FOOD FARMING AND NUTRITION IN MIDDLE AGES


Surviving in middle ages was both difficult and risky, life was a constant struggle and simple necessities that are considered today as given 1000 years ago were not. Fresh water, fresh vegetables, fresh fruits and fresh meat weren't available at adequate quantities or constantly, while preserving food which was cultivated with great pains took another meaning in significance that of a difference between life and death, preservation was done using salt or smoke to make meat last more since when an animal was slaughtered wasn't usually consumed totally and also many animals due to lack of food before winter season were slaughtered for their meat. 

Every noble had at least one manor which was divided in the area that was his for personal use and the area which was given to the serfs, the permanent farmers attached to the land it could also be that serfs cultivated the land and pastured lord's animals and were entitled to a percentage of the production or had to produce a certain amount according to a prearranged contract, besides serving in their lord's wars or offering services in various areas, such as building or repairing roads buildings etc. 

Whatever the arrangement was production from agricultural activities was significantly lower than nowadays. Farm yields for wheat ranging from 6 (poor harvest) to 8 (average) to 10 (great) bushels per acre. These also assumed average to good plow land. Today equivalent is 50 bushels for acre. 1 bushel is approximately 35 liters. A typical human being requires about 24 bushels of food per year. 1/3 of arable land held fallow (not used) for pasture every year rotating. To compensate for the lack of modern fertilizer, the farmland was treated with animal (and sometimes human) manure, and allowed to remain fallow every second or third year. The acre was the amount one could plow in one days work. It is thus very essential to realize that food production was barely able to sustain a human being in life, that's why farmers and peasants in dark ages where sickly and weak while average age living was less than 40. And all these factors for an average field with an average year. Many catastrophes happened to occur bad weather, insects, or even war (both for men not being able to plow or harvest the fields and for enemy troops destroying them) resulting in famine and disease especially if the previous years were equally bad and not enough grain were stored. Another matter was field quality depending on the land itself, its use or the years using it. Northern colder countries and southern hot drier countries have both less yield than countries with rains and mild climate. Finally a well cultivated land produces more than one reclaimed from the wild only few years ago.                       

For the majority of farmers who had small holdings, life was much less secure. An acre of barley could, in an average year, produce about 500 liters of grain (after making allowances for taxes and seed for the next crop). This was enough to feed one adult for a year at a very basic level. A farmer with a wife and three children could get along with five acres. Everyone would have to work, especially for other sources of food like the vegetable garden and rummaging in the woods for mushrooms, nuts, and berries. But a five acre holding left little margin for bad weather. Several bad years in succession could lead to widespread famine and diseases that followed while farmers that have been impoverished were due to either head for a town or became brigands. On the other hand larger farms weren't able to be exploited adequately since there needed more man days of work more equipment or even storing space.                                                                                                                                                                        

Medieval farmers did more than just grow grain. Most farmers had one or more donkeys or mules and oxen, two or more milk cows, a few pigs, several dozen sheep or goats, some chickens and even beehives. Many farmers kept geese as well. The horses and/or oxen pulled the plow and did other heavy work. The cows supplied milk, most of which was turned into cheese. The pigs were fattened to supply the main course for major feasts. The sheep supplied wool, which was spun into cloth for the families clothes and sometimes slaughtered for meat. The chickens supplied eggs and meat to liven up the diet of peas and porridge. Additionally barley could be used to produce beer and animal food. Since water wasn't always available in sufficient quantities or drinkable enough and besides alcohol provided a nutrition far better than water, beer consumption was high and beer production was done in almost every manor resulting in lower than average quality but providing enough alcoholic beverages to pass the difficult winter months. Of course barley used for beer was lowering the reserve for food and so more acres needed to be plowed in order to sustain minimum ratio. This reserve was further lowered because allowances should be made for animal food especially during the harsh winter period were animals could not be pastured free in the fields.                                                                                               

The ideal farm for a family was a "yardland" (24-30 acres) in size. A manor had 4 families in average which produced enough to support themselves and provide for their lord and his family and household servants and soldiers. if there was a surplus it was either turned in coin in a nearby market town, exchanged for tools, clothes and other equipment not produced or manufactured in the manor or held in the granary as reserve for difficult years or to pay more taxes. The farmer also had to deal with the church and he usually had to pay a title (ten percent) of all produce to the cleric (abbot or bishop) who presided over the manor, plus the usual land rents. The tithing was generally not resented, because the church tended to maintain reserves of grain. In times of need, the faithful to called on the church for relief and, if it was available, it was generally forthcoming. Of course it was usual for a manor to be directly owned by the church or rich monastery and in that case the role of the lord was played by the local abbot or bishop with usually the same conditions.                                              

Overall in a average farming community of 4-5 families (or 30 persons including children) that owned a land of about 100-150 acres the diet consisted of one loaf of bread or equivalent porridge every day, chicken meat once per month, eggs cheese and milk almost daily, berries mushrooms or forest and home grown vegetables 3 times a week and beef, ship or pig meat 3-4 times a year! Very poor diet and that is for the good years with a good yield and regular taxes. Richer communities with more land or privileged tax conditions were able to have better conditions and even prosperous farmers with luck and wise administration turned to be rich landowners in a couple generations, but that was rare and not welcomed by the clergy or nobility. 

On the other hand the lord and his warriors enjoyed meat more regularly since they were able to hunt for fresh meat almost all the year round (that's was why hunting was against the law for farmers and hunting grounds and forest were allocated to rich lords and barons and they had taxes in products to balance their diet and of course money to buy if they lacked something. Meat eating was the difference between warriors and peasants, healthy growing and up and ability to endure the harsh reality. Food growing farming and food maintenance had a great impact on war as well. Since there were needed men to work the fields and grow animals and food could not be maintained for long periods armies in the middle ages tend to be small and never reached great numbers. Besides the great war horses needed extremely quantities of barley and oats since they reached 2000 pounds of weight and consumed twice or thrice more than a regular riding horse.                                                                        

Finally commerce could not suffice for food shortage because transportation of goods were again slow, difficult and expensive not ignoring banditry and accidents and only certain types of products could be transported safely mainly grain, dairy products beer and live animals. Also due to slow moving times supporting a famine stricken area could not be done sufficiently and not in time provided of course that neighboring regions had a surplus that were eager to trade. 

In birthright due to its unique classification of areas in levels of civilization and wilderness it is possible to have an easier way to estimate whether a region is poor or rich, is supporting its population well, the level of nutrition, food availability in taverns guesthouses etc available resources for trade and so on. Earlier events such as wars, natural or magical diseases or disasters, bandits, tax levels and conflicts between local or neighboring regents adjust the overall status and special situation like ports, special production units like cow ranches or bee hives etc can also modify the level of nutrition quality and prosperity in a region. 

Finally we must bear in mind that dark ages was a difficult period and survival was the main objective of the majority of the population only a rare few were able to live in secure conditions so that they could pursue other higher purposes, production was low machines were unheard of. Birthright again deviates due to the use of realm spells both arcane and divine, powerful magic can protect or destroy a region and its population, so an average farmer could be well better or worse than his historical correspondent given the same parameters.

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