NSB Makes $25,000 Commitment to Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust’s LEAF Campaign

BRUNSWICK—For over 25 years, the Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust (BTLT)’s Saturday Farmers Market at Crystal Spring Farm has served as far more than a stop to purchase fresh food. It has grown into a place where relationships are also formed and cultivated, building camaraderie and community spirit in the process.

“What the Market has become is beyond anyone’s imagination, offering more than 40 local vendors an opportunity to bring their goods to market and a venue for people of all ages to connect and feel at home,” said Kristi Hatrick, Executive Director of BTLT. “The annual economic value of the market is estimated at greater than $1.7 million.”

As the size and scope of the Market have increased, so have the challenges, including traffic, parking issues, limited accessibility, and muddy conditions at Crystal Spring Farm. The solution was hiding in plain sight: just across the street at Dionne Farm, a former dairy farm at 262 Pleasant Hill Road in Brunswick.

BTLT purchased the property in 2024 and construction on a new Market has already begun. The construction project this season will also include building a multi-season pavilion for Market-day seating and gathering while also providing a space for year-round programs and events like workshops, live music, and environmental education programs for youth and adults of all ages. Designated drop-off and pick-up points will encourage better traffic flow, and a larger outdoor market will allow for more vendors and contain a weather-resilient green to avoid mud issues. Plus, a new parking area will accommodate up to 140 cars, the majority of which will be unpaved and only for seasonal use.   

Recently, Norway Savings Bank was thrilled to make a $25,000 commitment to the BTLT’s LEAF (Land, Education, Agriculture, Forever) Comprehensive Campaign in support of the project (picture, caption below).

“Under BTLT’s guidance and stewardship, the Market has become one of the best in New England, a place where thousands have gathered to purchase fresh food, support local farms and participate in unique learning opportunities. Plus, it’s inspiring to see how BTLT is preserving the rural character of the new property while making the necessary improvements,” said Dan Walsh, President and CEO of Norway Savings Bank. “NSB is happy to play a small role in ensuring that this new venue will serve as a place where the Market will remain thriving, and everyone will feel welcome at all of the events held there for generations to come.”

“Gathering has always been the heart of the Market,” said Hatrick. “We’re grateful for NSB’s support and the bank’s appreciation of how crucial the Market is to helping traditions grow, providing lifelong memories, and promoting many of the reasons Maine is such a wonderful place to live.” 

The Market remains at Crystal Spring Farm for the remainder of the 2026 season, and will make the move to its new Dionne Farm home sometime during the 2027 season. The impact and possibilities for the property’s future are boundless.

“Our long-term goal is to have this property serve as a regional hub for the appreciation of the environment, conservation, and connection,” said Hatrick. “It’s been humbling to see how much support for this project exists and exciting to consider what the future can hold in this special community.”

For more information about BTLT or to learn the many ways you can help the organization with its mission and purpose, visit www.btlt.org/dionne-farm.

Pictured (L to R): Sophie Moreau, NSB Personal Banker; Larissa Darcy, Vice President, Commercial Lender at NSB; Kristi Hatrick, Executive Director, BTLT; Dan Walsh, NSB President and CEO; Rol Fessenden, Board Member, BTLT; Mercie Normand, Chair, Dionne Farm Fundraising Committee for BTLT.