SKENE CULTURE

SHENG ZHANG (MINISTERS) AND THEIR AREAS OF ADMINISTRATION

Health and Education = Rahat -- school, university, scholars, hospital, midwives, genist (including leave for aggies and partnering), vets
Agriculture = Tanyan -- ejidas, compost and recycling, silkworms, orchards, rice, livestock, seafood
Natural Resources = Recursos -- mining, lava, petroleum, wood, gravel, lasers
Utilities = Potenza -- assignment of Manages, electricity, water, geothermal, radios, plus ferries and mail
Lofthall -- all airflight and manufacture of craft; also includes dichter
Manufacture and Commerce = Verzinnen -- weaving, dying, metallurgy, ceramics, paper and book making, printing, glassmaking, shopkeeping
Ethicist -- answers interim questions of above plus runs prison island

ANNUAL ALLOTMENTS FOR ADULT SKENERS (HALF FOR CHILDREN UNDER TEN YEARS UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED)

All Skeners receive an annual allotment from community harvest which will include:
3 yards of woven wool plus 2.5 lbs yarn (half allotment for children up to age 10)
3 yards of silk (half allotment for children up to age 10)
50 yards of linen (full allotment for children)
Enough leather to make one pair of boots plus resole two other pairs of shoes except for workers in certain occupations, who can get new work boots every time an old pair wears out (miners, lava workers)
Enough canvas to make two pairs of shoes (more for children as needed)
20 square yards of plastic sheeting in various plys
400 pounds of rice
100 pounds of rice flour
20 liters of rice syrup
10 liters of rice wine
150 pounds of soybeans (to make into tempeh, tofu, miso)
200 pounds of dried beans (pinto, black, kidney, navy, lentils)10 liters of mulberry syrup
1.5 pounds of honey
1 pound of beeswax
11 liters of olive oil
10 liters of olives
20 liters of vinegar
150 pounds of fisk
150 pounds of ground vis
150 pounds of daily fresh fish (depending on what is available)135 pounds of pork consisting of 24 lbs ham, 20 lbs bacon, 17 pounds of pork roast, 18 pounds of picnic shoulder, 7 pounds of pork chops, 8 pounds of sausage, 7 pounds of "miscellaneous" cuts, 6 pounds of salt pork, and 31 pounds of lard
10 pounds of mutton or lamb
10 pounds of goat meat
15 pounds of cheese (four times this amount for pregnant or nursing aggies, and children over the age of one)
15 gallons of goat milk (four times this amount for pregnant or nursing aggies, and children over the age of one)
10 pounds of sheep cheese (twice this amount for pregnant or nursing aggies, and children over the age of one)
100 sheets of paper (unlimited allotment for scholars and ministers; additional paper available for purchase by individuals)
___ wood
1/1000th of all fruit and nuts (fresh and dried) produced, depending on crop, including almonds, walnuts, pistachios, filberts, cranberries, apples, pears, apricots, persimmon, cherries, plums, figs, quinces, oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruits, avocados, pumpkins5 liters of fruit wine or brandy
1/1000th of all edible kelp harvested (non-edible kelp used to make linen, plastics, paper, etc.)

ITEMS AVAILABLE IN UNLIMITED AMOUNTS OR WITHOUT COST TO SKENERS
Unlimited compost; structural lava "planks" for house building (but must pay for transport and construction); electricity (although usage is carefully monitored for conservation), steam power and heat, water, but all utility installation and repair labor must be purchased; sewage; recycling (which can actually result in credits, depending on the items recycled)
Free public schooling and hospital/curandera care.
Free herbs and medications prescribed by curandera.
Free access to university but must pass admissions process.
Free services of genist, botaniste and Ethicist (but fees charged for permits).
Free use of archives but must obtain permit first.
Free passage on ferries.
Free use of lighters and sinners for hauling and transportation, but must be on schedule determined by Sheng Zhang who grants priority to community interest and commerce over individuals.
Exile is maintained at no expense to the families of exiles.

CROPS ON MANAGES

Things grown on individual Manages but not in huertas or ejidas: Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, grapes, tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, eggplants, rhubarb, all kales, all broccolis, all lettuces, squashes, cabbage, cauliflour, brussel sprouts, variety of greens, bok choy, cucumbers, spinaches, peppers, asparagus, fava beans, chickpeas, cream peas, green beans, celery, garlic, onions, leeks, shallots, beets, ginger, parsnips, turnips, yams, wasabi, plus range of herbs and spices. Different Manages specialize in different exotics and take them to market for barter.

LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION

Livestock have been added to Skene ecology only in the last 300 years, except for chickens which were brought out from cold storage early in the colony's days and katts which were introduced early to deal with the scourge of shu. Each new livestock animal has meant a loss of arable land and caused much passionate debate before it could finally be agreed upon to try. Currently under debate are llamas, chiefly for the fibers. Skene will never be able to support large herbivores such as cows or horses. Livestock is raised on ejidas, on specific islands set aside for their production, to control their impact on the environment.

