what’s up!

Don’t let anyone tell you that farmers have the winter off. Last year, we were installing our new irrigation system until the 21st of December. And for the first time, we were able to harvest greens in our new hoop house and distribute storage crops into December.

Some of my favorite days as a farmer come after the new year when we receive the new seed catalogues in the mail. Tucked away by the fireplace watching the snow pile up, we pore over the catalogues while reminiscing about the triumphs and trials of the last season, and dreaming about new varieties to plant this upcoming year.

This is when we get down to the true dirty work of the farm. The numbers game: planning and ordering just enough seed to enable us to plant, harvest, and distribute last year’s total of 57,000 pounds of fresh organic produce. Take one crop for example, everybody’s favorite — tomatoes! How much seed does it take to grow 8,000 pounds of tomatoes?

The first thing to consider is how much field space will be allotted for tomatoes. We typically grow seven 80-foot rows in our hoop house and 20 rows in the field. Next comes the most exciting part, choosing the varieties to grow: heirlooms or hybrids; a proper mix of colors, tastes, and sizes; and a range from early to late-season maturity.

After selecting varieties and factoring in germination rates, we order. When the seed arrives, we plant in the greenhouse only three ounces of tomato seed. That seed germinates into 715 tomato plants that are transplanted into our field and hoop house. These plants can, in a good year, yield a harvest of near 8,000 pounds, just over 11 pounds per plant, which is then distributed to 10 pantries with the help of 2,200 volunteers.

See you in the tomato fields!

i s s u e   3 5   ·   s p r i n g   2 0 1 5

InThisIssue Readyforabarn

Visionariesinhungerrelief

Ingiving,wereceive

Winter’swork    By Doug Wolcik, Farm Coordinator

ThreetimeshonoredBy Fan Watkinson, Program Manager

GainingGroundhasrecentlyreceivedrecognitionforourworkbythreeorganiza-tions.Wearehonoredandinspired!

• InNovember,FoodTankandtheJamesBeardFoundationlaunchedthefirstannualGoodFoodOrgGuide.GainingGroundwasidentifiedasoneoffivegroupsinMassachusettsandonein500intheUSwhoarecultivatingabetterfoodsystem.

• InDecember,ConcordCarlisleHumanRightsCouncilawardedustheClimateforFreedomAward,recognizingouradvancingofhumanrightsatthelocallevel.

• InJanuary,MassachusettsHeadStartAssociationgaveGainingGroundandHeadStartLowelltheInnovationAwardforourjointprogramofferingafreefarmer’smarketandchef-ledcookingeducationatChildren’sVillageattheMillinLowell.

Gaining Ground and Head Start Lowell representatives are commended by Tom Webber (L), Massachusetts Early Education and Care Commissioner, for their Innovation Award. Photo by Julia Ripa.

3oz.=715=8,000+2,200 10

Above: Photo by Kayleigh Boyle, Farm Coordinator

seeds plants tomatoes volunteers pantries

our missionGainingGroundgrowsorganicproduceforhungerreliefwithhelpfromvolunteersofallagesandabilities,whoworkandlearninourgardens.

www.gainingground.org

Short&SweetSugaringSeason2015

Becauseofthisyear’sextremecoldcombinedwith110inchesofrecord-breakingsnow,maplesugaring

waslatetostartandslow-going.Forthefirsttime,ouropenhousewascancelledentirely.Springfinally

brokethroughinmid-Marchwithsapflowingirregularly.KayleighandDougcollectedfrom200buckets

inConcord,buttheextremeconditionspreventedtappinginCarlisle.Miraculously,byApriltheteam

hadboiled1,100gallonsofsapinto31gallonsofsyrup(textbook40:1ratio)whilesimultaneously

plantingseedsinthegreenhouse.

Special thanks to Steven Hathaway for his award-winning short film, “Tapping In,” about our sugaring process (posted at www.facebook.com/GGConcord), David Outerbridge for building stairs up to the sap reservoir, Richard Nichols for sharing his knowledge of high-quality sugaring practices, and everyone who lent a hand during the season. Photos by Fan Watkinson, Program Manager.

