Poem: "Beliefs and Values Passed Down Through Generations"
This poem is spillover from the October 4, 2022 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by a prompt from 
rix_scaedu. It also fills the "Ancestors" square in my 10-1-22 card for the Fall Festival Bingo. It has been sponsored by a pool with Dreamwidth user Fuzzyred. This poem belongs to the Bear Tunnels series.
"Beliefs and Values Passed Down Through Generations"
[1633]
"We should plan
another major run for
livestock," said Emma.
"I agree," said Jesse.
"Let's check our notes."
They had multiple breeds
of horses now, including
both draft and riding breeds.
The Painted Travelers remained
the most popular, especially after
adding a black-and-white colt,
Mooncloud, and two fillies,
the black-and-white Seashell
along with the sorrel Sassafras.
Emma and Jesse had also
introduced riding breeds like
mustangs, quarter horses,
and Rocky Mountain Horses.
"People here like horses of
all kinds, but Painted Travelers
are the favorites," said Emma.
"What do you think about buying
a real stud colt, rather than just
a decent and affordable one?"
Jesse thought for a minute,
then nodded. "I can sell
my house," he said. "That
should fund a stud colt and
a fine batch of other livestock,"
"Books and equipment too,"
said Emma. "Now that folks
have had time to see what
we have to offer, it's easier
to find things they'll love."
"Anything spotted, books
on how to do things, and
high-quality hand tools,"
Jesse said. "It does make
the shopping simpler."
Both goats and sheep had
proven enormously popular as
sources of meat, milk, and fiber.
Emma and Jesse had added
more breeds over time, especially
those with multicolored patterns.
"All right, then how are we on
goat breeds?" Emma said.
"Kiko and Cashmere goats
are well established by now,"
said Jesse. "The brush goats
are doing great just eating weeds.
I don't think we need any more."
"That's good," said Emma. "For
sheep, Cheviot are doing okay.
Welsh Black Mountain Sheep and
Blackface Mountain Sheep are
somewhat better. Scrub sheep
forage well. We've already added
Finnsheep and Icelandic sheep
for increased color diversity."
"I want some Jacob sheep,"
said Jesse. "People here
will love those crazy things."
Emma laughed. "Good idea.
"Get a ram lamb and at least
two ewe lambs to start with.
Make them the second priority
after the Gypsy Vanner stud."
"Can do," said Jesse. "How
about large poultry? They're
not cheap, so now's the time
if we're going to expand those."
"The heritage turkeys are a hit,"
said Emma. "Let's get a flock each
of Narragansett and blue slate. Pay
a premium for a set of splash poults
in blue slate, and they'll produce black
and blue babies as well as more splash."
Jesse made a note. "Got it. I would
go with Pilgrim and Toulouse geese --
similar colors but a big size difference."
Pilgrim geese grew fast, but they only
reached medium size. Toulouse geese
grew slower but became big heavy birds
that produced lots of delicious fat.
"That works for me," said Emma.
"Ancona ducks are the clear winners.
Do we want to keep one more breed?"
"I vote for Saxony ducks as the second,"
said Jesse. "They don't have colors
as bold or lay as often, but the eggs
they do lay are bigger and richer."
"That's a good tradeoff," said Emma.
"We need to establish more diversity
of livestock, because folks can't keep
raiding it from invaders forever."
Jesse chuckled. One outcome
of introducing the local tribes
to more livestock was that it
increased their interest in
what the Europeans brought.
That meant a lot of young bucks
made their fortune by sneaking into
towns or farms and robbing them blind.
They came home with horses, cows, sheep,
goats, and on one memorable occasion
a farmer's entire seed stock in sacks.
If the invaders couldn't keep ahold of
their crops and livestock, then they
couldn't sustain a beachhead here.
This was how the locals had quashed
several attempted settlements now.
"Switching from animals to plants,
I've noticed that our farmers love
the mixes and the polycultures,"
Jesse said. "I'd like to buy more."
"Let's get as many landraces, grexes,
hybrid swarms, and breeding stocks
as we can," said Emma. "Those
often come in bulk, and they're
designed for reproduction."
"I like that idea," said Jesse.
"We can add other mixes
and collections depending
on whatever looks good."
"More of corn, squash, and
beans of course," said Emma.
"Add relatives like melons,
cucumbers, and peas."
