Chapter 3: (Self Edited) Suzus Livelihood
‘My name is Suzuya.’
I lived in the southern part of the peninsula, Sirena. The geology of this place wasn’t suitable for the production of barley, but there was a lot of lake water. Since the grass grew well, the people cleared out the land, and tamed livestock such as sheep, goat, cattle and others. There were people who hunted in forest, and lived with semi-pasture and hunting.
The Lord of this land was the famed Hou Household, and the people of Sirena lived a peaceful life under them, who were generous in their rulings. Currently, I was a bit estranged, but I was certainly live the same life.
I lived the same life as a down-to-earth girl until I was twenty years old.
‘Let me introduce a bit.’
A farming family’s day began with cooking. My mother and I got up earlier than my father and my brother. It was a routine to prepare breakfast and bento for the men. After the meal, we sent the men out to hunt. When the cleanup was over, we went out to follow the men.
First, we hunted the animals and release the livestock to the pasture land. Then, we went to the hayfield, and collect the hays to become the fodder. It was a place where I could enjoy the beauty of nature.
Unlike the pasture land, the hayfield was in contact with the swamp. The growth of the grass was good, but if we released the livestock here, they would mostly drown in water. For that reason, we made fences to prevent livestock to go there, and turned the place to the hayfield for them. We would cut the overgrown grass here, stooped and crunched it in order to make bundle. Then, it would be easy to carry. It was a very hard work.
The grass cut here wouldn’t be used to feed the livestock immediately. While the grass were growing, we released the livestock into the pasture land, and let them feed on the naturally growing grass. The pasture land was for that purpose, and the grass harvested in the hayfield, would become the hay which would be the winter food for the livestock. Even if the hay was collected over a summer, the amount gathered wouldn’t be enough for all livestock if the winter was long. Because of that, the number was usually adjusted before the winter by slaughtering the livestock.