Seventh Biennial Conference of the European Rural History Organisation

Bohman, M. (Participant)

Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participating in a conference, workshop, ...

Period	2025-Sept-11
Event type	Conference
Conference number	7
Location	Coimbra, PortugalShow on map
Degree of Recognition	International

Documents & Links

The history of horticulture is a novel research field in many parts of the world. It is distinguished from established fields such as garden history, which emerges more out of art history and landscape architecture. It is also distinguished from agricultural history through its typical objects of investigation: garden produce such as vegetables, fruits and ornamentals – all of which are different from agricultural produce due to scale, crop species, and intensity of cultivation. In fact, the contributions of horticulture to the scientific development of agriculture are often overlooked. Horticulture relates to many aspects of rural history, life and economy. Thus, it enables to study important issues such as food security, gendered and class-based division of labour, urban-rural dynamics and eco-cultural perspectives. A paramount aim of the session is to develop this dynamic research field further. Therefore, it welcomes proposals from many disciplines. However, in order to bridge gaps and find common denominators in terms of theory, methods and sources, we especially welcome proposals that consider long-term, comparative and inter-disciplinary perspectives. Objects of study may include for instance the cultivation of different types of crops and their end-uses (in rural and urban environments, commercially and for self-sufficiency), labour conditions (including gardeners, employees and family enterprises), horticultural techniques (such as soil management, plant protection, tools, machinery and buildings, cultivation on open field and in greenhouses), issues related to trade and transportation, and crop improvement (for example adaption and breeding, and preservation of historical plant material). Traditionally, research on food supply issues has focused primarily on agricultural production. However, recent research has revealed a significant importance of horticultural produce throughout history, in towns and on the countryside and in all social strata. All these examples demonstrate the wide range and relevance of the research field.