The Vikings as Farmers

by Virginia Giani

At first the Vikings came to plunder but later they conquered land for themselves and settled down as farmers. This happened because, in Scandinavia, there were too many people living off the land. Many families in Scandinavia were forced to cultivate isolated areas where the soil was poor. Poor soil led to poor crops the following year, this could lead to starvation during the long winter months. As a result many people went overseas to find land to farm.




When a farmer died his eldest son inherited the farm. Younger brothers got a share of the rest of their father's wealth, but if they wanted to farm they had to find land. They could buy it, or clear a forest or go abroad. This is another problem that drove Vikings overseas.

Viking farms had to be able to meet all their own needs. They produced their own clothes, food, leather goods and tools. Most farmers owned their own farms and their families helped them to run the farms. Others paid men and women who had no land to do certain skills, for example planting crops, working as a carpenter, a blacksmith, and making barrels.

Wealthy farmers had slaves to fetch and carry, spread manure, chop wood and dig up rotten vegetables and grass (called peat). This was used as fuel. Some people in Ireland still use peat in their fires. Viking farms have been excavated in Scandinavia and in Ireland.


The Farming Year
The farmer's year began in the Spring (called 'Cuckoo-Time'). The fields were ploughed and the crops were sown. Oats, barley, rye and wheat were planted in the fields. A simple machine called an 'ard' was used to cut through light soils.

Throughout the summer, he and his family worked the land, tended the animals and prepared for the long winter. Herders took cattle to graze on rich mountain fields. Wealthy farmers moved their families and slaves to a 'shieling' (summer-house) in the hills. Men often went on hunting expeditions during the summer to store up food for the winter. Hunting was a good source of furs and hides.


Prey included deer, boars, bears and foxes. They killed the animals with spears, bows and arrows or caught them with traps. The Vikings believed that the best place to find a bear was at the foot of high, grassy slopes. Men climbed cliffs to catch sea birds, and to collect feathers to use as padding in quilts and cloaks.

When autumn came, farmers would harvest crops and stock up more food for the winter. The weakest animals were slaughtered. Meat and fish were salted, dried in the sun or smoked over fires to preserve them.

In winter, some farmers went fishing and hunting to bring home extra food. Whales were driven into shallow creeks or on to beaches where they were speared by men in small boats. Herring, salmon, cod, seals, walruses were hunted with spears. Cattle were kept inside in winter, but sheep were hardier and stayed out in the snow.