The Alpine Greening Institute

(( The seventh opening of our traveling Coerthan farm stand will be on Saturday, April 27, from 7-9pm EDT! This time we'll be visiting the Greengrub Mudplots in Idyllshire.

This event series is just a small and casual one; I’ll be there on Valroit Faucheux for two hours of pop-up RP, selling various goodies (payment IC only, no real gil needed). But vendors of all stripes are always welcome to set up their own stalls alongside! You don’t need to contact us beforehand – you’re welcome to just show up and hawk your wares.

This event is held twice a month at rotating locations, once at an early time and once at a late time. The early opening is the second Sunday of the month from 2-4pm EDT, while the late opening is on the fourth Saturday of the month from 7-9pm EDT. Watch for us on the FFXIV RP Calendar -- or for the latest word, follow this Tumblr, @greening-coerthas or join the Greening Coerthas Discord!

(( The sixth opening of our traveling Coerthan farm stand will be on Sunday, April 14, from 2-4pm EDT! We'll be visiting Fallgourd Float for Hatching-Tide season.

This event series is just a small and casual one; I’ll be there on Valroit Faucheux for two hours of pop-up RP, selling various goodies (payment IC only, no real gil needed). But vendors of all stripes are always welcome to set up their own stalls alongside! You don’t need to contact us beforehand – you’re welcome to just show up and hawk your wares.

This event is held twice a month at rotating locations, once at an early time and once at a late time. The early opening is the second Sunday of the month from 2-4pm EDT, while the late opening is on the fourth Saturday of the month from 7-9pm EDT. Watch for us on the FFXIV RP Calendar -- or for the latest word, follow this Tumblr, @greening-coerthas or join the Greening Coerthas Discord!

(( The fifth opening of our traveling Coerthan farm stand will be on Saturday, March 23, from 7-9pm EDT, at Saint Reinette’s Forum in Foundation!

This event series is just a small and casual one; I’ll be there on Valroit Faucheux for two hours of pop-up RP, selling various goodies (payment IC only, no real gil needed). But vendors of all stripes are always welcome to set up their own stalls alongside! You don’t need to contact us beforehand – you’re welcome to just show up and hawk your wares.

This event is held twice a month at rotating locations, once at an early time and once at a late time. The late opening is on the fourth Saturday of the month from 7-9pm EDT, while the early opening is the second Sunday of the month from 2-4pm EDT. Watch for us on the FFXIV RP Calendar -- or for the latest word, follow this Tumblr, @greening-coerthas or join the Greening Coerthas Discord!

(( The fourth opening of our traveling Coerthan farm stand will be on Sunday, March 10, from 2-4pm EDT, at Revenant's Toll in Mor Dhona!

This event series is just a small and casual one; I’ll be there on Valroit Faucheux for two hours of pop-up RP, selling various goodies (payment IC only, no real gil needed). But vendors of all stripes are always welcome to set up their own stalls alongside! You don’t need to contact us beforehand – you’re welcome to just show up and hawk your wares.

This event is held twice a month at rotating locations, once at an early time and once at a late time. The late opening is on the fourth Saturday of the month from 7-9pm EDT, while the early opening is the second Sunday of the month from 2-4pm EDT. Watch for us on the FFXIV RP Calendar -- or for the latest word, follow this Tumblr, @greening-coerthas or join the Greening Coerthas Discord!

(( The third opening of our traveling Coerthan farm stand will be on Saturday, February 23, from 7-9pm EST, at the Jeweled Crozier in the Pillars!

This event series is just a small and casual one; I’ll be there on Valroit Faucheux for two hours of pop-up RP, selling various goodies (payment IC only, no real gil needed). But vendors of all stripes are always welcome to set up their own stalls alongside! You don’t need to contact us beforehand – you’re welcome to just show up and hawk your wares.

This event is held twice a month at rotating locations, once at an early time and once at a late time. The late opening is on the fourth Saturday of the month from 7-9pm EST, while the early opening is the second Sunday of the month from 2-4pm EST. Watch for us on the FFXIV RP Calendar -- or for the latest word, follow this Tumblr, @greening-coerthas or join the Greening Coerthas Discord!

Late the last sun of Halone's moon my youngest brother arrived from House Haillenarte, and fore noon on the first sun of Menphina's moon the party from the Sable Tree Company under Madam Admiah's leadership and shortly the knight from House Shadowstar joined him. All were apprised of the situation ongoing since Nophica's moon last turn, the missing items and queer sounds and sightings, which I know are already known to your Lordship, but which I will here repeat an accounting of, much begging your Lordship's pardon. 

