Gaining Ground

Gaining Ground Gaining Ground grows organic produce for hunger relief with help from volunteers of all ages and abilities, who work and learn in our fields. For free.

We're also part of research studies to grow healthy soil systems through regenerative, no-till farming practices. Based in historic Concord, Massachusetts, Gaining Ground grows 125,000 pounds of organic produce for hunger relief with help from 2,500 volunteers of all ages and abilities, who work and learn in our fields. In short, we grow food and we give it away to people who need it. We work hard to grow healthy soil and high-quality produce, provide an exceptional experience to each volunteer, serve the needs of our recipients and maximize the generous support of our donors. Throughout the harvest season, produce from Gaining Ground’s farm goes to food pantries, meal programs and shelters in Greater Boston and Eastern Massachusetts. Our approach is local and sustainable—most of our produce is distributed within 20 miles of our farm and within 24 hours of harvest. Some groups use our produce to prepare a free meal distributed to people who need it. Others give it away as part of providing free food to people in need. In addition, we are participating in regional and national agricultural research projects to improve upon and expand methods of regenerative, no-till farming to grow healthy, more productive soils. These methods allow us to better withstand extreme weather events and can directly mitigate climate change by pulling carbon out of the atmosphere and putting it back into the soil, where it directly benefits crop health.

We’re sending many thanks to the folks at the Research Chef Association, , for joining us on the farm this month! It was...
08/28/2025

We’re sending many thanks to the folks at the Research Chef Association, , for joining us on the farm this month!

It was a full day of soil education, lunch, and field work! They helped prepare new beds for our fall plantings of daikon and watermelon radishes, head lettuces, and herbs!

Thank you for growing with us, your generous donation, and contributing your time, energy and commitment to our mission!

Sweet and spicy pepper season is at its peak! During each harvest, the most beautiful display of vibrant colors glow in ...
08/28/2025

Sweet and spicy pepper season is at its peak!

During each harvest, the most beautiful display of vibrant colors glow in the fields, ripe and ready for the picking!

Peppers are also very nutritious. They contain high levels of vitamin C and antioxidants, just in time to keep us and our community healthy during the changing of the seasons.



Photo credit: #1

As we continue to harvest our summertime bounties, please consider joining our community by volunteering on the farm or ...
08/25/2025

As we continue to harvest our summertime bounties, please consider joining our community by volunteering on the farm or supporting our mission of hunger relief with a donation.

Gaining Ground relies on the hearts and hands of our volunteers and the generosity of individuals donors and grant making organizations to bring our mission to life!

A new report from the Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB) paints a sobering picture of hunger across our state. As of 2024, food insecurity among Massachusetts households has reached 37%, a sharp increase from 17% in 2019.

At Gaining Ground, we know that everything from physical health to childhood education to emotional wellbeing starts with food. When we nourish those most in need, we’re not only filling plates; we’re helping to create systems of dignity, care, and resilience. We work with more than 15 community organizations throughout Greater Boston and Central Massachusetts, including emergency shelters, community clinics, and housing nonprofits, many of whom are seeing the demand for food rise year after year.

To learn more and about how you can get involved, please click the link in our bio or visit our website, www.gainingground.org.

We’re so grateful to the many supporters that make our work possible!

A Special Farmer Spotlight! Today we say farewell and share immense gratitude to one of our amazing Senior Field Crew Me...
08/23/2025

A Special Farmer Spotlight! 

Today we say farewell and share immense gratitude to one of our amazing Senior Field Crew Members, Celia Harnish, for all of her hard work and dedication to the team, our farm, and community! 

Come September, Celia will be returning to Umass Amerst to continue her education, pursuing her Bachelor’s Degree in Sustainable Food Systems and Farming. 

Celia has been an exceptional member of the team since her first day. Starting in May of this year, with her experience and excellent work ethic, Celia quickly assumed her position as Senior Field Crew and joined the team with confidence, determination, and steady positive energy. 

Whether working with the farm crew or leading a group of volunteers, the consensus is unanimous in that working with Celia is an absolute joy and we will all miss her presence on the farm. 

Celia, thank you for growing with us! We are all so proud of what you accomplished during your time at Gaining Ground and wish you the absolute best as you stem forth on your next school year and the adventures that await you! 

