An inmate stands near a row of tomato plants in a garden at the Justice Center. (Photos: Enoch Wu/Sentinel-Tribune)

A healthy vegetable garden saves money for those who eat from its bounty. When those eating are the
inmates at the Wood County jail, the savings are documented.
According to Sandy Snow, the food service coordinator for the Wood County Justice Center, last year more
than $5,200 was saved.
The 90-foot square garden may not look elaborate this year, but Snow and her crew of inmates are working
to assure this year’s garden will be as productive as the 2013 version.
One of the inmates and Snow both noted when they received the plants some were just "twigs."
The tomato plants have already begun to produce the first fruits.
Snow oversees both the kitchen staff and the garden. There is some overlap as some of those who work in
the jail’s kitchen also tend the garden.
Not all inmates can perform the garden duty. The project is open only to those already sentenced to serve
time in the county facility. If someone’s case is still pending or if a person will be housed in a state
prison, they are not eligible for garden duty.
When the Sentinel visited the garden two of the inmates who have worked in the garden this year were in
agreement as to their enjoyment of the experience. Neither one had any previous gardening experience,
and both said they expect to pursue the hobby at home upon their release. One of the men currently works
in the kitchen, and the other previously did.
"You get to go outside, it’s a nice break," the one man said. "I never gardened before,
it’s relaxing."
He quickly added, as all gardeners know, it also involves a lot of work.
"It’s definitely a good experience, it makes the time go by faster. It’s definitely better than
sitting in my bunk," the inmate stated.

"We did the planting, the weeding and watering, and soon to be picking and to be eating," he
said.
Snow said working in the garden is thus a learning experience for her workers who are primarily male, but
there has been one woman who has worked this year.
The inmate said the gardening is a coveted position that "other people try to get in on it."

Both men said in addition to the stipulated guidelines to be eligible each person must also have
demonstrated good work ethics.
They also like the perks involved including being out in the fresh air, receiving Kool-Aid and fresh ice
water. The workers also can earn "good days" which cuts time off their sentence.
Both the men are scheduled to be released in approximately a month or less, so they may not fully benefit
from their garden efforts, but as the one said. "We may not be able to eat everything, but our
fellow inmates will."
Snow pointed out 11 different items growing in this year’s garden. Those include broccoli, cabbage,
eggplant, tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, onion, zucchini, green peppers, jalapeno peppers and cayenne
peppers. Snow said the eggplant is new this year.
Snow said they do not grow corn as there are too many inmates to feed and thus they would need a larger
yield than feasible.
When they do the work which averages roughly four to six hours a week spread over two or three days,
there are usually five inmates on the crew.
Snow said all of the vegetable plants are donated to the garden primarily from Hirzel Farms in Bradner
and Bonnie Plant Farm in Cygnet, with other firms also donating toward the project.
The only thing purchased for planting in the garden in 2013 was some squash ($24) and green beans ($12).

The supervisor shared how the fresh produce can be used in a variety of ways in the kitchen and service
of meals to the staff and inmates.
The produce can be served alone, or used to make alternate foods such as the zucchini bread which was
baked last year, broccoli soup or coleslaw made from the cabbage grown instead of buying cabbage.
Snow says all the inmates know about the garden and enjoy when they are served the jail-grown items, for
example, a cucumber salad.
"They really seem to enjoy it," Snow said. "Word travels fast and they want to know when
the things will be served again."
Beyond just immediate use, Snow said the excess tomatoes as well as the wax, hot and green peppers were
all diced and placed in 2-quart bags and frozen for use throughout the winter. Last year they froze 62
bags of tomatoes and more than 150 bags of the various peppers.
Snow said the garden is a valuable tool for various reasons: the cost savings, the work provided to
inmates, healthier food choices and morale of the inmates being served fresh vegetables and foods using
the produce.