Music filled the air at the Crystal Spring Farmers Market on Aug. 3 as vendors staked tents, anticipating shoppers’ arrival. Locals trickled in, sizing up summer produce, cut flowers, dairy, meat, relishes, chutneys and more. 

“It’s a community favorite,” said Empanada Club owner Adrian Espinoza, noting that just days before, the American Farmland Trust voted the market the “best in Maine” for the third year in a row.

The tradition began in 1999. Tom Settlemire, then-president of Brunswick Topsham Land Trust, organized the inaugural market with the goal of supporting an environmentally sound food system. 

Nestled on 331 conserved acres, the event now boasts 40 vendors weekly from May through October. On a single day, thousands of visitors purchase goods, including food-insecure community members who can access local produce using Harvest Bucks and SNAP benefits. 

But it wasn’t always such a hit. Approaching the market’s Aug. 10 anniversary, Settlemire reflected on the program’s humble start.

“It was the chicken-and-the-egg theory,” Settlemire said. “At first, we didn’t have many vendors, so few people showed up. But now, the market has grown to add significant value to the local economy. Looking to the next quarter-century, I feel the program is in great hands.” 

Poor soil health, poor public health

Most farmers markets are organized by farmers. Crystal Spring Farms, being run by a land trust, sets it apart.

After BTLT acquired Crystal Spring Farm in 2008, the land was placed under an easement and leased to local farmer Seth Kroeck.

“At the time, many people wanted to farm, but they needed a way to market their products,” Settlemire said. “It took years of convincing to get the board to see that a farmers market could fill the gap in the local food system.”

It wasn’t until Rick Wilson, the then-community outreach coordinator at Brunswick High School, spread posters around town advertising the market as a way to “meet the face behind the food” that things took off. 

“In the 1940s, 90% of food sold in Maine was grown locally,” Settlemire said. “In the 1990s, less than 20% was; we wanted to bump local production up to 30%, a billion-dollar surge in economic growth.” 

While BTLT’s primary focus is conservation, the group also strives to restore land to production and create pathways for the community to enjoy healthy, nutritious food. 

Growing up on in Ohio selling produce from a roadside stand, Settlemire saw firsthand how land conservation and production intersect. For further support, he pointed to David Montgomery’s novel, “What Your Food Ate: How to Heal Our Land and Reclaim Our Health.” 

“I remember driving depleted fields before organic agriculture debuted,” Settlemire said. “Now, there’s evidence that chemical farming leads to erosion, among other complications. As Montgomery points out, poor soil health and land practice impacts public health.” 

For that reason, Crystal Spring Farms encourages sustainable harvesting and supports dozens of local farmers. 

Around since 1999

Fairwinds Farm and the Keough Family Farm have been around since the start. In fact, Cathy Karonis of Fairwinds recalls her initial reluctance to get involved.

“Like most markets, it started out slow,” Karonis said. “I had to get used to things being managed by a land trust, but as farmers, we don’t have time for marketing and promotion, so it’s been great to let someone else steer the way.” 

Karonis praised BTLT’s choice to rotate vendors, to give more businesses a chance to distribute goods. She also highlighted the importance of preserving prime farmland; her fields in Topsham abut the Cathance River, which is why they are under an easement with the land trust. 

“Folks like buying from farmers,” Karonis said. “It’s a learning experience. … They come to understand the seasonality of local products. In June, people get excited about corn. In August, they turn their attention to pumpkins.” 

Dionne Farm acquisition

Margaret Gerber, director of conservation, oversees the trail network at Crystal Springs Farm. She works with easement owners — many of whom, like Karonis, are vendors in the Saturday market. 

Gerber explained that the recent acquisition of Dionne Farm, across the street from the farmers market, has sparked exciting conversations about the future. In mid-April, a Brunswick resident acquired the house, barn and surrounding land, and approached BTLT with an invitation to conserve the space. They granted a two-year offer to raise the necessary funds for acquisition.

While the board develops a long-term plan for the 25-acre plot, the house and apartment have been rented to a tenant through 2025. 

“We are considering how the space can better serve our local food system,” Gerber said. “Farmers are the frontline warriors when it comes to battling climate change. The big stuff matters, like soil health, but so do slight changes in topography. The more space we conserve, the better shot we have at climate resilience.” 

Last year, after a late-season frost, blueberry barrens struggled. BTLT owns a 21-acre public tract next to Kroeck’s private commercial operation: Maquoit Wild Blueberries. Purportedly, due to changes in topography, BTLT’s conserved land yielded more berries. 

“It’s important to keep as much open, available land as possible,” Gerber said. “Water quality is a prominent focus in our efforts — conserving space along major waterways, like Cathance River, and streams, like Great Gully Brook.” 

The Dionne Farm includes the headwaters of Great Gully Brook, which runs through Crystal Spring Farms past Brunswick High School. Gerber claims that conserving the property and protecting its water quality will further support local agriculture. 

Looking forward

Krysten Powell of Suncatcher Flower Farm leases a 2-acre plot at Crystal Spring Farms and sells her bouquets at the Saturday market every other week. She said that Settlemire took her under his wing and inspired her to practice rotational farming. As a result, she now only harvests 1 acre at a time.

One of Powell’s specialties is everlasting bouquets, which can be hung to dry on the wall. This fall, she plans to add more sunflowers, dahlia, eucalyptus and snapdragons into her arrangements. 

“It’s great to be part of a community that’s so intentional about stewardship,” Powell said. “Farming sustainably doesn’t mean you face fewer impacts of climate change — but you do stop [on an individual level] the cycle from perpetuating.” 

Gerber agreed.

“As intentional as it is, there’s an element that can’t be planned for,” she said. “That’s the beauty of the market. You bring everything together, and then the community adds a special touch. As a mother of a 4-month-old, I feel lucky my child will grow up with access to a space like that.” 

In honor of National Farmers Market Week, this weekend’s market will feature festivities such as kids’ games, a food-themed scavenger hunt and a raffle. For more information, visit btlt.org/events/farmers-market-week-celebration/.