Page 320 - 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. 320
integr ated peasant economy in a compar ative perspective
2.2 Integrated economy and labour tasks during the working year
The components of the integrated economy at each farm determined which
type of work that needed to be done during the year. All three farms had an
integrated economy, typical for the region, and combined grain producti-
on and livestock husbandry with other sources of income, especially from
activities in the autumn and winter. They produced and delivered charcoal
to blast furnaces and ironworks, and worked with the transportation of ore
and other goods between the geographically dispersed mines, blast furna-
ces, bar iron mills, and shipping ports. They performed works of trust and
the women produced textiles out of wool and flax. Both Matses and Bac-
kåkers farms were regularly fishing with haul seines, and fish seems to have
been a substantial food source for the households. The sources of income
are further described below (3.4).
The work at the farms had both seasonal and non-seasonal elements
(Diagram 13.2). Some duties were daily all throughout the year, especially
the women’s work with the livestock, housework and children. Other work
had to be done at certain times of the year for seasonal reasons, such as har-
vesting, ploughing, sowing, snow clearing (farmers were obliged to help
clearing common roads), and transportation on snow and ice. A third cat-
egory of work was given a more or less seasonal rhythm because they were
done in a special sequence, such as logging for the charcoal kilns or for the
sawmill, which was run during the spring flooding. Some work was done
at times when there were less other demanding duties, such as wood cut-
ting and threshing which started immediately after harvest and lasted until
the work was finished. At Hyttbäcken, extra day workers were hired during
busy times, in winter for charcoal burning, and in summer for mowing and
harvest (Diagram 13.2). Also the other farms needed extra labour during
busy times. In addition to the tasks shown in Diagram 13.2, several other ac-
tivities are mentioned in the diaries, such as going to the market, repairing
tools, textile work, carpentry, repairing roads, and duties of trust. Trans-
portation of ore was an important source of income, performed mainly on
winter roads and in connection with charcoal delivery. Hyttbäcken did up
to 10 ore transports annually (however no transport in the winter of 1865–
66), Matses around 25, and Backåkers about 10.
The work of women is rarely mentioned in the diaries from Matses and
Hyttbäcken, but Backåkers Erik made 76 entries about the women’s work
during the working year 1865–66. Most entries mention textile work (20
318
2.2 Integrated economy and labour tasks during the working year
The components of the integrated economy at each farm determined which
type of work that needed to be done during the year. All three farms had an
integrated economy, typical for the region, and combined grain producti-
on and livestock husbandry with other sources of income, especially from
activities in the autumn and winter. They produced and delivered charcoal
to blast furnaces and ironworks, and worked with the transportation of ore
and other goods between the geographically dispersed mines, blast furna-
ces, bar iron mills, and shipping ports. They performed works of trust and
the women produced textiles out of wool and flax. Both Matses and Bac-
kåkers farms were regularly fishing with haul seines, and fish seems to have
been a substantial food source for the households. The sources of income
are further described below (3.4).
The work at the farms had both seasonal and non-seasonal elements
(Diagram 13.2). Some duties were daily all throughout the year, especially
the women’s work with the livestock, housework and children. Other work
had to be done at certain times of the year for seasonal reasons, such as har-
vesting, ploughing, sowing, snow clearing (farmers were obliged to help
clearing common roads), and transportation on snow and ice. A third cat-
egory of work was given a more or less seasonal rhythm because they were
done in a special sequence, such as logging for the charcoal kilns or for the
sawmill, which was run during the spring flooding. Some work was done
at times when there were less other demanding duties, such as wood cut-
ting and threshing which started immediately after harvest and lasted until
the work was finished. At Hyttbäcken, extra day workers were hired during
busy times, in winter for charcoal burning, and in summer for mowing and
harvest (Diagram 13.2). Also the other farms needed extra labour during
busy times. In addition to the tasks shown in Diagram 13.2, several other ac-
tivities are mentioned in the diaries, such as going to the market, repairing
tools, textile work, carpentry, repairing roads, and duties of trust. Trans-
portation of ore was an important source of income, performed mainly on
winter roads and in connection with charcoal delivery. Hyttbäcken did up
to 10 ore transports annually (however no transport in the winter of 1865–
66), Matses around 25, and Backåkers about 10.
The work of women is rarely mentioned in the diaries from Matses and
Hyttbäcken, but Backåkers Erik made 76 entries about the women’s work
during the working year 1865–66. Most entries mention textile work (20
318
