The 17th Century Almanac for August – Climate Change & Conflict
The 17th Century almanac for the month of August – harvest, when ‘the reapers leave their rest before the sun, and gleaners follow in the toils begun.’ In the 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, European Wars of Religion and British Civil Wars. Once again, the world is facing the impact of Climate Change.
17th Century Life and Agricultural Labour in August
The 1st of August was and is Lammas Day, a cross-quarter day. 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 came the spring sown oats and barley, followed by the beans.
In the 17th Century, this 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 given 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 climate change as a driving factor 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 & Suicides
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 rot in the fields is a farmer’s nightmare.
Again, our farmers are battling climate change. This year’s harvest will almost certainly be poor. In Britain, many farmers were unable to plant winter wheat due to excessive rain. The spring and early summer was dry, then wet and cold. Much of the hay crop is still standing, ruined. While much of Ukraine is 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.
This August, please help get the harvest home by keeping lanes clear and giving farmers a clear run. Don’t add to the pressure they face. We all need a good harvest, as much as ever. We all depend on our farmers.
The Fruit Moon, A Blue Moon & 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. Some have started already.
This year, the Grain Moon was early, on 21 July. The new moon will rise on the 4th to ripen as a full Fruit Moon on 19 August. It will also be a Blue Moon. It will be a true (seasonal) blue moon – the third of four moons between the solstice and equinox. The next seasonal blue moon will not be until 30 May 2027.
If you can, do greet the new moon. We all need a good harvest. In the 17th Century it was customary to pay your respects with a doff of your hat and kissing of fingers. Give it a try.
Follow & Read More of the 17th Century Almanac
Whether you are harvesting your crops, lazing in the sun with a book or gazing at a rare blue moon, I hope you have a bountiful month. As ever, if this post is not the full and plentiful cart you hoped for, please tell me what is missing.
I will post more of the 17th Century Almanac and yearly activity in Early Modern Britain, next month. If you would like to receive an email notification of the next post, please click the button to follow.
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 & Events. You may also wish to read about the English Civil War history talks and battlefield walks I give.
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