Gaining Ground is creating a cookbook—one from and for the Gaining Ground community. And we’d like your help.

The Gaining Ground cookbook began as a recipe exchange, ideas about cooking certain foods. "Okra doesn’t have to be mushy if you cook it right," one recipient told us. We realized that information about cooking seasonal foods would benefit a wider circle and that sharing ideas among the community and beyond meant healthier eating for all.

How can you contribute?

• Contribute your favorite recipes

The cookbook will reflect the New England seasons – Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter – centering around foods that are available during those times. While the cookbook centers around this seasonal concept, please feel free to include your favorite banana bread recipe or orange chicken surprise.

We will try to include as many recipes as possible, but can’t promise that every recipe will be included. Where duplicates are submitted, we’ll include variations and multiple names. The Gaining Ground cookbook is focusing on whole, seasonal foods, as it reflects the seasonality of farming and the produce we give away. But it isn’t strictly a vegetarian cookbook.

Using this PDF form or this editable Word document will help ensure we correctly enter your recipe.

• Create artwork

We’re looking for artwork (drawings, photos, etc.) for the cover, key seasonal section dividers, and to be interspersed throughout the cookbook. The seasons, vegetables, farm scenes, and any other aspects of Gaining Ground are possible subjects. We’ll be selecting the cover art via online voting.

Thanks for your help with this community-based project.