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How Lucky we are to have Members and Partners like YOU!

We are grateful to all of our Members and Partners who have renewed their support of BTLT thus far this fiscal year! As we wrap up our 2022 giving season, it is clear that you continue to value the work of the Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust and that you recognize it is only with your support that we are able to accomplish our critical conservation, stewardship, and community engagement work. Thank you. In December we welcomed 54 new Community Members and 4 new Community Partners (gifts of $1,000 or more). We also welcomed back 276 renewing Community Members and 32 renewing Community Partners, putting us right in step with our mid-year goals. The support of our business community remains strong as well, with a total of 20 Business Members and 14 Business Partners as of December 31st. We still have work to do, of course, to meet our fiscal year-end financial goals by June 30th, but thanks to you we are off to a solid start.
Your generous and steady support enables us to be about our work — work that includes preparing for the coming growing season at the Tom Settlemire Community Garden; offering our Winter Garden Workshop series; planning for the coming stewardship season, including the completion of an accessible trail at Woodward Point Preserve; pursuing lands projects in key focus areas like Maquoit and Middle Bays and the Cathance and Androscoggin River watersheds; working closely with CREA to explore ways for us to work together to offer nature-based education programming to meet the needs of the community sustainably into the future; corresponding with vendors as we look forward to the 2023 Farmers’ Market season; and settling on our summer programs, including stewardship walks, the Taking Root Plant Sale, yoga on the mall, and so much more. Thank you for being among our number for helping to make all of this important work possible. We are grateful.

Thank you Julia!

Julia St. Clair, Jamie Pacheco, & Lee Cataldo at the BTLT Farmers’ Market this fall

Though this entire year has been a time of gratitude, we’re entering the season where giving thanks becomes even more prevalent. With the Farmers’ Market season coming to an end and the Tom Settlemire Community Garden (TSCG) closing up for the winter, it is high time we thank our incredible Agricultural Programs Coordinator Julia St. Clair for all of her hard work!

Julia started with us in May, quickly plunging into our busiest time of year for agricultural programs. She hit the ground running with confidence, kindness, and determination. She brought with her a wealth of knowledge from her experiences on organic, permaculture, and commercial farms and community gardens across New England and abroad. Julia’s photography and community outreach skills shined brightly though her masterful work with social media – her weekly highlights of vendors and products enticed folks to attend the Market each week and her real-time stories on Saturdays show-cased just how vibrant, musical, and fun the Market truly is. Her engagement ideas of running an Instagram giveaway and photo frame were both big successes! Julia also initiated a kids table at the Farmers’ Market, for kiddos of all ages to join in the celebration of local food.

Though this was a particularly challenging year with a surprise move of the Farmers’ Market back to Crystal Spring Farm and the implementation of a new water system at TSCG, Julia not only masterfully handled the logistical tasks at hand, but made many friends along the way. The annual end-of-market survey that we send out to vendors had overwhelmingly positive responses!

Here’s what some market vendors had to say about Julia:

“Julia’s good humor and attention to detail have been appreciated as we continue to navigate the complexities of the pandemic amid changes to the market location and ongoing customer safety concerns. Julia has reminded us all why we love Farmers’ Market and what continues to make BTLT’s Market so special.”

“We love her enthusiasm, sense of humor, and the great energy she brings to the Market.”

“Julia has done a fantastic job of maintaining order and being approachable, friendly and responsive to both vendors and customers. I’ve really appreciated having her join the BTLT staff and her thoughtfulness in communication with vendors.”

“Excellent, friendly, intelligent, clear management. Julia is outstanding in that role!”

Julia, we thank you for all your hard work these past few months! Your contributions, perseverance, passion, and communication were much appreciated and we look forward to another great season in 2022.

Tom Settlemire & Julia St. Clair at the Tom Settlemire Community Garden Plot Luck