1500's Scandinavian farms

[blossomwitch]

I am just starting on a novella that is set in Norway, most likely in the late 1400s or early 1500s, and I am having a lot of trouble finding information on farm life. I especially want information on what kinds of animals were raised, what buildings were like, and what they ate

Comments

[sollersuk]

Try to get hold of this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kristin_Lavransdatter

You'll find everything you need to know there.

[hilde]

One thing to remember is that Kristin Lavransdatter is set before the Black Death. I believe she succumbs to the plague in the third book. The population was halved between 1350-1450 and we were no longer an independent nation, but under Denmark. Land was in less demand and large areas were not used for hundreds of years after. Land was therefore also more readily available and the ones who had the least were able to get more land. You will find lots of information on buildings and daily life on a farm in the Kristin trilogy and it's an amazing story, well worth the read.

The most common farm animals were horses, cows, sheep, poultry and pigs. Fishing was indeed very important as a second income (the degree of importance depending on where you lived), as was hunting.

[sollersuk]

That's true but lifestyle didn't change all that much, I should think, judging from other countries - particularly diet! In England too marginal land dropped out of use and whole villages were abandoned, and though there were social upheavals the manner of farming didn't change.

[hilde]

Lifestyle didn't change, that's true, but certain conditions for the farmers changed. Lower land taxes etc. I just mentioned it in case the OP needed to know :)

[blossomwitch]

Got them on hold at the library. Thank you both!

[andelendir]

Damn - I love this icon to death! ;-)

[blossomwitch]

It always cheers me up. :)