In doing my research for my family ancestry I find that most of them were farmers and in many cases I find a reference that they lived in Village, Farm # etc. Maybe they were not owners of their farms, but farmed pieces of land for the owner of the land.
I am interested in an English book or web links that would help me to understand the farming practices in during the time requested above. Can you be of help in this.
Thank You
Janice
Farming in the 1500's - 1700's
Re: Farming in the 1500's - 1700's
I could not find direct links to any good source. Maybe this helps a bit.
I have found farm survey records for taxation purposes from the year 1767. It was typical that a family (a couple and their children) had in their use permanently tilled land 2-4 hectares, meadow for cattle pasture and hay collection 6 to 10 hectares, and some forest areas (possibly 50 hectares) that partly was suitable for slash-and-burn cultivation. Often the forest plot yielded many more times rye crop in relation to seed count than a tilled land but sowing was applied maybe 3 years after which the plot had to be left for pasture and natural reforestation. The forest plots were rotated and reused after 30 to 100 years but the value of the forest land cumulatively suffered because of this. The meadows were mostly not tilled but in near natural shape. The forest was unallocated to families but however divided between villages for a long time even after that year. The cows just survived and did not milk during winter.
I have one example from the year 1767 with family and cattle breakdown. 8 farms, 67 male persons, 68 female. There were 23 married couples with 35 young children no older than 7 years, living in 17 households, possessing 29 horses, 66 cows, 29 calves (or heifers or bullocks), 98 sheep, no goats. Poultry and pigs were not recorded. Oxen were not recorded separately. This was in South-Eastern Finland which had suffered from recent wars and was largely resettled in 1700-1750. It thus may not be typical of the whole country.
A large tax survey was carried out in 1571. It is called silver tax (hopeavero). It lists cattle and cash. A special tax of 10% was collected of its value. If I had this book I could copy some data but alas, it is in library alone. A farmer could have up to 15 cows which was unusual (maybe 1 out of 300 farms), however typically just 1 or 2 cows and a couple of pigs and sheep; and there were many households that could not be taxed at all. Not all farmer households had a horse as oxen were still often used for pulling carts and ploughs.
I have found farm survey records for taxation purposes from the year 1767. It was typical that a family (a couple and their children) had in their use permanently tilled land 2-4 hectares, meadow for cattle pasture and hay collection 6 to 10 hectares, and some forest areas (possibly 50 hectares) that partly was suitable for slash-and-burn cultivation. Often the forest plot yielded many more times rye crop in relation to seed count than a tilled land but sowing was applied maybe 3 years after which the plot had to be left for pasture and natural reforestation. The forest plots were rotated and reused after 30 to 100 years but the value of the forest land cumulatively suffered because of this. The meadows were mostly not tilled but in near natural shape. The forest was unallocated to families but however divided between villages for a long time even after that year. The cows just survived and did not milk during winter.
I have one example from the year 1767 with family and cattle breakdown. 8 farms, 67 male persons, 68 female. There were 23 married couples with 35 young children no older than 7 years, living in 17 households, possessing 29 horses, 66 cows, 29 calves (or heifers or bullocks), 98 sheep, no goats. Poultry and pigs were not recorded. Oxen were not recorded separately. This was in South-Eastern Finland which had suffered from recent wars and was largely resettled in 1700-1750. It thus may not be typical of the whole country.
A large tax survey was carried out in 1571. It is called silver tax (hopeavero). It lists cattle and cash. A special tax of 10% was collected of its value. If I had this book I could copy some data but alas, it is in library alone. A farmer could have up to 15 cows which was unusual (maybe 1 out of 300 farms), however typically just 1 or 2 cows and a couple of pigs and sheep; and there were many households that could not be taxed at all. Not all farmer households had a horse as oxen were still often used for pulling carts and ploughs.
Re: Farming in the 1500's - 1700's
The silver tax data can be found f.ex. on Hattula and Hollola:
"Hattulan voutikunnan maakirja, tilikirja ja hopeaveroluettelo 1571-1571 (4071)"
http://digi.narc.fi/digi/view.ka?kuid=2857201
"Hollolan voutikunnan hopeaveroluettelo 1571-1571 (4077a)"
http://digi.narc.fi/digi/hae_ay.ka?ay=2152575.KA
http://digi.narc.fi/digi/view.ka?kuid=2858394
Matts Andersson had e.g. 11 sheep, 4 pigs(?) ...
"Hattulan voutikunnan maakirja, tilikirja ja hopeaveroluettelo 1571-1571 (4071)"
http://digi.narc.fi/digi/view.ka?kuid=2857201
"Hollolan voutikunnan hopeaveroluettelo 1571-1571 (4077a)"
http://digi.narc.fi/digi/hae_ay.ka?ay=2152575.KA
http://digi.narc.fi/digi/view.ka?kuid=2858394
Matts Andersson had e.g. 11 sheep, 4 pigs(?) ...
Re: Farming in the 1500's - 1700's
Thank you for the information you sent me. It was most informative.
Janice
Janice