Seasons changing

As their training went on, days went by until Summer was reaching its last stage. From the time of nettles, to ragwort, to blackberries. From sheep's sorrel to pink heather, every species had its time to bloom and take over for however short a moment. But now that was all going to change once more because Autumn had arrived.

Days were still warm but they felt more mild. Soon things began to feel damp and cold in the mornings. "It has come to my attention that the paradise we live in full of fruit and nuts isn't permanent," announced Marcus one night down in the bunker. Everyone was sitting on the sofas around the fire. Soon they might have to huddle a little closer as Autumn progressed into winter...

"Therefore, we need to find ways to store food so it will last. James? Did you finish doing inventory with the food down here?" James had volunteered to count all the canned food, MREs and dried food they found left for them in the bunker by whatever organisation had built this place.

"There are 42 cans where 20 are full of beans, 10 are soup and 12 contain fish. I counted 35 MREs which 11 are Chilli, 13 are chicken noodles and 11 more literally just say beef on the front. The dried food packets reach a total of 39 and of those we have 7 packets of dried mango, 3 of dried banana slices, 6 of dried apple slices, 4 raisin packets, 10 rice portions and finally... 9 packets of beef jerky!"

Marcus thought about those numbers in his head for a moment while everyone waited for his verdict. "I think this should be enough for 5 weeks. It could last us 10 if we ration it but the constant hunger wouldn't be pleasant..." Marcus pictured the group feeling weak and irritable. Hunting would be difficult if it got to that stage.

Marcus then got out his survivors handbook and opened it to the back pages where he had drawn a food web at the time when he'd first arrived at the valley. On an empty page in his journal, Marcus began to jot down all the species they wouldn't have access to.

Plants and animals alike. Anything that was edible which would become unavailable. He also wrote down any that would still be in large enough numbers to hunt or forage for.

For one, a lot of the fish species would finish spawning and go downstream. Two, nearly all the fruit/nut trees, bushes and vines would be bare. Something that worried him greatly though was all the tall grass that would die down or stop growing as much. There wouldn't be much grain to make flour so that meant no bread.

Even though rye grass was a tough plant and there would be grain all year round from it, summer was definitely its peak time with the best quality kernels so gathering it in winter would be a chore. Marcus needed a solution to each one of these problems so everyone sat round the table as he required all the brain power in the valley. .

"I guess we can say goodbye to eggs as well. This section here of the rearing wild animals book says chickens don't lay as often when it's cold. Even genetically bred farm chickens have this problem just not as bad..." Explained Lana.

"Also, keeping them in an artificially warm environment could fix the problem." This wasn't the best news since everyone had really enjoyed having eggs for breakfast these past few weeks. At least it wasn't all hopeless.

"I don't know where you got the milk for the butter from Marcus. I'm assuming from the goats but if Lana's right about the chickens, then they might not be as reliable either..." Added Sam.

"Well this sucks!" James hit the table with frustration.

"Calm down," Marcus reassured him firmly. "We just need to think about the solutions now instead of dwelling on the issues." Marcus was drawn back to the fruit problem. "Fruit is used to make jam right? Jam usually preserves for at least 1-2 years so that would be perfect if we made that every year!" Smiles quickly returned to the table again.

Marcus wrote down sugar, crab apples for pectin and blackberries for the flavour. They would be the main ingredients for the jam. "Hey, for the flour problem, we could do one big harvest now like real farmers. Spend as much time as possible grinding up grain into flour and then store it here in the bunker to make bread!" Sam suggested with enthusiasm.

The others realised this would be hard work but were more happy that they wouldn't starve if they could pull it off so everyone agreed. Marcus congratulated her on the idea and moved on to the fish conundrum. They would need a source of protein and all nuts eventually went off so they alone wouldn't be enough.

"Could we try... drying fish? Or maybe even meat?" Asked James. It was as though he'd read Marcus' mind. "Brilliant idea James! I'm sure the survivors handbook has information on that!" Marcus gave him a pat on the back and wrote it down.

It was then that Lana decided to speak up. "For the animals, could we build them a more cosy place to stay? Like a barn or something...?" Everyone was full of glee. They praised each other as Marcus wrote down the final method of securing their future to last the winter. Now the hard work would come.

Taking advantage of the weather while it was still early Autumn, everyone began to reap the harvest summer had brought. Sam was on crab apple and blackberry picking duty, James was digging up burdock roots, Lana was cooking the sugar and fruit together whilst boiling the roots to produce the sugar, and Marcus was moulding jam jars from wet clay.

They weren't always perfectly cylindrical like his pots but he was by far the most experienced potter now. It would be much easier with a potting wheel and maybe then his pots wouldn't be so heavy or lumpy but as long as his creations helped them to survive, they would take what they had.

It was a fast paced production line and it felt both a relief and a disappointment to take a break. "Even though making jam means we can still technically eat fruit, I'm gonna miss this," said James as he popped another berry into his mouth.

"Hey, I spent ages gathering those! Save some for Lana to use!" Sam whined. She'd been rushing back and forth at the start just to get Lana started off with the cooking so now that James was eating her surplus, she didn't like the idea of having to run back and forth again.

"Hahaha, don't worry. I swear this is the last one," James grinned and reached for another.

"Oh no you don't!" Sam jumped on him and pinned him down just before he could grab it. For a moment they were still. Sam breathing slightly heavier from the sudden burst of action.

"Am I really so handsome you must throw yourself at me?" James crooned with a smirk.

"Uh- uhh... I-I... Ah!" Sam rolled off of him and as she got up, her face was redder than the almost fully grown tomatoes. "I-I-I don't t-think your handsome dummy!"

Lana and Marcus chuckled at the scene but nearly blushed themselves at the moment they shared; giggling together. Lana had such a pretty laugh that made everything light up and Marcus' made him seem so open and carefree.

They got back to work and they soon didn't need any more sugar so James helped Sam pick more blackberries to make up for earlier. Meanwhile, Marcus got to spend more time with Lana. "Ouch! Ah, hot!" Yelped Lana holding up one of the fingers on her right hand.

"What's wrong?" Asked Marcus leaving one of his half finished jars to see what Lana had done.

"I... I was careless and some of the jam spilled on me..." she explained. Her eyes were a little damp but not quite teary. Marcus realised jam was molten compared to boiling water because of how thick and dense it was.

"Here. Rest your hand in this," he said whilst pouring some cold water into a clay bowl for her to gently lay her hand in. She did so immediately and felt a soothing relief from the pain. She looked up at him but he was only focussed on her hand. Lana's cheeks warmed.