15. Hirtenäckern

Since the Middle Ages, it has been the task of the shepherds to bring the cattle of the farmers in a community out to grass during the day. Every year cow, pig and sheep shepherds entered service with the community. In addition to their wages, the community provided them with a shepherd’s house (with an iron stove) and shepherd’s land and some arable land for their own cultivation. It is still documented for 1767/68 that there was a „cowherd“ and a swineherd who each had a shepherd’s house and together were able to cultivate around 8 acres (around 16,000 square meters) of land. Sheep farming had already been given up at that time.