Harvesting to Combat Food Insecurity: Northborough, MA
On a drizzling Saturday morning in early summer, twenty members from the Sri Sathya Sai Center of Northborough rolled up their sleeves to volunteer at the Grafton Community Harvest farm. Despite the light rain, Sai volunteers joined local residents to carry out hands-on agricultural work to support food security in Central Massachusetts.
Community Harvest Project is a nonprofit organization that transforms volunteer labor into fresh, nutritious meals for families in need. With locations in Harvard and Grafton, the organization distributed nearly 1 million servings of locally grown produce last year. This year, they aim to deliver an ambitious 1.5 million servings to the community.
On the farm, approximately 40 varieties of vegetables and berries flourish under the care of dedicated volunteers. The farm's mission extends beyond agriculture — it's about educating community members while cultivating crops with compassion. The harvest reaches those in need through a well-thought-out distribution network. A majority of the fresh produce goes to the Worcester County Food Bank, which channels the produce through its extensive hunger relief network. Secondary produce is sent to Community Servings, a specialized meal program serving individuals battling critical and chronic illnesses in Jamaica Plain near Boston.
The three-hour session began with harvesting spring onions. By the end of the hour, volunteers had harvested 825 bunches of fresh spring onions. The focus then shifted to the towering tomato plants, where volunteers engaged in plant support - attaching the tomato plants with strings to help them grow vertically, which improves air circulation, and prevents fruit from touching the ground and become susceptible to rot and disease. Working across ten rows, the immediate impact of the work was felt as plants stood strong and straight, poised for optimal growth.
Between the crop rows, volunteers tackled weeding, removing invasive plants that would steal precious water and nutrients from the vegetables. While perhaps the least glamorous of the tasks, this foundational work ensures the health and productivity of the farm.
That early summer morning's work yielded results that extended far beyond the 825 bunches of spring onions that were harvested or the properly supported tomato plants poised for a bountiful harvest. A recent visit in July turned out to be another beautiful day. This time the efforts were focused on harvesting about 385 pounds of summer squash and 375 pounds of zucchini.
There's something profoundly grounding about working with soil and plants, about seeing the direct connection between effort and nourishment. The collective loving effort represents not just food, but hope delivered to families navigating food insecurity. Sai volunteers are looking forward to gathering one more time before the summer ends, to help with harvesting the fully grown tomatoes, zucchinis, and summer squash that will grace tables throughout the region.
For Sai Center members, the experience cultivated something equally valuable — a deeper understanding of how individual actions can create a collective impact.