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Alderman

The peasants had to take turns acting as alderman, fire ranger and snow ranger. He would have a large steers horn that they would blow in at a predetermined location in their respective towns. They would blow in it for announcements relating to villeinage, snow removal or fire. When the sound of the horn was heard it was each home's duty to send someone to receive orders. 

Bull and boar 

(breeding animals)

Families took turns caring for these animals for one year at a time.

Stallion

If the mare ended up having a foal, a barrel of oats would be given as payment. If not then only a half of a barrel was exchanged.   

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Superstition

Sankt Hans Day/St. John's Day/Summer solstice is on the 24th of June and the night prior to this day was referred to as Sankt Hans night. This was thought to be the night where witches and trolls would ride their brooms to Blocksbjerg/Brocken mountain where they would gather and feast. When these beings were flying over ditches, gates, forests and lakes they might also be likely to fly through people's crops and perhaps damage them. To prevent that from happening small amounts of rice and bundles of twigs were placed here and there throughout the countryside. It was thought that when these beings flew near these things that they would avoid them and stay away.

Steel in the door

 (I think he meant to say iron)

It was important to place a bit of steel in the doorways when a new animal had been bought, when a cow had been with a bull, when a cow had been to the watertrough for the first time since giving birth to a calf. Some steel was also placed in the seed piles in the loft as well as in the haystacks, in the barns, practically everywhere to ensure that witches and trolls wouldn't mess with them or damage them.

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St. Martin's Day

This holiday always fell on the 10th of November and featured roasted goos, duck or some other sort of poultry. It was a very festive evening for everyone that resided in the house.

Christmas Eve

On this evening we took our dinner by candlelight in the middle of the afternoon. We'd be lighting two candles at the table even though we could see perfectly by just using one. Once the meal had finished, Mother would hand out 3-4 æbleskiver and a small piece of cake. Everyone also got a bit of cheese and meat so after a while it turned into a bit of a platefull. The dog was then brought in and each of us proceeded to give it a little something from each of our plates. He ended up receiving a sizable meal and was then tied up outside again. We then sang one or two Christmas songs and then cleared the table leaving only the lit candles. The Christmas tree was then lit in the sitting room and once that was done it was time to get the cards out and see if you had enough nuts left over from Nutday. If people were out then Mother would have to get her bag of Pebbernødder/ginger cookies and we'd each recieve a handful.   

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Christmas Bonus

Each farmhand, both boy and girl, as well as the blacksmith received a Christmas Bonus consisting of a loaf of rye bread and a wheat cake. They in return took these and brought them home to give to their mothers, if they had one or to the women who did their laundry and mended their clothes. For their services these women would generally receive a wage of 4-6 crowns. 

New Years Eve (New Years Eve)

This day was held in the same esteem as Christmas and celebrated in much the same manner. However, there was a greater focus on good food good drink and a bit of fun.

Twelfth Night

Held in equal esteem with good traditions. However, we needed to light three candles and place them on the table for the entire night. 

Driving maneur

There were always two or three peasants that would help each other when driving maneur which usually happened between sowing season and harvest time. the man as well as the boys would drive the cart while the farmhands loaded and the girls would spread it out. 

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from the wagon, carried to the grave and lowered into the ground. Meanwhile, someone had been to see the priest and had informed him that the body had arrived. The priest then headed over to the grave, threw a bit of dirt on the coffin and gave his speech. The quality and length of said speech greatly depended on the size of the payment he had received the other day. 

The grave was filled in again and all of the women came forward with their  green wreaths and placed them on the grave site. Then the bells ring and everyone returns home. The person ho had driven the hearse picks up the funeral party and brings them back home. There, the tables where decked out with rice pudding, fish and many other things. After the meal we socialized playing card for the rest iof the day and long into the night. The immediate family was invited to return the next day. 

