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Celebrating National Farmers’ Market Week!

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Join us this Saturday at the Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust Saturday Farmers’ Market at Crystal Spring Farm to celebrate National Farmers’ Market Week! Now in its 23rd year, National Farmers Market Week is an annual celebration that highlights the vital role farmers markets play in the nation’s food system. Amidst global change, it is now more important than ever to showcase the importance of farmers markets in our communities.

A key aspect of our mission as an organization is supporting local agriculture and commitment to strengthening our local food system. The BTLT Saturday Market plays an integral part in building community relationships around food and supporting our local agriculture, aquaculture, bakers, makers, and producers!

Be sure to stop by the BTLT info booth to enter our raffle or pick up a new scavenger hunt for the kiddos! We will be raffling off some fun prizes including BTLT merch, vouchers to spend at the Market, and tickets to the Common Ground Fair. To enter the raffle, simply head to the BTLT booth to have a photo taken of the goodies you got at the Market, and fill out a raffle ticket.

Plus, we are very excited that our incredible Market poster artist, Addy Wagner will be popping up on Saturday to sell some of her awesome prints. Be sure to stop by her tent to see her work!

Why celebrate National Farmers Market Week?* 

  • Farmers Markets are key for community food access. Since 2017, farmers market and direct marketing farmer redemptions of SNAP benefits have increased by 162 percent.
  • Farmers markets are the future of local food. Farmers markets are business incubators for young farmers; they provide one of the only low-barrier entry points for new farmers, ranchers, and food entrepreneurs allowing them to start small and test new products.
  • Farmers markets fuel local economies. In 2020, approximately 78% of farms selling directly to customers sold all of their directly marketed food within a 100-mile radius of the farm.
  • Farmers markets support conservation, connection and education. Research indicates that by facilitating farmer to consumer interactions, farmers markets shift both purchasing habits of consumers and the growing practices of farmers, leading to the adoption of more sustainable practices.

*Statistics from Farmers Market Coalition 

Be sure to thank all your favorite farmers, makers, and bakers this week for being a part of this incredible farmers market and our local food community! There is a tremendous amount of work that goes into making this Farmers’ Market happen. We thank our vendors, shoppers, volunteers, and BTLT members for their support! Want to learn more about supporting your local farmers’ markets? Check out this blog post.

The Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust Saturday Farmers’ Market runs every Saturday at Crystal Spring Farm from 8:30am-12:30pm from May through October. 

Celebrate National Farmers Market Week with a BTLT Farmers’ Market Giveaway!

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By Julia St. Clair, BTLT Agricultural Programs Coordinator

Happy National Farmers Market Week! 

The Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust Saturday Farmers’ Market is an important part of the Land Trust’s mission of supporting local agriculture. With over 30 vendors this season, the Saturday Market offers an exceptional variety of local, fresh products from kohlrabi to kale, pastries to potatoes, oysters to onions, and yarrow to yarn. Plus, live music is back bringing cheer and even some dancing to the Market! This past year has been challenging for us all, and our vendors have worked tirelessly to keep our communities safe and fed and to bring Market visitors the best local products. Rain or shine, our incredible vendors and loyal Market visitors show up every Saturday, building community around local agriculture and deepening our understanding of where our food comes from. 

The Land Trust is excited to celebrate National Farmers Market Week with our vendors and Market visitors this weekend and throughout the month of August. Be sure to stop by the info tent on Saturday to grab an ‘I Love Fruits and Veggies’ sticker or an ‘I love Farmers Markets’ temporary tattoo!

To continue to celebrate National Farmers Market Week throughout the month of August, BTLT is launching a Farmers’ Market Giveaway on social media. To enter, we are asking you, our Market visitors, to take a photo of your haul of goodies from the Saturday Farmers’ Market (see example photo below). Simply post your market haul photo on Facebook or Instagram, and tag the Land Trust and any vendors you visited. Be sure to follow us on Facebook or Instagram too – we will be re-sharing all the amazing photos you post! A winner will be selected at random on September 1st and will receive some BTLT merchandise, Bumper Crop vouchers to use at the Market, and some surprise goodies from our Market vendors!

We look forward to seeing you all at the Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust Farmers’ Market this Saturday 8:30-12:30 at the Brunswick Landing next to Flight Deck Brewing. 

Just a reminder that the Farmers’ Market is moving back to Crystal Spring Farm (277 Pleasant Hill Road) on September 4th, Labor Day weekend. Be sure to mark your calendar!