Wheredoourseedscomefrom?Askareader!    By Kristin Moore, Fundraising Manager

We grow about 150 different species of plants

at Gaining Ground—vegetables, fruits, flowers,

and herbs. Most of our seeds come from

Maine and start arriving at the office in January

and February. Always organic, and whenever

possible we choose non-GMO (genetically

modified organism) seed sources. A special

partnership with elementary school readers in

Concord and Belmont helps plant these high-

quality seeds into our fields.

Concord’s Thoreau Elementary School’s third-

graders and Belmont Day School’s second-

graders have participated in our annual Read

for Seeds read-a-thon for several years. Read

for Seeds is an important fundraising event for

Gaining Ground and the children’s efforts

contributed over $10,000 in 2014. In May and

June, the children will join the farmers and

Board members on the farm for a variety of

farm activities to show our appreciation to the

kids and to give them hands-on experience

planting, weeding, harvesting, and enjoying

the outdoors.

Our deep thanks to this year’s crop of readers

and the teachers, parents, family members,

and friends who support them.

• BelmontDaySchool Nancy Fell, coordinator

• ThoreauSchool Mary Gallagher, coordinator Rebecca Cashman Pamm Faricelli Mary Gallagher Jessica Ham

Even the old Greeks knew, “It will not always be summer; build barns.” (Hesiod)

Over the years, volunteers, generous supporters, Board members, and staff have provided time

and capital to help us “dig deeper” at the Virginia Road farm. Our goals have been to make our

land more productive and to take good care of our centuries-old fields. Digging deeper has meant

investing in a tractor, a new truck, a high tunnel greenhouse, a deer fence, soil fertility, and a well.

Our 2014 harvest of 57,000 pounds of organic produce, twice the 2012 harvest, was a clear sign

that our plan is working. And more volunteers than ever — 2,200 —worked alongside our farmers.

With all this growth, it’s time to dig a deeper foundation and build a barn. A barn will advance

all aspects of our mission and will be the center of life at the farm. A barn will protect our

equipment and supplies — the essentials for growing more food. It will provide produce storage

areas, enabling us to harvest vegetables at their peak and to keep them fresher longer so we can

distribute more food. It will provide shelter for our ever-growing number of volunteers, allowing

them to gather and work in all kinds of weather. Besides, what’s a New England farm without

a barn?

In the weeks and months ahead, we will be raising money beyond our annual operating budget

to fund our barn raising. We are halfway to our $380,000 target. We plan on inviting you —

our dedicated community of volunteers and supporters — when we are ready to hoist the barn’s

posts and beams. Gaining Ground has been building community for over twenty years; now,

it’s time for a building for our community.

If you are interested in investing in the barn or want to learn more, contact Fundraising Manager Kristin Moore at 978-610-6086 or kristin@gainingground.org.

BarnHighlights

· Protected storage space for equip-ment & supplies

· Walk-in cooler for produce storage

· Sheltered work areas

· Meeting space

· Workshop to maintain tools

· Farm staff areas

· Delivery & pick-up areas

Gaining Ground is ready for a barnBy Kristin Moore, Fundraising Manager, and Joe Rigali, Board President

Our current storage isn’t adequate to keep our equipment and supplies safe from the weather.

Top: This composite image uses an architectural rendering to show where the barn might be situated at the farm. Image created by Jeff Young.

Join us on Facebook! Visit us at www.facebook.com/GGConcordto find out what’s going on at the farm,

see hundreds of photos, and watch a video about our mobile market in Lowell—no Facebook account required.

Manythanks!TheBoardandStaffwouldliketoexpressoursinceregratitudetoallthosesupporterswhohavegivengenerouslyandsharedtheirtimeandtalentswithGainingGround.Specialthanksgoto:

• KenBassettofSasakiAssociates,forprovidingbarnplanningsuggestions.

• DennyBlodget,forhelpingwiththenewsletter.

