In the Ukrainian village of the early twentieth century, 40-50 years after the emancipation reform, property stratification among the peasants became much more noticeable. About 13% of peasants managed to increase allotments. The land was bought and rented.
The farms of wealthy peasants were well supplied with means of production such as cattle and agricultural equipment. They were able to use a steam thresher machine, seed drills, and winnowing machine.
Wealthy peasants could not cultivate their farms on their own, so they had hirelings.
Have a look at the traditional estate of a wealthy peasant of the late nineteenth - early twentieth centuries. Here we can see a shed, storehouse, piggery, and a house.
Let’s go inside the house. The house has two bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, and storeroom. The interior has a combination of bourgeois and peasant styles. In the farthest corner is the daughter's room. The bed is covered with a colorful woolen blanket. Next to the wardrobe is a beautifully painted chest in which the girl kept canvas, traditional folk clothing, and jewelry.
The master’s bedroom has a bed, wardrobe, chest of drawers, a large chest, and a box for storing documents.
In the living room, you can see a sideboard with beautiful porcelain, gramophone, harmonium, and home-woven towels and tablecloths.
The floor is made of clay. In the kitchen, in addition to household items that are found in every peasant’s house, you can see a coffee maker, samovar, crockery board, and a kerosene lamp.
Behind the kitchen, there is a chamber, which was used as a room for handcrafts. In winter, new-born calves, lambs, and piglets were brought in there. This room was also used as a place to sleep for hirelings.
