How did technological changes affect agriculture during 11th century?

Technological changes affected agriculture in many ways:

• Wooden ploughs were replaced with heavy iron-tipped ploughs.
• The method of harnessing animals to the plough improved which enabled animals to exert greater power. Horses were now better shod with iron horseshoes. It prevented foot decay.
• The increased use of wind and water energy for agriculture enhanced agricultural production.
• The most innovative change was the switch from a two-field to a three field system. Now, peasants could use a field two years out of three if they planted it with one crop in autumn and a different crop in spring a year and a half later.
• Now the farmers could plant one with wheat or rye, the second in spring to raise peas, beans and lentils and the other
• part was left fallow.

As a result, there was an immediate increase in the amount of food produced from each unit of land. Food production almost doubled. There were better opportunities for cultivators. They could now produce more food for less land. The average size of peasants’ farm shrank from about 100 acres to 20 to 30 acres. As a result of holding, smaller lands could be more efficiently cultivated. It also reduced the amount of labour. The new technological changes cost a lot of money.