I have plent y of rations, but I do not know if I can create a camp for my characters to rest while the consume rations. I have tried googling around, but all I find is someone who is out of rations and cannot heal. There was a year long pause, so it is possible that this is something referenced in a tutorial. I do not know.

You can't make a camp, Just press the 'H' key to go to the healing screen and provided you have enough healing potions/rations you can heal anywhere as long as you're not in combat.

Thank you!