- Early risers, starting work before sunrise.
- Long hours, 6 days a week, breaking only for meals.
- Men primarily responsible for fieldwork, women managed household and chores.
- Children had chores too, as soon as they were able.
Food:
- Basic diet: cornmeal, rye bread, salt pork.
- Summer offered variety: fish, poultry, eggs, garden vegetables.
- Food preservation was essential: salting, smoking, pickling.
- Cider a common and important drink, often safer than water.
- Tea gained popularity despite objections over cost and British trade relations.
Housing:
- Modest homes, often only one room.
- As families grew, new additions added, resulting in asymmetrical house structures.
- Fireplaces central to home life, both for warmth and cooking.
Social Life:
- Social events revolved around church and community gatherings.
- Church services every Sunday, often lasting several hours.
- Town meetings for discussing and deciding local matters.
- Barn raisings, husking parties - cooperative work events with social benefits.
Challenges:
- Harsh, unpredictable weather, leading to crop failures and livestock loss.
- Lack of medical facilities, often resulting in high infant mortality rates.
- Long winters caused isolation, mental strain, and limited travel or trade.
Prosperity:
- Despite challenges, many farmers achieved comfortable livelihoods.
- Hard work and community cooperation were highly valued.
- Surplus crops and livestock provided opportunities for trade and specialization.
Economic Structure:
- Subsistence farming: growing crops primarily to feed family.
- Surplus sold for cash or traded for desired goods.
- Barter and credit important elements of economic interactions.
Influences on Identity:
- Deeply religious, Puritan background shaped cultural values.
- Belief in hard work, thriftiness, and self-sufficiency.
- Importance of community and cooperation in harsh environment.
Life for New England farmers was strenuous but resilient, built on communal living and a strong work ethic that shaped the identity of the region.