Page 325 - 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. 325
and and labour as resources of an integrated peasant economy in a swedish district
Statistics from the county level (Kopparberg) show that the day la-
bourer’s wages decreased, but not much, during the crop failure 1867–1869.
After an increase at the beginning of the 1860s the wages fell from 1.15 kr.
per day in 1866 to 1.00 kr. the following year (1867) and to 0.95 kr. the com-
ing two years (1868–1869; Jörberg 1972, 600). At Hyttbäcken the salaries did
not change during the years of crop failure.
4. The studied farms during the 1860s crop failure
4.1 Harvest
The regional effects of the 1867–68 weather on harvest are reflected
at the farm level in our farm-specific sources. The last day in May 1867,
Backåkers Erik wrote in his diary: “The whole month with exception of
the two latest days has been almost winter cold, and much snow is still in
the forest, it looks dark for the rural man, who cannot sow, nor is there
any pasture for cattle.” Matses Anders Ersson described how the frost
stayed in the soil until early June, making spring sowing difficult, and
how the cold weather hampered growth and ripening during the sum-
mer and autumn, especially in low fields. At harvest, he noted that both
rye and oats had to be cut green and unripe in some fields. By the end
of August Backåkers Erik, noted that the harvest of hay and cereals was
smaller than usual, whereas Matses Anders considered the rainy sum-
mer to favour the hay yield, except on the river meadows, which failed
completely due to an exceptionally late and long inundation by melting
snow.
The farm records from Hyttbäcken show low yields of oats in 1867 and
of rye in both 1867 and 1868 (Graph 13.1). It was the drought that hampered
the production of both cereals and hay in 1868, and Matses Anders noted
that the drought caused overall poor production of cereals, although with
good quality. He wrote that the rye yield was even lower than in 1826, which
was known by old people as the driest and poorest year in the By parish
within living memory. At Backåkers several entries about buying oats and
rye indicate that the farm got poorer harvests than normal. The hay yields
in particular were affected by the drought, and at Matses the normal hay
fields gave less than 1/3 of normal yields.
323
Statistics from the county level (Kopparberg) show that the day la-
bourer’s wages decreased, but not much, during the crop failure 1867–1869.
After an increase at the beginning of the 1860s the wages fell from 1.15 kr.
per day in 1866 to 1.00 kr. the following year (1867) and to 0.95 kr. the com-
ing two years (1868–1869; Jörberg 1972, 600). At Hyttbäcken the salaries did
not change during the years of crop failure.
4. The studied farms during the 1860s crop failure
4.1 Harvest
The regional effects of the 1867–68 weather on harvest are reflected
at the farm level in our farm-specific sources. The last day in May 1867,
Backåkers Erik wrote in his diary: “The whole month with exception of
the two latest days has been almost winter cold, and much snow is still in
the forest, it looks dark for the rural man, who cannot sow, nor is there
any pasture for cattle.” Matses Anders Ersson described how the frost
stayed in the soil until early June, making spring sowing difficult, and
how the cold weather hampered growth and ripening during the sum-
mer and autumn, especially in low fields. At harvest, he noted that both
rye and oats had to be cut green and unripe in some fields. By the end
of August Backåkers Erik, noted that the harvest of hay and cereals was
smaller than usual, whereas Matses Anders considered the rainy sum-
mer to favour the hay yield, except on the river meadows, which failed
completely due to an exceptionally late and long inundation by melting
snow.
The farm records from Hyttbäcken show low yields of oats in 1867 and
of rye in both 1867 and 1868 (Graph 13.1). It was the drought that hampered
the production of both cereals and hay in 1868, and Matses Anders noted
that the drought caused overall poor production of cereals, although with
good quality. He wrote that the rye yield was even lower than in 1826, which
was known by old people as the driest and poorest year in the By parish
within living memory. At Backåkers several entries about buying oats and
rye indicate that the farm got poorer harvests than normal. The hay yields
in particular were affected by the drought, and at Matses the normal hay
fields gave less than 1/3 of normal yields.
323
