Peasants 1

Managing Your Peasants Part I of V

A Medieval Calendar – yearly cycle of life • November - slaughter of hogs starts at Hallowmas Nov 1 and runs through Candlemas Feb 2; Nov 11, Martinmas – slaughter beef and preserve for winter; sow beans under a waning moon after the feast of St. Edmonde, Nov 20; threshing; stockpile firewood

• December – Threshing; stay warm; when pastures are bare bring in horses and cattle for the winter, feed them the poorest straw first and the best hay towards spring; shovel manure

• January – early lambs born; sows bred; muck out yard, spread manure on fields; dig garden; cut wood; prune trees; geld colts, calves and sheep; stay warm

• February – Sow oats over your winter wheat; prune and graft fruits, vines and hedgerows; marl and lime fields; early calves born; plant willow; stay warm!

• March – Plow, break up clods, harrow (harrow after sowing peas and barley, before sowing rye); sow spring cereals –barley, wheat oats and rye; sow pulses – peas and beans; dig and weed vineyard

• April – Plant onions, leeks, flax and hemp; pigs start farrowing; wean early calves; dairy work begins (milk cows until St Andrews day Nov 30, milk sheep until August)

• May –Weed winter cereals; plant garden vegetables – beets, carrots, cabbage; sow salad plants – lettuce, spinach, cress, borage, dandelions and herbs – parsley, mint, dill, fennel, chives sage, basil, thyme, rosemary

• June –Hay mow begins; weed cereals; wash and shear sheep; St John’s Day June 24 collect honey (also light bonfires on this Saints day)

• July – More hay mowing, turning and stacking; shear sheep; start harvesting winter sown cereals; wash and shear lambs; weed the fallow

• August – Finish harvesting winter cereals; start harvesting spring sown cereals; plant turnips; gather straw; plant turnips; go skinny dipping (peasants); harvest flax and hemp, ret flax;

• September – Harvest, peas, bee’s wax and honey; breed cattle; take excess stock to market; plow, break up clods, harrow field for winter crops, sow rye (when it’s dry); threshing starts; Michelmas, 29 Sept – fatten pigs on mast

• October – sow winter wheat, barley and oats; make wine and verjuice; breed sheep, harvest apples, pears, and grapes, stockpile firewood

Brought to you because history is where peasants lived

This piece from the late Mahala de Sorbonne

Another History is neat Project