After calming down and finishing up morning feedings of both the adults and the foals you address the fluffies. “Ok fluffies. Daddy will be working today on planting some crops.”
“Otay.” Came a collective call from the adults.
“Wha’~ am~ Cwops?” Came the electronic voice of Nimbo’s collar as they struggled with their words.
“Crops are the delicious plant nummies your daddy feeds the adult fluffies and will feed you one day too. They are plants that people tend to with the intention of harvesting them for eating or to trade to others who want to eat them.” You add attempting to give a simple explanation and accent it with a playful tussel of Nimbo’s mane.
“In fact, if you want you can come play in the fields today. Just be careful to keep a safe distance while Daddy’s working and keep an eye on the foals. Oh and don’t eat any plants without my permission.”
The fluffies seemed excited for the trip, even if it was only to the yard on the other side of the fence.
“Can fwuffies hewp daddeh pwant?” Star asked curiously.
“Hmm… I think plowing would be too hard and I’ve got making holes and depositing seeds covered…” You think to yourself aloud in mutters. “One or two of you could help by covering up the seeds so the birds don’t get to them if you want I suppose. Or I can find something else for you to do with the existing crops.” You say opening the gate in the fence.
The fluffies follow you through excited to see the plants. “Ok, lets assign some chores for you to do and then you can do what you want.” You add picking out the various fluffies for tasks.
Daisy had her own foals to watch but would be tasked with foal sitting the older foals if they grew too tired to help or their own parents weren’t finished so she was spared an assignment. Star being a curious explorer was tasked to look amongst the plants for insects that might be eating the crops or leaves. Millie and Nimbo were tasked with looking at plants and learning what they could and daddy would answer their questions about them later. Peaches would watch her fillies at play. Durum would stay on watch to help peaches in case the foals got lost in the razor grain or wandered outside the crops to the area you’d be tilling. Phanes and Cato Sicarius would be working with you.
You go over to a waiting pair of machines. The first was a robobrain chasis and treads with no arms or head and a simple platform on the back to stand and a pair of handle bars and controls to turn it and have it move forward and backward accordingly. The second was a Handy with a specialized spike tool that pokes into the dirt and a second tool with a line leading to a tank full of seed that would drop seed into the holes. With your instructions Cato was prompt zipping from hole to hole and pushing dirt into place before moving on while Phanes kept a close eye to ensure Cato didn’t run into the handys exhaust or hurt themselves another way while walking slowly along and packed the loosely gathered soil flat.
You had finished creating and seeding the field after two hours since it was more a couple of backyards then a proper ‘field’ due to the islands limited space within the walls. Half of that was spent giving the fluffies periodic breaks while you cleared rocks or jams in the seed lines or refilled the seed tanks with different seed. Occasionally you watched as Star went running away from something or to Nanny who would eliminate the ‘buggie monster’.
You staked each area and ran wire with a sign to remind yourself which crops were where later due to different watering requirements and the like after plowing and planting each one. You dismissed Phanes and Cato while you got out the hoses and sprinklers to surround and lace through the fields.
“Im going to water the fields now, stay back if you don’t want to get wet.” You add warning the fluffies in the hopes they don’t get scared. You proceed down to the shore line to a set of controls and flip one of several controls. One of the inactive water purifiers began to warm up and chug putting out exhaust and then finally pumping water into the system. Eventually water started coming out of the system. You were pleasantly surprised by their reaction and they get together for a little whisper amongst each other.
“Daddeh, fwuffies hot. Can pway in Wawa?” Phanes adds curiously.
“That’ll be fine for a few minutes but i’ll have to clean you off after since you’ll probably get dirty.” You add dismissing the fluffies to run through the arcing water. You go over to Daisy who was sitting with her foals in the shade. “Want to join the others while I watch the foals?”
“Thank’ou daddy.” She was cool enough, but she enjoyed having time to socialize as well. You called the fluffies back when Peaches was starting to have trouble wheeling through the dirt and needed a push from Phanes to get out so you shut off the water. You then gathered up the fluffies and brought them through the front entrance to the decontamination arc and got them cleaned up properly and then toweled off. You used a wash cloth on Daisy and Durums foals since this would be their first non tongue bath to get rid of the mild notes of pee. You sent the fluffies back to the nest as the bridge gates started to open.
“Oh hey, you’re out front for a change.” A trader followed by a pack brahmin with a few noisy boxes replied.
“Good to see you too Mitch. Don’t have much for pick up today,” You add trying to remember if you had anything scheduled for delivery.
“Oh actually, these were sent from settlements from people collecting on bounties.”
“Really!?” You added surprisingly interested that someone had sent something this soon. “Lets see what we got.”
