On page 96 of 5th edition KAP, it outlines the ways to get a check on skills, traits, and passions, mostly by criticals, but not necessarily. In my campaign, I usually give players a 1d3 additional skills they tell me at the front of each year they are focusing on to be eligible for experience.

Greg has posted a "Garrison Duty" treatise that allows an option for characters who are out for 1+ years a way to catch up. Yet, it gives a check in more things than a normal character would get in 2-3 or more years (at least in my opinion at this point).

So, how many checks should a knight be getting in a normal year? ???

my normative is to give about 4-10 checks per year. And not just on Crits, but also on any skill used significantly in the session.

Several of those are from the "your own land" procedures... typically steward, just or arbitrary, folk lore.

I was hesitant to give a lot of checks out at first, however, the more active players during sessions now usually get about ten checks, and the more reserved players end up with two-four. I give out checks not just on crits, but when a trait/skill is used a lot or in some significant way. Frankly, it has not seemed to make a whole lot of difference , since the players are lucky if they improve one skill form checks in the winter phase. maybe its just bad dice rolling, but this is not the main method of improvement for players, rather it seems to be the other improvement segments in the winter phase.

I give checks as often as possible - it makes the PC's feel good. They are going to die a gruesome death anyway; average life span in my campaigns is about 4 adventures

Lots of checks...that is the way!!!!!! And garrison duty might net u some checks, and if ur Lucky u make one or two, but NO GLORY..... So you can be a great swordsman but no one will ever know except your 3 closest friends or whatever. Glory is the name of the game so Garrison duty is not where u wanna be anyway. I have had to use Garrison duty a few times and there are times when nothing improves at all, because As your skills increase to 16-20 you will rarely make one. I would rather just have the Gm give me ONE automatic point to put in one of the Garrison skills up to 20. But some Gms prefer only a few checks and some give a lot. The group I am in now takes turns round robin GMing and we seem to all give a medium amount of checks. I give a lot usually. But 6-10 is usually standard a year of game time. That is everything( traits passions.etc..)

Thanks to all who sent feedback. It has been helpful.