During the pre-industrial period, people’s lives were tied to the cycle of the seasons much more than they are today. In order to survive, they had to be in tune with nature so they could complete the tasks needed to fulfill their needs at the right time. With the arrival of the fall equinox, the days grow shorter and the temperature drops. The countdown to winter starts. People did everything they could to ensure the subsistence of their families during the cold season when fresh food was extremely limited.
Aquarelle: Chemin derrière l’allée Lundy,
chutes Niagara
Source: Bibliothèque et Archives Canada/C-093924
This series of chronicles invites you to discover the many chores that kept our ancestors so busy during this most colorful season. The techniques used in Canada reveal how the European colonists adapted to an environment when the productive period was shorter and winter was longer and harsher. These settlers discovered interesting things here, including the fact that the cold and snow could be allies in preserving food.
| First episode Harvest Time Second episode Putting Summer into Jars Third episode Flax – What a chore! Fourth episode Cellars and Attics Fifth episode A Well-stocked Salting Tub |
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