When did the three field system start?

Answer 1

Three field crop rotation began at the beginning of the 8th century. Charlemagne thought of this innovation. Under the 3 field the land was divided into 3 parts. One section was planted in the fall with winter wheat or rye. The next spring the second field was planted with other crops such as peas, lentils or beans and the third field was left fallow. The additional crops had a significant effect on the overall nutrition of the people of Northern Europe because they were mostly legumes.

Answer 2

The three field system is a natural evolution from the two field system of agriculture. Humans have known since ancient times that crops grow better when fields are alternately left fallow and cultivated, and also grow better when different crops are alternated in a given area.

In the early middle ages a system of agriculture known as the two field system was used to get the benefits of field and crop rotation. Farm land was divided into two halves (thus "two field"). For a given year, one half was left fallow, and the other planted with a combination if crops. Some of these crops were "winter" grains, such as wheat, rye, barley, and oats. They were planted in late fall, would germinate, and then lie dormant through the winter. The longer growing time compared to spring crops, and the availability of winter precipitation for water, would on a good year result in an abundant crop. If a winter was particularly harsh or if there were unusually heavy rains, however, the crop could be damaged or even lost entirely. To hedge against this possibility, and also to divide the work load over the course of the year, some grains were also sown in the spring, and spring crops like beans and peas were planted. Legumes (beans and peas) help return nitrogen to the soil, improving crop yields. Medieval farmers did not understand what nitrogen was, but they certainly understood that planting legumes one years and grains the next on a given plot help yield a better crop.

The three field system is a slight variation of this. Instead of dividing the fields into two parts, they were divided into three. One third was left fallow, one third was planted with a winter crop, and one third was planted with spring crops. As a result 66% of the available farm land was producing each year, instead of 50% under the two field system. The result was more food, and thus more surplus, which allowed for greater urban populations, and also more food storage, making the impact of a poor or failed crop less dire.

The three field system began to generally be introduced around the year 1000. The change was gradual and took place over a period of time, but the three field system eventually became the standard approach to agriculture in the middle ages.

Answer 3

The three-field system was invented in Germany during the 8th century.