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Miner Farmers, pt.1
Many miners in the Durham dales also farmed as a means of supplementing their incomes, therefore insuring they had a
back-up against hard times. It was also seen as a way of getting outdoors to counteract the dust and poor conditions
of working underground in the mines.
The high altitude at which many farms were situated generally ruled out arable farming - too much rain and not
enough sun does not allow for crops to grow as a general rule! The farms were on average about 3ha. in area.
This allowed enough room for the miner-farmer to keep a small quantity of stock (1-2 cows, geese, sheep, a horse
and bees for example). The range of stock kept would have been limited by the fodder available.
Apparently chickens and pigs were rarely kept as the cereals and potatoes required to feed them were usually kept to
feed the miner-farmers themselves. Large flocks of geese and sheep were easy to maintain as they feed on grass.
Cows were kept to supply the family with butter, milk and cheese. They would be grazed on the moor in the summer
and kept in the byre and fed on hay in the winter.
Learn more about miner farmers or jump to:
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