Infopanel 22

Farms

The scattered farms in the Norwegian fjords, on the Danish islands, or in the dense forests of Sweden were largely self-sufficient in their production of food and household items. Contact with neighbors or various trading centers took place almost exclusively by boat across fjords, straits, lakes, and rivers. Other means of transportation were rare.

Accordingly, the tools for the farm and kitchen were also made independently: many were made of wood, lamps and bowls of soapstone, combs, spoons, and drinking horns of horn or antler. Given Scandinavia's poverty of iron ore at the time, all metal objects, especially weapons, were valuable items that were often passed down from generation to generation. 

Due to the climatic conditions, agriculture and horticulture were practiced to a limited extent, with barley, rye, and millet, a little oats, and hardly any wheat being cultivated. The main vegetables grown were root vegetables and leeks. As fruit trees were not yet cultivated, people mainly ate wild apples and plums and all kinds of berries.

The food of the Vikings

The diet was determined by the lifestyle of Viking-era farmers as livestock breeders. It consisted mainly of dairy products such as cheese and skyr, and cooked horse, beef, and pork. However, the cattle were significantly smaller, and the horses on the farms resembled today's Icelandic horses. Small livestock such as poultry seems to have played a minor role and was mainly kept for their eggs. Fishing in coastal areas was also an important source of food. In addition, most farms had their own oven for baking rye bread. 

The drink of ordinary people was water or whey mixed with water; only at festive times was thin home-brewed beer served. Wine was a luxury import from the south. Mead was a drink fermented from water and honey, which, due to its limited availability, was more likely to be served at festive occasions or perhaps for ritual purposes.

While beer could not be preserved, attempts were made to preserve fish and meat by smoking and drying them so that the valuable food could also be consumed in winter.