Baby-Farming
Wall Art and Photo Gifts from Mary Evans Picture Library
Baby-Farming
The baby-farmer waters his cabbage field. Date: 1906
Mary Evans Picture Library makes available wonderful images created for people to enjoy over the centuries
Media ID 14293877
© Mary Evans Picture Library
Babies Birth Cabbage Cabbages Childbirth Community Farmer Population Waters
EDITORS COMMENTS
This evocative image captures the stark reality of baby-farming in rural France during the early 20th century. The photograph, taken in 1906, depicts a baby farmer tending to his cabbage field, with several infants in makeshift cradles scattered among the vegetation. The practice of baby-farming, also known as foundling farming, involved the abandonment of unwanted infants to be raised communally in rural areas, often under the care of elderly farmers or women. The high population growth rate and the stigma surrounding illegitimacy during this period led many young, unmarried mothers to feel they had no other option but to abandon their babies. The babies were then raised in large groups, sometimes under inhumane conditions, and put to work in the fields or homes of the farmers. Despite the harsh living conditions, the communal aspect of baby-farming provided a sense of belonging and support for the abandoned children. They would grow up together, forming close bonds and creating a sense of community. However, the lack of individual attention and care often resulted in poor health and development for the babies. The image of the baby farmer waters his cabbages, with the infants in the background, serves as a poignant reminder of the complex and often tragic history of baby-farming in France. It highlights the desperate circumstances that led young mothers to abandon their babies and the harsh realities that these children faced in the care of baby farmers. The photograph is a testament to the resilience and adaptability of the human spirit, even in the most challenging of circumstances.
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