Not long after the summer workers and Master and Madam Thivaut Vanneur returned to the city, we began to lose items, above all our laundered clothes and blankets and any bit of knitting left unattended outside, and to have the compost beds disturbed over night. Oft we would hear at night in the greenhouse or our own bunkhouse a strange squeaking and spy long fingered hands patting at the windows, and in the day find huge and heavy footprints where the intruder had stood. Many theories we had, that some young boy among the hunters at Tailfeather was harassing us as a jape, or that we were hearing the cries of attic chinchillas, or that some giant had come down from Abalathia to winter in the valley, but no thought we concocted seemed quite right, and when the incidents began to increase, we became fearful, and troubled your Lordship for aid. 

My brother left early in the morn to follow a set of tracks as deep into the wood as he was able, while Madam Arlia of the Sable Tree Company and Ser Rex of House Shadowstar confirmed by inspection of the greenhouse and the creatures' prints that it was no miacid, bear, or other four legged beast. It was later explained to me that the one I believe is called Master Rusalk'a sensed no disturbance in the land's aether nor any other sign of evil or unnatural influence, and so with confidence in what the creatures were not but still uncertainty of what they were, the Sable Tree and Shadowstar joined Haillenarte in following the tracks into the Chocobo Forest.

It was not long that our friends arrived by Madam Arlia's expertise at the nest of the creatures responsible. They were, we learned, meliae, which are relatives of the Black Shroud treant common in these eastern reaches of Dravania. The men of Tailfeather have hunted the melia to use its long, straight twigs for arrows, which I am told is why they are shy of two legged spoken and aggressive when cornered. But it seems that this winter the elder of this grove had adopted the habit of creeping round Greenfeather at night and taking our hats, scarves, mittens, and sundry back to its grove mates. Our friends deduced the reason was the sharp and sudden freezes that have many times struck over night this winter, which have caused a number of trees to crack and split from the freezing of their sap, including some trees and one melia around the grove. The elder had been vainly dressing its friends in our clothes and blankets to protect them from the chill, warming its feet in the compost beds and squeaking its long fingers against our windows in hopes of coming inside. 

Rather than slay the meliae to retrieve our belongings, Master Rusalk'a used their conjury upon a wounded sapling to gain the tree people's trust, and together the party led them first to a sheltered cave and then to the walled orchard under construction here, where we were able to recover our things by trade or by warming them up with compost heaped upon their roots. While the chocobo hunters call them vicious, we have found these creatures to be relatively docile, and while it may be the cold weather that renders them thus, it was the earnest wish of both Madam Admiah's people and Ser Rex that mayhap these creatures be allowed somehow to live here or at least to shelter here over winter.

I and the other workers have given this matter much thought, and based on our discussions and our interactions with the meliae over this past fortnight, I would tentatively join them in that wish. The steps that your humble servant believes to be necessary are as follows.

First, the walled orchard must needs be completed, with space given to accommodate the meliae alongside the fruit trees planned. Any attempt to espalier the meliae against the walls would I suspect be right foolish, and they are warm and happy simply standing nearby the south facing walls. Therefore I do not think any great change in the design necessary, save that for the proposed heated walls the fire alcoves all be on the north side, out of sight of the trees, that they be kept from panic at sight of burning straw. 

Second, I believe it prudent for some conjurer either to train our meliae or to instruct us in the way of communicating with them. For while it has been proposed that these creatures may make useful guard beasts in the growing season and keep hunters tempted to steal apples out of our orchard, it will be necessary for our workers to move around them safely and without being mistaken for Never Do Wells. 

Third, we would like such a conjurer or mayhap a botanist or other naturalist to instruct us in the care and keeping of our new friends, the treatment of their pests and diseases, and mayhap even whether they may be made themselves useful by grafts, assuming they could be persuaded to tolerate such violence. 

Though I do not one moment think myself as wise in such affairs as your Lordship, it is my hope and also that of my brother that none of these things are outside the ability and budget of the Institute, and so we both request that you consider them. 

But one more thing at this time, which is that your Lordship's Jonquil is well recovered from his encounter with the meliae last moon and has become tolerant of their presence here, for though he is suspicious, he is an excellent bird, and obeys my instruction to leave them be. Best as I may judge, he is happy, having most nights the warm stable all to himself and plenty of space to roam when the sun shines. However, he is ever interested in the sight of a caravan coming down the road or an Elezen coming into the stable, and stops what he does to observe, but seems to my eye downcast when they come close enough to recognize and none of the men prove of interest to him. 

I give thanks to the Almighty Fury that She granted to your Lordship and the Lady Gwenneth and the Lady Alysse, and that both your Ladies are hale and well, giving your Lordship excellent reason to remain in the city over winter and rejoice. But if it should please you, my brother would be able to make a visit to deliver Jonquil to the stables in the capital, that you might visit with him briefly. Though I fear I presume much by saying so, I believe it would do good for both your spirits to see each other. 

