Feeding Baltimore: Public Markets, Arabbers, and Urban Farms

Food markets and food halls are a hot culinary trend right now, but Baltimore is home to the nation’s oldest continuously operating public market system. These markets brought fresh food from farms and the Chesapeake Bay into the city, and the horse-drawn carts of traditional vendors called arabbers brought produce into its neighborhoods.  

Christine Rai explores each of Baltimore’s markets, delving into their history, architecture, and evolution. She also covers the story of Baltimore’s iconic arabbers and their profession today and examines the new growth of urban farming designed to support food justice around the city.

Rai, an assistant professor at Frederick Community College, is an interdisciplinarian who specializes in food studies, culture, and folklore.

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