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Nut Day

When the harvest had been brought in it was traditional for everyone to get a day off which was commonly referred to as "Nut Day."On this day, everyone went out to gather nuts in the countryside. There was nothing but Hazel nuts available and while some only ended up getting a pocket full others often times managed to get an entire bushel. We also had access to walnuts, but they were kept in the gardens and available to everyone.

Feast of St. Michael

It was a feast dedicated to the workers who had helped bring in the harvest. The feast was held around St. Michael's Day which was the 29th of September and traditionally featured the butchering of a lamb. In attendance were the workers and their immediate families, as well as several farmhands and young girls, especially if they were good dancers. The feast would begin with the serving of lamb stew followed by dancing, card playing and the likes. 

Mix-n-match cake

(Mikkemose kage)

Every farmhand and even the blacksmith received a wheatcake which was referred to as a Mikkemose Cake which they each brought home and gave to their respective mothers.   

  

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Funerals

When a person died, the first step was to dress the deceased in a simple long heavy duty shirt. Once they were dressed, the body was placed in a room on what they called a stretcher. It was essentially two chairs with a pair of boards between them. On top of the boards they placed a few bushels of pure rye straw. When these specific bushels weren't used for such an occasion, then they were hung in the attic. Therefore it was quite possible that such a bushel would be used time and time again and could even be more than a hundred years old.

Next someone had to go see a builder or a carpenter to order a coffin. These coffins were made out of rough boards and treated with a mixture of soot and water. The handles were fashioned from rope and covered with black fabric. 

A request was then sent to the country offices asking for the certificate of death (burial permit) after which they needed a grave dug. 

Order the bell ringers, invite people to the funeral, speak to the priest about dropping dirt on the grave. Paying him for his services and asking him to give a speech at the funeral. 

The quality of the speech stood in direct correlation to the amount he was paid. They also had to request the presence of the headmaster of the school, because he had to come along and sing at the funeral. 

  

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However, he was also in attendance in order to enjoy a good meal and perhaps even partake in a game of cards during the afternoon and into the evening. In the meantime, the coffin was ready and had been delivered. It was half full off of wood shavings and a head support had also been placed inside of it. A sheet was spread over it upon which the body then was lowered into the coffin. The sheet was then draped around the body and they would place a bit of lace over the face of the deceased. The came the headmaster along with another man who were supposed to act as witnesses and were to inspect the body of the deceased and clear them for burial. 

Usually 8-9 days would have passed by now and the invited guests had gathered because the funeral day had arrived. Those who had invited them to the funeral, of which there were twelve individuals, had gone ahead with picnic baskets and the likes in order to prepare lunch. The funeral procession set out, and there were no predetermined pallbearers so all of the men took turns. The men walked and the women drove in wagons behind them. Suddenly the procession came to halt and a wagon that had followed in the rear came up to the front where the coffin then was loaded onto it. It was by no means a proper hearse but rather a regular work wagon. Our community didn't have a hearse back then. We were now only a short distance from the church and once again everyone came to a halt. The bells began to ring and the body was unloaded from

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I don't know if it was a law that children needed to be baptized by a certain age. However, more than once it so happened that after six weeks the priest would send a message to a given set of parents, reminding them not to forget to get their child baptized. Sometimes it so happened that the child was baptized in their home, but sooner or later they always ended up in church anyway and had to go through the ceremonies that went with a baptism. This is also why, at the beginning of a baptism, the priest would inquire as to whether or not the child had been baptized at home, to which the godmother would either respond yes or no. You could always tell who the godmother was, because she was the one who would be holding the baby. The first things that needed to be done in preparation for the baby shower and baptism was to choose a sort of "best woman." This woman's duty was to escort the mother of the child into the church. Another woman was chosen to carry the child and to hold them during the baptism. Yet another woman was needed to hold the bonnet, nurse the child if need be and to assist the godmother in the church. She was also required to loosen and retying the bonnet before and after the baptism. Two father's were also required to stand and observe the baptism in the capacity of witnesses. Now the father of the child was required to go out and invite everyone to a feast. His announcement might have sounded something like this; "Greetings from the mother and child. Would you please join us this Sunday at church 

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and then come back to our house where you could enjoy some lunch or simply visit for a while."So the day before the party the girls had to run along with some milk, butter and cream which was meant to assist with the preparation of the feast. Then on Sunday the guests would gather for the feast and were met by musicians as they entered the courtyard at the farm. 