One pig grown for about six months produces about 135 lb. of meat consisting of 24 lbs ham, 20 lbs bacon, 17 pounds of pork roast, 18 pounds of picnic shoulder, 7 pounds of pork chops, 8 pounds of sausage, 7 pounds of "miscellaneous" cuts, 6 pounds of salt pork, and 31 pounds of lard, plus scrap meats; will have to keep sows for breeding rest of year
1000 pigs would mean 135 lb pork per year per person, or pork every 3 days

Goats require 1/2 acre per goat
Fresh goats produce 1 gallon milk/cheese per day
Meat goats produce approximately 30 lbs of meat, half that for kids

Sheep produce 440 lbs milk in 180 days, take half year off, so
With 1000 sheep, there are 14,400 lbs milk or cheese per year
Sheep require one good acre for every 3-5 sheep
Each sheep produces 12 lbs wool
Takes 2.5 lbs wool for one bulky sweater, 3-4 oz for adult socks, 1-2 oz for kid's socks
1000 sheep would need 330 acres or 1/2 square mile
Each lamb produces 50 lbs meat
Cull 10% of flock each year = 10,000 lbs of mutton and lamb or 10 lbs per person per year or mutton/lamb every 40 days (probably concentrated in certain seasons)
1 gallon milk (goat or sheep) makes 1 lb cheese
Will need grain (rice?) to feed goats, sheep, chickens, pigs

Domesticated rice grows at 4000 lb per acre per year.
Rice and some fibrous kelp are the only big sources of carbohydrates on Skene.
Skene bread is made from a mixture of rice flour, kelp flour (called haidan), some fish meal, and other flavors as desired, and is called haidan.

Chickens are grown by individual Manages, with excess eggs taken to market. Several species of chickens are raised on Skene. At least one large Manage on each island will grow roosters you can "rent" to fertilize your eggs in order to breed a new set of chicks.

SERVICES AND PRODUCTS WHICH MUST BE PURCHASED BY BARTER OR CURRENCY

Wandmaler murals
Comadrona services
Stamps for mailing
Ink and printing
Radios
Ceramics and glass
Dying
Construction of clothes from raw goods
Metals
Pumice-based construction (furniture, fences, roofs)Carpentry/timmers
Terrasculpting (i.e., use of lasers): Can only be done by permit of Sheng Zhang and labor of workers must be purchased.
Utility installation and repair (electricity, plumbing, steam, water)
Hauling of construction or commercial materials or other large items for individual use
Fees for commercial permits, construction permits, adjudication.
Chemicals and their products (washing soap, etc.)
Junk and recycled materials at junkyard
All additional foods, fabrics, raw materials not covered by allotment

OCCUPATIONS PAID FOR BY PUBLIC FUNDS

Lighter
Sinner
Dichter
Leraar
Gakusha
Sigrists
Sheng Zhangs and secretaries
Genist
Ethicist
Botaniste
Archivist (includes vaultkeeper)
Curanderas and hospital workers
Postal workers
Ejida workers
Faryaste
Yinjanger
Herb gatherers
Compost workers
Recyclers
Electrical plant operators
Steam plant operators
Sewage plant operators
Lava shapers of building materials
Cheesemakers, milkers, herders, butchers, smokers, tanners, shearers, carders, weavers who make goods for allotment
Orchardists, oil pressers, fruit dryers, and winemakers who produce for public allotment
Rice, duck and goose farmers for public allotmentKelp processers for public allotment
Fish sorters (all)
Beekeepers and honey processors for public allotment
Silk workers for public allotment
Weavers (all kinds) for public allotment

Annual harvest and production report (nian cheng) is published in Raccolto, then two months later during Kall, entire community meets to vote on next year's plan. Voting during the coldest month tends people toward conservation and thinking of the public good.

SIGRIST AND RADIO

Sigrist, or sexton, is a job shared by a Manage who lives atop Sigrist Poke (the highest elevation on Skene) on the biggest island, Riesig. Two or more adults split the 12 hours of daylight sitting in a cupola with a panoramic view of Skene and the oceans beyond, using telescope and some scientific instruments to keep track of weather, ocean conditions, natural disasters, and leviathan activity. They are the voice of the radio present in every Skene household. The radio announces the time every five hours, as well as tides, ferry schedules, details of important community events, and warnings about weather, physical threats such as tsunamis or fires, and the approach of leviathans to Skene shores. During six hours of darkness, the radio goes on automatic, announcing only prerecorded notices of time, tides and ferry schedules. Radio communication is available to all Skeners. However, it is linked to structures except for ferries and aircraft, and is completely public (every radio on Skene will hear what you say into your mic), so it is seldom used for personal communication. Most Skeners either speak to one another in person or, across distances (such as to the Flings) use mail, which is delivered twice a day.

Copyright 2007 Maggie Jochild