[Artemisia] Daily medieval life - was worst farm jobs

[Brian Johnson]

I agree.  I think most people don't realize how hard of a life the medieval farmer/serf had it.  There were no tractors or tillers, planting machines, or harvesting equipment.  Every waking moment of every day was a struggle to get enough food to keep yourself and your family fed through a year and have enough left to maybe barter for tools or other things that were needed to keep the food growing, the animals fed, the house standing, etc al.

The nobles would have had it much easier as the serfs were required to pay a tribute in food and service to the nobles for "protection."  Of course, most of that protection would have been from the nobles themselves.  I truly doubt anyone would want to play in the SCA if they were required to play the part of a serf until they got their AoA.  It was slavery for all intents and purposes.  Regardless, even nobles had jobs that they had to do to make ends meet if they were not attached to a large population base.  Its one of the things that I think many people forget with the way that we portray things.  Of course, I don't think any of us would have it any other way.  "I pity the fool" who thinks that they are going to come out and order me around when we both play the same game, pay the same prices, and are attempting to live the same Dream.  It is one of those things, along with many others, that makes me glad that I am here and now and just "playing" instead of actually
 back in that time.

Brynki



Allen Hall <earlalan at srv.net> wrote: > Okay we'll change the subject to "daily medieval life", because these are 
> the
> kinds of things almost everyone had to do, to support their household. ;)
>
> Godwin

Godwin, thanks for that, because that's exactly what I was thinking too. 
Not only that, but medieval folks would probably think the stuff we're 
complaining about would be pretty easy duty!

Alan 

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