On Dwarven Agriculture [Archive] - Wizards Community

On Dwarven Agriculture [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Return of the Flumph
02-27-07, 03:28 PM I recently got to wondering about something. Dwarves are usually portrayed as living in mines and cave systems near the surface, and having a culture that revolves around mining and smithery. Buying all their food from nearby humans or elves would be too expensive, and would shatter the idea of dwarves as a conservative, self-sufficient race.

So what are dwarven farmers like?

Do they have underground fungus farms, like many underdark races do? Are their irrigated fields on top of the mesas of their mountain homes? Do they carve Chinese-style rice farms into the sides of their hills? All of the above?
Rogue Shadows
02-27-07, 03:30 PM I've always believed that the dwarven diet consists almost totally of meat. They have ranchers rather then farmers; any "farms" that do exist are fungus farms that exist primarily to support the animals that they eat, not the dwarves themselves.
Darth Syntax
02-27-07, 03:50 PM I have always imagined the uses of terraced farms on the side of mountains and hills. Settlements would be constructed both above and below ground, with the subterranean portions of the settlements being extensive, mostly to combat the cold that is associated with living at high elevations. I would imagine that the farmers and herders would live either above ground, or close to the surface, while miners and the like would live further down (to ease the commute to work you know).
Jerks
02-27-07, 03:51 PM I've always considered Dwarves to live partially in light and dark. I design them as having converted vast terranced fields of grains in high mountain valleys. Also, they cultivate a large amount of water (by diverting mountain streams) and flood caves with water to grow rice, fish, cranberries etc.
Melpomene
02-27-07, 04:19 PM The other clingy dwarven steriotype involves beer. Suffice it to say that dwarves grow grain, and therefor have bread, cereal, and the like. IIRC, thier patron lives in Arcadia, and would imply a strong connection to agriculture.
Jerks
02-27-07, 04:30 PM Here's some information I adapted for my campaign from a previous discussionon this matter.

Grains: Dwarven ale is known far and wide, and these dark grains are a major component of their stouts. These are grown in the valleys and even clinging to the hillsides. Fields of hops and wild grasses surround these fields and help to prevent soil erosion.

Fresh fruits and vegetables. Here the dwarves would be kinda limited. These require a large amount of compost, and are very prone to frost damage. I'd imagine that dwarves produce a limited crop, but depend upon trade or the rare low-land dwarven community to provide these delicasies in any sizable quantity.

Irrigation. A fairly difficult challenge in highlands. I'd imagine that dwarves are master builder of aqueducts and and water retention systems. Think of the ancinet Roman aqueducts that stand to this day. Structures such as those would surely earn dwarven admiration.

Aquaculture. By collecting water in underground retention ponds, over decades these could be expanded and be seeded with fish, seaweeds, rice, cranberries etc to feed the community. Being underground would prevent excessive evaporation, and energy could be provided by geothermal vents or by cutting shafts into the caverns to pipe light down into the area. This doesn't have to be a direct shaft, as polished silver mirrors could bounce light through these irregular and narrow passageways.

Animals. Goats and llamas would seem to be perfect animals to try to herd for the community food source, as their coats make fine furs for the cold mountain nights. Boars could also be useful, both as food and for finding mushrooms. Being medieval times, I'd imagine a fair variety of animals are actually eaten though, depending on whatever the hunters can catch. Feasts would likely include all manners of rabbit, venison, wild boar, elk, bear, etc.

Mushrooms. I guess it's a given that this a large staple of their diet. They need some type of detrius to grow upon, so we run into our compost problem again. I'd imagine that because they really like the taste of mushrooms, that they'd set aside enough compost to get the job done.
Willie the Duck
02-27-07, 08:28 PM It should be noted, although your campaign is under no obligation to be this realistic, that fungus only exists where dead plant and animal matter exists. Fungus underground is mostly feeding on tree roots. Thus there is no reason that a truly underground (as in underdark or living in a mine) race would have access to alot of mushrooms. They would realistically have no serious food access, so let your imagination run wild (whole wheat fields using created water and daylight spells, interdimensional food trade, lots of murtle's spoons...).
Melpomene
02-27-07, 09:23 PM There's nothing to say that Sheild Dwarves live entirely underground, either. They might be as urbane and fond of light as anyone (or at least close enough).

Deep Dwarves, et all are another story, of course.
Grizzled Gryphon
02-27-07, 09:49 PM Here is something else to consider. One thing that mushrooms, as stated above, live on, is dead animal or vegatable matter. As bad as this sounds, five thousand dwarves do have a LARGE amount of... waste, to put it nicely, generated every day. This would be a good source for the mushrooms to live on.

