This time of year many farmers are picking, pulling and digging fruits and vegetables from gardens and orchards. And more often than not they have more to harvest than they will use or sell. Now those farmers can join with the Troup Food Pantry and provide those fresh items to everyone.

Beginning June 30, the Food Pantry (located at Troup’s First United Methodist Church) will open a free farmer’s market under the shade of the pecan trees out back. The success of the offering of free fruits and vegetables is all contingent on those with excess, providing, and AmpleHarvest.org is working to get the word out.

AmpleHarvest.org is a nationwide program that helps to diminish hunger in America by matching backyard gardeners with a local food pantry.

Troup’s Food Pantry has registered with AmpleHarvest and hopes that local growers will bring their excess to the farmer’s market on Wednesdays before 9 a.m.

“We want to open this up to everyone,” LaDelle Tuley of the Food Pantry said. “It is not just open to our food pantry clients.”

Tuley encourages gardeners to register online with AmpleHarvest.org and to bring whatever produce they have in excess to the market to share with neighbors who will appreciate their generosity.

The farmer’s market will be open on Wednesday mornings until 11 a.m.

Gardeners or farmers with questions can call Tuley at 903-871-8529 and leave a message.