Life in 1585

Welcome to life in 1585, well, as close as I can take you. Please come in and browse.

Tending a farm in the Vosges Mountains was a lot of work. Each member of the family has their specialties. Mémé Francisca scours the Salm countryside with her granddaughter, Catherine foraging for food and herbal remedies. While before the invention of chemicals, Humbert raises farm animals and grain for food, he stumbled upon a secret that made his wine the best in the land. Marie shares her knowledge on canning and preserving, using natural products for cleaning, and making food using all-natural ingredients.

Aunt Agnes's soup pot

Life in 1585

With this page, I have highlighted many of the old ways. Eventually, I will add organic farming methods, campfire cooking recipes, wine-making recipes, natural healing methods, and how and when to forage, all things that were commonplace in our not so recent past.

Francisca’s Herbal Remedies

Mémé Francisca, forced to survive by  living off the land, shares her knowledge of herbal remedies and  organic gardening in a time without chemicals or genetically modified seeds.

Hanging from the rafters of Le Petit-Courty, like an upside down garden, Francisca dried plants, roots, and bark, ready for immediate use to treat whatever ailed the Cathillon family or the people of Vacquenoux.

Fireplace drying herbs

Humbert’s Farm

chickens
chickens

Practical tips on raising chickens, tanning hides, wine making, etc.

(this site is under construction)

Marie’s pantry

Eco-friendly housekeeping ideas, homemade cleaners, canning preserving, and recipes using all-natural foods.

Homemade fresh bread

Catherine’s Foraging Journal

How, what, when, and where to safely forage and how to use the items that you’ve found.

Thanks for dropping by to life in 1585.

Feel free to contact me with any comments, questions, or suggestions for future content.

I hope you enjoy your visit.