1749, Pehr Kalm, Swedish naturalist:

“Sowing is usually done around April 15, starting with the peas. Among the different species of peas that can be had here, green peas are preferred for sowing. Harvesting begins around mid-to-late August. The plough and harrow comprise all the tillage tools of the Canada farmer, and even these instruments are not of the best quality. Large quantities of oats are sown, but only for the horses and cattle. […]

White wheat is very common in the fields. There are also large sections of peas, oats, summer rye in some places, and barley here and there. Almost every farm has a garden patch with cabbage, pumpkins and melons. The fields are not always sown; they are left fallow every two years. The fallow land is left unploughed in the summer so that the wild plants can grow freely, and the cattle graze there throughout the season.”

Author: 1749, Pehr Kalm, Swedish naturalist.