Sally nodded.“I did, and he really likes the idea.He’s going to help me clear a large section of land this weekend.”
“And you’re thinking of raising pigs?”Maggie asked.
“I am!I think it would fit nicely into our little operation, don’t you?”
“I do!But I think those profits should be kept just for you, as we’ve evenly divided our tasks already.”
“You’re probably right.I think I’d feel bad if I didn’t share though.”
“Share the meat with us when you butcher then.But if you sell anything to the store, keep that money.The bacon at the store is so pricey that I hate spending that much.Perhaps you can help mitigate that cost for us.”
Sally smiled.“And if you have anything starting to go bad or table scraps, I could feed them to the pigs.I probably wouldn’t butcher any the first year, but I’ll order a book on the best way to take care of them.I have a basic idea because my father was a pig farmer.”
“I didn’t know that!How old were you when he died?”
“Twelve,” Sally said.“My mother was never the same after he died.”
Maggie knocked once on Belle’s door and then went inside.“Sally’s going to take us up on our business idea, but she’s going to add more if Mr.Harlan agrees.”
“What more?”Belle asked, looking up from little Bertie, whom she was nursing.
“I want to raise pigs,” Sally said.“My father was a pig farmer, and I just got some great advice about raising them from Katie.Wouldn’t it be nice to have bacon more often?”
Belle grinned.“Bacon sounds wonderful.But you can’t share those profits with us.It wouldn’t be fair.”
“That’s what I told her,” Maggie said.“But I did say we would love a share of the meat.”
“As would we,” Belle said.“We’ll find a way to even everything up.”
“Who’s watching the baby today?”Sally asked.“I can’t work unless it’s fishing.We will be clearing the land this weekend.”
Maggie and Belle exchanged a look.“We’ll all come clear your land.It’s too big of a job for only two people.I have a basket the baby sleeps in when we’re out.”
“Wonderful!”Sally said.“I’ll plan to feed everyone for helping.”
“I will always take an excuse not to cook!”Belle said.“Let me give you some of our venison.A big pot of venison stew would easily feed all of us.”
“That sounds good.So, do you want me to take care of the baby today, or should I fish?”Sally had always enjoyed the quiet involved with fishing.She’d find a quiet spot and catch whatever came along.If she could keep the fish heads, they would be good for the pigs later.Perhaps Belle would allow her to use a corner of the cold house.
Maggie frowned for a moment.“The baby is fussy today, so Belle wants to stay with him.Why don’t I show you the good foraging spots?I’m not sure we’ll find anything good this early in the season, but at least you’ll know where to go when you want to do some foraging yourself.I’ve found some Eskimo potatoes and green onions already...and some lingonberries left over from last year.They are rather tart, but we can make them into jam.”
“Sounds like a plan.Do we not want me to fish as part of our little business venture?”
“I hate fish,” Belle said, wrinkling her nose.“I will only eat it if there’s nothing else around.If you want to fish for yourself, I would recommend doing it in the mornings or on the weekends with your husband.”
“The fish will be great mixed with corn for the pigs.If Tom agrees with getting them, of course.I’m getting ahead of myself.”
Maggie smiled, squeezing Sally’s hand.“That’s what we love most about you.”
“I have some bread and some eggs.I’ll make egg sandwiches before you go.Remember, I get some of the forage!”Belle said.
After lunch, Maggie and Sally went to a meadow, and Maggie showed Sally what Eskimo potatoes looked like.“You’ve had some now, right?”
Sally nodded.“I prefer russet or red potatoes, but from what I read they don’t grow well here, so I’m going to grow early rose and Irish cobbler potatoes.I don’t know if I like them, but I bought seeds, and we’re all going to try them.I’ll grow a variety of things for us all.I can’t wait to put my garden in!”
“I’m excited to have more foods available.I grow tired of the things we can forage, but we don’t go hungry.”
They passed the afternoon foraging.Sally soaked up all the information her friend had gleaned in her eight months in Alaska.The sun was still high in the sky when Maggie called a halt and said it was time to go home.
