Fieldwarden’s Directives — Mid-Spring, Year 1
To the people of Barleybank, our field crews, storekeepers, and appointed delegates:
The lower ditches are cleared, the communal loft roof is tight against the rain, and our accounts and reference balances are documented. Now, in this second month of spring, our attention divides between two vital duties: getting our seed into the ready earth, and fulfilling our customary obligations at Measure House ahead of the public reweighing.
Here are the directives for the month:
1. Spring Sowing and Drainage Oversight
Barley Planting:
- Cora, take charge of the sowing operations across the drained lower fields and upper slopes.
- Because our seed reserves are narrow following the winter shortfall, sow with deliberate care. Maintain a calibrated seeding rate to maximize germination without wasting seed.
- Prioritize the well-drained lower beds first while soil moisture is optimal. Seed should be sown at proper depth and harrowed immediately to protect it from foraging birds and pooling water.
- Keep a modest reserve of high-grade seed safely stored in the repaired communal loft as an emergency buffer for spot-replanting if late washouts occur.
Drainage Maintenance:
- Bran, keep a secondary ditch detail on active patrol along the main drainage channel and embankments.
- Ensure that continued spring rains do not wash loose silt back into the cleared gravel bed. Clear any debris flotsam or bank slumping immediately to prevent standing water from forming over freshly planted seed beds.
2. Community Rations and Stores
- Ada, maintain strict rationing over our remaining consumption grain. Every bushel must stretch until the early summer greens and the autumn harvest.
- Keep the dry communal loft clean, ventilated, and regularly inspected for any signs of moisture, dampness, or pests.
- Ensure that all remaining seed stock is strictly off-limits for consumption under any circumstances.
3. Measure House Preparations (Month 2 Proceedings)
Under the established regional custom, the second month is dedicated to copying receipts, auditing duplicate tallies, and inspecting seals. We will participate thoroughly, methodically, and with goodwill.
Barleybank Delegation:
- Esme will travel to Measure House as our official exchange witness, accompanied by a small escort and cart team.
- Dain, ensure the light cart and harness are properly fitted for the softened, muddy roads, allowing extra days for travel.
Tasks and Instructions for Esme at Measure House:
- Receipts and Tallies:
- Present Barleybank’s organized receipts and tallies from last winter and previous seasons to Sella, the duplicate tally keeper, and Belen, convener of witnesses.
- Carefully cross-check our delivery receipts against Sella’s duplicate records and Oren’s ledger entries. Make certified copies of all matching tallies and record any variances.
- Seal Inspection:
- Participate with the other settlement witnesses in checking the seals on the tally chests and measure standards. Note their condition and integrity.
- Tare and Procedure Clarification:
- Without making accusations, review the standard procedures used for deducting sack tare. Share our documented local tare baselines (the calibrated weights of empty Barleybank transport sacks and containers established by Ada and Dain) as constructive reference material.
- Observe how moisture, tare subtraction, and nominal volume-to-weight conversions are currently handled on the house scales.
- Diplomatic Engagement:
- Greet the delegates and witnesses from Reedhaven, Hearthmere, and Stonecross.
- Listen attentively to their news regarding the spring season, road conditions, and their past exchange experiences at Measure House. Discern whether any other community observed discrepancies between nominal credits and delivered bulk weights over the winter.
- Preparation for Month 3:
- Confirm the formal date, protocol, and witness roster for the public reweighing in Month 3. Ensure Barleybank is positioned to participate in full accordance with customary law.
4. Summary
Our seed is sound, our ditch runs clear, and our books are in order. Through steady labor in the fields and quiet precision at Measure House, Barleybank will secure both its harvest and its fair standing. Let everyone carry out their duty with care.