Volunteer at Gaining Ground
All are welcome to volunteer at Gaining Ground.
Farming Volunteer
From early April through late October, we welcome thousands of helping hands working outside with us, rain or shine. Our community of volunteers is broad-based, often including:
- Individuals ages 15 and up
- Families with children ages 5 and up
- Education groups: schools, colleges, alumni, homeschool coops
- Religious groups
- Community groups: scouts, camps, senior citizens, civic organizations
- Special needs groups
- Corporate teams
What to Expect
- At the farm pavilion, volunteers receive an introduction to Gaining Ground and our hunger-relief role.
- Our farmers provide an overview of what’s going on at the farm and the tasks they’ve lined up, based on the skills and abilities of that day’s volunteers.
- Volunteers work alongside our staff — planting, mulching, cultivating, harvesting, washing.
- At the end of your visit, a farmer returns with you to the pavilion to share observations and experiences.
For more details, please review our volunteer information and then sign up to volunteer.
High School Farm Team
During the summer from late June through mid-August, we welcome high school students on Wednesday and Saturday mornings to join us for hands-on volunteering on the farm. Learn more here.
“Volunteering at Gaining Ground is a time for me to escape the urban rat race and reconnect with the earth. There is an amazing sense of satisfaction one gets from transforming a field full of weeds to one of neat rows of lettuce or beets. The setting is beautiful and the camaraderie shared with the farmers and the other volunteers is something I always look forward to.” -Karin C.
“My team really enjoyed it. Well organized, you know how to host volunteers well! My team loved your passion and felt like they had a greater appreciation for farming.” -Vickie B.