My name is Louis Hébert and people say I am the first farmer in Canada. My crops provide me and my family with just enough to eat. I settled in Québec in 1617. At the time, I was one of the few to settle permanently in New France. In 1620, one of my daughters had her first baby, the first French child born in New France!
The Knowledge of Indigenous Peoples
We were lucky that Indigenous Peoples shared some of their knowledge with us; this is helping us survive. For example, we have started using bark canoesCanoes - A type of small boat that is used with a paddle. It is often... to travel on small rivers because they are light. We have also started using snowshoes for walking on snow. Sometimes, we even wear clothingClothing- Items made from fabric, skins, or other materials that serve to protect and cover the... like beaver skin mitts and moccasins. The rest of our clothes are similar to those of the people living in France.
Building a farm
We have to do everything ourselves here. We have to build our own homes, clear our own land and grow our own fruits and vegetables. We have to use whatever money we save to buy tools and animals to run our farm. It’s a hard life, but my family and I are very happy!
See also – Traces of the past:
