Inmates in state-run prisons across Mississippi have concluded a summer of productive gardening and farming.
The Mississippi Department of Corrections reports that numerous inmates dedicated their days to their horticulture projects, spending hours in greenhouses and gardens, and tilling gardens wherever available at Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman, Marshall County Correctional Facility, Walnut Grove Correctional Facility, Delta Correctional Facility, Mississippi Correctional Institute for Women, and Central Mississippi Correctional Facility.
The result was around 143,000 pounds of produce, such as broccoli, okra, corn, and peas harvested. This provided a welcome addition to the daily meal trays of those behind bars.
“The program is designed to teach inmates how to garden so that upon release, they can provide food for their families and cut the cost of healthy living, and we are helping to feed ourselves,” MDOC Commissioner Burl Cain said.
Showcasing a variety of agricultural skills, inmates harvested varieties of produce based on irrigation abilities, and availability of space and seeds. The crops included:
- South Mississippi Correctional Institution: 24,123 pounds of blueberries on 25 acres.
- Mississippi State Penitentiary (Parchman): 118,140 pounds of produce due to the acreage for row crops.
- Delta Correctional Facility: Wildflowers, fruit trees, grapes, honeydew melons, and more.
- Marshall County Correctional Facility: 89.25 bushels of butter beans and counting.
- Walnut Grove Correctional Facility: numerous pounds of tomatoes.
- Central Mississippi Correctional Facility and Mississippi Correctional Institute for Women: Multiple gardens, providing hundreds of vegetables.
“I have to give thanks to this program for showing me my love and passion for the horticulture industry,” inmate Will Washington said. “The program promotes positivity amongst inmates involved in horticulture, which benefits the culture of the prison as a whole; it brings us joy to see what we grew from a seed benefiting the lives of others.”
According to MDOC officials, Washington is eligible for release this year and plans to start his own landscaping business largely due to the agriculture program. Washington confirmed that inmates are eager to cultivate more crops in the fall and winter.
Study: Mississippi has sixth least staffed prisons in United States
