Melons for sale! Fresh butter, who wants fresh butter?
It’s always a bit overwhelming when you go to the market. There is always plenty of action and lots of people. It is a friendly place that’s full of life and new discoveries.
Merchants display goods in their stalls and try to attract customers in all sorts of ways. The market is also a place for meeting others. People come not only to shop, but also to hear the latest news.
In 1745, there was only market, and it was in Montréal. Today, there are markets in Montréal, Québec and Trois-Rivières. People go there to buy and to sell. Most of the goods are food, but you can find a bit of everything.
Farmers went to sell their surplus crops, be it hay, carrots, or even animals. Others specialized in growing fruits and vegetables. They are called market gardeners today.
But why go to the market rather than grow the vegetables yourself?
In the city, space is limited. People do not have large plots of land to grow their own fruits and vegetables or to raise animals, like they do in the countryside. So they have to go to the market to buy food. Going to the market is a bit like going to the grocery store.
What’s different is all the fun and excitement, and especially being able to meet people who are like you, ordinary farmers instead of rich merchants.
See also – Traces of the past:
