Ration
From ErfWiki
Rations are the primary food source for units. Units can also cook animals to provide additional nourishmenthttp://www.giantitp.com/comics/erf0113.html.
Proposed Canon
Rations normally pop at dawn.[1]
Rations may also pop at the beginning of Turn.[2]
Speculation
With the new term Battlespace[3], and knowledge that turn starts at Dawn when enemies are not near, the rule is probably that Rations pop at the beginning of Turn, not Dawn. On Parson's first day it is likely that no one was within striking distance of Gobwin Knob's Battlespace yet, so that day the Rations popped at dawn, as they did after the battle.[4]