Starting from Robinson Crusoe-Chapter 80 - 29: Excavation

Chen Zhou thrust the crowbar into the ground, untied the rope wrapped around the toolbox, and tethered the mother goat to it.

He went down the slope to gather a few handfuls of grass, intending to feed the mother goat and build a rapport.

Taming, after all, is a step-by-step process.

Over time, it will naturally let down its guard and become close to people.

However, Lai Fu hadn't had enough of playing, constantly teasing the lamb beside it. This kept the mother goat unsettled, occasionally lowering its head as if to attack Chen Zhou, ignoring the food offered to its mouth.

Knowing Lai Fu's stubborn nature, how it brightens up with a little sunshine, Chen Zhou had to feign anger to scold it.

Lai Fu was mischievous with other animals but always loyal to its master.

Though at times it wasn't docile or obedient, it knew how to read expressions and tones. As long as it sensed anger or impatience from its master, it could immediately change its demeanor, never giving anyone the chance to strike it.

Putting away its playful look and shutting its mouth, Lai Fu wiggled its butt, dutifully walking to the entrance to sit properly, as if nothing had happened earlier.

Dusk was approaching.

Transporting tools had nearly exhausted Chen Zhou, and there was no light source in the cave.

His remaining strength didn't allow him to continue working, and he was already very tired, now just wanting to get a good sleep.

Taking out the last small piece of bread, Chen Zhou squatted next to the mother goat, chewing bit by bit, planning to replenish his stamina before heading down the mountain.

The lamb beside him was also feeding, its loud sucking sounds accompanied by a faint mutton smell, causing him to turn his head.

"A single lamb can't consume that much milk, and incidentally, I'm a bit thirsty."

Thinking that, Chen Zhou reached out to squeeze out some milk.

Milk from grass-eating goats was extraordinarily thick, spreading on the bread without soaking through, its color a faint creamy yellow, exuding a slight fragrance.

But eating the goat milk bread was far from as delightful as it looked. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

The taste of uncooked goat milk was quite strong and not much to Chen Zhou's liking.

However, the mutton taste mixed with the bread's wheat and milk aroma was tolerable, at least better than salty cheese.

"Tomorrow, I should bring up some firewood and the big iron pot, and take a few containers with some sugar.

Drinking a bowl of hot, sugared goat milk each morning sounds comforting just thinking about it..."

Squeezing the goat milk, Chen Zhou dreamt of becoming a happy ranch owner with a large flock, not noticing the lamb under the mother goat's belly was already dissatisfied with his actions.

With a small head, it nudged Chen Zhou's hand, trying to make him move away from its mom, but Chen Zhou mistook it for play and shoved it aside, making the lamb even angrier.

Baa~

It let out a call of attack, butting into Chen Zhou's palm, only to be pinned down to the ground, unable to escape the grip, its only option was to continue protesting through bleating.

"Little one, you've got quite the temper for your size."

Laughing, Chen Zhou flicked the lamb on the head and finished the last piece of bread.

Before leaving the cave, he tossed a pile of grass on the ground, afraid the "little treasure" they'd caught wouldn't go hungry, only then bringing Lai Fu back to the camp.

He fed the gray kitten and Lai Fu, as usual carving the day's date on the surface of the wooden pineapple.

Before sleeping, he carefully planned in his mind the supplies he needed to carry up the mountain the next day.

Too tired to work on the pedal grinder, Chen Zhou closed his eyes, awaiting tomorrow.

October 30th, he got up methodically, fed the cat and dog, had breakfast,

and when he pulled leaves for wiping after toilet use, his sun-kissed forehead reminded him to prepare for farming.

According to the habits of his hometown, composting typically occurs in autumn and winter.

Manure from pigsties, toilets, cowsheds, and goat pens, along with organic waste like rotten crop stalks, is piled on the fields to ferment slowly, ready for use when plowing land the following spring.

These phosphorus and potassium-rich materials must be fermented before use. Burying them straight into the ground not only generates a foul smell but also burns plant roots, leading to plant death.

In northern rural areas, the entire composting process lasts three to four months or even longer.

After all, the cold winter temperatures slow the fermentation process.

Under normal conditions, it takes over two months for organic matter to break down, but in the warm subtropical climate of the island, the decomposition might be faster.

With November approaching, if he started collecting manure and dead fish and shrimp for composting now, it would surely decompose in over a month.

Chen Zhou calculated that if all went smoothly, the Shelter should be built by January.

Freed up time would be perfect for reclaiming land, fertilizing, and planting rice and wheat.

If there's plenty of fertilizer, more land can be cultivated. He could also transplant some wild sugarcane and melons from Fruit Tree Valley, enriching the diet.

By mid-February, the rainy season would begin, and the crops should have grown into sturdy seedlings.

With the rain irrigating, as long as drainage is managed to prevent waterlogging, and the weeds and crop-raiding animals are kept in check, he's sure of harvesting the first crop of grain.

To facilitate composting, Chen Zhou thought he should build a toilet in advance or simply dig a pit for manure.

After leaving the boat to live on the island, his physiological needs were mostly taken care of in the woods far from the camp, resulting in dozens of "mines" being buried to date.

As a modern person, Chen Zhou often felt uneasy about such indiscriminate urination and defecation.

Even Lai Fu had a fixed area for pooping, making Chen Zhou seem worse than an animal with his erratic habits.