The fourth storey of the old MVR building shows the traditional conservation methods.
For centuries, the culture of the rural world was based on thriftiness, conservation and self-sufficiency. Only if there were surpluses was the harvest brought to market. The market was the perfect place to purchase the goods that one needed but didn’t have, plus it was a place to engage in conversations, make deals, meet up with acquaintances and socialise.
Life required strict planning, quite different from the improvised way we live today. Food had to be saved and conserved for the winter, which was not only long but also felt endless.
Whoever had a garden and yard was already ahead of the game, because it was tantamount to saying that they had a well-stocked pantry. This pantry was filled with seeds, preserves, salted foods, sausages, brines, heads of onion and garlic, bouquets of herbs for cooking, eggs nestled in lime and more. Some things were hung or gathered into bouquets, while others were placed on the windowsill. In the museum, everything is displayed behind a wire mesh that is reminiscent of animal corrals in a staging that speaks volumes about the abundance of supplies provided by the rural world.
