FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM) -- Tri Cycle Farms in Fayetteville is getting 44 new apple, pear, persimmon and cherry trees. The generous donation will bring the farm one step closer to completing its mission to end food insecurity in the community.
"We're gonna put this whole 2 acres to its purpose of feeding our community and growing community through soil," owner and head farmer Don Bennett said. For the past six years he said he's dreamed of creating a food forest for the community.
"The fruit trees are the beginnings of a food forest where we'll have fruit and nut shrubs, vines and ground covers." farmer Don said.
This is all apart of the Fruit Tree Project sponsored by Vitafusion and the Fruit Tree Planting Foundation. Volunteers across the US are planting 10,000 fruit trees in under-served communities.
"It's often difficult for people to be able to have access to to fruits and vegetables, so this is an opportunity in communities to plant trees so that each year they will produce up to 2,500 pounds of fruit," Vitafusion brand manager Emily Erwin said.
Not only will this benefit the shortage of fresh food in the community, farmer Don said it's an opportunity for education.
"I think really whats it's gonna do is give us the ability to teach and create more areas around our educational programs."
Tri Cycle Farms is one of the handful of farms in Northwest Arkansas benefiting from the program.