Agriculture

Initially the people of Porters Bar farmed only a limited number of crops. They established paddy field for the rice seed they had with then, and the local people taught them how to cultivate and harvest the local grass, Teff, to make a flat sour bread. This coupled with the ubiquitous Marsh Bean made up the basis of their diet.

The natives who joined them also told them about the Swamp Apple and how the fruit, while generally unpalatable, could be mashed and fermented to make a very weak cider. It was Canon Ragnar Shay, who developed the techniques of adding rice syrup to the brewing mix, to produce a stronger and fuller flavour cider. Canon Ragnar was also the first to use the Scotarni distillation techniques with cider, to produce a variant of Apple Brandy.

Later Canon Jasmine Shay, undertook to catalogue the plants of the swamps, and her research changed the crops that the farmers grew. Using the knowledge of the native healing women, Canon Jasmine, tracked down and transplanted examples of many of the beneficial plants and  herbs of the area. Some are used as culinary herbs, while many others have medicinal purposes instead. Now the herbs are farmed, harvested and dried, then shredded and packed either in sacks for local distribution, or watertight kegs for international distribution.

Later still Canon Raman introduced Porter's Bar farmers to the onion. Now it is regularly grown in the drier ground and used both as a foodstuff and a yellow dye.

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Notes  

Rice - needs wet areas to grow naturally, and suits these swamp margins well. The Porter's Bar rice is the equivalent to a modern, long grained, brown rice, and must be boiled for about 20 minutes before it is properly edible.

Teff - A very fine grain grass that grows well in wet conditions. Doesn't like the ground as well as rice but can cope with the swamp margins. The grain is very fine and is difficult to harvest but can be ground to make flour and used to make unleavened bread, a bit like Chapatti. The grain can also be used whole, and when boiled for 15 minutes becomes very gelatinous, it is often used as a thickener.

Marsh Bean - this ground bean can tolerate the damp conditions and produces long skinny bean pods. When these are opened, the light purple, kidney shaped beans; can be taken and used in cooking. These beans are edible raw, but are generally used as an ingredient for the local dishes.

Swamp Apple - is a low growing tree that bears small and bitter apples. They are edible, but they are not very pleasant and more than 2 or 3 will make you very ill. If crushed in water, they will ferment naturally to make a weak cider. 

Herbs and Plants 

C - Culinary, T - Trade, M - Medicinal, F - Foodstuff