Size the crews by working out first how many posts must be staffed every day, then add relief for rest days, and give the field and preservation crews what remains. If each person has one rest day in seven, a post staffed seven days a week needs 7/6 people, so 15 daily posts need 15 × 7/6 = 17.5, rounded up to 18 people, and the other 42 of 60 working adults form the seasonal crews.
Work crews are standing groups assigned to a function, and a rotation schedule moves people between crews on a fixed pattern.
The Carrier’s Crews, Added Up
For a community of 100 with 55-65 working adults the carrier lists:
| Crew | People | When |
|---|---|---|
| Field | 15-20 (30+ at peak) | Seasonal |
| Preservation | 6-10 | June to November |
| Animal | 4-6 | Daily, year-round, no days off |
| Kitchen | 4-6 | Daily rotation |
| Infrastructure | 4-6 | Year-round |
| Flexible pool | 10-15 | Where needed |
The crews other than the flexible pool total 15 + 6 + 4 + 4 + 4 = 33 at the low end and 20 + 10 + 6 + 6 + 6 = 48 at the high end. Adding the flexible pool gives 43 to 63. Against 55 to 65 working adults that leaves anything from 2 unassigned (63 of 65) to 12 (43 of 55): the sizes are ranges, not a plan. Pick one number in each range and check that the total equals the adults you actually have. Field plus flexible pool is 25 to 35, which matches the carrier’s “30+” at peak.
Start With The Posts That Cannot Stop
Some functions need a person present every day of the year: milking, feeding, water, the kitchen at mealtimes. For each, count the posts (people needed at once), then add relief.
Assumption (state it for your community): each person has one rest day in seven, so works a six-day week. Rest rules are in Mandatory Rest.
- A post staffed all seven days by people working six needs 7 ÷ 6 = 1.17 people.
- 5 animal posts: 5 × 7 ÷ 6 = 5.83, so 6 people.
- Fifteen daily posts in total: 15 × 7 ÷ 6 = 17.5, so 18 people.
Worked Example: 60 Working Adults
| Group | Daily posts | People needed (× 7/6, rounded up) |
|---|---|---|
| Animals | 5 | 6 |
| Kitchen | 5 | 6 |
| Infrastructure | 5 | 6 |
| Fixed total | 15 | 18 |
| Left for field, preservation and flexible work | 60 − 18 = 42 |
The 42 compares with the August need of 36 to 52 people for a community with 55-65 working adults (Monthly Task Breakdown). The kitchen posts rotate across all adults in teams (Social Dynamics and Rotation Systems); if they do, the kitchen’s 6 people come from the rota and the fixed total drops to 12, leaving 48.
A Rotation Pattern For The Seasonal Crews
Four crews of about 10 can cover four duties by shifting one step each week, so everyone gets a turn at each task, including the unpopular ones:
| Week | Crew 1 | Crew 2 | Crew 3 | Crew 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Field A | Field B | Preservation | Flexible |
| 2 | Flexible | Field A | Field B | Preservation |
| 3 | Preservation | Flexible | Field A | Field B |
| 4 | Field B | Preservation | Flexible | Field A |
Rotation spreads the load and trains cover for absences (Labor Rotation). It does not apply to skilled tasks. The carrier’s rule is that seed saving, cheese making, smithing and butchering go to trained individuals regardless of rotation (Skill-Based Task Assignment). Pressure canning in particular belongs to people who have shown they can follow a process exactly.
Surge: Expand Crews In Peak Weeks
In planting and harvest the flexible pool joins the field crew, and fixed crews stay the same size. For short, sharp demands a standing call-out roster works better than an ad hoc appeal (Surge Labor, All-Hands Harvest Events).
Failure Modes
- Counting posts as people. Forgetting relief for rest days leaves a crew short by one-sixth.
- No named deputy. A crew with one expert fails when that person is sick (Cross-Training).
- Rotating everything. Skilled tasks done by a different novice each week produce spoiled food and injuries.
- Never changing the roster. Some crews become permanent drudges and resentment builds.
- Ranges treated as sizes. Check that the totals equal your real headcount.
What’s Next
- Learn next: Skill-Based Task Assignment — who may not rotate
- Combine with: Work Scheduling — community-wide scheduling