The 17th Century Almanac for August – Climate Change & Conflict
The 17th Century Almanac for August is an article by author Charles Cordell on Early Modern harvests, the Little Ice Age and Climate Change as a cause of conflict in Britain, Europe and the Americas.
August is, as it has always been, the month of harvest, when:
“Harvest approaches with its busy day; the wheat tans brown, the barley bleaches grey.
The reapers leave their rest before the sun, and gleaners follow in the toils begun.”
But early 17th Century harvests were devastated by the Little Ice Age. This Climate Change event is now recognised as a key cause of the violent conflict that swept the globe in the 1640s, including the Thirty Years War, Eighty Years War, European Wars of Religion and British Civil Wars. Once again, the world is facing the impact of Climate Change.
17th Century Life & Agricultural in August – the harvest
The 1st of August was and is Lammas Day, a cross-quarter day marked by the baking of bread with the first fresh grain. It must have smelt and tasted good after the long winter and hunger of July.
On this day, the milking of ewes stopped and grazing on the meadows started again, when the grass had recovered a month after hay making. The long, hot ‘dog days’ of summer continued with Sirius (the Dog Star) in the evening sky.
But primarily, August is – as it always has been – harvest. The winter sown wheat and rye are usually first to be got in. Then come the spring sown oats and barley. Last but not least, our farmers will harvest beans, still a vital staple and natural fixer of nitrogen.
Early Modern Harvest – reaping, stacking, carting & gleaning
In the 17th Century, the harvest required huge amounts of labour. The entire village, young and old, participated. Itinerant gangs were also hired in. Even barefoot toddlers were expected to do their share of the gleaning – picking up the fallen grains amongst the stubble.
The sheaves were reaped with a sickle, then stacked in stooks to dry in the fields for about three weeks before carting. The straw was mown by scythe, then carted for thatch, fodder, brewing and baking (as fuel on the fire).
Those working in the fields were given a pint of best beer before starting. Small beer was drunk in the field, more if working by moonlight. Another pint was provided at the end of the day with a meat supper in the hall or farmer’s parlour. Finally, the tithe – one tenth of the crop – was paid to the church for God’s blessing.
The Little Ice Age, Climate Change & Conflict
Harvests across the Northern Hemisphere in the 1630s, 1640s and 1650s were devastated by the Little Ice Age. Four in ten harvests in England were bad. These years saw a rise of 25% or more in the price of bread. The impact of the Little Ice Age (coupled with over population) is now recognised as a key cause of The General Crisis.
This global catastrophe peaked in the most violent decade in world history ever – the 1640s. We now know that war ravaged the globe in the 1640s from Japan, across China, Asia, Europe, Britain and Ireland. In North America, entire civilisations turned upon themselves.
The world is once more facing the impact of climate change. Already we are witnessing it as a driving factor and cause of conflict. Food insecurity, water scarcity and competition for fertile land are fuelling conflict as well as driving migration. In turn, instability and conflict are enabling illegal deforestation, contributing to climate change.
Farming Today – daily anxiety, depression & suicide
Today, harvesting the grain crops is still vital to providing us with bread and cereals as staples for the rest of the year. The weather has to be good to harvest. The grain must be dry. Even a little humidity in the air will stop it. Sitting, watching crops and an entire year’s investment rot in the fields is a farmer’s nightmare. Harvest can be an extremely stressful time. So much is at stake.
Again, our farmers are battling climate change. This year, farmers face the prospect of yet another poor harvest. Another dry spring has been followed by a series of heat waves. The harvest started early and all indications are that UK wheat yields are again well below what should be expected. (The 2024 UK harvest was the second-worst on record. The 2025 harvest was not much better.) While much of Ukraine remains a battlefield.
In the UK, farm suicides are twice the national average (ONS 2011-15). Within the agricultural industry, three lives are lost every week to suicide (BACP 2023). Almost half (47%) of farmers in UK struggle daily with anxiety (RABI 2021). This cannot be right or fair. It is not sustainable. New taxes have only added to the problem of recruiting young people into the industry.
This August, please help get the harvest home by keeping lanes clear and giving farmers a clear run. They are battling climate change and will be working late into the night to get our harvest in. Don’t add to the pressures they face. We all need a good harvest, this year as much as ever. We all depend on our farmers.
Moon & Harvest – Thomas Tusser, folklore & modern biodynamics
In the 17th Century, the moon’s cycle was key to setting the harvest. The best time to harvest any crop was always thought to be on and immediately after a full moon, when the crops were at their fullest.