• JohnFrumerofChristieSullivan&YoungPC,forhislegalreviewandcorrespondenceoverupdatestoouremployeemanual.

• ToddFryofMillCitiesLeadershipInstitute,forproviding“pitchcoaching”forasuccessfulgrantapplicationwithNetScout.

• DebbieDorseyofiVideoBoston,forfilmingandeditingavideothatconvincedfunderstorepairourgreenhouse!

• PeterGifford,fortillingthegardenattheOldManseforuseveryyear.

• PeterGreyatBedfordFoodPantry,fordonatingaVermontGardenCartinhonorofNanHoeflich.

• SteveHathaway,forcreatingabeautifulfilmaboutourcommunitysugaringprocess.

• LindsayKerr,highschoolstudent,forvolunteeringintheofficeonaregularbasis.

• KristiKienholz,forherstrategicplanningguidance.

• ThemapletreeownersandthetownsofConcordandCarlisle,whogenerouslyallowustotaptheirtreessowecanmakemaplesyrupforourrecipients.

• RichardNichols,forsharinghisknowledgeofhigh-qualitysugaringpractices.

• DavidOuterbridge,forhismuchappreciatedcarpentryskillsthatmadeourgreenhouseandsugaringactivitiesmorepleasantandproductive.

• DebraStarkofDebra’sNaturalGourmet,whodonatedtoGainingGroundherhonorariumforaspeakingengagementattheUnitedWomen’sClubofConcord.

• NashFamilyFoundation,donorofourgentlyusedtruck.

• SusanWinshipofGreaterLowellCommunityFoundation,forarranging“pitchcoaching”forasuccessfulgrantapplication.

• NumeroussupportersofourVisionariesevent:CodmanCommunityFarms;MikeFrederickatThoreauSociety;NancyGroholatThoreauFarmTrust;MiddlesexSavingsBank; panelistsDougRauch,KatieStagliano,andAshleyStanley;MiaRoyce;TheFennSchool.

In giving, we receiveBy Lucy Rosborough, Board member

As a long-time Board member and

enthusiastic supporter of the Food for

families program, I spend many Saturday

mornings harvesting and distributing

produce and flowers to Concord and

Carlisle residents. Through the years, I

have received so much joy from this

community of recipients. Food naturally

generates conversations and memories

and has opened the door to my friendship

with Concord resident Ingeborg Traulsen.

Ingeborg was born in Germany in 1939

and remembers first farming at the age of

five under the tutelage of her grandfather.

He plowed under the family’s boxwood

hedges and planted potatoes, leaving a

little room for strawberries. Ingeborg

survived WWII in a small town between

Dresden and Leipzig where people farmed

in their backyards and fields. Food was

in short supply. She was “lucky” after the

war to go to northern Germany, where

each family was given a plot of land.

Her grandmother, to her delight, gave

Ingeborg her own plot when she was

seven. She planted herbs, tied them into

little bunches, put them in a basket and

sold them for a nickel each — a lot of

money at that time. She was also inter-

ested in wild plants, not cultivated.

As an adult, Ingeborg came to the United

States in 1959 and has lived in Concord

for the past ten years. She loves to cook

typically German recipes with our pro-

duce and has contributed hearty dishes to

the Harvest Fest. Asked what she likes

about Gaining Ground, she says “the

nutritional aspect” is most important,

along with making the land bear fruit.

Her reflection harkens back to her child-

hood days in Germany. Her little plot

of land was poor and water would wash

over the land, removing the topsoil.

Although in poor health over the past few

years, Ingeborg has battled her persistent

afflictions valiantly. She greets friends

enthusiastically, her curiosity and humor

intact. You will see her proudly wearing

her “Food for Families” t-shirt most

Saturday mornings.

Ingeborg, thank you for being one of

many who has given me so much joy

through our food connections.

Our2015Crew&StaffWearedelightedtohavetheseasonedteamofKayleighBoyleandDougWolcikasour2015Farmcoordinators.Kayleighreturnswithsixyearsofexperiencedevelopingourfarmprograms,schedulingourvolunteers,andplanningourlandimprovements.DougbringsbacktwoyearswithGainingGround;sevenyearsfarminginMassachusetts,California,andSouthAmerica;andadegreeinsustainableagricultureandcommunityfoodsystemsfromUMassStockbridgeAgricultureSchool.

