#barley grain

[uwhe-arts]

poppy . . . | uwhe-arts

[serpentface]

A kulustaig bull, the distinctive cattle landrace of the highlands.

Kulustaig have striking differences to other native cattle found across the Imperial Wardi claimed territory. Their aurochs ancestors were domesticated in a separate event from those found south of the Inner Seaways, and the broader cattle population kulustaig derived from may have trace bison genetics. The progenitors of this landrace were brought south across the Viper seaway by the ancestors of the contemporary Hill Tribes, and were gradually shaped into the kulustaig in adaption to the high altitudes, mild but dry summers, and cool/snowy wet seasons.

These cattle are mid-sized and stocky in build with large, broad faces, most distinguished by curly manes and 'beards' and thick, V-shaped horns. Genetically undiluted kulustaig are almost ubiquitously black, white, and/or gray, though breeding with other cattle has introduced a greater variety of coloration in contemporary stocks.

They are adapted to higher altitudes, having larger hearts and a bigger lung capacity than comparable lowland breeds, and grow thick, curly winter coats that allow for superior resistance to seasonally cooler temperatures. They can maintain condition on less food and lower-nutrition grasses than the average cattle, and are excellent instinctive foragers. This particular quality makes them attractive for crossbreeding efforts with cattle stock of the dry scrublands in the south of Imperial Wardin, though most of their other traits are highly unfavorable for hot, low altitude environments, and scrub-kulustaig hybrids with idealized traits are rare (and highly sought after as studs).

These are all-purpose cattle that can adequately fulfill roles as meat, draft, and dairy animals, though the latter role has the most importance in day to day life, and they show the most selection for milk production (though are not as high-yield as pure dairy breeds). Their meat is mostly lean and somewhat gamey, as they rely more on thick winter coats than fat stores to manage cold, and the vast majority subsist entirely on wild grasses and forage.

Most kulustaig have fairly calm, gentle temperaments, and accommodate well to human handling (it is not uncommon for cows and geldings to be passively ridden by herders otherwise traveling on foot). Their herds have strong, well defined, and stable dominance hierarchy structures, which reduces actual fighting and lends to them being more easily managed by their human herders. In most traditions, the dominant female in each herd is regarded as blessed by and belonging to the agricultural goddess Od, and will not be milked or slaughtered (this untouchable status is often maintained even if the cow's rank in the hierarchy is displaced, though traditions vary).

Bulls are almost ubiquitously given personal names by their owners (the honor often belonging to a family or clan's matriarch, who is generally considered the owner of the herd and other familial assets), while other traditions vary between just the bulls and dominant cows, personal favorites, or entire herds receiving names.

These cattle are of tremendous importance to the peoples of the highlands (particularly tribes and/or individual clans living above the river valleys, who fundamentally rely upon them for subsistence). They provide much of the meat and dairy that the core diet revolves around, and are the greatest measure of wealth within the highlands. Non-native cattle can be commonly found in parts of the highlands in the contemporary (and may be bred in to impart unique qualities to established stock, such as improved milk production or fattier meat), but kulustaig are typically prized above all the rest. These cattle are often a source of great pride for individual clans, and one of few agreed upon markers of shared identity and pride for all of the collective Hill Tribes.

Cattle raiding is a near-ubiquitous practice (both as a practical resource acquisition, and a less immediately lethal method of settling larger disputes than open warfare), and most cattle will be branded with a mark identifying their owning clan as a method of dissuading theft (often futile, particularly given cattle marked as belonging to certain wealthy clans may be especially prized). Nose rings are commonly used to assist in the handling of bulls, but have secondary protective functions that lend to their common use in even the most docile of cattle. Rings are usually blessed or have spells woven into their making as a supernatural barrier against theft, or against malicious (or at least devious) mountain spirits such as tiirgranul (who take pleasure in frightening cattle (and their herders) and are known to cause stampedes) or wildfolk (who are known to sometimes steal or curse cattle when offended, or just bored).

