Eave

"I'm tired of it. Eave bread in the morning, eave mash at night. Eave today, eave tomorrow. I'm tired of it, I say."
--Street urchin from Bleeding Eye

Southern Staple

Eave is a nutritious grain native to the southern reaches of Ravengrin, thriving off of the high moisture of the swampy Crown. Eave is the only industrially grown crop in Ravengrin, harvested in vast amounts during the Fading. Not only is it dried and exported throughout much of Eitridea, but it is a staple of nearly every meal in the Crown, as well as supports much of its economy.
Eave is prepared in many ways. Once harvested, it is dried on the stalk, after which the individual grains are beaten out. After this, it can be further dried, and stored for as many as three years. Alternatively, the grain can be prepared by boiling in water for consumption, or ground into flour.

Agriculture and Growth

Eave requires vast amounts of water to grow. In the swampy wilds of the Crown, it is easy to find it in large patches, but it is far more difficult to cultivate as a crop. Extensive trenches and walls must be built in order to flood entire fields to artificially create such environments. If these are not built correctly, the Eave will die out in the dry season, but flood in the wet.
Eave's growth cycle takes a half year, 7 months. It starts as a delicate stalk that requires vast amounts of water and care. In the relatively short time of two months, it grows quickly, hardening and rooting. Over the next 5 months, it grows slowly but steadily, its color graying, until it reaches an average height of three to four feet. It doesn't fruit until near the end of its life, when it is harvested just before Faiastol.

Taste

Eave is for the most part overwhelmingly bland, with slightly sweet undertones.

Color

When grown as a crop or found in the wild, Eave has a greyish green color, with a brighter green towards the tips. The actual grains are brown once dried, and tan or when cooked.