Page 315 - Panjek, Aleksander, Jesper Larsson and Luca Mocarelli, eds. 2017. Integrated Peasant Economy in a Comparative Perspective: Alps, Scandinavia and Beyond. Koper: University of Primorska Press
P. 315
and and labour as resources of an integrated peasant economy in a swedish district
Erik Johansson at Backåkers (Hummelbo village in the Garpenberg
parish) began writing a diary in 1861, at the age of 28. The series of diaries
stretches over nearly fifty years (until 1914), and they have been transcribed
and published in five volumes (Svenske 1987). The diary contains long notes
with information about work tasks, location of land used for different prod-
ucts, economic problems, relatives, neighbours and visits. The farm was
localised in the more forested part of Folkare hundred, where the area of
farmland was limited for topographic reasons.
Anders Ersson at Matses (Norra Strandmora village in the By parish)
began writing regularly in 1851 at the age of 31 (with scattered years of writ-
ing already from 1840) and continued until his death in 1894. Transcribed
copies are available at the Nordic Museum in Stockholm (SBD 44). Anders
made daily entries and yearly summaries of weather, harvest, and notable
events. He was more explicit than the other writers regarding the effects of
weather on the growth and yields of grain and hay. There is also a farm ac-
count. Matses was situated between forest and arable lowland and had also
access to wetland meadows along the river Dalälven.
Anders Jansson at Hyttbäcken (sole farm in the Folkärna parish) was
12 years old when he started writing a diary in 1840. The series of diaries,
written by different authors at Hyttbäcken, stretches over 80 years, until
1920, copies are available at the Nordic Museum in Stockholm (SBD 1). The
Hyttbäcken diary contains very short daily entries about work done, where
and by whom, visits, travel, and weather. The lack of personal reflections
is compensated by studious farm records made by Anders on, e.g., income
and expenditures, harvests, hired labour and their salary, cows and milk
production. With the exception of milk production, the female part of the
economy is, however, poorly covered. This farm was situated between for-
est and arable lowland.
Although we try to homogenise the presentation of the farms, we also
allow strong sources of individual farms to illustrate certain aspects of our
questions. The diaries and farm records are combined with a variety of offi-
cial sources at the farm level, such as cadastral maps, catechetical registers,
and probate inventories. The farm level is contrasted with a meso level for
understanding the effect of the crop failure in the three parishes. The local
sheriff compiled information about growth and yields three times during
the growing season, based on observations and estimates made by the par-
ish sergeants and the sheriff. We use the third report for each year, which
shows the year’s result for different crops, hay, and livestock.
313
Erik Johansson at Backåkers (Hummelbo village in the Garpenberg
parish) began writing a diary in 1861, at the age of 28. The series of diaries
stretches over nearly fifty years (until 1914), and they have been transcribed
and published in five volumes (Svenske 1987). The diary contains long notes
with information about work tasks, location of land used for different prod-
ucts, economic problems, relatives, neighbours and visits. The farm was
localised in the more forested part of Folkare hundred, where the area of
farmland was limited for topographic reasons.
Anders Ersson at Matses (Norra Strandmora village in the By parish)
began writing regularly in 1851 at the age of 31 (with scattered years of writ-
ing already from 1840) and continued until his death in 1894. Transcribed
copies are available at the Nordic Museum in Stockholm (SBD 44). Anders
made daily entries and yearly summaries of weather, harvest, and notable
events. He was more explicit than the other writers regarding the effects of
weather on the growth and yields of grain and hay. There is also a farm ac-
count. Matses was situated between forest and arable lowland and had also
access to wetland meadows along the river Dalälven.
Anders Jansson at Hyttbäcken (sole farm in the Folkärna parish) was
12 years old when he started writing a diary in 1840. The series of diaries,
written by different authors at Hyttbäcken, stretches over 80 years, until
1920, copies are available at the Nordic Museum in Stockholm (SBD 1). The
Hyttbäcken diary contains very short daily entries about work done, where
and by whom, visits, travel, and weather. The lack of personal reflections
is compensated by studious farm records made by Anders on, e.g., income
and expenditures, harvests, hired labour and their salary, cows and milk
production. With the exception of milk production, the female part of the
economy is, however, poorly covered. This farm was situated between for-
est and arable lowland.
Although we try to homogenise the presentation of the farms, we also
allow strong sources of individual farms to illustrate certain aspects of our
questions. The diaries and farm records are combined with a variety of offi-
cial sources at the farm level, such as cadastral maps, catechetical registers,
and probate inventories. The farm level is contrasted with a meso level for
understanding the effect of the crop failure in the three parishes. The local
sheriff compiled information about growth and yields three times during
the growing season, based on observations and estimates made by the par-
ish sergeants and the sheriff. We use the third report for each year, which
shows the year’s result for different crops, hay, and livestock.
313
