For nearly 20 years—since the Wofford family home was donated and relocated to the grounds of the East Texas Arboretum in 2001—staff and volunteers have maintained a demonstration kitchen garden behind the Wofford House Museum. The garden not only adds to the rustic appeal and historical accuracy of the 1850s farmhouse, it also produces a wide variety of herbs, fruits and vegetables that the arboretum has chosen to give back to the community through seasonal donations to the Henderson County Food Pantry.

“We pick (the produce) every other day and donate a bushel one to two times a week now,” said ETABS Board of Directors Second Vice President Margaret Dansby.
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This year, the kitchen garden is producing huge Armenian cucumbers, several varieties of tomatoes and peppers, annuals like squash and okra, tomatillos, watermelons, and cantaloupe, as well as herbs like rosemary, sage, thyme, and basil.
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If you would like to get involved, call or visit the arboretum to learn more about volunteer opportunities—there are plenty of ways to help out, no matter your interest or skill level.