Yeomen farmers still worked from dawn to dusk. Mixed farming
began. In this, some of the arable land produced food for man and
the rest produced food for sheep, cattle, pigs, and poultry. This
was made possible by the introduction of clover, artificial
grasses, and turnip and other root crops for the animals. Since
the sheep ate these crops in the field, they provided manure to
maintain the fertility of the soil. This meant that many animals
could be maintained throughout the winter instead of being
slaughtered and salted.
Farmers' wives used looms as well as spinning wheels with foot
treadles. Since animals could now be kept through the winter,
salted meat and salted fish were no longer the staple food of the
poorer people during the winter. Farm laborers ate soup, porridge,
milk, cheese, bacon, and beer or mead (depending on the district),
and dark barley or rye bread, which often served as his plate.
Gentlemen ate wheat bread. There was a scarcity of fruits and
vegetables that adversely affected the health of the affluent as
well as of the poor due to the overall decline in farming. During
winter, there were many red noses and coughing.
The value of grain and meat rose compared to wool. Grain became
six times its value in the previous reign. Wool fell from 20s.8d.
per tod to 16s. So sheep-farming, which had taken about 5% of the
arable land, was supplanted somewhat by crop-raising and the rural
population could be employed for agriculture.
Pages:
592
593
594
595
596
597
598
599
600
601
602
603
604
605
606
607
608
609
610
611
612
613
614
615
616