The Agricultural Life of a Feudal Family Farm

The farming family lives on the outer edge of the growing settlement, in a temperate valley with fertile plains watered by small streams from nearby hills. Their farm is modest, about two hectares, divided into rice fields, vegetable plots and animal pens and a small home compound. Most of the land is rented from the local lord, to whom they must give half of their harvest each season. Only a small garden beside the house belongs entirely to them. Beyond the fields lies the commons, a shared grazing area where villagers keep small herds under community rules and restrictions. Upgraded from cereals and wheat, the main crop is rice, grown in flooded paddy fields during spring and summer, then harvested in early autumn. The family also grows barley and millet on drier ground for winter use. Their private garden has bottle gourd, soybeans, leafy greens and herbs, providing food when rice stocks run low. On the commons, they keep five animals, two cattle for ploughing and cart work, two goats for milk and wool, and one pig for meat and waste recycling. Chickens are kept near the house for eggs. Planting begins in late spring after the snow melts. The family plants rice seedlings by hand into shallow paddies fed by a bamboo irrigation channel. Summer means constant maintenance such as repairing leaves, weeding, and guarding crops from animals. Autumn brings long harvest days, using iron sickles for threshing. Winter focuses on repairing tools, weaving and caring for animals. Work is divided between all family members. The father handles ploughing and irrigation, guiding the cattle. The mother and older children manage planting, weeding, and harvesting, while younger ones collect firewood and feed animals. Common tools include hoes, wooden rakes, sickles and baskets. Most tools are shared or repaired communally, reflecting cooperation between neighboring farms. Before sunrise, the family eats a simple meal of rice and soup, then works in the fields until midday. Afternoons are for tending the garden, collecting water, or working in the commons. Evenings are spent around the hearth repairing nets, weaving, or preparing food for the next day. Despite long hours, life follows the rhythm of the seasons and the sounds of nature such as frogs in flooded paddies, the creak of wooden carts and the lowing of cattle. This farm represents the shift to a feudal system in our civilization where technology of iron tools, environment and culture/community all shape daily life. The family’s humble tools and shared land show their dependence on both nature and hierarchy, while their small garden and livestock symbolize self-reliance. Together, these details illustrate how agricultural systems supported social order and urban growth in the settlement’s evolving history.