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FROM 1750 - 1830 > FARMING |
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Ploughing and Sowing The plough was one of the few pieces of equipment used by farmers. Nearly everything involved manual work. This engraving shows a youth ... |
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Paying the Rent Rent was usually paid by tenant farmers in May and November. Failure to pay increased the threat of eviction. |
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Farm Horses Wealthy farmers owned horses. They were used for a variety of purposes on the farm. |
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Cattle Cattle were bought and sold at fairs. Local breeds were popular. This is a Kerry cow. |
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Cutting Oats The sickle was often used to cut oats, the most important cereal crop in Ulster. |
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Retting Flax The next step was to soak the flax in a pond or dam. This allowed the ‘shous’ to rot, leaving the linen fibres. This process was known ... |
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Flax pulling About four weeks after flowering the flax was ready to be pulled. This was done by hand and the flax was then tied in bundles. |
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Flax in Bloom As the demand for linen increased, more and more land was given over to flax. Sown in late March/early April, it took about 70 to 80 ... |
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Lazy Beds The wide ridges used to grow potatoes were known as lazy beds. |
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Manure to the fields Manure was spread on the fields to make the land more fertile. In coastal areas they used seaweed. |
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