Farming as a Way of Life

Farming as a Way of Life. . , Farming was central to life in rural New England. , Two out of three households were headed by farmers, and the seasonal rhythms of farm work shaped the calendar. Most families owned some land, but many rented other people’s land. From plowing and planting to hoeing and harvesting, the kind of work varied with the changing seasons., Farming defined the work of men, women, and children. , Farming required the entire family’s work, and each member had responsibilities in the farmyard, fields, garden, and household. Even families that did not farm usually had a kitchen garden, and often kept a cow, pig, or chickens., Farms varied greatly in size, from a few acres to several hundred. , A typical farm was about 80 acres. For comparison, the town common in front of you is about one acre., Most farmers raised a variety of crops and livestock. , New Englanders grew hay, corn, and oats for livestock, and rye, corn, potatoes, and buckwheat for the table. Farms had cows for milk, oxen for work, pigs, chickens, and sometimes sheep and horses. Women used the milk to make butter and cheese, often the farm’s most valuable products., Farm families traded much of what was produced. , They produced food for themselves, traded some with their neighbors for goods and services, and sold an increasing proportion outside the community through storekeepers and other middlemen., Farm life was changing in the early 1800s. , With almost all of the good land taken up, opportunities to farm in New England were no longer expanding. Many young people moved to cities or villages to work in manufacturing, trades, or commerce. Many others left New England entirely for new farms in New York, Ohio, Illinois, and Michigan. Families that continued to farm here had to adapt to changing markets and competition from the West.