Tom Settlemire Community Garden
Connecting the Land & Community
Tucked within the farm fields and forested trails of Crystal Spring Farm, the Tom Settlemire Community Garden (TSCG) is a vibrant, organic growing space where neighbors come together to connect with the land and each other. Owned and managed by the Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust, the Garden is open to people of all ages, backgrounds, and gardening experience. It’s a place where you can grow your own food, learn from others, volunteer your time, or simply enjoy the beauty of the seasons.
Community garden plots – 75+ individuals and families growing vegetables, flowers, herbs, and more.
Common Good Garden – an impactful volunteer effort growing hundreds of pounds of produce for local food security efforts.
Educational workshops and programs – for ongoing learning, exploration, and community building.
Plant Sale – an annual fundraiser selling hundreds of native plants, many grown right here in the Garden.
Community Projects Growing Space - a multi-use space for research, education, and farming for community groups. Part of this space is currently home to a micro-farm run by New Mainer Sivi Mpela supporting food security for other New Mainer families in the region.
Orchard, swing set, picnic table – come hang out and enjoy this beautiful community space!
Whether you’re planting your first seedling, looking for meaningful volunteer work, or simply want to be part of a welcoming and generous community, there’s a place for you at the Garden.
Whether you’re planting your first seedling, looking for meaningful volunteer work, or simply want to be part of a welcoming and generous community, there’s a place for you at the Garden.
Know Before You Go
We’re glad you want to enjoy this special space created by and for our growing community. The Garden is open to all, year round, dawn till dusk. To keep the garden thriving and enjoyable for everyone, please follow these guidelines while visiting:
To protect the plants and soil, pets are not allowed inside the garden. Dogs on nearby trails must be kept on a leash.
Kids are always welcome! Please help ensure they respect other gardeners’ plots by staying on the paths and looking at but not touching or disturbing plants. There is even a small swing set and picnic table for communal use.
While the garden is a shared community space, each plot is individually managed including all flower beds. Please do not pick, sample, or disturb plants without permission.
As you explore the Garden, please use designated paths and grassy areas; avoid walking through garden beds or planted spaces.
Smoking is prohibited in and around the garden.
Bees, butterflies, and other pollinators are vital to our garden’s health. Please be mindful and gentle with these important visitors.
TSCG is a certified-pollinator friendly garden!
Directions to the Tom Settlemire Community Garden
Located at Crystal Spring Farm – North, the Garden is located at the end of Maurice Drive in Brunswick.
By Car: From downtown Brunswick, head south on Maine Street toward Bowdoin College. Turn right onto McKeen Street. After 0.8 miles, turn left onto Baribeau Drive. After 0.6 miles, turn right onto Maurice Drive. At the end of Maurice Drive, turn left into Horizons Nursing Care Facility. The Community Garden is straight ahead at the end of Maurice Drive. You may park in the lot at the end of Maurice Drive.
For GPS: Use 90 Maurice Drive, Brunswick, ME
By Public Transit: Take the Brunswick Explorer bus to the Thornton Oaks Retirement Community stop. Click here for the route map.
History of the Garden
The Tom Settlemire Community Garden grew from a long-held community vision to create a welcoming, accessible space for organic gardening at Crystal Spring Farm, an iconic 321-acre property protected by the Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust. Located close to Brunswick’s downtown and surrounding neighborhoods, the farm offers prime agricultural land and a deep connection to local food and community. After years of planning and collaboration with the Cumberland County Extension Service and dedicated volunteers, the garden officially opened in 2012, named in honor of Tom Settlemire, a passionate Land Trust leader, educator, and local farming advocate.