“You could sew shirts.The men are always looking for flannel shirts.You could make scarves and hats and gloves.What do you enjoy doing?”
“I really enjoy the fish, believe it or not,” she said.“But according to Katie, the salmon disappear in the winter.”
“That’s true.You could bake gingerbread cakes every day.”
Agnes smiled.“You just say that because you want more gingerbread cakes for yourself!”
He grinned.“You know me.”
“I do.I’ll keep thinking on it.I’ve canned a lot of the berries I got this summer, and I could do pies as well.I just think we’re going to be making too many sweets if that’s what we all do.”
He laughed.“The men fight for early lunches so they can be first in line at the store to get bread and sweets.I think all of you could bake daily, and there would still be men not getting what they want.”He shook his head.“I think if you do something you enjoy, you will be profitable.It’s that simple.”
“The others are talking about sewing quilts together in the afternoons.”
“That will make money as well.The cold here seeps into your bones at night, and the blankets the store gets in are highly sought after.”
Agnes nodded.“I’ll keep thinking on it.There’s so much I want to do.”
“Alternate what you do every day then,” he said reasonably.“Mondays you bake gingerbread cakes.Tuesdays you quilt.Wednesdays you make scarves.Or however you want to do it.”
“That’s not a bad plan!I’ll make myself a schedule I can follow.”
“Keep in mind that bread will make the men happy as well.They don’t need fancy desserts.”
“All right.We’ll see what I come up with.Did you look in on the goats when you got home?”she asked.
He shook his head.“You hadn’t mentioned them, so I wasn’t sure if they arrived today.Are you happy with them?”
She nodded.“All of the females are expecting and giving milk, which thrills me.I’ll be able to start making cheese soon, and I can take milk to all of the families we share with starting tomorrow.”
“Don’t overdo it,” Jasper cautioned.“I don’t want to have to worry about you because you’re working yourself too hard.”
“I won’t.I’m just excited that the goats are finally here.”
“We already have some hay drying.Hopefully, it will be ready to use before we get more rain,” he said.
“That would be good.I don’t think I ever realized just how much a farmer’s livelihood depended on the weather.”
“It does.So, watch for rain.”
“I will.When do you think our cold house will be ready?”she asked.
“I think a couple more weekends, and it will be done.I’m glad the salmon doesn’t need to be stored in there.”
“Me too!”she replied.“I would have had to wait until the cold house was done then, and I don’t think that would be a good idea.”
He covered her hand with his.“Thank you for working so hard.But don’t forget to take care of my wife in the process.”
“I won’t!”Agnes was surprised how many times he warned her to be careful every day.“Belle said someone named Aaron was off to get his bride from Skagway.Do you know who his bride is?”
He shook his head.“He just said he hopes his wife is willing to work half as hard as the rest of you.”
“I’m glad he’s open-minded about his wife working.I know we all work hard, but the way we’re doing things, we can specialize and become good at things.I couldn’t grow a garden like Sally, or hunt as well as Belle.But I can raise goats and fish.Why shouldn’t I do more of what I’m good at in exchange for what they excel at?”
“I think it makes good sense.And I think it’s good when you sell your surplus to the store.You ladies are making our town better.”He pushed his plate away.“Have the goats been milked this evening?”
She shook her head.“Not yet.I was planning to do that after supper.”
