The central characteristics of an early moden farm are its limited size, an organization of labor that depended largely on family members, its place in estatist society, and its lifetime, which often extended for generations.
In the early modern period, a farm was closely tied to the estate of the farmer (Estates of the realm) and his relationship to the landowner (Manorialism) and the village community. In estatist society (Estates, society of), a sub-farm (Cottager) with no com…