How Did Medieval Peasants Survive Harsh Winters?

Hint: Many of them didn’t

(By Simon Bening — cwEQT2I5tUKZHA at Google Cultural Institute maximum zoom level, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=22024983)

Medieval winter was considered to be the point between the last harvest of the autumn and the first sowing and tilling of the land. Typically, the season ran from October to February. Unlike today, the peasantry was not concerned about meteorological seasons or true orbital seasons based on the position of the Earth or the temperature of the air. They were concerned with the time between harvest and planting. This was a sort of dead period where farmers could not sow, plant, tend, or harvest. This period was often accompanied by cold temperatures and snow, but not always. In fact, snow could linger long into spring in certain areas of Europe.

Winter was known for being tough on peasants. Ill preparation or bad fortune could lead to disaster, and disaster could easily lead to death. So, how did peasants survive harsh winters? What did they do with their time? Even when the fields sat fallow, there was always work to be done for the standard peasant. No rest for the weary. No rest for the wicked. A little rest in the winter, but not always.

What They Ate

Most peasants ate something called pottage. As the name suggests, pottage is a meal that is cooked in a large pot. Most peasants did not eat meat in the winter (in fact, most peasants ate precious little meat in general). Instead, peasants put stored fruits, vegetables, and grains into a pot and created a sort of stew. Yes, peasants would put fruit into stew alongside grains like barely. It was seen as unhealthy and odd to eat fruit raw during this time.

Peasants would harvest large amounts of fruits, grains, and vegetables during the autumn and store as much as they could so they could eat it sparingly throughout the winter. Some peasants would have access to milk and eggs from cows and chickens if they had such animals in their care. Cows and chickens will continue to produce milk and eggs no matter what season it is, given that they are properly cared for.

In rare cases, or during feast days, peasants would be able to enjoy meat. But it was rarely fresh. Some peasants who lived near bodies of water with fish could keep smoked or salted fish for winter. This was common in the Nordic countries. Wealthy peasants or…