Crystal Spring Farm in Brunswick is a 331-acre working farm and nature preserve located just 1.5 miles from downtown, blending land conservation, local agriculture, and community connection. Once a regional dairy and home to Dee’s Ice Cream, it’s conservation by the Land Trust has kept the farm in active agriculture through a long-term agriculture lease on the majority of the farm fields where Seth Kroeck and Maura Bannon operate Crystal Spring Community Farm and cultivate organic certified carrots, Brussel sprouts, wheat, and blueberries. The farm protects rare habitat, a significant aquifer, and waters flowing into Maquoit Bay, while remaining in active agriculture and offering scenic open space and a strong sense of place. As the Land Trust’s largest conserved property, it remains a vibrant example of how farmland can nourish both people and the environment.

The five miles of trails across the North and South sides of the property are a wonderful community asset. They provide quiet respite in the natural world, winding through deep forest, along creeks, vernal pools, and active farmland, and pass through a unique sandplain grassland, a rare habitat shaped by glacial geology and historic land management practices like controlled burns. This unique ecosystem supports specialized plants and provides important nesting grounds for rare grassland birds.

This property is also home to vibrant Land Trust agricultural programs including the Saturday Farmers Market, Tom Settlemire Community Garden, and the peaceful Labyrinth in the Woods. To the west of the farmhouse and Farmers Market lies the Crystal Spring Farm Community Solar Array, a cooperative clean energy project that powers the farm and nearby homes while reducing carbon emissions.