What did peasent eat in middle ages?

Answer 1

There were a number of advances made in agriculture during the Middle Ages. Two that are deemed to be of the highestimportance are: the implementation of the three-field system and the innovation of the horse collar.

The three-field system.

This system is seen as major advance in the food production techniques. In the old two-field system, the workable land was split into two. Half of the land was sown to crop and the other half was left fallow each season. This worked well enough but it left less option for planting, a rapid reduction of nutrients from the soil, and it was not as efficient a use of the land.

In the three-field system, only a third of the land lay fallow and this allowed for seasonal rotation of the fields. In the autumn, wheat, barley, or rye were planted in one third and in the spring another third was planted with oats, barley, and legumes to be harvested in late summer. It was found that by doing this, the soil was left nutrient rich from the legume planting cycle (peas and beans), which strengthened the soil by their nitrogen-fixing ability. This not only left more fertile soil for better growing, but it also improved our European ancestor's diet.

The Padded Horse Collar.

There is historical evidence that Oxen had been used as a power source from 4000 to 3000 BCE. Certainly they were used to till the fields in the Middle Ages, by yoking a team of two Oxen to pull the plow. This was because the anatomy of the Ox allowed for an easily crafted and fairly rudimentary wooden Yoke to be effectively harnessed to the animal. Horses however, were far better suited to the task of hauling, having greater speed and endurance (enough for around two hours more of work each day). The innovation of the padded horse collar, which allowed for the horses smooth back and upright posture by being padded and sliding over the shoulder, effectively revolutionised Medieval agriculture.

A further innovation that added to the effectiveness of medieval farming was the adoption of the Wheeled Plow. The plough produced a deep furrow for planting and turned the earth, knocking up the rich soil. The Wheeled Plow enabled the ploughing depth to be controlled, and was effective in more sandy regions. Adopted with the horse, this plough helped to increase food production in medieval Europe.

Answer 2

Barley, wheat, turnips, apples, grapes, oats, carrots, cabbage, spinach, lettuce, onion, peas, rye, cherries, plums hope this helped!