Ola Winqvist forges in the forge in Gislöv

The title refers to the weather vane that sits on the school building roof; with a rider that we imagine to have been part of a rest stop here in Gislöv.

In a troubled world, knowledge of history is important to also understand one's contemporaries. Rusthållet was part of the Indelningsverket, which was an organizational form within the Swedish state and defense based on natural farming. The military part was created by Charles XI in 1682. The system was paid for by the peasants and served as their tax to the state. It also became an organization that countered the danger of rebellion and built loyalty at a time when Skåne was about to become Swedish.

A rest house was, in the classification system, a farm, whose tax liability was replaced by an obligation to maintain a mounted soldier for the cavalry. The owner of such a farm was called a rust holder. Rust management in Gislöv has ancient origins. You can already read about how it was organized in the 1684 Jordebok. The approximately thirty farms were divided into ten estates, which were maintained until the beginning of the 20th century, when the subdivision was completed.

Items for the exhibition are borrowed from a larger collection of forging that was formerly part of the forging museum located in the school building. The collection is now managed by Österlens Museum. The association Gislövs Smidesmuseum and Byagille runs the museum, has a common gathering place and land with origins from the crown's supply system. Members held a study circle about the local rust farms in the winter of 2007-2008, and from there much of the material for the exhibition was taken.

Visiting blacksmiths keep the ace alive throughout the exhibition period. 
On 12/9, Dick Harrysson will lecture and the exhibition will be open with blacksmiths in the forge. See www.smidesmuseet.com for more information.

20-21/7 Einar Svavarsson
27-28/7 Anders Hammer
3-4/8 Ola Winquist
10-11/8 Magnus Nilsson
12/9 Name to come

Contact: Gunnel Pettersson gunnel.pettersson@odlingen.org
Thanks to Österlens Museum, antiquarian Ulrika Wallebom