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Life in Algonquian villages followed the seasons. In spring, eastern tribes left their villages after planting the crops. They camped by waterways to gather food.
Men fished, catching different types of fish each month. They collected nuts and berries in the forest. They preserved much of this food. It was stored in their permanent villages for use in winter, when nothing grew. In the fall, they returned to their villages. Then they harvested crops, collected wild fruits, and hunted game.
Southern Algonquians also took food from the ocean, rivers, and forests, but they relied more on farming. They cleared land with the slash-and-burn method. The men cut around the trunks of trees using axes. When the trees died, they were burned. The ashes were spread on the soil. That made it more fertile, or good for growing crops. The land would produce crops for a few years. When it became less fertile, the entire village would move.
