The Husbandman

David talks of the seasons and the different aspects of the farming year from the point of view of a husbandman. Famine caused by a drought or too much rain would mean hard times for the family. Thomas Tusser wrote a poem called " 500 good points of Husbandrie " in which he outlines the farming year. David uses this as a resource to outline the activity of the great majority of the population of England - agriculture. Tusser was writing from the point of view of a Gentleman or Yeoman Farmer who were much richer than the Husbandman who would do things on a smaller scale.

The agricultural year would start at Michaelmas towards the end of September. This was the time when new tenants would take up the farm after last years crops had been gathered. Here we list all the tools that a farmer might need. The fields must be ploughed and sowed with rye, peas and beans that the Husbandman kept back from the previous harvest. One-tenth (10%) of the seed would be used in this way. The job of the children would be to scare the birds away from the seed. There was still some harvesting to do - fruit from the trees and winter hemp for weaving into linen cloth or making rope. This is also the time to cut down timber to be laid up to season for use in six months time.

October is the season for sowing wheat, oats and barley. Hogs should be fattened to send with the drovers who will take them to town to sell. Muck was spread on the fields to fertilise the soil.

November is the time to start slaughtering the animals and flesh becomes an important part of the diet. During Winter there will not be enough food to keep all you animals alive so some must be sold or butchered, keeping only enough to breed from for the next year. This was the month for threshing, cleaning out of privies and sweeping chimneys (if you could afford one).