Farmers’ Markets Flourish Across the Region
By Mike Moore
Nowadays, anyone can just pick up the phone, click on an app, and have anything from cookies to a whole week’s worth of groceries delivered right to the doorstep. But before the days of smartphones or even the local grocery store, people went to the farmer’s market to get what they needed for the family’s upcoming meals. The farmer’s market is an American tradition, but the idea of a place to buy, sell, or trade food and goods has been a part of civilization dating back to the BC era. Each weekend throughout the summer and fall months, many of our communities throughout the Lakes Region embrace the tradition, providing a place for the local farmers, bakers, and artists to set up shop with their latest items for sale.
While the farmer’s market was crucial to society before the days of mass production and distribution, it has always been more than just a place to buy food. Plenty of other types of vendors have found the market a great place to sell their goods. Flowers and plants are particularly popular, as well as various custom-crafted items and artwork for sale. In the colonial days, and still today, going to the farmer’s market was also an opportunity to socialize and mix with the community. If you find yourself looking for a great way to spend a beautiful New Hampshire Saturday morning, there’s likely a farmer’s market just around the corner from whatever side of the lake you’re on.
Already a few weeks into their season, the Wolfeboro Area Farmer’s Market feels as much like a festival as it does a market, with live music, food trucks, and more than 25 different vendors. Dating back to its start in 2002, this non-profit has grown year after year. Now located at The Nick (Nicholas J Pernokas Recreation Park), the market will be running every Thursday from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm through October 8. In addition to locally grown produce and meat, visitors can find baked goods, artisan crafts, and five food trucks serving up a variety of delicacies. Just down the lake in Alton, The Market on Main kicks off the summer with their community farmer’s market on June 17. Started in the spirit of celebrating all ages of their great community, the Market on Main’s mission has been to provide space for locals and visitors alike to gather and share their talents. Plenty of kid-friendly activities and food trucks will be a part of the fun every other Wednesday from 12 pm to 3 pm in the Monument Square Historic District, across from Town Hall.
In Gilmanton, their community farmer’s market will run from June 7 through the end of October each Sunday from 11 am to 2 pm at the Gilmanton Year-Round Library. Market goers can find a diverse array of foods and goods, and many vendors accept card payments. The Suncook Valley Farmers Market in Barnstead gets the 2026 season started on May 30 and will be open from 10-1 every Saturday at the Barnstead Elementary School. They are always looking to provide a different mix of vendors, and encourage businesses interested in becoming a vendor to visit their website for more details. Weirs Beach is one of the more ideal spots to spend the summer in New Hampshire, and for the community of vacationers and year-round residents, The Market at Weirs will run every Saturday from late May to early October at the Weirs Community Park. Open from 10-1, dozens of vendors come each week with a variety of local produce, crafts, and treats.
As you make your way north toward the mountains, there are several farmers’ markets to make sure and visit before the season ends. The Tamworth Farmer’s Market is located right in Tamworth Village in the UU Church parking lot and is already open for the summer. Every Saturday from 9 am to 12 pm, patrons can check out dozens of vendors selling everything from meats and vegetables to mead and dog biscuits. Up in the Conway area, the Mount Washington Valley Farmers Market has been a huge part of the community since it started back in 2020. With a strong emphasis on being healthy, local, and accessible, the market will begin the 2026 season on Tuesday, June 23, from 3:30 - 6:30 and run every week through the end of September. With nearly 20 vendors present each week, people can enjoy a root beer float, buy some locally distilled bourbon, and even get a massage when stopping by to shop for some fresh produce or baked goods. Other communities throughout the lakes and mountains region that hold farmers’ markets throughout the summer include the towns of Milton, Pittsfield, Rochester, Laconia, and Sanbornton.
Along with the farmer’s markets dotted throughout the villages and towns of the Lakes Region, folks can find dozens of owner-run farm stands, often times right along the side of the road or highway. But since agriculture has been such a huge industry in New Hampshire since the days of the settlers, several local farms have been so successful that they’ve opened year-round markets, open daily. Moulton Farm in Meredith, located just off Route 25, is open from 8-5 daily and sells farmstand items, premade entrees, salads, baked goods, and a variety of gift items. The expansive location additionally includes a garden center where they regularly host workshops for the public. Also in Meredith is Picnic Rock Farms, which is open from 9-5 Thursday through Sunday all summer. For the folks with a sweet tooth, one of their specialties is jams/jellies made from the fruit grown right on their farm. Up in Conway, visitors to Sherman Farm can get a cone in the cream shop, pet some baby goats, or wander through a corn maze in addition to bringing home some farm-fresh produce, meat, or milk. In West Ossipee, The Farm to Table Market has a full brick-and-mortar location right on Route 16, open daily all year. They partner with dozens of local farms and offer a variety of raw and prepared goods at their shop.
The farmer’s market remains pivotal to local farmers, craftspeople, and artists, but it also is and always has played a pivotal role in community fellowship. With over 8,000 markets operating throughout the United States, towns and cities are likely to carry on this tradition for centuries to come. Visit our “What’s Up” section in each issue of The Laker to find out about all the farmers’ markets running throughout the summer in the Lakes Region.