Grand Harvester

They are arguably the most important people in our world.

-reporter, on the Grand Harvesters

The first concern of every society is the issue of feeding its citizens. Without food, people starve and die. But in between starvation and death is war, chaos, and bloodshed. When people can eat, they turn their thoughts to innovation, wholesome recreation, and societal change, making life better and better. So the foundation of every civilization is really food (and when has it not been?). When it comes to meeting the dietary needs of both humans and dragons, that concern can become a bit of a panic at times. After all, dragons require much more food every day, and it's hard to sustain that.
That's where the agricultural fields come in.
Plants grow extraordinarily well in the sky. They already grow around three times faster than plants on the ground, with special powders designed to stimulate their growth even further. Unfortunately, those powders don't work as well on agricultural crops, making them susceptible to insects, bacteria, and parasites. So, in the sky, plants are carefully monitored, given special (but organic) fertilizers, and tended by numerous farmers and scientists. In order to grow enough food, many crops are often double or even triple cropped, which means that there will be two or even three harvests a year. This is especially compatible with the mild climate changes of the sky.

History

In the first years after the Ashes War, the sky had to completely rebuild itself. It was then that people began to realize that without a quick construction of a sustainable agricultural system, the sky could very well implode on itself due to starvation and even more fighting. At the same time, farmers were scared of the new vision for the sky: a world where a very small percentage of the population had to be farmers, and the rest could take on other jobs. Before, everyone had at least a large garden in their backyard. A fine vision, except for the worry that anyone in the agricultural industry would be crushed between hard work but little profit.
That was when eight individuals stepped in: the forerunners of scientists, economists, and farmers to come. Although the first half century remained extremely difficult, they worked hard to cultivate fast-growing crops, efficient tools, and farming techniques that would be just enough to feed the population of the sky.
As time went on, they helped to create a system where farmers could grow healthy crops fast enough to feed people according to their needs, as well as stabilize the balance between large agricultural businesses and small, family-own farms. And (especially in the case of animal domestication), they introduced guidelines to ethical practices.
Over time, the eight became known as the Grand Harvesters of the sky, and to this day, there are still eight Harvesters carrying on their duties and adding to them as they see fit. When a Harvester turns 70, they take on an apprentice Harvester for 10 years, until their 80th birthday, where the new Harvester takes on their former duties.

Duties of the Grand Harvesters:

 - Stabilizing the agricultural economy - which usually means checking on weather for complications, looking for good small businesses to support, and maintaining the careful balance between big corporations and small, family-owned businesses, because both have their benefits and drawbacks.

- Ensuring that skywide agriculture is sustainable, which means checking up on:

• Crop rotation: switching crops out every few years, because clouds do have nutrients and it's important not to suck them dry


• Proper fertilizers: for the most part, the sky is all-organic, but isolated chemicals do exist and are harmful, as well as improper fertilizers that can weaken the crops rather than strengthen them.


• Intercropping: cultivating two crops together; often done with grains and legumes and different horticulture crops intermixed


• Humane animal treatment: because no one wants to drink a milkshake that supports awful treatment of animals

- Representing agricultural, aquacultural, and dairy industry workers during the biannual governmental congresses. Sometimes work gets hard for the workers, and it's important to see that their hard work pays off.
 - Overseeing scientific excursions into the future of agricultural expansion. Everyone's all for using seeds of fast-growing plants, but making crops that require too much water can be not so great. The balance of water in the sky is pretty important. Seed banks and urban agriculture are also projects that agricultural scientists work on, and it's a good idea to have a Harvester check in now and again.

 - Making really good food in general; Harvesters are known to be pretty darn good chefs. If one invites you over for dinner, do not turn the invitation down.

I never expected the offer to become a Harvester's apprentice, but I was excited to take the opportunity. I love food, and I love seeing the smiles on people's faces when I enter a room. They know I'm here to help.

That's such a beautiful thing, don't you think? People, being happy when you arrive? I think it's my favorite part about being a Harvester.

-Grand Harvester

Common Skydweller Crops

Cereal Grains

While scientists are still working on domesticating the wild crops of the sky, some of the seeds brought up from the ground remain the most common cereal crops, including wheat, corn, rye, oats, barley, sorghum, and some of the millets. Huge, terraced rice paddies are also a common sight on sloped clouds. In fact, rice is a staple food for over 55% of the Skydweller population (including dragons).

Horticulture, Groves, and Orchards

The large variety of fruits, nuts, and vegetables grown in the are perfect as both raw snacks and as ingredients for more complicated dishes. Not only that, but the fields and orchards where these foods are grown are also the perfect harvesting grounds for spices. Oh, and you can't forget the cocoa groves! So many classic Skydweller dishes would find themselves empty or flavorless without these industries.

Hydroponics & Floating Islands

Much of Skydweller agriculture already resembles hydroponics, but that doesn't stop farmers from putting a floating island of crops or two in nearby lakes. This tactic has been met with limited success, largely because wildlife get to the crops before the harvesters do. Hydroponics technology has helped expand regular agriculture, though.

FIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISH (and dairy)

The primary meat that people in the sky eat is fish. From smaller, standard trout to even humongous sturgeons, fish is a staple to so many dragons and quite a few humans, as well. As such, fish nurseries and aquacultural farms are quite common. Keeping with the theme of animals in agriculture, dairy farms are super important in providing the Cities with cheese, milk, yogurt, and of course, milkshakes and other treats.

Uniform

Grand Harvesters are recognized everywhere they go by two key components of their uniform: first, a sash stitched with their mark - a blooming plant cupped by two hands. Second, they are required to wear a crownlike wreath to formal occasions.

Crowns, really? I swear, the council did it just to spite me. I mean, I only released frogs in their meeting room once!

-disgruntled Harvester