The holidays have come and gone and, after a very successful 2017, where we saw production increase to over 80,000 pounds, we now reflect and set a course for our next season. Winter is the season for planning. How do we achieve these results again or, better yet, how do we continue to grow more […]
As 2017 came to a close, both Francine Royce and Joe Rigali—the vice president and president of the board—approved their final meeting minutes, all-in-favored their last motion, and retired from the board of directors. While these two have been the faces of Gaining Ground to countless volunteers over the years, they have also been the […]
Say the words “food pantry,” and most people think of canned vegetables and boxes of pasta. But more and more, a large portion of the food that pantries give out is fresh and local. So when Open Table’s community dinner and food pantry looked to expand their fresh food offerings, naturally they looked to Gaining […]
Gaining Ground presents: Hunger Relief: From the Ground Up Thursday, March 29, 2018 • 7 p.m. The Fenn School—Ward Hall • 516 Monument Street • Concord, MA 01742 Please join us for an evening of discussion about food security, human health and one of the most surprising levers for positive change: the soil beneath our […]
For anyone curious about the true impact of our Read for Seeds program, consider this: Last year, the farm crew planted about two grams of tomato seeds. Those yielded about 850 tomato plants. With sunshine and water in the right combination, plus the necessary TLC from our farm crew and volunteers, those plants produced about […]
After the completion of our five year strategic plan, “Dig Deeper,” the Gaining Ground board tackled the question: “What’s Next?” Our 2011 strategic plan, “Digging Deeper,” focused primarily on growing more food for our recipients. We were successful in achieving that goal, expanding from 25,000 pounds in 2012 to 62,000 in 2016. That increase was […]
For more than 20 years, students from local schools have helped fight hunger by participating in our Read for Seeds program. This is an annual read-a-thon that links fundraising, education, and community action. Read for Seeds is a long-time favorite because of its simplicity and effectiveness. After a member from the Gaining Ground community visits […]
For over twenty years, students from many local schools have helped fight hunger by participating in our Read for Seeds program. This unique program links fundraising, education, and community action. Led by Pam Goar, long-time board member, Read for Seeds pays for almost 70% of the seeds needed to grow 60 different vegetables annually. This […]
Spring at Gaining Ground reminds me of the beginning of Richard Wilbur’s poem “Seed Leaves:” Here something stubborn comes Dislodging the earth crumbs And making crusty rubble It comes up bending double And looks like a green staple. It could be seedling maple, Or artichoke, or bean That remains to be seen. Spring at the […]
I wander around the farm as dusk settles in on this silent spring night, and I pause knowing this is the calm before the storm. This spring marks the beginning of my fourth season of growing at Gaining Ground. Which means I have walked all around and over this piece of land. Back and forth […]
Please contact us if you would like to help with these or other donations! Vermont garden cart Supply of wax boxes and banana boxes DeWalt cordless drill Stihl chainsaw Stanley FatMax tape measure Klein 4-piece screwdriver set Tarps Felco hand pruners Small baskets
The Board and Staff would like to express our sincere gratitude to all those supporters who have given generously and shared their time and talents with Gaining Ground. Special thanks go to: Ken Bassett of Sasaki Associates, for providing barn planning suggestions. Denny Blodget, for helping with the newsletter. John Frumer of Christie Sullivan & Young PC, for […]
