Leaf stripping

Unknown1911

Two women are sitting in the canopy of a willow tree. The two are harvesting leaves by pulling them from the twigs and collecting them in baskets.

Details

Title: Leaf stripping
Creator: Unknown
Date Created: 1911
More Information: The leaves were dried and given to the animals during the winter. Harvesting leaves for winter fodder by pulling the leaves or cutting off the branches and twigs with leaves on them has existed in Sweden since the Middle Ages, and up to the early 1900s was an important part of self-sufficiency in Sweden. The greatest limiting factor to the number of animals a farm could keep was the amount of winter fodder that could be harvested. Hay from meadows was a significant part of winter fodder but dried leaves could be an important complement and in some years and locations was the most readily-available winter fodder. Leaf harvesting largely ceased in the mid twentieth century as a result of the rationalisation of livestock and the availability of fertiliser for pastureland.
Type: Agriculture
Rights: Photo: Nils Keyland, Nordiska museet (public domain)

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