The Habitant of New France

During the seventeenth century, French military officers, wealthy aristocracy and Catholic orders would request, and be granted, large parcels of New France land. Soldiers, men who had served as contract labor and others might, in turn, ask for a small section of this land to farm. Usually, this section of land was shaped like a long, narrow ribbon with the front edge bordering on a river. As there were almost no roads in the early days of New France, freight and people were moved by boat during the warmer months. In the winter, horse drawn sleighs used the rivers as frozen highways. The habitants (farmers) would clear the land closest to the river. Here, they would build their home and farm buildings.  Their fields of wheat and other grain crops were planted nearby. The back of the farm was forest that could be cut to build farm buildings, fences and boats. In addition, many cords of firewood were needed each year for cooking and heating their homes. The habitants would pay a few coins rent each year as well as a small share of their crops and a portion of their livestock to the owner of the land.The owner, in turn, was expected to pay for the construction of a wind mill. The wind mill was used to grind the habitants' wheat and rye into flour. A portion of the flour was paid to the miller for his services.This windmill dates back to the 1830s and is located on the island of Ile aux Coudres.