Thus ends my report, and so I give you my many prayers that the Almighty Fury ever have you and your Ladies in Her keeping, and also my many humble and sincere thanks for all you have done for me and mine and for the opportunity of serving you and the Institute faithfully and with pride. From your grateful servant Leonne Gardet. 

(( Thank you to everyone who participated in our first Green Leve, “Things That Squeak in the Night”!!

Following @sable-tree and @ser-rex‘s investigation, several friendly(?) meliae have moved in to Greenfeather. Whether they end up more of a boon or a burden, the workers are at least relieved that the mystery of the squeaking noise has been solved, and they may in time become attached to these knobbly-fingered neighbors.

      “'Tis our intention, of course, to continue operations at our experimental farms in Coerthas and Dravania. We will focus our efforts on the breeding of cold-resistant, quick-maturing staple crops, such as wheat, rye, and popotoes -- the last of which we've already bred some interesting new specimens.

      “Some of you may know that in recent moons, we have been laying foundations at a third location -- a station at Dragonspit in the western highlands where we shall test experimental greenhouses that exploit the natural heat of the springs there. This winter we will be making a push to complete building and open operations there.

      “While 'tis possible that we will revive the seasonal festival series at some point, mayhap in the spring or summer, we have no particular plans for publicity events at this time. We -would- like to revive the Growers' Conferences in late spring, but in order to do so, we may need your assistance finding interested presenters. . .

      “For at least the winter we'll be opening our Coerthan farm stand once a fortnight, at rotating locations. If any of you are -- or know -- a vendor who might like to sell wares alongside Faucheux's wagon, you're ever welcome to set up alongside. We're still weighing regular versus irregular bells for the stand's opening, so again, if you've any criticism, pray don't hesitate to forward it to us.

      “But all that is old business! There is one thing new that I have to announce.

      “We are considering now the implementation of a new program, using the profits of our first year. This program, which I am tentatively calling 'the Greening Coerthas Initiative', till a more original name is suggested to me, shall aim to spread the assistance of the Institute to small farms across Coerthas and beyond.

      “Our plan is to match sponsors who have gil -- free companies, houses, independent merchants or adventurers -- with small farmers in need of aid. In addition to providing free seeds and discounted equipment, the Institute will match donations made by the partner to help these farms reopen. In addition, the Institute will pay farmers a minimum price to buy the produce grown from our experimental seeds, if a better price cannot be had on the market.

(( The second opening of our traveling Coerthan farm stand will be on Sunday, February 3, from 2-4pm EST, at Saint Valeroyant’s Forum in Foundation!

This event series is just a small and casual one; I’ll be there on Valroit Faucheux for two hours of pop-up RP, selling various goodies (payment IC only, no real gil needed). But vendors of all stripes are always welcome to set up their own stalls alongside! You don’t need to contact us beforehand -- you’re welcome to just show up and hawk your wares.

We’re still feeling out whether we want this to be a regularly or irregularly recurring event; apologies for the inconvenience of the varying starting time! For word of when and where the next event will be, please follow this Tumblr, @greening-coerthas or join the Greening Coerthas Discord!

Though of humanitarian purpose, the Institute is not run without profit.2 The Ledignes comprise the Board -- Gwenneth, the Chairwoman, and Rosaire, the Secretary -- and hold a majority of the company's shares. Other shares were purchased by early supporters of the Institute, and all its workers receive a few. In years when the Institute's farms turn a profit, shareholders receive dividends, and at times they are called upon to vote on major decisions. While the Ledignes have the power to overrule these votes, they prefer to act in line with the majority's wishes. 

Besides the small profits from the farms, the Institute is supported by a variety of benefactors from across Eorzea. A majority are Ishgardian, with subordinate highborn houses of all four High Houses represented; House Pepin under Dzemael is closely partnered to the Institute, and key early support came from House Dufresne under Durendaire and House Farendaire under Fortemps. Some support has also come from the growing Ishgardian middle class, and a number of individuals and companies from southron Eorzea have also backed the Institute, either out of sympathy for its cause or as an investment in its agricultural research.

The Farms

The Institute runs its experiments on two small farms. The first, in the Coerthas central lowlands, is the Faucheux family farm, located on land owned by House Dzemael and farmed by the lowborn family Faucheux for three generations. The second, on the border of the Coerthas western highlands and the Chocobo Forest in Dravania, is Greenfeather Farm, built by the Institute in its first year of operation. 

The Faucheux family farm remains in the dominion of House Dzemael, which has granted the Institute permission to operate there with the cooperation of the Faucheux and Vanneur families. Guillain Faucheux, who at four-and-thirty is the eldest son of widow Isbette, continues to head operations here, receiving instructions from the Institute, which in turn listens to his family's advice and experience. 

