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.

Now that the 2025 volunteer season is coming to a close, we offer a sincere “Thank you!” to the 3800+ helping hands and ...
10/25/2025

Now that the 2025 volunteer season is coming to a close, we offer a sincere “Thank you!” to the 3800+ helping hands and hearts that have joined us to nurture the soil and grow this season’s bounty.

Together, we care for the land and our community through sustainable farming and hunger relief.

Visit our website, gainingground.org, or click the link in our bio to learn more about volunteer opportunities in 2026!

We’re sending our gratitude to team members from Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, , for their awesome support in the fields to...
10/23/2025

We’re sending our gratitude to team members from Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, , for their awesome support in the fields today!

Together, we renovated and moved our rolling high tunnel from one field to the next ahead of our winter growing! A great task for a great group!

We’re so thankful for all our volunteers and growing community lending their hands and hearts to this great work on the farm!

We are so grateful to the Greater Lowell Community Foundation, , for their continued partnership and generous support of...
10/22/2025

We are so grateful to the Greater Lowell Community Foundation, , for their continued partnership and generous support of our ongoing expansion project at the Minute Man National Historical Park!

With their donations, we’re able to apply our no-till growing practices that help to increase the soil health of these fields, therefore increasing the amount of fresh, organic fruit and vegetables that we can distribute to those experiencing food insecurity!

We’re so grateful to our farmers for their DIY innovations in our wash and pack station on the farm! Our latest addition...
10/22/2025

We’re so grateful to our farmers for their DIY innovations in our wash and pack station on the farm!

Our latest addition is the roots washer created by one of our Assistant Growers, Rachael, using a cement mixer and several creative components.

This contraption, just like the washing machine greens spinner, has certainly increased our efficiency with the task and effective cleaning of the harvests ahead of the eventual distribution to our hunger relief partner organizations!

Huge thanks to Blue Cross Blue Shield, , for choosing Gaining Ground as the beneficiary of the 2025 Community Classic! T...
10/21/2025

Huge thanks to Blue Cross Blue Shield, , for choosing Gaining Ground as the beneficiary of the 2025 Community Classic!

Together with their generous business partners, they raised nearly $110,000 to help us grow and share fresh, local, nutritious food with communities facing food insecurity—and to advance health and wellbeing across our region. Our hearts are full!

Preparations for our 2026 garlic crop are underway! Growing great garlic is a step-by-step process that begins in the fa...
10/20/2025

Preparations for our 2026 garlic crop are underway!

Growing great garlic is a step-by-step process that begins in the fall when we plant our own cloves as seeds. These cloves are first popped from the bulbs we carefully graded from this season’s harvest.

We selected the biggest and healthiest looking garlic to continue enhancing genetics for future harvests. This, in combination with our focus on soil health, gives us the most delicious and nutritious bulbs that we will then distribute to our hunger relief partner organizations next year!

#2026

Today marks another wonderful work day on the farm with our amazing farm team and staff and the helping hands of our exc...
10/18/2025

Today marks another wonderful work day on the farm with our amazing farm team and staff and the helping hands of our exceptionally talented Board members!

Together, we continued with our bountiful fall harvests, as well as cleaned up numerous beds in preparations for the next crop successions of the winter growing season ahead!

As a Gaining Ground team, we work as one with our growing community towards our common goals of sustainably growing nutritious food in support of hunger relief, so when we’re able to come together in the fields, it’s truly a special time!

Many thanks to the awesome team members from Takeda Pharmaceuticals for joining us today in the fields! They were a terr...
10/16/2025

Many thanks to the awesome team members from Takeda Pharmaceuticals for joining us today in the fields! They were a terrific help spreading compost and preparing the beds that will be home to our future asparagus planting at our National Park site.

Volunteers bring our work to life and we are so grateful to grow together!

We’re sending our gratitude to the Clif Family Foundation for their many years of generous support!As a nonprofit farm, ...
10/15/2025

We’re sending our gratitude to the Clif Family Foundation for their many years of generous support!

As a nonprofit farm, Gaining Ground relies on the generous support of individual donors and grantmakers to uplift our work.

We’re so grateful for your partnership in helping to nourish our community!

Partner Spotlight! Our hunger relief partner organization, Loaves and Fishes, , located in Devens, MA, reports that they...
10/12/2025

Partner Spotlight!

Our hunger relief partner organization, Loaves and Fishes, , located in Devens, MA, reports that they are seeing the overall need for emergency food up by 50% since 2023!

Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry has been operating since 1983. This year, “the number of families and individuals [they] serve continues to grow - both new and returning clients.”

When faced with difficult times, almost 1000 households in Ayer, Devens, Dunstable, Groton, Harvard, Littleton and Shirley rely on Loaves and Fishes for emergency food in an atmosphere that prioritizes kindness and respect.

Your support helps Gaining Ground to continue to grow fresh, nutritious produce for our long-standing partnership with Loaves and Fishes, especially as we enter the winter months!

To learn more about the impactful help that Loaves and Fishes community provides to those experiencing food insecurity, click the link in our bio or visit their website, loavesfishespantry.org.

What an incredible harvest of Glass Gem Corn from our three sister’s garden! These vibrant and unique colors truly depic...
10/11/2025

What an incredible harvest of Glass Gem Corn from our three sister’s garden! These vibrant and unique colors truly depict the wonder of nature. 

Glass Gem Corn is a flint corn, meaning you would not consume it as fresh corn, but rather grind it into cornmeal or flour, prepare it as grits, or even use for popcorn! 

We look forward to the next steps of the drying process and preparing this corn for our community and hunger relief partner organizations.

Farmer Spotlight! We’re sending many thanks to our talented Senior Field Crew member, Zoe Tallmadge, for their continued...
10/08/2025

Farmer Spotlight!

We’re sending many thanks to our talented Senior Field Crew member, Zoe Tallmadge, for their continued hard work and dedication to our sustainable agriculture and hunger relief missions!

This is Zoe’s second season at Gaining Ground and we’re so grateful to continue to grow together! Zoe brings their passion and shared responsibility for building awareness about food insecurity to the team and to all of our volunteers and future farmers. They lead with a grounded sense of understanding and care for the work.

In addition to the endless amount of tasks and projects on the farm, Zoe has also been working closely with Farm Management towards increasing production in our fruit tree orchards, berry patches, and multitude of variety of native plants spread throughout all of our hedgerows on the farm. This work is an instrumental aspect of our regenerative growing practices, both in which to build upon the ecological diversity on the farm, while answering the call for more fruit from our hunger relief partner organizations!

Zoe has also created an educational seed saving garden that brings food for thought about further aspects of growing sustainably.

Whether out in the fields completing tasks with the farm team or leading a discussion with volunteer groups, Zoe continues to bring their determination and infectious desire to do this work for the greater good.

Please visit our website, gainingground.org, to read more about Zoe in their bio and to learn more about our programs, growing practices, and how you may become involved! Link in bio!



Photo credit #1: Tony Rinaldo

Address

341 Virginia Road
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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