I mean, a LOT of chinese people use the rice paddies for a bathroom. Makes for good fertilizer.
Aramar the Black
02-27-07, 10:20 PM Aye, there should be at least some waste products that can be used for growing things.
If they have access to a river and sunlight (reflected, direct, magical), that allow for algaes.
Look into Terra Preta
Find a way to bring a small amount of silt, sand, and/or dirt into the underground community. With access to a lake or slow stream, the dwarves could easily have small fields, or lumps of healthy dirt in which to grow grains, seaweed, or fantastic underground veggies.
Mecha_Pope
02-27-07, 11:48 PM IIEC, in dragonlance, the dwarves had shafts cut into the mountain, and lined with reflective surfaces, so that the farming warrens were as bright as day on the outside.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Return of the Flumph 02-27-07, 03:28 PM	I recently got to wondering about something. Dwarves are usually portrayed as living in mines and cave systems near the surface, and having a culture that revolves around mining and smithery. Buying all their food from nearby humans or elves would be too expensive, and would shatter the idea of dwarves as a conservative, self-sufficient race. So what are dwarven farmers like? Do they have underground fungus farms, like many underdark races do? Are their irrigated fields on top of the mesas of their mountain homes? Do they carve Chinese-style rice farms into the sides of their hills? All of the above?
Rogue Shadows 02-27-07, 03:30 PM	I've always believed that the dwarven diet consists almost totally of meat. They have ranchers rather then farmers; any "farms" that do exist are fungus farms that exist primarily to support the animals that they eat, not the dwarves themselves.
Darth Syntax 02-27-07, 03:50 PM	I have always imagined the uses of terraced farms on the side of mountains and hills. Settlements would be constructed both above and below ground, with the subterranean portions of the settlements being extensive, mostly to combat the cold that is associated with living at high elevations. I would imagine that the farmers and herders would live either above ground, or close to the surface, while miners and the like would live further down (to ease the commute to work you know).
Jerks 02-27-07, 03:51 PM	I've always considered Dwarves to live partially in light and dark. I design them as having converted vast terranced fields of grains in high mountain valleys. Also, they cultivate a large amount of water (by diverting mountain streams) and flood caves with water to grow rice, fish, cranberries etc.
Melpomene 02-27-07, 04:19 PM	The other clingy dwarven steriotype involves beer. Suffice it to say that dwarves grow grain, and therefor have bread, cereal, and the like. IIRC, thier patron lives in Arcadia, and would imply a strong connection to agriculture.
Jerks 02-27-07, 04:30 PM	Here's some information I adapted for my campaign from a previous discussionon this matter. Grains: Dwarven ale is known far and wide, and these dark grains are a major component of their stouts. These are grown in the valleys and even clinging to the hillsides. Fields of hops and wild grasses surround these fields and help to prevent soil erosion. Fresh fruits and vegetables. Here the dwarves would be kinda limited. These require a large amount of compost, and are very prone to frost damage. I'd imagine that dwarves produce a limited crop, but depend upon trade or the rare low-land dwarven community to provide these delicasies in any sizable quantity. Irrigation. A fairly difficult challenge in highlands. I'd imagine that dwarves are master builder of aqueducts and and water retention systems. Think of the ancinet Roman aqueducts that stand to this day. Structures such as those would surely earn dwarven admiration. Aquaculture. By collecting water in underground retention ponds, over decades these could be expanded and be seeded with fish, seaweeds, rice, cranberries etc to feed the community. Being underground would prevent excessive evaporation, and energy could be provided by geothermal vents or by cutting shafts into the caverns to pipe light down into the area. This doesn't have to be a direct shaft, as polished silver mirrors could bounce light through these irregular and narrow passageways. Animals. Goats and llamas would seem to be perfect animals to try to herd for the community food source, as their coats make fine furs for the cold mountain nights. Boars could also be useful, both as food and for finding mushrooms. Being medieval times, I'd imagine a fair variety of animals are actually eaten though, depending on whatever the hunters can catch. Feasts would likely include all manners of rabbit, venison, wild boar, elk, bear, etc. Mushrooms. I guess it's a given that this a large staple of their diet. They need some type of detrius to grow upon, so we run into our compost problem again. I'd imagine that because they really like the taste of mushrooms, that they'd set aside enough compost to get the job done.
Willie the Duck 02-27-07, 08:28 PM	It should be noted, although your campaign is under no obligation to be this realistic, that fungus only exists where dead plant and animal matter exists. Fungus underground is mostly feeding on tree roots. Thus there is no reason that a truly underground (as in underdark or living in a mine) race would have access to alot of mushrooms. They would realistically have no serious food access, so let your imagination run wild (whole wheat fields using created water and daylight spells, interdimensional food trade, lots of murtle's spoons...).
Melpomene 02-27-07, 09:23 PM	There's nothing to say that Sheild Dwarves live entirely underground, either. They might be as urbane and fond of light as anyone (or at least close enough). Deep Dwarves, et all are another story, of course.
Grizzled Gryphon 02-27-07, 09:49 PM	Here is something else to consider. One thing that mushrooms, as stated above, live on, is dead animal or vegatable matter. As bad as this sounds, five thousand dwarves do have a LARGE amount of... waste, to put it nicely, generated every day. This would be a good source for the mushrooms to live on. I mean, a LOT of chinese people use the rice paddies for a bathroom. Makes for good fertilizer.
Aramar the Black 02-27-07, 10:20 PM	Aye, there should be at least some waste products that can be used for growing things. If they have access to a river and sunlight (reflected, direct, magical), that allow for algaes. Look into Terra Preta Find a way to bring a small amount of silt, sand, and/or dirt into the underground community. With access to a lake or slow stream, the dwarves could easily have small fields, or lumps of healthy dirt in which to grow grains, seaweed, or fantastic underground veggies.
Mecha_Pope 02-27-07, 11:48 PM	IIEC, in dragonlance, the dwarves had shafts cut into the mountain, and lined with reflective surfaces, so that the farming warrens were as bright as day on the outside.