Explore: Farm Update
August 29, 2023
We welcome thousands of volunteers to the farm each year, and almost half are youth. Typically classrooms and families visit once or twice during the season. Yet one particular group, the High School Farm Team (HSFT), spends all summer helping our crew in the fields. Since the program began in 2016, the HSFT—comprising students from […]
Up-tempo music and conversations among neighbors were the soundtrack on a recent afternoon for the open-air food pantry that convenes twice a week in Chelsea, at a Route 1 underpass, coordinated by the Latina-led nonprofit La Colaborativa. In the shade, community members chose from vegetables, fruits, grains, flours, dairy, eggs, proteins, and canned goods. “All […]
What’s 115,000 pounds, but just a tiny piece of the big picture? The weight of our annual harvest! Numbers command attention. They tell a story. And poundage in particular is a prominent metric on the farm. Accurately recording the weight of each harvest helps us understand production rates; track patterns in crop performance; gauge the […]
July 27, 2023
Summer is in bloom, and the flowers at Gaining Ground are alive with colors, aromas, and even sounds, like the hum of wasps in the celosia. Each year, in addition to powerhouse veggies and herbs, we are proud to grow and donate a wide variety of cut flowers through Food for Families, a program we […]
July 14, 2023
Calling all photographers! Submissions are now open for Photography on the Farm, a special exhibit at Gaining Ground that will showcase the creative talents and perspectives of community artists. If you love making pictures of farms, gardens, and the natural world, we encourage you to submit your work. The deadline is August 11, 2023. All […]
June 27, 2023 • Gaining Ground
We are thrilled to share the news that Gaining Ground plans to expand our farming operations to five acres of land within Minute Man National Historical Park. The new land will help us meet growing demand for fresh, nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables at emergency food programs in Greater Boston and the MetroWest. “Food insecurity continues […]
• Gaining Ground
June is not only a turning point in our harvests, it is also the first full month of the season when our farming staff is at maximum capacity. New to the team this year is Field Crew Member Rachael Walton, a former Gaining Ground student volunteer who now brings her passion for sustainable agriculture and […]
May 30, 2023 • Christine Savage, Communications Manager
This past February, even as fresh snow blanketed the farm, it was warm inside Gaining Ground’s greenhouse. It might have been the middle of winter, but the farmers were filling trays with potting mix and weighing out seeds before dusting them onto the soil. Led by Co-Assistant Farm Manager Kari Bender, Gaining Ground undertook an […]
• Anna Kelchlin, Farm Manager
Gaining Ground grows over 50 different types of vegetables, fruits, and flowers on three acres of land with just over a half of an acre under tunnel production. We do this using no-till, regenerative methods that we see as beyond organic—meaning they meet and surpass organic growing requirements. Many of the farming practices we employ […]
• Gaining Ground
This month’s newsletter offers us a great opportunity to check in with Assistant Grower and Assistant Volunteer Leader Maddie Weikel, who now has a couple months with us under her belt. We’re grateful to have Maddie on the team for the 2023 season, and to introduce her to the whole Gaining Ground community. Where is […]
April 7, 2023 • Anna Kelchlin, Farm Manager
A question I am frequently asked come November is, “What do you do in the winter as a farmer?” One of the primary focuses during these cold, dark months is crop planning. Although the bulk of the crop planning work takes place in December and January, the process is unending and involves observing, reflecting, note-taking, […]
• Allison Goodwin, Operations Director
Gaining Ground’s 2022 growing season was a resounding success with 115,373 pounds of vegetables, fruit, herbs, maple syrup, honey, and cut flowers distributed to our neighbors experiencing food insecurity. Thanks to a team of hardworking, experienced farmers led by Anna Kelchlin, as well as the helping hands of more than 3,100 volunteers, production increased 17 […]
• Allison Goodwin, Operations Director
Gaining Ground’s Volunteer Committee includes members of the organization’s Board of Directors, staff, and dedicated volunteer community. Participants include long-term volunteers, members of our Community Farm Team, teachers whose classes participate annually in our Read for Seeds program, and a representative from the National Charity League, a service organization with whom we partner. Last year […]
• Christa Collins, Board of Directors
One of the goals set out in Gaining Ground’s 2022-2027 strategic plan is to extend the farm’s reach in order to increase our impact on food insecurity. One way we’re doing this is by exploring and testing opportunities to expand our food production beyond our current land constraints. Ethical management of our farm means that […]
March 6, 2023 • Gaining Ground
Executive Director Jennifer Johnson, along with Catherine D’Amato from the Greater Boston Food Bank and Kannan Thiruvengadam from Eastie Farm, recently spoke with Callie Crossley on GBH Radio’s Under the Radar. Click here to listen to this insightful conversation about rising food insecurity since the pandemic and the importance of improving access to foods that […]
February 27, 2023 • Anna Kelchlin, Farm Manager
I am excited to share with you my crop planning process, which brings me boundless joy during these colder months. Winter provides a time for a slower pace, and dreaming about the growth of the next season! Crop planning is a complex process that involves both artistic and scientific approaches, especially because we work the […]
• Gaining Ground
At Gaining Ground, we are grateful for the diverse, insightful, and compassionate voices and perspectives that support and guide the farm. We are thrilled to welcome Katie Bekel to our board of directors and to take this opportunity to learn a bit more about the newest member of the Gaining Ground team. How did you […]
December 21, 2022 • Christine Savage, Communications Manager
Winter is officially here and although the pace on the farm has eased, our harvests don’t take a holiday this time of year. We’ve continued to distribute crops like arugula, bok choy, carrots, mustard greens, and spinach this month, and will continue to do so throughout the season. Winter farming is critical to our efforts […]
• Polly Vanasse, Board President
As Paul Simon sang to me yesterday, “Make a new plan, Stan.” Every five or so years, Gaining Ground is tasked with creating a new strategic plan. It’s an opportunity for the board of directors and the staff to steer the organization toward ambitious goals and new horizons. Our latest plan, formally adopted in November […]
October 28, 2022 • David Salomón Saleh
Five years ago I accepted the responsibility of taking care of the honey bee colonies at Gaining Ground. At that time, I was looking for opportunities to learn more about beekeeping in the northern hemisphere and about sustainable agriculture. I was hooked as soon as I learned about the farm’s hunger-relief mission, and felt lucky […]
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