Thomas Tusser makes this clear in his 1580 rhyming Five Hundred Points of Husbandry:
“Cut all thing or gather, the Moon in the wane,
But sow in increasing, or give it his bane.”
Today, this idea has made a resurgence within the wine industry. It is now called biodynamics. Sadly, our farmers don’t have the luxury of waiting. They need to combine and cart when they can, when the grain is full and dry. Most started their harvest several weeks ago.
Fruit Moon, a solar eclipse & a lunar eclipse!
This year, the Grain Moon came very early, to be full on 29 July. Perhaps it brought the early harvest with it. A new moon will rise on 12 August. This will be the Fruit Moon. It will swell and ripen as the full Fruit Moon on 28 August 2026.
If you can, do greet the new moon. In the 17th Century it was customary to pay your respects to each new moon on first sighting with a doff of your hat and kissing of fingers. It does no harm today to remember the moon’s influence and effect on biodynamics. We all need a good harvest.
This August will also see a solar eclipse and a lunar eclipse over UK! On 12 August 2026, the moon will pass in front of the sun in a near total solar eclipse. This rare phenomenon will start just after 18:00 and end at about 20:00. Nothing like it has been seen since 1999.
If this were not enough, the moon will pass through earth’s shadow in a partial lunar eclipse on 28 August 2026. By about 05:15, 90% of the moon will be covered by the dark shadow of the earth’s umbra. What would Dr Dee or William Lilly, the great 17th Century astrologer, make of this?
August – ‘Messenger’ Mercury, melancholic Virgo & Venus
August is the month of Virgo, the virgin. It is ruled by Mercury, the messenger, trader and trickster. Those born under Virgo’s earthy influence were said to have a melancholic temperament. According to Galen, their cold and dry humour tended to towards being dark, witty, studious and understanding. But an imbalance of melancholic humours could also lead to instability and depression.
For most in the 17th Century, the planets influenced every aspect of life. Mercury is the planet of intellect, communication and diplomacy. It is the ‘Winged Messenger’, Hermes. But it can also be a trickster, a trader, a liar even. For Mercury was also the god of thieves. This August, its erratic, mercurial, quicksilver path will be visible low on the eastern horizon, just before sunrise.
Venus will be visible in the evening, shining brightest on 15 August. It may be joined by a shower of Perseid meteors. These should be at their best and brightest around the new moon on 12-13 August. Together, Mercury and Venus are said to amplify discussion, negotiation and positive decision making.
Astrologers tell us that this will be amplified by the solar eclipse on 12 August, ushering in bold decisions and fresh starts. The lunar eclipse on 28 August is seen as forcing honesty in debate. Some astrologers even offer the hope of stable growth returning at the end of the month. Let us hope they are right.
Follow & Read More of the 17th Century Almanac
Whether you are gathering in your crops, gazing at meteors or lazing in the sun with a book, I wish you a bountiful harvest. As ever, if this post is not the full and plentiful cartload you hoped for, please tell me what is missing.
I will post more of the 17th Century Almanac, next month. Each article discusses a topic of interest, such as 17th Century philosophy and change, as well as annual activity in Early Modern Britain for that month. If you would like to receive an email notification of the next post, please click the button to follow.
17th Century History – articles, maps & events
In the meantime, this website includes more posts and articles about life in 17th Century Britain, Europe and the Americas at Historical Notes and Maps. These include notes and pages on the impact of the Little Ice Age and The General Crisis of the 17th Century. They include articles on the English Revolution and Great Rebellion. They also include Pike and Shot Warfare and battles of the English Civil War.
You can also find more posts on Early Modern history, Living History and re-enactment at News & Blogs. You may also wish to read about the English Civil War history talks and battlefield walks I give. If you would like to meet, why not check out the calendar at Charles Cordell Events.
Divided Kingdom – English Civil War historical fiction
The 17th Century almanac blog posts provide a backdrop and set the scene for the Divided Kingdom books. This historical fiction series is set in Early Modern Britain during the English Civil War. These posts are part of their backstory.
The Divided Kingdom books take a fresh approach. They are not based on a single hero. They do not take sides. Their voices – ordinary men and women – face each other in the chaos of Britain in civil war. They are both relatable and sharply relevant today. They are also as historically accurate as is possible.
Please do check out some of the writing at Divided Kingdom Books, including reviews, book tasters and a FREE ebook.
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