Philadelphia was a big city, but it was surrounded by farms. Each day, farmers would bring their produce into the city and set up shops in the market stalls. The stalls stretched from the waterfront all the way down Market Street (known then as High Street). The markets were always crowded with servants and ladies doing the days shopping.

Shopping for food was a daily event because there were no refrigerators to keep food from spoiling. At the market stalls, farmers would sell fresh fruits and vegetables, fresh eggs and milk, and sometimes they would even sell livestock. The citizens of Philadelphia depended on these farmers to bring food into the city.

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