As farmers' markets go, the White Oaks Farmers' Market in Laconia, now in its first year, is not very large — but that's just fine according to the market's organizer.

Sarah Dunham, program naturalist at the Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center located on White Oaks Road, said as the center is nonprofit, it is hosting the market for reasons other than profit.

"It's the first year and we're hoping it grows but we're doing this more to support local growers and craftsmen," Dunham said. "We're also trying to provide another place where people can find locally grown and produced goods."

The White Oaks Farmers' Market, which runs every Thursday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. near the Samuel P. Pardoe building, has between eight and 10 vendors each week, selling produce, baked goods, roasted coffee beans and homemade ice cream. The center itself sells flowers, herbs and produce grown there as well as maple syrup, which is bottled there during sap season.

Dunham, who is also president and manager of the Canterbury Community Farmers' Market, said there is not a large volume of flowers, fruits, vegetables and herbs grown at the Center, as the land is no longer fully farmed and the small gardens are tended by volunteers.

One of those volunteers, Judy Riley of Gilford, stopped by the farmers Market Thursday to see how the market was doing.

"I've been wanting to come to the market here," Riley said, adding that it was her daughter's idea to come Thursday. "We love famers' markets and I believe strongly in supporting local growers."

This year there are approximately 60 farmers' markets operating across the state, which is down from the 70 markets open in 2008.

Local famers' markets include those in Franklin, Gilmanton, Laconia, Plymouth, Sanbornton, Sandwich, Tilton and Wolfeboro.

Before this year, the number of farmers' markets has steadily grown, from 29 in 2001 to 54 in 2005

Pat Consentino of Sanbornton organizes both the long-running Sanbornton Farmers' Market and the new-this-year Exit 20 Farmers' Market at Tanger Outlet Center in Tilton.

Consentino is also a vendor at both markets, selling the wooden toys, cutting boards, cradles and other items she makes in her workshop.

It's a craft she learned from her father, she said, and something she enjoys doing to this day.

"It's my form of relaxation," Consentino said.

The Exit 20 Farmers' Market at Tanger Outlet Center is held every Wednesday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Consentino said the Exit 20 Farmers' Market came about because the outlet center's manager, Eric Proulx, had approached her a couple years ago and asked if she and others in the Sanbornton Famer's Market wanted to host a market at the Outlet Center, which is located just off Tilton's busy Exit 20 off Interstate 93.

"We were interested, but we didn't want to move the Sanbornton Farmers' Market because it's very well established and well attended," Consentino said as to why the other market took a few years to come to fruition.

This year, Consentino said, she talked to vendors at the Sanbornton and downtown Tilton farmers' markets and asked if they wanted to take part in a market at the Outlet Center.

Enough vendors, more than a dozen, agreed and once it got underway a few vendors from other communities joined, so now there are about 16 in all.

"It's going very well," Consentino said of the Exit 20 market. "Other than the fact that the weather has been a damper, as it's rained every Wednesday except last week."

Consentino said that for a new farmers' market, they couldn't ask for a better location and the market is receiving a lot of foot traffic.

"But it is new and people are still just finding out about it," Consentino said, adding that people come to the outlet center to shop the factory stores and stumble upon the market.

She said among the items sold at the Exit 20 market are locally grown fruits and vegetables, homemade jams, jellies and baked goods, locally produced wine, wood products and pottery.

"There is a tremendous diversity of vendors," Consentino said.

Meanwhile, the Sanbornton Farmers' Market is still going strong, attracting good crowds every Friday.

The Sanbornton market is usually set up in front of the Sanbornton Historical Society's Lane Tavern, located on Rte. 132, though during inclement weather they relocate to the interior of Sanbornton's Old Town Hall, located just up the road.

Consentino said the market drew an even larger crowd this Friday, as the market coincided with some of the Sanbornton Old Home Day events.

Consentino said that in her estimation, it doesn't seem like the economy or the weather has affected traffic or sales at the Sanbornton Farmers' Market.

Some of the fruit and vegetable growers have had some trouble producing with the weather, Consentino said, though it is still early in the season for most vegetables.

The Sanbornton Farmers' Market includes fresh strawberries, homemade doughnuts, other produce, paintings, crafts, soaps, candles honey, syrup, clothing and crafts.