Permission to build Greenfeather was obtained from the Holy See in the Institute's first year -- though land ownership in the Dravanian forelands is sometimes a bit murky. This brand-new settlement, a short distance from Camp Tailfeather, is less developed than the old Faucheux farm, but the Institute's first-year push saw several buildings erected and fields ploughed. Appointed by the Secretary to oversee operations here is Leonne Gardet, the daughter of a chocobo rancher in the lowlands who sometimes goes by her maiden name of Aubeheraut, though at a relatively youthful one-and-thirty, she considers herself more of a community representative, taking advice from the diverse workers who have come out to farm the frontier.

At the time of this writing, a third site is under construction: an operation at Dragonspit, taking advantage of the local hot springs to test an experimental geothermal greenhouse design. This project is overseen by engineer Z'dehco Tia, lent to the Institute by the now-Ul'dah-based Bellworks Manufacturing company.3 With luck, the first greenhouse will be operational in the spring.

The Workers

The Institute preferentially recruits its agricultural laborers from Ishgard's Brume, especially families that once farmed Coerthas but were driven into the city by the Calamity. The ranks of its workers are relatively few and it grows them slowly, to ensure their wages can remain high. On the farms the workers sleep in bunkhouses and are shipped bread, cheese, and beer in addition to what can be grown in the kitchen gardens; overwinter, the Institute rents a dormitory for any workers who elect to return to the city.

While day-to-day operations are overseen by the more experienced farmers, consulting botanists, both from Ishgard and the Gridanian Botanists' Guild, are periodically hired to make evaluations and steer the Institute's programs. While the lack of an in-house master botanist sometimes causes difficulty -- and the Institute would prefer to retain one, if the perfect candidate could be found -- the wide variety of perspectives brought by the independent botanists in the Institute's first year have provided their own benefits. 

The security of the Coerthan farm is mainly provided by knights under House Dzemael, while Greenfeather has agreements with the Convictory and the chocobo hunters of Tailfeather; the latter being on the frontier and therefore more exposed, the Institute sometimes supplements its defense with mercenaries. And masons, porters, carpenters, and miscellaneous laborers are typically hired as-needed or sometimes lent to the Institute by one of its highborn Ishgardian supporters. 

Finally, a small permanent staff is maintained in Ishgard, currently operating out of a temporary office rented in Foundation. Here, Ross Gavelock acts as a deputy secretary, overseeing the mailbox and day-to-day affairs, publishing the Greening Gazette, and generally acting as manager, especially during the Ledignes' family leave. Most communications with the Institute initially go through him, and it is to him that visitors to the Ishgardian offices are most likely to speak. 

The Projects

Most of the projects the Institute runs are oriented towards its main goal of supporting staple agriculture in Coerthas and Dravania. It invests heavily in trialing and breeding strains of crops such as rye, wheat, popotoes, and legumes, and to a lesser extent, the vegetables common in Coerthan kitchens, such as cabbages, beets, and parsnips. 

In addition, it tests new methods of cold-weather growing, including sunken greenhouses designs and mound culture. It has also done some investigation into more exotic techniques, such as shocking seeds with aether; the focus, however, is on developing methods that ordinary farmers could implement easily and at low cost -- or at least low cost after subsidies -- so the most advanced and expensive techniques involving magitek and crystals it leaves to other organizations. 

Most of its projects are horticultural, but the possibility has been raised of adding a few small livestock-breeding projects to the roster and perhaps its own chocobo stable at Greenfeather. 

And new in this turn of the heavens, the Institute is launching a new "Greening Coerthas Initiative", partnering displaced agricultural families with sponsors and providing equipment and seeds to relaunch their farms. 

(( 1 Though I use a timeline where 2017 = the 10th year 7UE = the 5th year 7AE, everyone resolves the Final Fantasy XIV time bubble differently. If it works better for you, the Institute was founded "a bit more than one year ago" at the time of this post's writing. 

2 I think under present-day American law it'd be most similar to an L3C, but I also imagine that corporate law is not as elaborate in Eorzea than it is in the real world today and that regulations are not so stringent. 

(( This year we’re running a new recurring mini-event: a traveling Coerthan farm stand! Our first opening will be on Sunday, January 20, from 6-8pm EST, at the campfire in the Observatorium on the Balmung World.

At the moment, this is just a small pop-up event: Valroit Faucheux will be there selling seasonal produce from the Alpine Greening Institute’s experimental farms. (Payment is IC only; no real gil required!) But vendors of all stripes are welcomed and encouraged to set up stalls alongside! You don’t need to contact us beforehand -- just show up and hawk your wares. And if there’s interest, perhaps we can work together to put on a regular market day!

But for now, we’re still feeling out whether Sunday at 6 is going to be the regular time for this event. For the latest word, please keep an eye on this Tumblr or join the Greening Coerthas Discord.