In the spring of 2004, the Lewiston Farmers Market opened for its first season.
Every Monday afternoon in Kennedy Park, a half a dozen vendors sold
vegetables, flowers and specialty foods. Amid the lettuce, honey and
sunflowers, were farmers from as near as Sabattus and as far as
Guatemala. Where else in Maine would you find a farmers market with
vendors from eleven countries: Honduras, Costa Rica, Mexico, El
Salvador, Guatemala, Puerto Rico, Peru, Colombia, Sudan, and Somalia as
well as the US. They are all part of CEI's New Americans Sustainable
Agriculture Project (NASAP), which helps "new" refugee and immigrant
farmers build their technical and business skills, find land for
growing, and markets for selling their products.
Through its Americorps/VISTA program, CEI organized the market
as a way to bring fresh, locally grown food into a predominantly low
income urban neighborhood and create a new venue for small farmers. A
lot of work goes into setting up a market. CEI organized the farmers,
worked with the City, set-up a non-profit organization, designed a
logo, helped develop the market processes and procedures, and made sure
farmers could accept food stamps.
A big event at this year's market was the creation of the
NASAP mural, funded by Heifer International. More than 40 people,
including farmers, children and community members, joined with
Maine-based artist Natasha Mayers to create a mural depicting flags,
vegetables, symbols and people of the countries represented at Maine's
newest farmers market.
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Business Advice and Training 
Maine Legislature Passes Model Anti-Predatory Lending Bill.