The word kulustaig derives from the common word 'taig'/'taigr', which refers to cattle in the contemporary languages of both the Hill Tribes and Finns, and the 'kul' root (heavily antiquated and not used in contemporary speech, most commonly recognizable in the name of the kulys plant), which has connotations of hardiness/robust qualities. The name would have derived from complimentary descriptions of the animals as 'the best and most robust of cattle'.

[rherlotshadow]

Golden barley, and one wild oat

[jdexhusband]

Barley's family!!! Maisy and Wheatley are mom and dad; birth order: Rye, Millet, Barley, Bucky, Farro, Oatis

[bisexual-engineer-guy]

On a very psychological level I really like eating just straight up grains. Like a horse. I'm such an oatpilled grainmaxxer

[mushroomsie224]

*holds a cartoonishly big hammer above your head* favourite flower? Favourite school subject? Favourite food?

*trembles*

um uh um...

*grabs onto my ocs* if i die, they're going too >:(

so for flowers i really like sunflowers! they're bright and large and pretty, and the seeds taste pretty good.

favourite subject? i love math, art and psychology (i really wish i'd taken math in a-levels but it's too late now sadly) but since we're going with just one I'll say psychology.

favourite food! it's albondigas soup! my uncle made it many years ago (i was eleven? i think?) and i've loved it since then. it's so warm and comforting :3

[synesthete-sylke]

@kindledrose have no fear, offbrand desertduo is here! ...to play mini basketball with peanut butter the cat and win candy :b

the red to my green <333 love you and thank you for humouring this stupid costume fhhdjsk it was so fun

[iris-2212]

[scribblingface]

once again attempting to make a stew that my dog actually wants to eat. putting blueberries in it this time and no carrots wish me luck

[unopenablebox]

have you guys ever had cholent

[coffeenuts]

Barley by WernerKrause https://flic.kr/p/2gyXuAi

[wildrungarden]

9/25/23 ~ Since being in school, I’ve learned a little more about cover crops. I ordered this book called Gardening with Grains by Brie Arthur and I am really enjoying it so far. So I may or may not have ordered barley & hard wheat seeds 👀😅😁 Not only are the good for your soil, but they are pretty added into your landscape even mixed with ornamentals. I have started a container of Barley (yes, I’m doing some in a container) so far, but also going to plant some in a little patch or patches in my yard. I just got my wheat in today, so I haven’t planted any of it yet.

What am I going to do with them when they are ready to harvest? I don’t know 😂 Maybe I’ll have enough Barley and Wheat to try and make a small batch of my own home brew 🍻 Or maybe I’ll let them dry out and use them in little floral arrangements.

Have any of you tried to grow or do grow any grains?

[stairnaheireann]

#OTD in 1832 – The Making of Poitín. A lengthy article on this interesting Irish craft appeared in the Dublin Penny Journal on this day.

Poitín is a traditional Irish distilled beverage. Poitín was traditionally distilled in a small pot still and the term is a diminutive of the Irish word pota, meaning “pot”. It is traditionally distilled from malted barley, grain, treacle, sugar beet, potatoes or whey. In 1661 a law was passed that meant all distillers must now pay tax on spirits produced for private consumption. Due to lack of…

[mothmiso]

Kornfeld (2) (3) (4) by Stefan Freytag

[fbwzoo]

I was busy after work yesterday until 8pm, doing various critter things - feeding Ed, then the cats, stapled carpet to new cat shelf, then went to feed the crabs and discovered moths in the tank. Cleaned the tank out, fed crabs, fed me, fed the dogs... then made new gel food for Ed, and a dry powder mix to add baby food to for a sick rat.

I meant for today to be lighter, but I failed at that. 🤦 Arte & I went to Sprouts, and I got fresh greens for Ed & some new snacks for the rodents. Came home & fed Ed, then made a batch of Chop for the rodents with the extra greens + some other things!

I swear, I'm actually not doing anything after work tomorrow. 😂