On any given Tuesday during the summer, you can hear the women at the Panther Valley Senior Center in Nesquehoning discussing what produce they need from "the farmer."

As the ladies chatter, a man pops his head in the entrance to say hello.It's Richard Graver, owner of Graver's Orchard in Lehighton, there to sell his wares.Graver has been visiting the center for over 40 years.A third generation farmer, he picked up the tradition of selling produce at the PV Senior Center after his father retired from the farm."I like to help the senior citizens," Graver said recently. "A lot of them can't get out so I thought I would accommodate them."Marge Banta of Nesquehoning is thankful for that.She has been purchasing produce from Graver for at least three years with the help of the Senior Farmers Market Program, a program made possible through the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Food Distribution.The program provides seniors over the age of 60 with $20 in vouchers to use when purchasing locally grown fruit and vegetables."I'm not much of a meat eater so I love vegetables and fruit," Banta said. "This (the Senior Farmers' Market Program) makes it easier for me to pay for it. The program is a big help because it helps senior citizens."It makes it much easier for us to have fresh foods," Banta said.She commended Graver for his dedication to the senior community as well."Mr. Graver is a terrific man," Banta said, noting that she is handicapped."He lets me stand on the porch and he comes to me to see what I need. His produce is very good."Banta added that it is important that the community buy local produce to keep the area businesses going."We've got to help each other out," she said.The Senior Farmers Market Program vouchers are distributed through the Carbon County Area Agency on Aging free of charge to eligible seniors at the beginning of the summer season.