Rat Farming and Cooking
I hate this job.Considered to be a rather unfortunate job to do, a Rat Farmer is one of the many jobs that can be given out to those living in the Frozen Core. If being a Searcher is considered to be a revered position in the frozen wasteland, then being a Rat Farmer would fall directly opposite to that.
Career
Qualifications
The only qualifications that are needed for this job is that you live in the same location as the farm or food stand you've been put in and that you aren't squeamish. Commonly, it will be required that those who are picked for the job read up certain books on the subject of breeding rats and cooking them, including Rat Caretaking and You: How to Raise a Rat, Job's Guide To Rat Preparation, and one that the Frozen Core recommends for some: 1001 Ratastic Recipes.
Payment & Reimbursement
Luckily, the pay for the job seems to be rather well-earned despite the fact that it involves breeding and cooking rats. For those who have to cook the rats, they are given 10 cigarettes a day; while those who have to breed the rats are paid a nice 13 cigarettes a day. Regional managers for making sure the farms and food stands are in good condition are paid 15 cigarettes and 2 butts a day.
Perception
Purpose
For those who live in the caverns and mine shafts that have been converted into homes deep underground, it would stand to reason that for some, it would be a fair bit harder to get certain types of food. As a result, several people are placed into the job by the leaders of whatever settlement the farms and food stands are located in for the purpose of creating colonies of rats and having them be prepared for human consumption.
Social Status
It's not exactly a job people would enjoy talking about doing, especially if you're an unlucky soul who has to manage the rat population in the farm's colony and make sure that the rats all breed. As such, people who work at this job have been given some rather unfortunate nicknames. There's even a joke with those living in Frozen Core's occupied locations that people are given the job because they ended up angering the leader of the settlement they live in.
History
The idea of consuming rats is not entirely a new one, as the Deepcore Foundation had an emergency protocol for those that were trapped in caves that involved eating cave rats to fight hunger when there was no other option left. The idea of eating rats as your average meal didn't come to mind for many people until after World War III, when the Frozen Core was established soon after the war occurred. Remembering the emergency protocols, the ringleaders of the Frozen Core decided to establish several farms throughout their mineshafts-turned-living spaces for the cultivation of these rats; choosing various people in the mines to work in these places. Despite the disgust exhibited by those who would not consider eating rat, it was something that the Frozen Core had made a part of everyone's lives, to the dismay of many.
Originally, the job consisted of only cooking the rats by placing them on an Edenite Cooking Press and roasting the rat after it had been chopped. However, sometime in the 70s a bright decision was made by one of the leaders in the Frozen Core to have some people farm the rats, making them fatter while making sure there is a steady supply of them. As such, the job became one where people have to learn how to cook the rats properly, and how to farm them and breed them. Needless to say, while people have steadily accepted this reality of rat consumption; they don't exactly wear it with a badge of honor.
Operations
Workplace
Due to the location of these rat farms commonly being found in caverns, the only lighting one can get in these places are lanterns hung up from the ceiling. The section of cavern laid out for the farms are usually divided into three rooms: One for employees to take a break in, one for beheading rats and skinning them to be prepared for consumption, and one for the farm itself. The preparation room tends to have the rustic smell of blood; even though it gets cleaned after every rat. The farm is walled off, with someone on standby always to feed the rats and turn down the lights for breeding them. The floor of the farm is lined with several inches of dirt, and the food the rats are given tends to compose of expired vegetables. As a result, it doesn't smell too pleasant in the farm due to the smell of decay.
Alternative Names
Rat Voyeurists, Rat Kings, Emergency Food Preppers
Type
Agricultural / Fishing / Forestry
Demand
Not in demand at all, but still given to people anyway.
Related Locations
Used By
Ranks & Titles
Related Technologies
Entry for WorldEmber 2020
In response to the prompt Reviled or revered, describe a profession that causes strong reactions in a culture.
Yeah, I can just imagine how a rat farm would smell from what you've said. Horrible but necessary job.
Atleast it pays well, as far as living in the frozen wasteland is considered! Getting paid around 50 Cigarettes after almost a week of working is enough for one to blow all of their money on various alcoholic beverages!