Page 76 - 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. 76
integr ated peasant economy in a compar ative perspective
cluded seasonal migrant workers, in addition to carriers, who “went to Cro-
atia in the summer to mow the grass and in the winter to thresh” (Valenčič
1981, 254). In the forests of Inner Carniola, just as in the forests of Javornik,
peasants would also trap dormice and “carry [their pelts] to distant lands
such as Holland, and even England and Spain” (Valvasor 2009–2013, 211).
Concluding remarks
In conclusion, let us try to categorise the economic activities in which the
peasant population was engaged, in addition to agriculture, by economic
sectors. They will be compared with the diagram of activities that were pre-
sent in integrated peasant economy as presented for western Slovenia, in
comparison with the regions of the Alps and western Europe (Panjek 2014,
203; 2015a, 199). In addition to summing up the findings on non-agricultu-
ral activities in the peasant economy, we will thus be able to verify whether
the above-mentioned diagram can be expanded to central Slovenia.
The activities categorised under the primary sector can be found in all
of the discussed provinces and regions. These include pasturage and forest-
ry in the Tolmin region and in the County of Gorizia; viticulture and fruit
growing in the County of Gorizia, Vipava Valley and Lower Carniola; seri-
culture in the County of Gorizia and the coastal towns, to which we can
add oil manufacture, salt production, fishery and viticulture, for these ar-
eas indicate specialisation and intensification. With the acquisition of new
pastureland, the sector of animal husbandry began to expand; forest sur-
faces were cleared for the needs of viticulture by peasants in Lower Carnio-
la. These include “Carinthians” who came to the County of Gorizia during
the grape harvest as seasonal workers. Also worthy of mention is the dig-
ging of iron ore in Upper Carniola and of mercury ore in Idrija.
The secondary sector includes the processing of raw materials, pro-
duce and semi-finished products, such as charcoal, iron and wooden prod-
ucts, wine, meat, cheese, leather, scorpion oil, dormouse pelts, etc. This sec-
tor encompasses rural crafts, which were present in great volume mostly in
Upper and Lower Carniola; the domestic system; bigger and smaller spe-
cialised plants for the production of iron products and semi-finished prod-
ucts, mercury and glass; mines involved in the processing of ore; and weav-
ing facilities.
The tertiary sector encompasses peasant trade and short- and long-dis-
tance commercial services. Transport and carrier services, which were
mostly connected with the main transport routes from the hinterland to-
74
cluded seasonal migrant workers, in addition to carriers, who “went to Cro-
atia in the summer to mow the grass and in the winter to thresh” (Valenčič
1981, 254). In the forests of Inner Carniola, just as in the forests of Javornik,
peasants would also trap dormice and “carry [their pelts] to distant lands
such as Holland, and even England and Spain” (Valvasor 2009–2013, 211).
Concluding remarks
In conclusion, let us try to categorise the economic activities in which the
peasant population was engaged, in addition to agriculture, by economic
sectors. They will be compared with the diagram of activities that were pre-
sent in integrated peasant economy as presented for western Slovenia, in
comparison with the regions of the Alps and western Europe (Panjek 2014,
203; 2015a, 199). In addition to summing up the findings on non-agricultu-
ral activities in the peasant economy, we will thus be able to verify whether
the above-mentioned diagram can be expanded to central Slovenia.
The activities categorised under the primary sector can be found in all
of the discussed provinces and regions. These include pasturage and forest-
ry in the Tolmin region and in the County of Gorizia; viticulture and fruit
growing in the County of Gorizia, Vipava Valley and Lower Carniola; seri-
culture in the County of Gorizia and the coastal towns, to which we can
add oil manufacture, salt production, fishery and viticulture, for these ar-
eas indicate specialisation and intensification. With the acquisition of new
pastureland, the sector of animal husbandry began to expand; forest sur-
faces were cleared for the needs of viticulture by peasants in Lower Carnio-
la. These include “Carinthians” who came to the County of Gorizia during
the grape harvest as seasonal workers. Also worthy of mention is the dig-
ging of iron ore in Upper Carniola and of mercury ore in Idrija.
The secondary sector includes the processing of raw materials, pro-
duce and semi-finished products, such as charcoal, iron and wooden prod-
ucts, wine, meat, cheese, leather, scorpion oil, dormouse pelts, etc. This sec-
tor encompasses rural crafts, which were present in great volume mostly in
Upper and Lower Carniola; the domestic system; bigger and smaller spe-
cialised plants for the production of iron products and semi-finished prod-
ucts, mercury and glass; mines involved in the processing of ore; and weav-
ing facilities.
The tertiary sector encompasses peasant trade and short- and long-dis-
tance commercial services. Transport and carrier services, which were
mostly connected with the main transport routes from the hinterland to-
74
