Goochland Courthouse Farmers Market returns next week with new improvements

The Goochland Courthouse Farmers Market will return with a more practical pitch than ever: safer foot access on Sandy Hook Road and a way for families using SNAP and EBT to buy more fresh food with the same dollars.

The market is set to reopen next week for the 2026 season at 1889 Sandy Hook Road in Goochland and will run Tuesdays from May through September, from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Organizers say a new crosswalk on Sandy Hook Road is now complete, which should make it easier for shoppers parking across the street to reach the market site safely in the courthouse area.

The bigger change for many households is the new food-assistance match. Shoppers who use SNAP or EBT will check in at the market information booth, receive wooden tokens, and then spend those tokens on eligible fruits and vegetables. Through Virginia Fresh Match, those produce purchases will be matched dollar for dollar, stretching grocery budgets at a time when even small price differences matter at the checkout line.

That matters because the market is not a narrow specialty stop. Goochland County describes it as a boutique market with seasonal produce, grass-fed poultry, beef, pork and lamb, fruit, berries, honey, baked goods, artisan crafts, weekly food trucks and live music in a park-like setting operated by Parks & Recreation. For shoppers coming from work, school pickup or after activities, the location near the county seat makes it a convenient place to buy dinner ingredients and stock up on local food in one stop.

Virginia Fresh Match says its network doubles SNAP and EBT spending on fruits and vegetables, and USDA says healthy incentive programs are meant to encourage healthier eating and reduce hunger. The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services says projects supported by the Virginia Food Access Investment Fund must accept SNAP and participate in Virginia Fresh Match, placing the Goochland market’s new setup within a broader state food-access strategy.

The market’s return also reflects a shift in how Goochland and Powhatan counties handle the operation. Sarah Soldat serves as market manager for both counties, which took over after RVAg ran the markets for years and Lisa Dearden retired after nearly two decades in Central Virginia’s farmers market scene. Goochland County says it was founded in 1727 and has a deep agricultural history, and its ACRES initiative is aimed at accessibility, connectivity, readiness, education and sustainability.

Vendor registration remains open, and sponsorship opportunities are still available. The title sponsor, according to the market’s sponsorship packet, will again back both the Goochland and Powhatan farmers markets, tying the two county operations together even as each serves its own local crowd.