The Peasant Life:
Craftsmen
The average peasant in the feudal structure could be grouped into two main professions: farmer or craftsmen. The farmers worked the fields daily, planting, harvesting, and fertilizing the plants. They paid for their rights to use the land directly in the form of their harvest, and keep the excess to be sold or for their own family use. Most farmers were not free at all and were bound to their land. Some were free and were known as villeins. These people were theoretically allowed to leave and go where they pleased, however, that was often not the case. The craftsmen were usually trained in the home by a parent who was in the profession, or by going into an apprenticeship with other skilled craftsmen in the town. The craftsmen built their goods to sell, and paid a tax to the lord for their right to use the land. Their life mainly consisted of making their goods and services available to the public of the town, coming to help when the town or castle needed repairs, or training the younger generation with their craft. Their profit from the sales was used to buy food from the farmers, and other items which kept the cycle of sales and purchases flowing to keep the medieval economy going.
Possessions:
straw mattress
Most of the peasants had a few meager possessions, including benches, tools, pots and wooden bowls, cups and spoons. Many households also had a simple wooden chest to keep valuables in. Beds were not a common thing, and most slept on a sort of straw mattress on the floor. They slept in their work clothes, covered by an animal skin usually. Some houses had linen towels, woolen blankets, and livestock were also a common possession for them to own, normally chickens, cows, or a pig. If the wife in the family was not helping with the craftsmanship or the farming, she usually occupied her time with raising the children and having a small garden, called a croft. This was usually located next to the house. Some of the farmers lived in town and made the daily commute to their farms, but others lived outside of the protection of the walls on the farms. Generally, farmers did not merely subsist on the crop they grew, and could also produce a cash crop which would be sold. The money from this was used to pay their taxes and buy the necessary supplies for living.
Diet and Seasons:
Black bread
The peasant family ate a simple diet daily of black bread with vegetables such as peas, cabbage, turnips, or onions. They rarely had meat unless they poached wild game at the risk of harsh punishment and sometimes their life. If they lived near a river, a meal might include fish. Like farmers everywhere, peasants worked according to the season. In Spring and Autumn, they plowed and harvested. In Summer they hayed. At other times, they weeded, repaired fences, and performed chores.
Celebrations and Beliefs:
Peasants celebrating by eating, drinking, and dancing
Thus, the peasants' life was a hard one. However, peasants of the middle ages enjoyed many holidays, both religious and non-religious, which meant that the peasant worked for about 260 days a year. The life of the peasant was extremely difficult, but enjoying holidays kept spirits high. The people found occasions to celebrate, such as marriages and births.They also celebrated holidays such as Christmas and Easter. They ate, drank, and danced. They also had meat and they played different sports. In medieval Europe, people believed in elves, fairies, and other nature spirits. They had faith in love potions and magic charms. They also thought that witches could cast spells with a mere look.