PiperMountandRyanDevlinjointhecrewaspartofournewappren-ticeprogram,wheretheywillparticipateineveryaspectoffarmworkfromseedingtoharvesting.PiperhasworkedforCookingMatters,anon-profitprovidinghealthycookingandnutritiontolow-incomefamilies.RyanstartedfarmingatTheFoodProjectinLincoln,majoredinagriculture,andthenworkedattheCheyenneRiverYouthProject,growingvegetablesonthereservationwhileworkingwithyouths.

CharlieRadoslovichwillbetakingovertheOldMansegardenmana-gerpositionthisseason.Charlieisanexperiencedgardener,havingfoundedhisownbusiness,RadUrbanGardening,thatinstallsmicrogardensinclients’yards.

PaulaJordanisbackforhersecondyearastheHeadStartmarketmanager.Paula’sexperiencefarmingandworkingwithyoungpeoplefromdiversebackgroundsmakehertheperfectpersontobringourveggiestotheLowellChildren’sMillfor16weeksthisseason.

KristinMoorecontinuestobeouraceofficecoordinatorandfund-raisingmanager,andFanWatkinsonstepsintohersecondyearasoutreach,recipient,andvolunteerprogrammanager.Bothenjoytheirtimelearningfromthefarm’sbeesintheappleorchard.

2015Crew&Staff(L to R): Fan Watkinson, Paula Jordan, Doug Wolcik, Kayleigh Boyle, Ryan Devlin, Piper Mount, and Kristin Moore. Not pictured: Charlie Radoslovich.

Visionariesinhungerrelief    By Linda Booth Sweeney, Board member

AttheendofMarchatTheFennSchool,GainingGroundhostedamulti-generationalpanelfocusedontheissueofhungerrelief.Inacommunitylikeours,hungermightnotbeobvious,butherearethenumbers:

49millionAmericansarehungry,andyet40%offoodintheUSisthrownawayduringthegrowing,distribution,andeatingprocess.

Nationally,oneoutoffivechildrenstruggleswithhunger.

800,000Massachusettsresidentsdonotknowwheretheirnextmealwillcomefrom,anincreaseof71%inthelastdecade.

Ourpanelincluded:

KatieStagliano,founder,Katie’sKrops;highschoolstudent;winnerofClintonGlobalCitizenshipAward

AshleyStanley,founderofLovin’Spoonfuls;oneofBoston’smostinnovativeleadersunder40(Boston Business Journal);TEDxspeaker

DougRauch,founder,DailyTable;formerpresidentofTraderJoe’s

Asimpressiveasthepanelists’backgroundswere,fewpredictedjusthowinspiredwe’dbebythepassion,clarity,andefficacyofeachpanelist’sactionstoturnhungerawarenessintohungeraction.LikeGainingGround,eachofourpanelistsstartedanorganizationwithasimplequestion.

ForKatie,itwashowmanypeoplecouldshefeedwithherbackyardgarden?Now,Katiehaslaunchedasoupkitchenandsparked80Katie’sKropsgardensin29states.

ForAshley,thequestionwas,whatcanbedonewiththewastedfoodfromsupermarkets?Fromthereshebeganafoodrescuemission,transportingover2millionpoundsoffoodbetweenmarketsandsoupkitchens.

ForDoug,itwas,howcanbusy,lessaffluentandtime-pressedindividualsaccessaffordable,nutritious,preparedfoods?Thisquestionwastheseedforhisnewventure,TheDailyTable.

AshleyandDougparticularlyhavediscoveredthatthereisenoughfoodintheUS,butalmosthalfiswasted.

