[expand] The plan for worst-case scenarios—fire destroying dwelling, illness striking during storm, supplies running out—required advance consideration before crisis prevented rational response. The designated emergency shelter where family could…
[expand] The conflict resolution that addressed tensions before winter confinement forced enemies into close proximity was practical peacekeeping. The feuds that might be tolerable during summer when parties could…
[expand] The winter garments that provided warmth required advance preparation during seasons when materials were available. The wool that was sheared in spring had to be processed—cleaned, carded, spun…
[expand] The winterizing that sealed dwellings against drafts and moisture involved multiple tasks that had to be completed before severe weather arrived. The chinking that filled gaps between logs…
[expand] The firewood that would heat dwellings and cook food through winter represented enormous labor investment. The cutting of dead standing trees or fallen wood, the splitting of logs…
[expand] The grain harvest that occurred in late summer had to be processed and stored securely for winter consumption. The threshing that separated grain from chaff, the winnowing that…
The winter that descended on mountain communities was not inconvenience but existential threat requiring months of advance preparation. The households that failed to accumulate adequate food stores, that didn’t gather…
