Construction begins on new home for Brunswick-Topsham farmers market
The Dionne Farm site, which will be the future home of the Brunswick-Topsham farmers market. (Courtesy of Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust/Jan Smith)
The Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust is moving its farmers market across the road from its current location at Crystal Spring Farm in Brunswick to better accommodate a growing number of vendors and customers.
This month, the land trust broke ground on renovations at Dionne Farm, a historic property it acquired in 2024 for $2 million. It will be the future home for the 25-year-old farmers market, which draws about 1,500 people each Saturday, the organization said in a news release last week.
The first phase of construction includes seasonal and year-round parking areas, which will support market traffic and move cars off Pleasant Hill Road, where parking can be dangerous.
The rest of the 2026 Saturday markets, which continue through October, will be at Crystal Spring Farm. Construction on the new market site will likely continue into spring 2027, and the land trust hopes to move to Dionne Farm sometime during the 2027 season, Lydia Coburn, the land trust’s communications manager, said in an email Wednesday.
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“This is an incredibly exciting moment for our organization and our community,” land trust Executive Director Kristi Hatrick said in a prepared statement. “For years, we’ve envisioned Dionne Farm as a place where neighbors gather, local farmers are supported, children learn about the natural world, and everyone feels welcome.
“We are also being very intentional about how we develop the property — preserving the rural character of the farm while making the improvements needed to keep the Market safe, resilient, and thriving. This long-term project is really about investing in the future of our community.”
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Plans for the property include a larger market space and a pavilion, which will host community events and educational presentations and offer a shady space for market-goers to rest.
Kelly Punch, the catering and events manager at Mere Point Oyster, said vendors are thrilled about the move to Dionne Farm, which will create a “safer, more communal vibe.” The parking areas, she said, are a much appreciated improvement.
Kids run at the farmers market at Crystal Spring Farm in Brunswick. The farmers market will be moving across the street to Dionne Farm and expanding. (Courtesy of Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust/Jason Derrick)
The Brunswick-based oyster producer is among the 40-plus vendors that sell at the Crystal Spring farmers market. Punch said Brunswick customers have come to expect their local seafood every Saturday, and Mere Point is happy to provide.
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“We go every week, rain or shine,” Punch said Wednesday. “We have a really strong base at the farmers market.”
The land trust said it will use native planting and landscape design to maintain the rural character of the Dionne Farm land, which was operated as a dairy farm in the 20th century.
The organization invited customers to stop by the farmers market any Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to noon to learn about the Dionne Farm project from staff and view site plans.
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Katie covers Brunswick, Bath and Freeport for the Times Record. She was previously the weekend reporter at the Portland Press Herald and is originally from the Hudson Valley region of upstate New York. More by Katie Langley
