Prior to the 1500s, most farmers in Europe were peasants, practicing subsistence farming on small land holdings. Even through the Renaissance, the techniques and productivity of farming and general agriculture had changed very little in Western Europe since Roman times. Most peasants produced about 20% more crops than they needed to feed their own families, livestock and have for next year’s seed.
Rise of Commercial Farms
Commercialized farming began in Great Britain and The Netherlands as early as 1600. The Netherlands began reclaiming land from the sea with the use of polders. They also discovered that crop rotations helped remove different chemicals from the soil. They began commercialized growing of turnips (good food for sheep in the winter) as well as peas, beans and clover. Clover gave nitrogen to the soil, which improved its fertility, though no one at the time understood the science behind it. As a result by 1700, 90% of cheese produced in The Netherlands was exported.
Thanks to the use of iron ploughs, seed drills and irrigation projects in Great Britain, farms there began to export much more than the previous 20%. Other areas also had commercial farms. Denmark exported around 80,000 heads of cattle a year to Germany, while in Spain exported wool from over 3 million sheep- though they eventually lost this lead to German wool and imported cotton.
New Crops Help Farming in Europe
Another reason that farming in Europe improved between 1500-1815 is the introduction of new crops from the Americas. Potatoes, unheard of in Europe before 1500, soon became a staple, especially in Ireland. Ireland’s population went from 2.5 million in 1500 to 8 million in 1815. Maize (corn) grew very well in southern Europe than barley or millet. It was also a staple in Eastern Europe in Romania, Serbia and Hungary.
Industrial Revolution Changes Agriculture
While in most Europeans worked in agriculture, approximately 80%, the Industrial Revolution brought about changes to farming and agriculture. In Great Britain and The Netherlands especially, there was a huge population shift from the farm to industrialized cities. Better farming methods, previously discussed, also helped free up labor, leaving more people to go to jobs in manufacturing, textiles or mines. The changes and improvements in agriculture helped break old feudal ties in Western Europe. Many farmers exchanged old labor services for money rent or sharecropping. However, in Eastern Europe, feudal power grew stronger, lasting well into the 19th century.
Western European Crops
Trade between various parts of Europe grew a great deal between 1500 and 1815. Cereal and timer in Northern Europe was traded for fruit wines and oils of the Mediterranean. Here is a breakdown of crops by country:
Austria & Germany
· Wheat
· Barely
· Dairy
· Hay
· Oats
· After 1700- Clover, turnips, potatoes
France
· Wheat
· Barley
· Dairy
· Hay
· Oats
· After 1700- Clover, turnips, potatoes
Italy
· Wheat
· Barley
· Vines
· Olives
· Sugar cane
· Millet
· Sorghum
· After 1600- rye, oats, potatoes, buckwheat
The Lowlands (Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg)
· Wheat
· Barley
· Dairy
· Hay
· Oats
· After 1700- Clover, turnips, potatoes
Spain
· Wheat
· Barley
· Vines
· Olives
· Sugar cane
· Millet
· Sorghum
· After 1600- rye, oats, potatoes, buckwheat
Scandinavia
· Dairy
· Hay
· Oats
Agriculture in Europe underwent vast changes between 1500 and 1815. New crops from the Americas and new farming techniques, coupled with booming populations, resulted in increased productivity. This era saw the rise of commercial farming and the last of feudalism in Western Europe, setting the stage for modern day farming.
Sources:
Harper Collins Atlas of World History 2001.
Lorri Brown - I am a published freelance writer living in the beautiful foothills of Western Maine. Mom to four wonderful children, my passion for ...
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