Found loads of Peat

[Syrdiman]

I'm new to the game and I found alot of peat near my established base, but not sure if its worth hoarding for my first winter. I was advised to keep 4-6 stack of charcoal and a bunch of stack of logs. which shouldn't be a problem. but I'm concerned about spending time gathering peat and grass to keep in storage. My main concern is food. I was late with my farm and only found 10 blocks of high fertility soil and immediately grew spelt in August to later make some bread for storage in my cellar (I'm in the process to mine for copper and getting the glorious saw). The issue is, I'm not finding much in terms of substantial red meat sources as from the occasional moose every month. I found loads of wolves and a bear and some fish tho. But game meat isn't worth much since i can't cook meals with i, Its just keeping me alive. Any reason i should go for the peat knowing that i'm crunched on time? 

P.S. I found a bunch of chickens and a rooster! i brought them back to base and made a chicken coop. Just trying to finish up my saw to make troughs. Do my chickens die if i cant feed them in winter or freeze?

[Maelstrom]

First - That peat isn't going anywhere.  Unless you set it ablaze which will be darn near impossible once snow covers the ground.  Collect it when you need it.  It's a great source of fuel for pit kilns (faster than firewood as well), just about anything in the firepit except smelting ores or flint.

Animals do not die if they aren't fed.  Feeding does only two things - enable breeding and increase their weight for slaughter.  Animals will forage to keep themselves alive, even if they are confined in a stone building with stone floors.  Somehow those pigs will find enough to stay alive.  

[Never Jhonsen]

11 hours ago, Maelstrom said:

First - That peat isn't going anywhere.

This is true in all scenarios except for one; If you have the setting enabled that allows lightning to start a fire, then there is a chance that the lightning could strike your peat, and set it ablaze.

However, even if that were to happen, Peat is a very abundant resource (assuming default settings), and you can always cover your peat with a layer of packed dirt to protect it

[nick zomisky]

On 6/3/2025 at 1:08 AM, Never Jhonsen said:

This is true in all scenarios except for one; If you have the setting enabled that allows lightning to start a fire, then there is a chance that the lightning could strike your peat, and set it ablaze.

However, even if that were to happen, Peat is a very abundant resource (assuming default settings), and you can always cover your peat with a layer of packed dirt to protect it

I actually just had that happen the other day. Was a lightning strike and I saw smoke off in the distance right where I had found a bunch of peat. went over to look and it was all gone plus all the trees 

[Maelstrom]

That won't happen in winter (as the OP posited in the opening post) when the ground is covered in snow though.  1. there won't be any thunderstorms.  2. IF there were, the snow would prevent a fire in the first place.

[Professor Dragon]

On 6/3/2025 at 3:08 PM, Never Jhonsen said:

This is true in all scenarios except for one; If you have the setting enabled that allows lightning to start a fire, then there is a chance that the lightning could strike your peat, and set it ablaze.

I didn't think of that. I'm in a peat rich area, where it also rains a lot, and I've had enough time to sit in my cabin and think "Aren't those lightning strikes pretty?"

Never occurred to me that the whole area could go up!

I have used some peat to get through a winter, but I'm trying to be sustainable and NOT use it, as trees are a renewable resource. I like to think I'm leaving the peat biome intact for the little creatures. (Yes, I know - video game, not the real world.)

[Dilan Rona]

If choosing between firewood and peat for cooking, peat always wins out, and I always keep it in storage at my base. Making a point to mark any other patches with peat as well.

[Never Jhonsen]

1 hour ago, Professor Dragon said:

I like to think I'm leaving the peat biome intact for the little creatures.

Microbiomes are an important part of any world, so it's good that one would think about them

I get what you mean tho. While peat is more efficient than firewood, Firewood's locally renewable, and I too would rather depend on that than having to trek long distances to find more peat.

[Dilan Rona]

I'll use firewood for cooking if I have to, or where it is required. But other than that, it is reserved for charcoal making, and I rely exclusively on peat for cooking meals. More often than not I get large patches of peat, and I dont stop digging till I get every peat block back to base, then look for more to stash away, or to mark on the map.