Agriculture

The combination of soil types and weather makes it fairly easy to determine what types of crops will grow where in the Duchy. What stands out from this analysis is that the Vale is a very rich agricultural area. This may explain why the halflings all converged on it, being mainly an agricultural race.

1. Coast

   1. Rocky. Broccoli, chives, peas, sunflowers, some forage for goats

   2. Rich Sandy (Vale). Apples, cherries, Walnut, chestnut, pecan, hazelnut, asparagus, beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, chives, cucumbers, garlic, horseradish, lettuce onions, parsley, parsnip, peas, pumpkins, radishes, rutabaga, rhubarb, spinach, turnips, clover, timothy hay, oats, rye, soft wheat

   3. Thin Sandy. Pears, hazelnut, beets, broccoli, carrots, chives, garlic, peas, radishes, spinach, buckwheat, oats, rye

2. Northern Central Area
   1. Thin, Sandy. Pears, blueberries, beans, beets, broccoli, carrots, chives, garlic, radishes, buckwheat, oats, rye, soft and hard wheat
   2. Rocky. Blueberries, broccoli, chives, sunflowers
   3. Rich Sandy. Apples, cherries, peaches, almonds, chestnut, pecan, hazelnuts, walnut, raspberry, blackberry beans, beets, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, chicory, cucumbers, garlic, horseradish, onions, potatoes, radishes, spinach, squash, oats, rye, soft & hard wheat
   4. Acidic Rich Clay. Walnuts, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, currants, strawberries, garlic, rye.
3. Southern Central Area
   1. Thin Sandy. Grapes, oranges, lemons, olives, beans, beets, garlic, peppers, sweet potatoes, rye, hard wheat
   2. Rich Sandy. Peaches, almonds, chestnut, plums, grapes, beans, beets, cantaloupe, garlic, horseradish, peppers, radishes, squash, tomatoes, watermelon, alfalfa hay, corn, rye, hard wheat.
   3. Acidic Rich Sandy. Chestnut, strawberries, cantaloupe, garlic, peppers, sweet potatoes, potatoes, squash, tomatoes, corn, rye.
   4. Cairn Hills. Sunflowers
   5. Abbor Alz. Grapes, Birdsfoot Trefoil, sunflowers.

Food

Due to the regional differences in crops grown in the duchy, there are two different styles of food eaten. In the north, fruits, nuts and vegetables grow well, as well as the soft wheat which is used for pastries, cakes, and such. Rye and oats also play a large role in breads and fermented drinks. Due to the higher precipitation along the coast, milk production from cows and goats is common. The goats are mainly raised in the Vale, where halflings have difficulty raising the larger cows. Though there is a species of pygmy cow that the halflings have bred, the milk is not as good and farmers there have focussed on breeding a strain of goat which gives a sweeter milk. This has been made easier by the fact that oats grow well in the region. The main meat eaten in the north is beef, though mutton is also common. Goat is almost never eaten, except in rare cases of extreme poverty. The meat of the milk goats is rank and stringy.

Meals in the north are usually hearty and rich, spiced with onions and garlic, though peppers are imported from the south for a wider flavor variety. Pastries are very common, especially in the Vale, where it has become a point of regional pride. It is said that no pies in the world are better than a Vale-made fruit pie.

Meals in the southern area have a spicier flavor. The grains used are mainly rye and hard wheat. The harder wheat grown in the south lends itself better to pastas rather than breads, so the breads are made mostly of rye. The other source of starch in the southern diet is the sweet potato, which grows well in the poorer soil. Potatoes are also found, but are not as popular as the tastier sweet potato. Dishes are most likely to be spiced with the variety of peppers which can be found growing in the broad region of the southeast Duchy. Tomatoes play a prevalent role in the regional cuisine of Nellix. One of the staples of that area is a pasta dish covered with a sauce made of tomatoes and sweet peppers. The main fruits of the region are peaches, lemons, and oranges. Lemons play a large role in many dishes of the region, especially when mixed with beans and garlic. Grapes play a large role in wine-making in the region. While the wines are not exceptional, they are tasty. The wines of the region tend to be drier, but fairly hearty. The oaks of the Celadon forest have created a local barrel-making industry in Nellix, which the wines of the region are stored in, giving a distinct oak flavor to most of the wines in the Duchy.