Medieval Autumn Harvest And Survival

How People Prepared To Survived The Medieval Winter

A bountiful harvest brings abundance and joy (and of course food), but it also signals the beginning of a crucial phase: the distribution, storage and preservation of the season’s yield. Today, food preservation has evolved into a sophisticated science, involving genetic engineering, biochemical manipulation, and advanced refrigeration methods to keep food fresh as it moves through the supply chain during autumn and winter.

In medieval times, people faced the same problem of managing an autumn food surplus, but of course without the technology we rely have today. Farmers and peasants raced against time to harvest, store and preserve enough food using basic, traditional methods to last through the harsh winter months. So, how did they accomplish this with limited resources?

Food Preservation And The Four Humours

Medieval food science was grounded in the doctrine of the four humours: water (cold and wet), earth (cold and dry), fire (hot and dry), and air (hot and wet). These humours were believed to control health, and when they became imbalanced, sickness followed. This theory extended to food management. Spoiling, it was thought, occurred when food contained too much cold and wet humour. Thus, medieval food preservation aimed to balance these humours by increasing the hot and dry properties in food. Salt, considered “hot,” was used extensively, as were techniques like smoking and drying, believed to increase the dry humour in food. While this medieval logic doesn’t align with modern thinking, these methods were nevertheless effective in preventing food spoilage through autumn and winter.

Curing And Pickling

Salt was a primary agent for preserving fish and meat. Fish were packed in salt in a process known as brine-curing, while meat was soaked in large brine baths. Though this preserved the food, it left it with an overwhelmingly salty flavour, akin to modern tinned anchovies! To make it more palatable, spices such as cinnamon, cumin, garlic and nutmeg were added to mask the saltiness. Salted meats and fish were often rinsed multiple times before consumption for the same reason.

In medieval Germany and Korea, peasants fermented cabbage with salt to create foods like sauerkraut and kimchi, which could be stored for long periods. These methods were likely imported to or practiced in medieval Britain as well.

Pickling was another common preservation technique, using vinegar instead of brine. Vinegar, made through fermentation, acted as an effective preservative for vegetables, eggs etc.

Drying And Smoking

In areas without sufficient sunlight for drying, medieval communities built “still houses” where fruits, vegetables, and herbs were dried over a fire. The heat dried the food, and the smoke preserved the meats and fish.

Jams And Jellies

Honey and sugar, both excellent natural preservatives, were used to prevent food spoilage. Fruits were often stored in honey or cooked with sugar and sealed in jars to make jams and jellies. These sweet preserves could last through the winter and were a welcome treat during the colder months when fresh fruit was scarce.

Despite some flawed logic, the medieval approach to food preservation was effective in sustaining people through the long winter months. Salt, smoke, drying, pickling, and the use of natural sugars were all vital techniques that ensured a steady food supply until spring arrived. Ultimately, it was this and the other methods described that combined to ensure medieval societies survived the lean months.

If you are interested in studying History, Oxford Home Schooling offer the chance to do so at several levels, shown below. You can also Contact Us.

History Key Stage 3

History IGCSE

History A level