Pavel’s food supply isn’t infinite. He economizes it as much as possible and tries to find some more food by hunting and fishery. He needs meat and fish for essential calories and protein to maintain body functions.
Food reserves that Pavel has taken in the past are based on the archeological data that tell us about medieval ration of big market cities. There are lots of food debris here, that are examined by archeologists.
Probably, the diet in rural areas would differ, but we don’t have enough information about it.
Let’s see how Pavel solves his problems with scarce food. He has become very frugal. He used to feed his goats with rotten salted fish. Now he examines it carefully and cook soup from this fish. He hasn’t suceeded in fishery because of the weather and lack of experience. It is thawing, so Pavel can’t use ice fishing. He has failed to install his nets, so it seems that there would be no fish for him for a long time.
Pavel is not successful in hunting as well. Small game, hares and squirrels, doesn’t want to fall into Pavel’s snares. In my opinion, there are two reasons: inefficient setting of traps and urbanization of the surrounding areas.
So far Pavel has caught several small birds with a basket. This method is old as hills, probably it dates back to Neolith. The lure is bad grain, it is placed under an inverted basket, that is elevated above the ground with a peg. A cord is fastened to the peg. When a bird begins to eat the grain, one pulls out the peg. This method doesn’t require any special skills, and provides 2-3 tomtits or sparrows a day. The size of a tomtit is less then quail’s, but it’s enough for hermit’s soup.
By the way, Pavel doesn’t slaughter his cattle and poultry at all. I can’t say why. Only three months left, so he can easily slaughter one hen a week to provide himself a nourishing pottage and meat. The only explanation — Pavel is getting used to being a medieval farmer. And in Middle Ages it was quite profitable to keep hens as a source of eggs and chicks.
And the goats have become Pavel’s pets and companions, so, I’m sure, they will survive in this project. But only if they don’t scatter Pavel’s pots.