The godmother was also in attendance. She had dressed the child in clothes that she had acquired by buying the fabric, sowing the clothes herself and presenting them to the child as a gift. Now they were at the church and everyone went in except for the mother, the "best woman," the godmother and the wet nurse. They would remain in the entryway until the end of the first psalm, after which the priest came out and gave a small speech meant to usher the mother into the church. The priest then left again and the mother and her "best woman" entered. When the sermon was over the deacon went out and brought in the two other women who had the child with them and the proceeded with the baptism. The godmother would then hold the child while it received the sacrament after which she handed the child to the wet nurse so that she herself could go up and receive the sacrament. Then it was the mother's and her assistants turn and then everyone else's. Everyone would then head to the home of the parents where a wedding style party would commence.  

August Meeting Minutes

Members and Guests present: Allan J, Dane J, Amy A, Keri B, Tara B, Loraine L, Ada L, Katie L, and Mike B.

This was our annual bring your own dinner picnic at the park. We met at the Miner's Park in Negaunee and spent most of the evening visiting. Katie and Ada were visiting from downstate.

Dane brought a children's game, "Dyrene's Hotel" for us to play (Animal Hotel). The object of the game is to fill your hotel with all of the animals that are on the card. When you roll the dice you can end up with more animal cards, a chance to trade, or a "chance" card which can cause good or bad things to happen at your hotel. 

Ada enjoyed playing the game, especially because she won the first round! After a bit of play, she even tried reading some of the Danish on the cards. 

Our next meeting will take place on September 12 at Kris's house. We will send a reminder out prior to the meeting and let you know if you need to bring anything along! 

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The dancing is temporarily suspended because it was now time to toast the happy couple. The best man sits down and fills the glasses with brandy, wine and other kinds of beverages, as the music slowly begins to wind down. People then pair up, one man and one woman and head over to the table for a glass. The man utters his toast and proceeds to clink glasses with their partner, they drink, put their glasses down and both leave some money meant for the musicians.

The various toasts that are uttered are primarily in honor of the newlywed, their parents and everyone in attendance. when they were all done the dancing would quickly commence. However, by now the bride had changed out of her traditional wedding gown and into a more simple dress. She was on the dance floor, dancing with all of the women. Dancing her way into womanhood. It was now past midnight and people were starting to head home. However, before leaving they were all offered a snack which consisted of leftovers like fish in mustard, bread and much more. The next day they gathered once more for lunch which was porridge left over from the day before and which this time had been reheated and mixed with beer. There was also fish along with an assortment of many other dishes. It was very much like the previous nights feast except no one was toasting. Sometimes, the immediate family was even invited to partake in a third day of celebrating.

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Qvindestue

It wasn't unusual that a short while after the wedding, the young couple would be expecting an addition to their family. When something like this happened it was customary to hold what was referred to as "Qvindestue" (which meant that the father would go around to family and friends, informing them that they had gotten a baby. He would then invite them to join them for "Qvindestue" on that very day. However, the invite only extended for the parents of the various households. On said day, 10-20 families showed up, each of them bringing a large jar filled with sweet soup and some pancakes. They would all proceed to enjoy a happy day and night, socializing, playing cards and the likes. However, each woman would also bring on crown and placed it in the crib. They would then tell the mother that the money was to be spent on a book for the little one. 

At the time when a young mother was sowing the first outfit for their newborn, they would also sow their own funeral shroud which would be put away for safekeeping until she passed away.