D&D General Fantasy Farming

[Zardnaar]

For most of history the population was capped by how much food people could grow. We've seen the explosion of population over the last century or so because of fertilizers and the industrialization of farming. Which is why in my campaign world I have relatively little farm land (in historical terms) to support the population while also limiting population growth.

Well potatoes caused a pop explosion.

Can't remember what they called it starts with M. They were concerned they couldn't feed them in 18th century iirc

 

[Ancalagon]

Where is information on Deep Dragons located?

Fizban's Treasury of Dragons, pg. 174

 

[Ancalagon]

One thing often forgotten that magic just growing more food alone is not enough to vastly increase population sizes. That food also needs to be transported which is also a big problem unless you live at a river and stored to not spoil.

Just saying magic grows more food means that the village sits on a big pile of food which they can't transport to the city in significant quantities and having it rot in a short time.

You could have a system where instead of having farms and villages are spread out everywhere only the immediate vicinity of a city is farmed from where you can reasonable transport food and also by having fewer farms you need less spellcasters which do not need to travel. Thus they can stay close and with plant growth might be able to have one harvest per week or two weeks.

Grains keep and ship well. The romans, using no magic whatsoever, kept Rome supplied in grain, feeding a 1 million population.

 

[Ancalagon]

I can't see to many Druids wanting to cast plant growth.

If anything they would want farms to fail imho. They're hugely destructive to the natural environment, wetlands, wildlife and water supplies.

It's the old people think magics common enough spellcasters are available to duplicate industry irl.

Druid would be more likely to cast call lightning on the farmers and use plant growth on new trees or whatever imho.

Using plant growth to feed people just delays when more land needs to be cleared to feed the extra population that using plant growth would entail.

This is a good point - but priests of a deity of agriculture or fertility totally would cast plant growth. It would give this religion very significant power.

 

[Zardnaar]

This is a good point - but priests of a deity of agriculture or fertility totally would cast plant growth. It would give this religion very significant power.

They might but nature domain for example is a poor fit imho for such a deity.

A faem/agriculture domain would likely have the spell.

 

[Baron Opal II]

If you cast Plant Growth spell over 8 hours, you enrich the land. All plants in a half-mile radius centered on a point within range become enriched for 1 year. and yield twice the normal amount of food when harvested.

A circular area of half mile radius would be about 500+ acres. 30 acres (a virgate) is the area one person can plow in a season with a two oxen team. This would enhance 17-20 virgates. One acre to feed one person for a year. 600 acres to feed and provide sufficient wealth to support one knight and horse. The local baron might control 1000 - 2000 acres. Make friends with your local 5th level druid and have them stay a week. Gifts, maybe a keg of wine or mead wouldn't hurt.

This is, of course, off the cuff and looking at a nearly 1000 year spread of time in Europe. But, it's a starting place.

 

[David Howery]

I'd think it would come down to 'would it be all that necessary for magic to be used in agriculture?" I'm no expert, but I always had the idea that medieval farming, inefficient as it was compared to modern farming, generally got the job done, as in, they usually grew enough to feed most of the people most of the time. If that's true, then I'd think that no one would generally bother to combine magic with agriculture, the usual human trait of 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it." OTOH, if I'm wrong, and most of the people in medieval times were on the edge of starvation all the time, then yes, a magical world would definitely be looking at magical ways to fix the problem...

 

[Baron Opal II]

I'd think it would come down to 'would it be all that necessary for magic to be used in agriculture?"

Nope, not at all.

But, this one kingdom over here might have the resources to do so, and it can be interesting to see the consequences.

 

[David Howery]

Nope, not at all.

But, this one kingdom over here might have the resources to do so, and it can be interesting to see the consequences.

or maybe this one kingdom isn't so blessed with arable land or abundant water, and turns to magic to feed everyone? That could be a case where, 'yes, it's necessary'....

 

[Zardnaar]

I'd think it would come down to 'would it be all that necessary for magic to be used in agriculture?" I'm no expert, but I always had the idea that medieval farming, inefficient as it was compared to modern farming, generally got the job done, as in, they usually grew enough to feed most of the people most of the time. If that's true, then I'd think that no one would generally bother to combine magic with agriculture, the usual human trait of 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it." OTOH, if I'm wrong, and most of the people in medieval times were on the edge of starvation all the time, then yes, a magical world would definitely be looking at magical ways to fix the problem...

I think the people near starving is a myth. 4000 calories a day.

But wasn't a balanced diet and a bad season away from things looking grim.

Also depending on where you are. Southern France being a bit nicer than say farming the PLC.