How did they do it?

I am starting to wander what it would have really been like to live locally all year round. September must be pretty much the easiest month, fruits, nuts, berries, vegetables, game everywhere. Can you imagine March? So much effort would have to go into pickling, bottling, drying, grinding, salting and generally preserving things for winter - I'm sure it would be a full time job (along with all the other boring household chores - like - arrgh! The washing up! I have never created so much washing up in my life, so much cooking).

September - the month of easy pickings, free food and if were lucky plenty of autumn sunshine (eating apples, cooking apples, pears and walnuts - all scavenged from the trees)

Tonight I have boiled plums, washed rosehips, picked blackberries, made stock, cooked a ham and done the most enormous pile of washing up! So much to do in the kitchen and so little time - good job I don't work Fridays!