It was December, and the harvest of cocoa, avocados, and herbs had just been completed. The royal Chinampas were once again planted with staple crops like corn and soybeans, while pumpkin had not yet been sown. There was also a dedicated area for growing a variety of spices and chili peppers. The floating fields on the lake were lush and green, forming a stark contrast with the barren farmland along the distant lakeshore.
Standing on the Chinampa, Xiulote smelled a faint scent of river mud and the peculiar odor of manure. During the planting of the new staple crops, the soil fertility needed to be replenished. It was the dry season, and small boats clearing silt were everywhere on the lake. Villages along the lake had to provide labor to dredge river mud for the royal family and the nobility.