Harvest Moon Generations

First Generation

Chapter 2: Welcome to The Farm

If anyone ever tells you that farming is easy, they're wrong. Selling all your belongings, though, that was easy. Well…easy enough, after I had gotten off the phone with MT Realtor she informed me that where I would be moving too would be fully furnished so all I needed was the down payment when I get there. So, after calling around and seeing who would buy my belongings for a reasonable price, I packed up my clothes in my backpack, called my boss and told him don't expect me to come in tomorrow because I quit, bought a boat ticket and was on my way to my new life.

It had taken a few days to get there, the captain and I had celebrated the new year together. It was very interesting. We arrived on the dock of Mineral Town early in the morning and the captain wished me luck in my new life. I stepped out onto the dock and walked onto the beach, looking out at the ocean I thought to myself, 'What have I done.' Tightening my hands around the strap of my backpack, I looked away started to cross the beach toward the stone steps. As I walked up to them they led to an open plaza and from the realtor told me that if I head south that I would hit the farm. As I'm walking down the brick road my thoughts are clouding my mind, 'Did I make the right choice? This wasn't really thought through. It'll be fine. But what if doesn't go fine? What If I mess up somehow and they kick me out of my own house? Can they do that? Breath, Claire, breath. Everything will be…. fine?' I had arrived at the farm.

Walking closer to the fields I look out at it. It was a dump. Well maybe a dump was too harsh, but it was just covered in weeds, logs, rocks, stumps and boulders. Just covering this huge field from one end to the other. I looked to the right and could see a small pond next to the field, and a tree next to it and further in the distance some sort of building, I'd have to check it out later. Behind me on my right was my house, tiny but still looked in good condition, with a cute mailbox next to it. To my left a dog house, a silo I believe, and a barn, all things I will need to learn about later. Then further down two smaller buildings, no clue what there for. As I turn back to the mess of the field I feel my chest tightening up and my mind is clouded.

"Hello." I hear a voice behind me and footsteps approaching, "Are you a tourist?" I look over to the voice to see an older gentleman about a head shorter then I was in a red tuxedo and a small top hat, balding on the top of his head but on the sides, was this brown hair that curled so nicely at the ends. He had small brown eyes and spectacles sitting on his slightly larger nose but it went well with his very fluffy mustache. After looking at him for a bit, I shook my head no and told him, "No, um, I bought this farm from MT Realtor." He looked back at me and then I saw in his eyes that a spark clicked, "They told you that you could live a refreshing life on a farm, didn't they? You're our new farmer?" I nodded my head my stomach twisting and turning. He then proceeded to start laughing, his face turning slightly red a big grin on his face, "You've been tricked!" My stomached dropped, I felt humiliated and angry. "It used to be a gorgeous farm, but not anymore since the owner passed away. As you can see, no one's been taking care of it." He motioned towards the fields, "His family didn't want to work on the farm so they decided to put out an advertisement to make it sound more attractive and inviting. Every now and then, people who have seen the ad come here, just like yourself." He smiled up at me, I just stared at him my fists slowly tightening. "But as soon as they see the farm, they get disappointed and leave. Just like that. It's been a while since the last one came through…well even a nice young lady, such as yourself, believed that cheesy advertisement." He started laughing again, I couldn't hold back anymore.

"I quit my job for this! I sold all my belongings! To move HERE!" I was pissed, tears threating to leave my eyes as I look at this small man, feeling my nails dig into my palms, I felt like punching him in the face after hearing all of that, "I didn't come here to be told that I was tricked by some old guy! What am I supposed to do now!?" I felt like my world was starting to crumble around me, only my luck would this happen.

He backed up looking scared and worried, hands up in defense "Hey now, it'll be okay." "Okay?! How is this going to be okay?!" I yelled at him my voice cracking as I'm trying to hold back tears. "You did come here to become a farmer; the field might be a mess but I believe that you could make it wonderful again. And the house is livable, and actually pretty nice." Looking at him he had a warm smile and hope in his eyes, "I'm sorry for laughing at you, I had no intention of hurting your feelings, we just haven't had anybody be serious about the farm for a long time." He stuck out his hand, "Let's try this again, hi, my name is Thomas and as mayor of this town, I will help you as much as I can!" he was grinning up at me like I wasn't having a mental breakdown in front of him but I took his hand and shook on it, "Claire, let's do this, I would like to work and live here."

He walked me to my new house and unlocked the door leading me in, ahead of me is a small table with cushions for seats, better than the one I had, a television behind it, to the right a calendar was on the wall in between two night stands, and a small but comfortable looking bed against the wall in the corner. To the left a bookshelf with, I hope, books on how to live here. To my right side a small chest, and to my left, a small dresser and everything had a nice layer of dust on it, gross. He was rummaging around in the chest and took out a piece of paper that was starting to turn yellow, it was the deed to the farm, he had me sign my name, date of birth, and what I wanted to call the farm. After signing for the property and giving Thomas the money I owed, I had about 500 gold left, I walked him out and waved goodbye, feeling somewhat better now that it was official and took the rest of the day cleaning the house, my house. By the end of the day, the house was dust free, clothes put away, backpack hanging on the bedpost as I lay in my new bed, in my new house, on my new farm. "Holy moly, I'm actually doing this." I muttered to myself, "alright Claire! I'm going to make this farm the best farm in the world! There's no turning back now, it's all or nothing!" As I close my eyes my stomach doing flips and my heart beating fast, tomorrow will be my real first day as a farmer, welcome to Rosewood Farm.