Life on a Colonial Farm

Most Colonial Farms were…

• Self sufficient - they could grow all the food they needed and use all the resources on the farm to live without help from other people.

• Some farmers grew cash crops; however, most farmers simply ran the farm in order to feed their families.

Farms were divided into Acres

• One acre = 43,560 square feet

The Average Farm was 60 Acres

House Lot- 2 Acres

• The living space• Barn, pond, trees,

smaller outbuildings, kitchen garden

• Often 10-15 people lived here– Parents– Children (usually 4-8)– Grandparents– Uncles and Aunts who

are not married– Servants and workers

Wood Lot- 20 Acres

• Use this for all the fireplaces for the year.

• Use 5 Acres of wood each year

• Had to plant 5 acres each year

Meadow - 15 Acres

• Used to make Hay• Hay is used to feed

the animals in the winter time.

• Without good meadow land, animals will starve

Pasture -15 Acres

• A place for the animals to graze

Tillage- 6 Acres

• The place where the family grew its crops.– Wheat, barley, rye,

beets, potatoes, etc.

• If the family grew cash crops, this would be bigger.

• Most farm families only grew enough food for themselves.

Orchard- 2 Acres

• Fruit trees (mostly apple trees, maybe pear, cherry)

• Apples were used to feed the animals and to make cider.