The plunging temperatures and icy walkways of winter often coincide with a spike in food insecurity. Family budgets are stretched thin by high heating costs and the loss of seasonal work, while simply getting to the store becomes more difficult for older adults and individuals with mobility issues. This winter is expected to be particularly challenging due to federal reductions in SNAP benefits, which help feed more than a million Massachusetts residents, and potential cuts to federal health insurance subsidies.

To meet this growing need, Gaining Ground has invested in infrastructure that extends the farming season, yielding freshly harvested vegetables even in the depth of winter. Thanks to the protection of our hoop houses and caterpillar tunnels, Gaining Ground grows food year-round—including spinach, kale, carrots, parsnips, and a variety of nutrient-dense salad greens—ensuring fresh, nutritious produce reaches our hunger relief partners even during the coldest months. 

This year, Mark Congdon, Director of Agriculture and Volunteer Experience, is experimenting with early spring broccoli and early spring onions to bring greater diversity to harvests from January through March.

December Distributions

Earlier this month, Gaining Ground partner Bedford Food Bank picked up almost 200 pounds of freshly harvested carrots, lettuce, spinach, parsnips, scallions, and garlic to distribute to residents experiencing food insecurity. The Town of Bedford has seen a 60% increase in guests over the last year alone. Last week, Open Table in Maynard received a nutritious bounty of fresh lettuce, spinach, and a delicious, cold-hardy salad green called claytonia (Miner’s lettuce). Open Table, a highly respected client-focused food pantry serving 21 communities in Metrowest, is one of Gaining Ground’s longest-standing partnerships. (Read more about Gaining Ground’s partnership with Open Table.)

Thanks to the generous support of our community, Gaining Ground continues to explore innovative ways to ensure our neighbors experiencing food insecurity have access to nourishing food that sustains both body and soul during the chilly, dark days of winter.