seconds later, twenty seconds later... the tribe leader looked at Xiao Yun in bewilderment: "Ah Yun, why doesn't the water flow in? It pours in a little bit and then goes back out again?"
"That's for sure. The terrain here is relatively high. Water will only flow to lower places. The river water will not rise up when it rushes to the water inlet." Xiao Yun, who was exhausted and sat on the ground gasping for breath, said.
“…Then why are we digging so hard for (ΩДΩ)?!” The patriarch was shocked, very shocked, with tears in his eyes.
"Didn't I dig a platform next to the water inlet? Look, right there." Xiao Yun raised his hand and pointed to where Niu Jiao was squatting. "Just build a water truck there to bring up the river water... It's a good thing that the wheat field is higher than the river. If the terrain here is lower than the river bank, then I dare not open up the land here to plant crops. If we just get some water, we'll have to starve."
"The purpose of digging through the water inlet and outlet is not to let the river water flow in, but because the earthen barrier is unreliable and water cannot flow out freely, so we need to build movable sluice gates at the inlet and outlet..."