"Salad greens, because
those are diverse and easy
to find in blends," said Jesse.
"Also folks are surprisingly fond
of some Asian vegetables like
bok choy and daikon radish."
"Look for anything commonly
sold in rainbow mixes such as
carrots, radishes, beets, and
chard," said Emma. "Peppers,
potatoes, and tomatoes too --
expand on local varieties."
"I think we should focus on
potatoes, garlic, and onions
that can set seed," Jesse said.
"That gives us a good list of
landrace crops to look for,"
said Emma. "Bring back as
much as we can and then
spread that around, expanding
on what we've already started."
"Those plants and animals will
help us build a good lifestyle for
the people here," Jesse agreed.
"This lifestyle isn't just about animals,"
said Emma. "It's about living a life
not filled to the brim with chaos. It's
about beliefs and values passed down
through generations. It's ensuring things
are left better for those yet to come."
"Your greatest accomplishment
in the world may not be something
you do, but someone you raise --
whether that's a bottle-fed colt,
a student, or a child of your body,"
said Jesse. "I believe that the lives
we touch will matter in the end."
"You're not just talking about
livestock and students here,"
Emma said. "You're thinking
about actually taking a wife
and starting a family together?"
"I'm thinking about it," Jesse said.
"Maybe even more than one wife,
I've gotten so many offers, and
people do that here. I know that
you've attracted attention too."
"More than my share, and more
as time goes on," Emma said.
"I'm hesitant to start anything
serious, though. We keep going
back and forth between times,
and there's no real guarantee
that we can continue doing that."
"We're more invested in this time
than the one we were born in,"
Jesse said. "We're cutting ties
with our birth culture, Emma, one
by one. That's another reason I'm
ready to sell my house. I want
to strengthen connections here."
"I know what you mean," Emma said.
"I've spent so much time here that I
feel more connected to the ancestors
in this time folks in our original time."
"So it's fitting that we're bringing in
livestock to become the ancestors
of future breeds here," said Jesse.
"They will change and adapt to
local conditions, everything does."
"It's a good plan," said Emma.
"Let's see how it plays out."
The project was so big
that it took months for them
to pull everything together.
First Jesse had to put
his house up for sale.
While waiting for bids,
Emma and Jesse used
the time to search for
for suitable livestock
as well as plant seeds.
They also bought
books and tools,
since those would
keep just fine.
Once the house
finally sold, they
bought the plants
and animals that they
had been researching.
Then they had to bring
all of that stuff through
the hobbomak to the past.
Fortunately Emma and Jesse
now had plenty of allies who
could help them haul things
once they brought the goods
and livestock to the surface.
Many of the seeds they shared
with farmers in nearby tribes,
based on the known interests
of their various friends and allies.
They also made bundles of seeds
which they distributed to traders
with instructions to carry them as
far as possible before selling any,
so as to maximize distribution and
increase the genetic diversity that
could survive in different locales.
Conversely, the traders were
encouraged to bring back seeds --
anything and everything people
grew somewhere else -- so that
local gardeners could try those.
Emma and Jesse had made it
a custom to distribute new livestock
with starter flocks or herds rather
than spreading out individuals.
So these villages here got
Narragansett turkeys while
those over there got slate blues.
Pilgrim geese or Toulouse geese
went to villages on larger waterways,
Saxony ducks or Ancona ducks
to villages on smaller ones.
Hopefully this would encourage
people to trade more than fight.
Emma and Jesse kept a herd
of brush goats that Jesse couldn't
resist because some of them had
unusual striped or spotted patterns.
One doe in particular had stripes of
black and orange over a white belly.
Jesse wanted to see if he could
breed a strain of tiger goats for
better camouflage in forests.
Emma and Jesse also kept
the Gypsy Vanner stud colt,
a stunning buckskin appaloosa
they called Yellow Corn Boy
whose coat shone like gold.
Everyone was delighted to see
them home, and excited over
the new seeds and livestock.
Emma and Jesse watched
Yellow Corn Boy playing
with the brindled goats.
"So, what do you think
of our new additions?"
Emma asked Jesse.
"Will all this help us
cement the future?"
"I think we're looking
at the ancestors of
a whole new world
here," said Jesse.
When some women
tried to flirt with Jesse,
he actually flirted back,
and it made Emma smile.
She looked forward
to seeing their beliefs
and values passed down
through generations.
