By New Testament times, many women could buy produce at a local market. The farmers' wives were the ones whose families provided the produce for those markets.

All women had to fetch water and tend fires, but on the farm a woman's work was long and tiring.

After milking the goats, the milk had to be made into fresh butter and yogourt. Cheese was also prepared and aged.

Wool was spun and dyed, and cloth was woven.

Flour was ground every day for bread. The fire in the oven had to be tended to so that the bread would bake properly.

During harvest time, the wife joined her family in the fields gathering wheat and barley.

A garden of fresh produce such as onions, cucumbers and melons needed to be looked after, and if the family owned a vineyard, she would help stomp the grapes and bottle the wine.

If there were olive trees, then she would help harvest the olives and press the oil.

Fresh fruit such as figs and pomegranates also had to be gathered and dried.

A very busy day did not end until sunset, when the family gathered together for supper, which the wife had prepared.