Pulses? Superfluous?

[Greywolf]

So yeah wondering are pulses worthwhile? Far as I can see they are just another type of food and as far as I am aware the tribe does not benefit from different food sources. Far as I can see they just take up valuable farming space that could be used for more valuable wheat crops?

[Nakia]

They ripen at different season from grain so are handy if you run short of food. The in-game help says to grow a variety of crops because disease can strike a crop. I don\t think you need a lot if you have other food. Growing grain is important if you have animals because you need the straw. Also need the straw for building.

[angryperson]

I don't use pulses or trees. Grain lasts so much longer anyway. I just stockpile enough to last a long time and grow a variety of grains.

[Nakia]

Grains were probably the first domesticated crop and it was healthy Once they learned to grain it down and make flat bread.

[Aieonae]

They are "Supplements".
An off season supplement to reduce dependency on grain itself.

[1984]

I really like pulses because they get planted in the winter and harvested in summer which is between the grain planting/harvesting season. This means your workload doesn't spike to 150% but only to 100% :D

[angryperson]

Originally posted by Vrtni kuščar:

I really like pulses because they get planted in the winter and harvested in summer which is between the grain planting/harvesting season. This means your workload doesn't spike to 150% but only to 100% :D

You end up working less with just grains. While your guys are sowing and harvesting in winter and summer, mine only walk a few steps to the granary to grab some grain and a few steps to cook it up, anytime they want, year round. Plus it frees up 2 entire seasons each year for me to hunt or start up building projects without ever being worried about food for my people or animals. Plus, all the straw allows you to have more animals, and with set limits and auto-slaughter, I constantly have an abundance of meat and bread. And lastly, whatever pulses you don't eat will expire at the end of the next season, whereas grain lasts 2 years.

I really did try with pulses when I first started but it's just not worth it. If you ever need to supplement, you can gather berries and fish.

[Aieonae]

Originally posted by angryperson:

You end up working less with just grains. While your guys are sowing and harvesting in winter and summer, mine only walk a few steps to the granary to grab some grain and a few steps to cook it up, anytime they want, year round. Plus it frees up 2 entire seasons each year for me to hunt or start up building projects without ever being worried about food for my people or animals. Plus, all the straw allows you to have more animals, and with set limits and auto-slaughter, I constantly have an abundance of meat and bread. And lastly, whatever pulses you don't eat will expire at the end of the next season, whereas grain lasts 2 years.

I really did try with pulses when I first started but it's just not worth it. If you ever need to supplement, you can gather berries and fish.

I think we are looking at a lower population point at around between 50 to 80 when we farm pulses for food compare to those above 100s which no longer matter given the size of the workforce where only the placement of the field matters.

As for fish and berries are worse of than rearing animals for food, for fish sources are limited linear stretch of fishing front, while berries and wild grain might be good for early desperation will beat the farming cycle off the charts as folks just cannot help but get distracted and run almost everywhere wasting travel time accomplishing little in exchange.

I understand you probably hit snag whilst the post grain harvest is great chance for building/rebuilding but pulse farming just interfere with building efforts.

But as supplement they are usually smaller than grain fields they are certainly valid supplement and more than welcome if a grain plague hits hard during those low pop days.

[Magna Kaizer]

Have to disagree on pulse vs grains pulses get better at high pops because of high turnover on food and since the ai eats the oldest foods first you get to keep that long lasting grain to turn into beer or use as emergency animal fodder.

[angryperson]

Originally posted by Magna Kaizer:

Have to disagree on pulse vs grains pulses get better at high pops because of high turnover on food and since the ai eats the oldest foods first you get to keep that long lasting grain to turn into beer or use as emergency animal fodder.

But if you simply get enough grain, you don't have to worry about juggling grains and pulses. Plus you don't have to worry about running out of animal food because you produce tons of straw. On my last scenario I had 150+ population and I was constantly trading excess straw and grain for iron ore just to get rid of it because I constantly had around 300 of each.

[Marstil]

I have a lower population, about 75, and grow about 1/4 pulses. They never go bad, and I like splitting the workload to different seasons. I will try changing to all grains and see if that helps because I often run low on straw.

[Aieonae]

Originally posted by Marstil:

I have a lower population, about 75, and grow about 1/4 pulses. They never go bad, and I like splitting the workload to different seasons. I will try changing to all grains and see if that helps because I often run low on straw.

I am in your shoes as well.

[Magna Kaizer]

But if you simply get enough grain, you don't have to worry about juggling grains and pulses. Plus you don't have to worry about running out of animal food because you produce tons of straw. On my last scenario I had 150+ population and I was constantly trading excess straw and grain for iron ore just to get rid of it because I constantly had around 300 of each. [/quote]
So I just checked and plot for plot grain yields more food. With average grain at a 2-1 and rye and emmer slightly higher with bonus yields.
That aside I will still use pulses as a food source if for no other reason than to give my idle townsfolk something to do in winter.
And if I continually overproduce grain id rather turn the plot into flax which has 5x the trade value before its turned into other goods

[fannyekdahl]

What I don't understand is why pulses even expire. One of the benefits of lentils and chickpeas etc is that they can be dried and kept shelf stable for ages.

[Rennoch]

the main advantage of having pules in your rotation is they free up grain during winter/summer for beer. i plant an orchard because they don't need sowing every season, but only nuts b/c they last as long as grains/pulses, whereas the fruits decay faster.

it may sound pointless, but when you start hitting 200+ population, having off season foods that save you grain really does help.

[angryperson]

Originally posted by rennoch:

the main advantage of having pules in your rotation is they free up grain during winter/summer for beer. i plant an orchard because they don't need sowing every season, but only nuts b/c they last as long as grains/pulses, whereas the fruits decay faster.

it may sound pointless, but when you start hitting 200+ population, having off season foods that save you grain really does help.

I guess that depends on your play style. Even with high pops I have excess meat and grain year 'round, even with a brewery running and 7 full stables.