This Tuesday, Eastie Farm’s Climate Corps Fellows took a trip to Gaining Ground and discovered that, just like the garlic they harvested, their experience was full of layers! They spent the day harvesting garlic and getting to know Gaining Ground, a nonprofit farm located in Concord, Massachusetts. This organization grows vegetables and fruits using sustainable farming practices and donates all of its produce to a variety of hunger relief programs including homeless shelters, soup kitchens, and food access programs. They do not sell any of their produce for profit. Their mission is to provide fresh, healthy food to those in need while fostering community involvement and environmental stewardship through volunteer opportunities and educational programs.
There was so much to see at the farm, as they recently expanded their acreage to incorporate more plants and sustainable practices to reduce the harmful agricultural method of monocropping. Monocropping, the practice of growing a single crop over a large area, depletes the soil of specific nutrients, leading to reduced soil fertility and increased vulnerability to pests and diseases. Along with monocropping, the heavy use of pesticides can have harmful consequences for the environment, including the contamination of water sources, the destruction of beneficial insect populations, and the development of pesticide-resistant pests. Pesticides also pose health risks to both farmworkers and consumers. The Climate Corps fellows learned that Gaining Ground makes an effort to mitigate these negative impacts by adopting sustainable farming practices such as crop rotation, intercropping, and the use of natural pest control methods.
Supporting local farms like Gaining Ground that implement such practices helps them to achieve goals of protecting both biodiversity and long-term soil health. It also strengthens the community’s connection to fresh, nutritious food and sustainable farming practices. By avoiding monocropping and pesticides, the farm not only protects the environment but also produces healthier, more nutritious food for the community. During our time at Gaining Ground, the fellows got to see a completely organic environment: a place where pesticides are never used and where the plants are encouraged to thrive naturally and sustainably.
Our trip to Gaining Ground provided the Climate Corps Fellows with wonderful insight on new ways to reduce the negative impacts of traditional farming methods, emphasizing the importance of supporting local farms. Eastie Farm’s mission to promote sustainable agriculture and provide fresh, healthy food to those in need aligns perfectly with the practices learned at Gaining Ground. These sustainable practices contribute to producing more nutritious and healthy food for hunger relief programs, connecting with Eastie Farm’s commitment to building a thriving community that values the importance of supporting local farms.