           

Our sweet summer harvests continue! Answering the call from our hunger relief partner organizations in need of more frui...
08/21/2025

Our sweet summer harvests continue!

Answering the call from our hunger relief partner organizations in need of more fruit, our Farm Manager, Jared, created a plan that incorporated a lot more ‘sweet’ in the fields.

Alongside our over 175,000 servings of vegetables and herbs year to date, we distributed over 18,000 servings of nutritious fruit in the past several weeks!

These crops included watermelon, cantaloupe, strawberries, and peaches, with still more harvests on their way.

Cheers to our farm team for all of their hard-work and dedication, helping to steward our missions of sustainable agriculture and equitable food systems.

Thank you to our friends from Welch’s, , for joining us in the fields and continuing to support our mission! Together, w...
08/20/2025

Thank you to our friends from Welch’s, , for joining us in the fields and continuing to support our mission!

Together, we harvested tomatoes, prepared our new hedgerows, and weeded in our nursery garden! This garden is filled with native plants, flowers, and herbs that will soon be dispersed throughout the farm, increasing biodiversity at the Minute Man National Historical Park!

Cheers to many hands and hearts coming together for a common goal!

Mark your calendars for Concord’s 20th Annual Ag Day Farmer’s Market! Saturday, September 6th! 10am - 2pmPlease join us ...
08/19/2025

Mark your calendars for Concord’s 20th Annual Ag Day Farmer’s Market! Saturday, September 6th! 10am - 2pm

Please join us for this wonderful event that brings the community together to celebrate local agriculture and artisans.

Visit concordagday.com or click the link in our bio to learn about the participating vendors, including all of the outstanding Concord farms!

We hope to see you there!

This week we gave a heartfelt farewell and congratulations to our three amazing interns, Fatima, Austin, and Elizabeth, ...
08/16/2025

This week we gave a heartfelt farewell and congratulations to our three amazing interns, Fatima, Austin, and Elizabeth, for completing our 2025 Summer Internship program!

Together, they joined the team in June and soon filled the fields with curiosity and the passion to learn. They brought their unique gifts, experiences, and interest in sustainable agriculture and our mission of hunger relief.

We are sending them so much gratitude for their hard work, tremendous effort, and contributions to Gaining Ground!

Fatima, Austin, and Elizabeth cultivated lasting connections and friendships with our farmers, staff, and volunteers who all welcomed them to our growing community.

As they will be missed, we wish them all the best on their next endeavors!

To learn more about their experience and our first ever Summer Internship Program visit our website, www.gainingground.org, or click the link in our bio!



Photo credit: #3, #6, #8

At last, tomato season is now in full swing! Like many farms in our region, harvests have been a few weeks behind this y...
08/14/2025

At last, tomato season is now in full swing!

Like many farms in our region, harvests have been a few weeks behind this year due to the record cool and wet spring.

We are delighted for the return of this abundant bounty!

This week we reached a banner harvest in one day - 3,500 pounds of produce! This included the addition of our month long...
08/13/2025

This week we reached a banner harvest in one day - 3,500 pounds of produce! This included the addition of our month long leek harvest!

Cheers to our farmers and their amazing work supported by our community of volunteers!

A big thank you to the students from Ivy International Group for joining us on the farm recently. It’s an inspiration to...
08/12/2025

A big thank you to the students from Ivy International Group for joining us on the farm recently. It’s an inspiration to see local organizations give back to their commutnies by helping us grow food for neighbors in need.

Together we cleared a completed succession of our summer squash planting!

Many hands and hearts make this important work possible!

Many sweet harvests continue to make their way out of the fields and distributed to our partner organizations as this pe...
08/10/2025

Many sweet harvests continue to make their way out of the fields and distributed to our partner organizations as this peak season presses on!

Among them are the highly anticipated return of our sweet corn crop, our trial of annual strawberries, cantaloupe, and soon, Sugar Baby watermelon!

Address

341 Virginia Rd
Concord, MA
01742

Opening Hours

Tuesday 9am - 3pm
Wednesday 9am - 3:30pm
Thursday 9am - 3:30pm
Friday 9am - 3:30pm
Saturday 9am - 3pm

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