Crimson Wheat (Róðáveti)

The people of Yáðin have a specific wheat production technique, which makes it possible to grow three crops a year. This creates a very reliable food supply and very efficient compared to their neighboring regions.

Crimson Wheat

Róðáveti (Crimson Wheat) is a kind of wheat grown in the southern parts of Yáðin. It gets its name from the red husk that surrounds the wheat seed. The husk is indigestible and is usually removed when the wheat is prepared, and many use it as dye.
The wheat has little nutritional value other than being a huge source of carbohydrates. If kept dry, it can be stored for long periods of time and can be transported safely as long as the humidity is low.

Technique

Crimson wheat grows wildly by river banks, where the soil is loose and wet. They do also grow on dry soil, but require much longer time to fully grow.
Due to this, the people of Yáðin have developed so called paddy fields. These are ditches that are filled with water up to knee height with a river nearby to control the water circulation.
These fields have soft, wet soil, and populate algae, insects and other animals that work with the wheat to make it grow faster.

Process

During winter, the paddies are emptied for water and kept dry. This kills off many of the areas and insects that are toxic for the wheat, and replenished the soil.
At the first sign of spring, usually in Þhorråni or øsvatnmåni, the wheat is sown and the fields are flooded when the seed spout from the earth. The water level rises slightly over the course of a month just so that the top of the wheat is visible through the water.