30 Hampton Roads farm markets to visit in spring and summer 2021

The pollen is back in the nostrils, the sun is fitfully back in the sky, and the fruit is back in the fields. Farmers’ market season is back, and this year in Hampton Roads it’s as strong as ever. Long-running markets have been joined by a few new craft and farm markets all over the region.

And remember: Even though you may have gotten your vaccine (congratulations!), COVID rules still apply at most markets. That means masks, and it might also mean gloves when you’re pawing the merchandise.

This list isn’t comprehensive, and a few markets around the region are still working out their details. But here’s a hearty crop of places to pick up the year’s goods.

Chesapeake

The Farmers’ Market at City Park

Wednesdays and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., beginning June 12

Chesapeake City Park, 900 Greenbrier Parkway, Chesapeake, facebook.com/ChesapeakeFarmersMarket

Expect fresh fruits and vegetables, herbs, plants, eggs, honey, meats and value-added products made from things grown on the farm.

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Weekly Wednesday Farmers Market

Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

748 Battlefield Blvd., Chesapeake, facebook.com/healthychesapeake

The Chesapeake Health Department farmers’ market is back in action, offering “produce, eggs, jams, salsas and more” in the parking lot.

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Mount Pleasant Farms

Wednesdays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

2201 Mount Pleasant Road, Chesapeake, mountpleasantfarms.com

Find fruits, berries, baked goods, fresh eggs, milk, ice cream, and fresh honey. The orchard offers apple, pear, nectarine and peach trees.

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Hampton

Buckroe Beach Farmers Market

Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., beginning May 1.

First Street near East Pembroke Avenue at the gazebo. Buckroe Beach Farmers Market on facebook.com

Vendors haven’t yet been announced, but expect produce, local products from wine to baked goods to snacks, and a whole range of crafts. Annual events include the Healthy Lifestyles Market.

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Wood’s Orchards Farm Market

Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

183 E. Mercury Blvd., Hampton, 757-722-2873.

Since 1943, this family farm market has been offering its fresh and seasonal produce, including u-pick strawberries and pumpkins when the time is right. Expect tomatoes, corn, squash, peaches, okra, cucumbers, watermelons, cantaloupes and more.

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Isle of Wight

Smithfield Farmers Market

Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

115 Main St., Smithfield, co.isle-of-wight.va.us/our_community/farmers_market

The vendors are “local farmers, ranchers, home cooks, crafters, artisans and craftsmen within 100 miles of Smithfield.”

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Carrollton Midday Farmers Market

Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Old Point National Bank, 13480 Carrollton Blvd., Carrollton, co.isle-of-wight.va.us/our_community/farmers_market

On Wednesdays, the market from the same organizers floats to Carrollton, for lunchtime shopping.

Windsor Farmers Market

Fridays, 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. beginning May 7

11407 Windsor Blvd., Windsor, facebook.com/WindsorVAFarmersMarket

This market, founded by the Isle of Wight Community Foundation, began last year during the pandemic as an afternoon shopping destination for local produce, meats and handmade goods — and continues this year beginning in May.

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Newport News

Dean & Don’s Farm Market

Monday to Saturday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

12601 Warwick Blvd., Newport News, 757-930-2707, deananddons.com

Fifty-four years in, Dean and Don’s is a Newport News farm market stalwart, with fruit produce from “apples to zucchini and everything in between,” alongside local products from barbecue to eggs and honey and jam.

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Game’s Farmers Market

Daily, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

503 Harpersville Road, Newport News, 757-595-1887, gamesmarket.biz

Game’s, a family-run farmers market, sells an array of meat products, produce products and a bulk Amish-style section of products.

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City Center Oyster Point Farmers Market

Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. starting May 13.

703 Mariners Row, Newport News, citycenteratoysterpoint.com

Amid the vast variety of shops of Oyster Point, the market offers plenty of fresh produce, meat and seafood, and an open-air market of locally made goods from cheese to jams to doggie treats.

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Norfolk

NEW: Ghent Farmers Market

Fridays, 4 to 7 p.m.

730 Spotswood Ave., Norfolk, facebook.com/ghentfarmersmarketnorfolkva

Market manager Lori Golding Zontoni plans to keep 85% of the market filled with farm and produce vendors, with the rest being local artists and craftsmen.

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Hampton Blvd. Farmers Market

Wednesdays, 3 to 7 p.m.

7400 Hampton Blvd., Norfolk, at Church of the Good Shepherd, hamptonblvdfarmersmarket.com

For the third year, expect a world of edible treats including breads, pastries, dog and cat treats, sauces, salad dressings, spice mixes, desserts, handcrafted teas, fresh fruits and vegetables, pasture-raised chickens and eggs.

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East Beach Farmers Market

Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon.

9680 Shore Drive, Norfolk, facebook.com/eastbeachfarmersmarket

Plenty of baked goods and coffee and fresh-made pasta from local artisans, plus produce and doggie this and that.

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NEW: Community Market on Monarch

Saturday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Monarch Way, from 43rd to 45th St., Norfolk, facebook.com/marketonmonarch

This fledgling market near Old Dominion University used to be located inside Equinox Coffee, as a small gathering of artisans and bakers — and now it’s a spring-to-fall street fair designed to bring the community to the neighborhood when school’s out.

