| Medieval English Farm |
| www.studenthandouts.com > World History > European Middle Ages > Medieval Maps and Pictures |
January, plowing.March, breaking up the soil, sowing, harrowing. August, harvesting. December, threshing (with flails) and winnowing. ENGLISH FARM LIFE: From an illuminated calendar of the eleventh century in the British Museum. Click here to enlarge this image. Medieval farming was the backbone of life in the Middle Ages, with the vast majority of the population living in rural areas and working the land. Most people were peasants or serfs, bound to a lord's estate and required to farm both their own plots and the lord's land. The primary system of agriculture was the three-field system, which rotated crops—typically wheat or rye, legumes, and fallow fields—to preserve soil fertility. Farming tools were simple and made of wood and iron, including plows, sickles, and hoes. Oxen or horses pulled plows through the fields, and harvests were gathered by hand. The work was physically demanding and required the entire family's effort throughout the seasons. Daily life revolved around the agricultural calendar. Spring and summer were times of planting and tending crops, while autumn brought the harvest and winter was a period of repair and preparation. Homes were modest, usually one-room cottages made of wattle and daub with thatched roofs, shared with animals for warmth. Despite the hard labor, medieval villagers had a strong sense of community, often gathering for festivals, religious events, and markets. Farming life was closely tied to nature and the Church, with prayers offered for good weather and successful crops. |
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