Economy
Buyers and Sellers
Farmers did other selling, too, other than at markets. A wealthy peasant might rent his iron plow to a poor neighbor, or sell his surplus of grain or seed. This latter was vitally important, for anywhere from 1/4 to 1/2 of a harvest of wheat had to be kept back for the next year's planting. In bad times, peasants milled the seed into bread to keep from starving, but then had to buy or borrow seed in the spring. Also, buyers from the cities scoured the countryside, buying grain and other produce directly for re- sale in the city or to noble courts or to armies.
The peasant was also a consumer. His principal purchases were tools and utensils, either for the farm or the household. The more rural peasant bought from peddlars, while those close to town did their business there. Cloth, bits of finery, maybe a pair of boots, all these were purchased in coin, which coins the peasant earned by selling his own produce or perhaps his wife earned from spinning wool.