 These journals (the "Matrasdagbøkur") have been preserved and give an unprecedented insight in faroese farming during a large part of the 19th century (1813–1892).The diaries show that a new crop, potatoes, first planted in Norðoyri in 1823, gradually displaced grain and had almost taken over by 1855.This happened because of potatoes' weather resistance, stability and more flexible harvesting period compared to grain.