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This family did not just farm the poor fields of this northern climate, but they fished, trapped animals for their fur, and were able carpenters who occasionally worked for others as far afield as St. Petersburg. Beyond that, they collected lumps of bog-ore from surrounding lakes and marshes, smelted them down and made the thus collected metal into agricultural and other tools for themselves as well as for sale. They made fishing nets,spun, and carved pine spoons and bowls. Being so industrious and obviously quite clever in many, many areas, it is not surprising that they were able to live in a house of such beauty and generous size.
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Eastern Europe
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