It occurred to me that the post TEOTWAWKI subsistence homesteader might be comparable to the 14th century Medieval Peasant both in energy expenditure and diet availability.
Energy Requirements of a Medieval Peasant
The post TEOTWAWKI subsistence homesteader and the 14th century Medieval Peasant will likely have another thing in common; muscle powered manual labor.
How much energy did the medieval peasant need to expend?
• Work days could last as long as12 hours in the summer.
• Men and Women both burned 1892 calories just sleeping and walking PLUS a day's labor.
• The average of the various activities listed below is around 3000 calories per eight hours.
o Sleeping- 392 Calories
o Walking in 8 hr at 3 mph- 1,437 Calories
Average Medieval Male- Age 30, 5' 5", 120 lb
• Sawing - hardwood, by hand 3,266 Calories in 8 hr
• Forking Bales of Hay 3,484 Calories in 8 hr
• Farming - shearing sheep 2,613 Calories in 8 hr
• Farming - chasing livestock 1,524 Calories in 8 hr
• Digging – ditches 3,701 Calories in 8 hr
• Chopping Wood – fast 7,403 Calories in 8 hr
Average Medieval Female - Age 30, 5' 5", 120 lb
• Weeding Garden 1,960 Calories in 8 hr
• Moderate/heavy work 1,742 Calories in 8 hr
• Hauling - water 1,960 Calories in 8 hr
• Cultivating Garden 1,470 Calories in 6 hr
• Chopping Wood – fast 5,552 Calories in 6 hr
• Farming - animal care 2,613 Calories in 8 hr
A prosperous English peasant in the 14th century would probably consumer 2 to 3 pounds of bread, 8 ounces of meat or fish and 2 -3 pints of ale per day. The bread was usually mean of rye, oats, or barley. For the less prosperous, meat was expensive and usually only available on special occasions. Often eggs, butter, or cheese were substituted for meat. Vegetables such as onions, leeks, cabbage, garlic, turnips, parsnips, peas and beans were staples. Fruits were available in season, perhaps some as dried.
Nutritional needs of a medieval peasant: 4800 calories: 104 g protein 159 g fat 738 g carbohydrates
Sample Diet 1
Amount Food Calories Fat G Protein G Carbohydrates
3 whole eggs 197 13 16 2
3 cups oats (porridge) 1821 33 78 309
3 pints ale 584 0 4 53
8 ounces cheese 913 75 56 3
TOTAL: 3515 121 154 367
Nutritional needs medieval peasant 4800 159 104 738
Sample Diet 2
Amount Food Calories Fat g Protein g Carbohydrates
2 cups beans 1394 5 93 252
2 1/2 lbs. whole wheat 2948 46 103 535
3 pints ale 584 0 4 53
4 cups turnips 140 1 5 32
TOTAL: 5066 52 205 872
Nutritional needs medieval peasant 4800 159 104 738
Sample Diet 3
Amount Food Calories Fat g Protein g Carbohydrates
8 ounces pork 515 37 41 0
2 1/2 lbs. rye bread 2937 37 96 548
3 pints ale 584 0 4 53
8 oz cabbage 45 0 3 10
TOTAL: 4081 74 114 611
Nutritional needs medieval peasant 4800 159 104 738