yaoifunboi (yaoifunboi) wrote in little_details,
yaoifunboi
yaoifunboi
little_details

What crops would medieval Germans grow in a tropical rainforest climate?

I've had a plot bunny involving the interactions between two civilizations, one resembling the Holy Roman Empire, and one resembling the Khmer Empire. However, in the real world, the two civilizations never came into contact because they were too geographically separated. Therefore, in my fantasy world I'm moving the Germans to about where Thailand is IRL. This of course puts the Holy Roman Empire in a much hotter and wetter climate, necessitating further alterations, especially in the matter of crops. Some Googleing turned up an article on the effects of climate change in modern day Germany. This article suggested that wheat is not particularly heat tolerant, and would need to be replaced with millet or corn. However, this article also said that northern Germany would become much drier, with the land of Brandenburg eventually becoming a savanna. I would think that in a hot and wet rather than hot and dry climate rice would become the crop of choice. Growing corn is out of the question because my pseudo-Germans have no contact with my world's America-counterpart.

Since my Googleing also suggests that beer could be made from rice, and I know that rice bread is possible, I think it would be my pseudo-German's crop of choice.

Can someone with more knowledge of farming then I have offer any additions or corrections?
Tags: ~agriculture, ~worldbuilding
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