Whenaskedwhatkindofactiontheaudiencecouldtake,theresponsesincluded:

Beinformed:Getthefactsabouthungerinyourarea.Learnaboutlocalfooddonationandfoodrescueprograms.Knowhowlongfoodcanstayintherefrigerator.Knowthepoliciesthatinfluencedistributingnutritiousfoodtothoseinneed,e.g.,theEmersonGoodSamaritanFoodDonationAct.

Raiseyourvoiceforthosewithoutone.

Seekmentors:Ifyouwanttobepartofthesolution,findmentorswhoprovideperspective,guidance,inspiration,andknowledge.

Afterthepanel,moderatedbyGainingGroundBoardmembersElizabethAwaltandLindaBoothSweeney,BoardPresidentJoeRigaliencouragedtheaudiencetovolunteeratGainingGroundtolearnmoreabouttheissuesandengageinlocalsolutionstohungerrelief.Ifnotyou,who?Ifnotnow,when?

(L to R): Ingeborg Traulsen with Lucy Rosborough.

HungerReliefPanelParticipants (L to R): Katie Stagliano, Ashley Stanley, and Doug Rauch. Photo by Mia Royce.

Water,year-round    By Doug Wolcik, Farm Coordinator

Inthesummerof2013,webegandiggingdeeper—645feettobeexact.There,belowthebedrock,wefoundamainsourceofwatertosupplyourcropswithasufficientamountofirrigationforeachgrowingseason.

Inthesummerof2014,thewellandpumphousewerebuiltandinstalled.Laterintheseason,justbeforethegroundfroze,wewereabletolaytheirrigationpipelinethroughoutthefarm.InMarchof2015,thefinalpieceswereinstalledandwestartedpumpingwateratarateof20gallonsperminute.

Wecannowsupplywateryear-roundtoourgreenhouseandhoophouse,usingthedeeperfrost-freelines.Whenthingsreallystarttoheatupinthesummer,youwon’tseeuscarryingmilesofgardenhoseanymore.Butwhatyouwillnoticeisourstrategicallyplacedhydrantsthroughoutthefieldswherewecaneasilyhookupourveryefficientdripirrigationsystemtofeedtherootsofouryoungthrivingplants.

Thankstoourlong-timeBoardmember,TimRodgers,forhisdedicationinseeingthisprojectthrough.

NON-PROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDCONCORD, MA 01742

PERMIT NO. 508P.O.Box374,Concord,MA01742tel:978-610-6086fax:978-610-6085e-mail:office@gainingground.orgwww.gainingground.orgwww.facebook.com/GGConcord

return service requested

FounderJamieBemis

BoardofDirectorsJoeRigali,PresidentFrancineRoyce,Vice PresidentGaryVilchick,TreasurerLizPaley,Secretary

PennyAustenLizAwaltPamelaGoarCatherineGouchoeBevHallidayNancyHeseltonJessicaHuddy

JuliaNelsonAmyNoordzijTimRodgersLucyRosboroughKarenSchmidtLindaBoothSweeneyJeffYoung

StaffKayleighBoyleandDougWolcik, Farm CoordinatorsKristinMoore,Office Administrator, Fundraising Manager FanWatkinson,Program Manager

DesignandlayoutbyStudio-einConcord,MA.

Sign up early to volunteer…Gaining Ground relies on the energy of community members like you, and we welcome volunteers of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds.

√Visitwww.gainingground.orgtosignuptoday!

√Organizeacorporatevolunteerdayoralumnigroupserviceevent

√Learnaboutsustainablefarming

√Checkout150+plantvarietiesandmarvelatthewildlife

√Contributetolocalhungerrelief

√Lendahandintheoffice

Spring 2015 Wish List• Waxboxes&bananaboxes

• DeliveryofburlapsacksfromW.BridgewatertoConcord

• DeWaltcordlessdrill

• Stihlchainsaw

• StanleyFatMaxtapemeasure

• Klein4-piecescrewdriverset

• Tarps

• 8-or16-oz.Masonjars

• Gardenscissors

• Felcohandpruners

• Smallbaskets

Contactusat978-610-6086(oroffice@gainingground.org)ifyou’dliketohelpwiththeseorotherdonations!