The Habitant Diet SelfSufficiency Food n n n

The Habitant Diet & Self-Sufficiency

Food n n n Diet was fairly plain and simple; More concerned about food that gave energy, rather than nutrition, cost, or variety; Most important part was bread; Ate almost two loaves a day; Butter, cheese, eggs, fish, and red meat.

Meal Times Usually ate four meals a day; n Lunch and afternoon snack meals were carried out to the field; n Main meal at eight o’clock; n On festive occasions, the families ate more sumptuous meals. n

Habitant Pea Soup n n n n 500 g dried green peas 1 large onion, chopped 1 carrot, grated 500 -1000 g salt pork 1 bay leaf Sea salt 4 L water n n n n n 1. Wash peas. 2. Soak overnight. 3. Add water. 4. Mix in onion and salt pork. 5. Bring to a boil. 6. Simmer for 2 -3 hours until peas tender. 7. Remove pork after 1 -2 hours. 8. Crush peas. 9. Add salt to taste.

Self-Sufficiency on the Farm The habitant was very much on his or her own; n No corner store, or repair person, sometimes no government; n Provided for themselves in a harsh environment. n

Clothing n n Women and girls in the family made most of the clothing; Clothes had to be practical and durable; If fortunate, they had two sets of clothing; One set for everyday, and one set for special occasions.

Household Items Women also crafted items such as rugs, curtains, blankets, and towels; n Additional items such as candles, soap, and paint; n Habitants made tables, chairs, desks, and beds out of pine, oak, or maple. n

Recreation n n At first they had little leisure time; Seigneurial System produced farms located close together; Events that brought people together were: barn raisings, harvesting, flax beating, weddings, and making maple syrup; May Day – coming of spring.

Conclusion n The habitants invented simple games; n Some were lucky enough to have books; n Checkers and card games also became popular; n Singing and dancing was another past time, although the church frowned on it; n As a family became more self-sufficient, they had more time for leisure activities.

Questions… n Questions?