On Saturday, September 9th, EBI Team Members gathered together to volunteer at Gaining Ground Farm in Concord, MA.
Gaining Ground Farm grows organic produce for hunger relief with the help of volunteers of all ages and abilities. They provide fresh and organic food to 13 different food pantries and shelters, free of charge. Gaining Ground is solely funded by donations, volunteers, and a few small grants.
In April 2016, EBI Consulting had volunteered at Gaining Ground Farm in celebration of Earth Day. This year, we decided to volunteer again. Upon our return to the farm, we found that there were many new additions and crops that had been added. They are now utilizing “no-till systems” which increase the quality of the soil and nutrients in the produce grown. This system helps produce healthier, juicer, and more flavorful crops. In addition to the “no-till system”, Gaining Ground has also added an array of fruit orchards, berry bushes, and ginger. These additions were not only put in place to supply their organizations with a better selection, but to also attract birds and insects, like bees, to the farm. These creatures play a vital part in cross pollination and pest control. Did you know that because Gaining Ground Farm is organic, they are pesticide free? In order to help with pest control, they released 150,000 ladybugs to their farm this year!
In addition to learning about the new systems in place, EBI team members were able to experience hands-on farming. Some of this included, weeding scallion and lettuce beds, harvesting string beans, clearing a bed of summer squash, picking tomatoes, cleaning garlic, and much more!
“We had many EBI hands at work and many laughs at Gaining Ground. We learned a great deal about “no till” organic farming. I was amazed at the precision in which crops are strategically planted, watered and cultivated. The farm uses no pesticides or herbicides… instead ladybugs, bees, and other insects are relied upon to assist in crop growth and pest reduction. It is a truly remarkable place whose core mission is to supply food pantries and meal programs in Greater Boston and Eastern Massachusetts”
- Michael McGeehan, Executive Vice President, Real Estate Services
Thank you to all of our EBI Volunteers who made this day possible! We hope to make another trip to Gaining Ground in the future. If you’re interested in viewing a full gallery of pictures taken at this event, please visit our Facebook page.
