Peat Bog @museum.de

Woah … and stand. All done. Now, where’s that farmhand? Hans! Hans!

Here, master, right here. Already back from the peat bog?

“Already”? We left at crack of dawn. Even granny and the children had to come along.

So where are they all?

They're still helping the others to load up the peat. I think all of Steinhude was out in the bog today. At every cutting site, they were loading up the dried sods of peat. Everyone was out in their boats to bring the peat across the lake. And it was very busy down at the jetty, one cart next to the other, oxen and horses, a lot of confusion. Now, get started. The peat needs unloading. And afterwards, when you stack it up the wall – mind you do it neatly, sod by sod.

But Master, but that's an enormous load – why have you brought such a huge pile?

What do you think? What else do you imagine we’re going to be heating the house with all winter? Believe me, I'd much prefer to have my own woodland nearby, but all we have is the bog. Still, the work we did last spring was worth it. Do you remember? We stood up to our shoulders in the peat pit, so we could cut the really black stuff right at the bottom.

And look at the dried sods of peat. They're lovely and dark. That's the best fuel, really dense and old. The house’ll be lovely and warm in winter.

I wish! The mistress only heats the parlour, and only on Sundays. Otherwise, the kitchen stove is supposed to heat the whole house. Hardly any of that heat ever reaches the big workroom.

Oh my! Is the house not warm enough for such a fine gentleman? Then you'll just have to move around more. How many times do I have to tell you: the loom needs to be kept cool and damp, otherwise you can’t process the flax into yarn properly. Now come here and lend a hand, or we'll be here till nightfall.