* * *
Notes:
This poem is long, so its notes appear separately.
rix_scaedu. It also fills the "Ancestors" square in my 10-1-22 card for the Fall Festival Bingo. It has been sponsored by a pool with Dreamwidth user Fuzzyred. This poem belongs to the Bear Tunnels series."Beliefs and Values Passed Down Through Generations"
[1633]
"We should plan
another major run for
livestock," said Emma.
"I agree," said Jesse.
"Let's check our notes."
They had multiple breeds
of horses now, including
both draft and riding breeds.
The Painted Travelers remained
the most popular, especially after
adding a black-and-white colt,
Mooncloud, and two fillies,
the black-and-white Seashell
along with the sorrel Sassafras.
Emma and Jesse had also
introduced riding breeds like
mustangs, quarter horses,
and Rocky Mountain Horses.
"People here like horses of
all kinds, but Painted Travelers
are the favorites," said Emma.
"What do you think about buying
a real stud colt, rather than just
a decent and affordable one?"
Jesse thought for a minute,
then nodded. "I can sell
my house," he said. "That
should fund a stud colt and
a fine batch of other livestock,"
"Books and equipment too,"
said Emma. "Now that folks
have had time to see what
we have to offer, it's easier
to find things they'll love."
"Anything spotted, books
on how to do things, and
high-quality hand tools,"
Jesse said. "It does make
the shopping simpler."
Both goats and sheep had
proven enormously popular as
sources of meat, milk, and fiber.
Emma and Jesse had added
more breeds over time, especially
those with multicolored patterns.
"All right, then how are we on
goat breeds?" Emma said.
"Kiko and Cashmere goats
are well established by now,"
said Jesse. "The brush goats
are doing great just eating weeds.
I don't think we need any more."
"That's good," said Emma. "For
sheep, Cheviot are doing okay.
Welsh Black Mountain Sheep and
Blackface Mountain Sheep are
somewhat better. Scrub sheep
forage well. We've already added
Finnsheep and Icelandic sheep
for increased color diversity."
"I want some Jacob sheep,"
said Jesse. "People here
will love those crazy things."
Emma laughed. "Good idea.
"Get a ram lamb and at least
two ewe lambs to start with.
Make them the second priority
after the Gypsy Vanner stud."
"Can do," said Jesse. "How
about large poultry? They're
not cheap, so now's the time
if we're going to expand those."
"The heritage turkeys are a hit,"
said Emma. "Let's get a flock each
of Narragansett and blue slate. Pay
a premium for a set of splash poults
in blue slate, and they'll produce black
and blue babies as well as more splash."
Jesse made a note. "Got it. I would
go with Pilgrim and Toulouse geese --
similar colors but a big size difference."
Pilgrim geese grew fast, but they only
reached medium size. Toulouse geese
grew slower but became big heavy birds
that produced lots of delicious fat.
"That works for me," said Emma.
"Ancona ducks are the clear winners.
Do we want to keep one more breed?"
"I vote for Saxony ducks as the second,"
said Jesse. "They don't have colors
as bold or lay as often, but the eggs
they do lay are bigger and richer."
"That's a good tradeoff," said Emma.
"We need to establish more diversity
of livestock, because folks can't keep
raiding it from invaders forever."
Jesse chuckled. One outcome
of introducing the local tribes
to more livestock was that it
increased their interest in
what the Europeans brought.
That meant a lot of young bucks
made their fortune by sneaking into
towns or farms and robbing them blind.
They came home with horses, cows, sheep,
goats, and on one memorable occasion
a farmer's entire seed stock in sacks.
If the invaders couldn't keep ahold of
their crops and livestock, then they
couldn't sustain a beachhead here.
This was how the locals had quashed
several attempted settlements now.
"Switching from animals to plants,
I've noticed that our farmers love
the mixes and the polycultures,"
Jesse said. "I'd like to buy more."
"Let's get as many landraces, grexes,
hybrid swarms, and breeding stocks
as we can," said Emma. "Those
often come in bulk, and they're
designed for reproduction."
"I like that idea," said Jesse.
"We can add other mixes
and collections depending
on whatever looks good."
"More of corn, squash, and
beans of course," said Emma.
"Add relatives like melons,
cucumbers, and peas."
"Salad greens, because
those are diverse and easy
to find in blends," said Jesse.
