Page 316 - 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. 316
integr ated peasant economy in a compar ative perspective
Throughout the paper, we combine quantitative and qualitative infor-
mation, given on the farm level and the level of village and parish, ego-doc-
uments and official documents. We apply an agro-economic and ecological
perspective when interpreting the information.
There is not a “normal” year to compare with the years of crop fail-
ure. Harvests were constantly fluctuating and socio-economic conditions
changed. Instead, we follow the three farms all through the 1860s in order
to distinguish specific effects of the crop failure.
1.1 The study area in the 1860s
Folkare hundred was situated in the iron-producing Bergslagen district of
central Sweden (Isacson et. al 2009). The land-use was, strongly determined
by the geological and topographical conditions. Cultivation was restricted
to fine-particle soils, situated on lower land. In 1865, around 11% of the land
area in Folkare was arable, 13% was hay meadow, and the majority, 75%,
constituted more or less forested outlands on stone-rich soils (till) or mires,
providing pastures and forest products (BiSOS 1868). The forests were do-
minated by coniferous trees. Some villages were strongly influenced by the
river Dalälven which provided fertile alluvial meadows but, on the other
hand, threatened agricultural output with its unpredictable flooding.
The integrated peasant economy of the region was characterised by
these geo-topographical conditions, and for centuries by the metal indus-
try. It included both agricultural and forest products, transportation of
goods, and the women’s production of textiles. Also proto-industrial man-
ufacturing (mainly forged products for an open market) developed during
the 19th Century (Isacson and Magnusson 1987).
Oats was the most abundantly cultivated cereal in Folkare (71% of the
seed in 1865), followed by rye (20%; BiSOS 1868). Also in economic terms
oats was the most important crop, because of the large number of hors-
es used for transportation of goods and traction in agriculture. In Folka-
re hundred, cattle were the most numerous type of livestock, 42%, main-
ly kept for milk production. Sheep constituted 38% of the livestock in 1865
(BiSOS 1868). They were mainly kept for household use (wool and meat),
as were horses for traction, goats and pigs. The outland was used for sum-
mer grazing and the trees were primarily used for charcoal burning for
the mining industry. Timber for building material, and fire wood was pro-
duced for household use, and to some extent for the market.
In the late 1860s and beginning of the 1870s, Swedish mines and iron-
works were affected by falling prices on the important international indus-
314
Throughout the paper, we combine quantitative and qualitative infor-
mation, given on the farm level and the level of village and parish, ego-doc-
uments and official documents. We apply an agro-economic and ecological
perspective when interpreting the information.
There is not a “normal” year to compare with the years of crop fail-
ure. Harvests were constantly fluctuating and socio-economic conditions
changed. Instead, we follow the three farms all through the 1860s in order
to distinguish specific effects of the crop failure.
1.1 The study area in the 1860s
Folkare hundred was situated in the iron-producing Bergslagen district of
central Sweden (Isacson et. al 2009). The land-use was, strongly determined
by the geological and topographical conditions. Cultivation was restricted
to fine-particle soils, situated on lower land. In 1865, around 11% of the land
area in Folkare was arable, 13% was hay meadow, and the majority, 75%,
constituted more or less forested outlands on stone-rich soils (till) or mires,
providing pastures and forest products (BiSOS 1868). The forests were do-
minated by coniferous trees. Some villages were strongly influenced by the
river Dalälven which provided fertile alluvial meadows but, on the other
hand, threatened agricultural output with its unpredictable flooding.
The integrated peasant economy of the region was characterised by
these geo-topographical conditions, and for centuries by the metal indus-
try. It included both agricultural and forest products, transportation of
goods, and the women’s production of textiles. Also proto-industrial man-
ufacturing (mainly forged products for an open market) developed during
the 19th Century (Isacson and Magnusson 1987).
Oats was the most abundantly cultivated cereal in Folkare (71% of the
seed in 1865), followed by rye (20%; BiSOS 1868). Also in economic terms
oats was the most important crop, because of the large number of hors-
es used for transportation of goods and traction in agriculture. In Folka-
re hundred, cattle were the most numerous type of livestock, 42%, main-
ly kept for milk production. Sheep constituted 38% of the livestock in 1865
(BiSOS 1868). They were mainly kept for household use (wool and meat),
as were horses for traction, goats and pigs. The outland was used for sum-
mer grazing and the trees were primarily used for charcoal burning for
the mining industry. Timber for building material, and fire wood was pro-
duced for household use, and to some extent for the market.
In the late 1860s and beginning of the 1870s, Swedish mines and iron-
works were affected by falling prices on the important international indus-
314
