At the edge of a distant, snowbound country lies a birch forest.
Winter here is extraordinarily long, and people spend more than half the year battling the ice and snow.
Birch Farm sits on the edge of the forest, far from civilization. When heavy snow blocks the roads, the farm is completely cut off and left to fend for itself.
When Patrick was eighteen, his last living relative died of illness.
To survive the long winter through self-sufficiency, Patrick had to make the most of the brief spring, summer, and autumn, doing everything he could to stock up on supplies.
In spring, he had to sow seeds and raise chicks. He had to venture into the forest to gather the first hint of green struggling up through the thawing soil, and quietly steal the waterfowl's precious eggs after they had traveled across the continent to breed.
Summer in the forest was berry season. Only by gathering enough berries then could Patrick enjoy jam on bread during the cold winter.
Autumn was harvest season, when the crops ripened all at once and every day was spent gathering them. It was the most prosperous time of year for Patrick. Before winter came and the roads became impassable, he had to make frequent trips to the market and town, trading his produce for goods he couldn't make himself.
Then came winter.
The long winter.
This was the third year Patrick had spent alone. He had finally paid off his debts, and resolved to raise a few more chickens that year, as well as buy a cow and a dozen or so sheep.
That year, a hunter who had traveled from afar came into his life...
Hunter x Farm Owner
This story includes stockpiling, farming, animal husbandry, adorable pets, and food.
The setting is a fairy-tale world, so there will be plenty of magical crops and animals!
Theme: A good life is built with your own hands
