Peasants 5

Understanding Lords and Peasants V of V

part of Managing Your Peasants

Farming and feudalism Dealing with your land Pastoralism and Transhumance Pastoralists specialize in herding animals – Sheep, goats, cattle and horses. Transhumance is the vertical seasonal livestock movement, typically to higher pastures in summer and to lower valleys in winter. Tools of the trade

• Hand tools -spade, hay fork, hoe, scythe to cut hay, sickle for grains, pruning knife

• Horse/oxen drawn tools – plow, harrow, cart

Development of the plow Ard (scratch plow), Aratrum (crooked plow), Heavy or Mouldboard plow (turns the soil over, might have wheels, Pliny noted one in Asia Minor, reached Britain before 1000 AD, helps control weeds, needed in areas with heavy soils)

Parts of the plow –

• Coulter – cuts the ground vertically just ahead of the share

• Share (or frog) – the front tip of the moldboard, usually wedge shaped, lifts the soil

• Moldboard - turns the soil over.

• Beam – attaches the beasts to the plow

Development horse harness – Harnesses in use in classical times caused horses to be choked if they exerted their full pulling power. By the 6th century Germans had a horse harness that used a breast strap. This type is still in use today for light harness (not heavy pulling). Horse collars, like those used today with draft horses, were seen in Europe by the 8th or 9th centuries. Irrigation – not used much in northern Europe. Better known and used in Islamic countries. Fertilizer – Manure, clay or marl, lime, household refuse were all used. Crop failure – There are many reasons for crop failure. Mostly due to bad weather, but could also be due to the effects of war (lack of manpower, oxen or destruction). Crop yields – Crop yields were extremely variable. Some years were bountiful – possibly as much as 1:55. But if the weather was poor the crops might fail entirely or provide barely enough seed for next year's planting. Be sure to save the seed that falls closer to the winnower – it’s heavier. I want period farm animals – what breeds should I get? Multi purpose breeds. Until about 100 to 150 years ago, it was virtually unknown for livestock to be selected specifically for one trait. Instead, there were many regional types which were used for everything. Cattle were used for milk, meat, manure and for draft. Chickens furnished both eggs and meat and were also used for cock fighting.

Brought to you because history is where peasants ate a lot of turnips This piece from the late Mahala de Sorbonne Another History is neat Project