It takes 80 pounds of fresh okra and spinach for Chef Keverne Glasgow to feed Bridge Boston Charter School his signature Trinidadian callaloo. When the stew is served, the K–8 students rec-ognize the ingredients—because they helped grow them at Gaining Ground.

Since 2019, Gaining Ground has partnered with the Roxbury school to provide students with nutritious meals brimming with fresh produce. By combining hands-on farm learning with produce donations, students experience the true meaning of farm-to-table. Bridge Boston’s mission is to meet the needs of the whole child, ensuring every student is nourished with three healthy meals a day to eliminate hunger as a barrier to learning.

Fresh vegetables, fruits, and herbs from Gaining Ground help Keverne serve a creative, USDA-aligned menu, and even offer tasting events to introduce new veggies. When school is out for summer, he distributes fresh Gaining Ground produce through a free farmer’s market for families. 

“Bringing the kindergarteners to the farm is an amazing opportunity for them to learn where food comes from, get their hands dirty, and understand that their lunch comes right from the soil they helped to feed,” says Thayer Lawson, Dean of Coaching and Intervention. On the farm, students also learn that growing food is a collective act. 

“They do an excellent job modeling teamwork,”says Maddie Weikel, Gaining Ground’s Education Coordinator. To move compost, students sometimes use “wolf-pup style,” digging and throwing it between their legs for a friend to catch in a bucket. 

Between munching on fresh lettuce and marveling at worms, the children run through the fields, connecting with the land that feeds them. “The trip is filled with so much joy, laughter, and hands-onlearning,” says Thayer. “Students are in awe of all the farm has to offer.”