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Westside Produce & Provisions

Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.

5015 Colley Ave., Norfolk, 757-962-1961, westsideproduceandprovisions.com

Westside Produce & Provisions sources pretty much everything it sells within 100 miles of the store, from produce to jellies to beef. And if it isn’t, it still tends to be Virginia — including an excellent array of local ciders.

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Portsmouth

Olde Towne Farmers Market

Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

St. John’s Episcopal Church, 424 Washington St., Portsmouth, portsmoutholdetownefarmersmarket.com

During the pandemic, the market has moved to St. John’s, but you can still find potted herbs, fresh produce, free-range eggs, jams, jellies, salsa, sauces and the rest. The Portsmouth Master Gardeners will be on hand, too.

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Suffolk

Suffolk Farmers’ Market at the Pavilion

Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. starting May 1

524 N. Main St., Suffolk, suffolkvafarmersmarket.com

The Suffolk Farmers’ Market is a popular outlet for locally grown fruits and vegetables, baked goods, organically raised poultry, fresh eggs and milk, honey and a variety of artisan-crafted goods. This farm market hosts Family Fun Days, guest speakers and performers, petting zoos, book signings, workshops, crafts and more.

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Bennett’s Creek Farm Market & Deli

Monday–Saturday, 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sundays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

3881 Bridge Road, 757-484-9722, facebook.com/freshlocalfood

This farm market off U.S. 17 has a storied past and a whole lot of locally grown, fruits and vegetables, Virginia peanuts, jams, nuts, pickles, premium meats and more.

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Farmer Frank’s Country Store and Diner

Daily, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

6001 Holland Road, Suffolk, 757-657-9730, farmerfranksfarmmarket.com

This country store and diner along Holland Road has been family owned and operated for more than 30 years. Frank’s grows and sells their own peanuts. They also sell jams, jellies, pickles, preserves, meats, candies, boiled peanuts, antiques, hoop cheese and more.

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Virginia Beach

Virginia Beach Farmers Market

Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

3640 Dam Neck Road, 757-385-4388, facebook.com/VBFarmersMarket

The 45-year-old market has put most events on hold, but the market is still offering its array of vendors and stores, whether butcher shop, seafood market, dairy, florist or multiple produce vendors.

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Shore Drive Farm Market

Saturdays, 9 a.m. to noon

Lynnhaven Coffee, 2947 Shore Drive, facebook.com/Shoredrivefarmarket

Shore Drive Farm Market features fresh pasta, plenty of meats and seafood, plus produce and breads and artisans and local mushrooms.

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Kings’ Grant Farmers Market

First and third Thursdays, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. beginning in May

King’s Grant Baptist Church, 873 Little Neck Road, Virginia Beach

King’s Grant Farmers Market is like a little mini-festival, with 40-plus artisans, produce, food trucks, the whole deal.

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Old Beach Farmers Market

Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon

Croc’s 19th Street Bistro, 620 19th St., Virginia Beach, oldbeachfarmersmarket.com

Old Beach Farmers Market features seasonal fresh fruits and vegetables, meats, eggs, seafood, cheeses, baked goods, you name it.

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Old Beach Art & Eco Market

Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon

The ViBe Creative District Park, 18th Street and Cypress Avenue, facebook.com/OldBeachARTandECOMarket

Products found at the Old Beach market are eco-friendly, sustainable, recycled, upcycled, fair traded, locally made and/or just good for the planet.

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NEW: Cullipher Farm Market

Daily, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

772 Princess Anne Road, Virginia Beach, 757-721-7456, cullipherfarm.com

Cullipher Farm has been selling its ice cream, fruits, veggies, and u-pick strawberries for generations. But now the store and the farm are in the same spot. So don’t go to the old store. Come to the new store.

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Henley Farm Market

Daily, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

3484 Charity Neck Road, 757-426-7501

When produce can be picked, you can do so at the Henley farm. As of mid-April, that included strawberries.

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Cromwell’s Produce

Friday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

3116 New Bridge Road, Virginia Beach, 757-721-6226, cromwellsproduce.com

Curious where your farm-fresh produce comes from at local restaurants? Well, it’s probably from here. And if you’ve got an heirloom tomato or surprising pepper you were hoping to get fresh-plucked from the ground, this is also a place for it.

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Williamsburg

Williamsburg Farmers Market

Saturdays, 8 a.m. to noon

Colonial Williamsburg’s Merchant Square, 402 W. Duke of Gloucester St., 757-259-3768, williamsburgfarmersmarket.com

At this market, more than 30 vendors sell produce, peanuts, honey, fresh pasta and more.

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Yorktown

Yorktown Market Days

Saturday, 8 a.m. to noon (closed May 1)

401 Water St., Yorktown

On the banks of the York River, pick up seasonal produce, fresh seafood, meats, breads, handmade soaps and candles, honey, gourmet dog treats, food truck fare, and work from local artists.

Matthew Korfhage, 757-446-2316, matthew.korfhage@pilotonline.com