"Also folks are surprisingly fond
of some Asian vegetables like
bok choy and daikon radish."
"Look for anything commonly
sold in rainbow mixes such as
carrots, radishes, beets, and
chard," said Emma. "Peppers,
potatoes, and tomatoes too --
expand on local varieties."
"I think we should focus on
potatoes, garlic, and onions
that can set seed," Jesse said.
"That gives us a good list of
landrace crops to look for,"
said Emma. "Bring back as
much as we can and then
spread that around, expanding
on what we've already started."
"Those plants and animals will
help us build a good lifestyle for
the people here," Jesse agreed.
"This lifestyle isn't just about animals,"
said Emma. "It's about living a life
not filled to the brim with chaos. It's
about beliefs and values passed down
through generations. It's ensuring things
are left better for those yet to come."
"Your greatest accomplishment
in the world may not be something
you do, but someone you raise --
whether that's a bottle-fed colt,
a student, or a child of your body,"
said Jesse. "I believe that the lives
we touch will matter in the end."
"You're not just talking about
livestock and students here,"
Emma said. "You're thinking
about actually taking a wife
and starting a family together?"
"I'm thinking about it," Jesse said.
"Maybe even more than one wife,
I've gotten so many offers, and
people do that here. I know that
you've attracted attention too."
"More than my share, and more
as time goes on," Emma said.
"I'm hesitant to start anything
serious, though. We keep going
back and forth between times,
and there's no real guarantee
that we can continue doing that."
"We're more invested in this time
than the one we were born in,"
Jesse said. "We're cutting ties
with our birth culture, Emma, one
by one. That's another reason I'm
ready to sell my house. I want
to strengthen connections here."
"I know what you mean," Emma said.
"I've spent so much time here that I
feel more connected to the ancestors
in this time folks in our original time."
"So it's fitting that we're bringing in
livestock to become the ancestors
of future breeds here," said Jesse.
"They will change and adapt to
local conditions, everything does."
"It's a good plan," said Emma.
"Let's see how it plays out."
The project was so big
that it took months for them
to pull everything together.
First Jesse had to put
his house up for sale.
While waiting for bids,
Emma and Jesse used
the time to search for
for suitable livestock
as well as plant seeds.
They also bought
books and tools,
since those would
keep just fine.
Once the house
finally sold, they
bought the plants
and animals that they
had been researching.
Then they had to bring
all of that stuff through
the hobbomak to the past.
Fortunately Emma and Jesse
now had plenty of allies who
could help them haul things
once they brought the goods
and livestock to the surface.
Many of the seeds they shared
with farmers in nearby tribes,
based on the known interests
of their various friends and allies.
They also made bundles of seeds
which they distributed to traders
with instructions to carry them as
far as possible before selling any,
so as to maximize distribution and
increase the genetic diversity that
could survive in different locales.
Conversely, the traders were
encouraged to bring back seeds --
anything and everything people
grew somewhere else -- so that
local gardeners could try those.
Emma and Jesse had made it
a custom to distribute new livestock
with starter flocks or herds rather
than spreading out individuals.
So these villages here got
Narragansett turkeys while
those over there got slate blues.
Pilgrim geese or Toulouse geese
went to villages on larger waterways,
Saxony ducks or Ancona ducks
to villages on smaller ones.
Hopefully this would encourage
people to trade more than fight.
Emma and Jesse kept a herd
of brush goats that Jesse couldn't
resist because some of them had
unusual striped or spotted patterns.
One doe in particular had stripes of
black and orange over a white belly.
Jesse wanted to see if he could
breed a strain of tiger goats for
better camouflage in forests.
Emma and Jesse also kept
the Gypsy Vanner stud colt,
a stunning buckskin appaloosa
they called Yellow Corn Boy
whose coat shone like gold.
Everyone was delighted to see
them home, and excited over
the new seeds and livestock.
Emma and Jesse watched
Yellow Corn Boy playing
with the brindled goats.
"So, what do you think
of our new additions?"
Emma asked Jesse.
"Will all this help us
cement the future?"
"I think we're looking
at the ancestors of
a whole new world
here," said Jesse.
When some women
tried to flirt with Jesse,
he actually flirted back,
and it made Emma smile.
She looked forward
to seeing their beliefs
and values passed down
through generations.
* * *
Notes:
This poem is long, so its notes appear separately.