A longhouse was just part of a farm. The farm had to provide for the needs of all of the family throughout the year. However, people did not farm on their own, but in small village groups, ploughing the land that was used by everyone, for example.
Everything was done by hand, so farming used all of the people for much of the year. Even then it was often touch and go as to whether or not they would have enough crops to carry them over to the next year.
