Fresh produce is hard to come by for local food pantries.
"It is definitely a challenge to continue to provide all the nutrition our clients need," said Traci Turner, executive director of the Grove City Community Food Pantry. "Fresh fruits and vegetables are one of those."
But the Community Food Warehouse of Mercer County is trying to overcome this challenge by bringing local farmers in on their conversation by asking them to partner with the food bank.
"We want to use the local produce," said Lori Weston, executive director of the warehouse. "We want to be able to support our farmers, but we also need to feed the hungry. So if there's a way, we can work together."
The Community Food Warehouse has 36 member agencies that feed anywhere between 5,000 and 7,000 people each month. They want to be able to provide families with more than just canned goods and cereal.
"Mercer County is a farming county," said Weston. "We have lots of farmers here. Some of them are larger than others, but it doesn't matter. If they have the ground, they can grow the produce for us. That's perfect."
Several of those farmers said they already pass on their excess crops to the food bank, but they could do more if they had help, whether it's grant money or volunteers.
"If that was the case, I would plant extra beans," said Hermitage farmer Joe Barovich. "Even if they came out to pick them for nothing. It ain't hard to plant the bean. It's hard to pick the bean."
