In recent years, a number of prison gardens have been developed across the country, offering inmates chances to develop new skills while also offering fresh, nutritional options to the communities their gardens serve.

In Indiana, inmates at the Miami Correctional Facility near Kokomo planted and tended two gardens on the prison’s property. As part of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Apprenticeship Landscape Management Technician Program, more than a dozen prisoners spent hours this summer planting, tilling and weeding the gardens, which yielded nearly 270 pounds of vegetables and herbs, which were donated to a local rescue mission.

“They’re learning some life skills during their time in prison, and they’re giving back,” said Kraig Kailey, outreach ministry administrator at the Kokomo Rescue Mission.“It’s a circle of giving.”

In eastern Kentucky, one detention center has found such success with its inmate garden that it expanded the project into a six-acre piece of land that has become a stable, substantial enterprise. Inmates there planted three acres of sweet corn, 1.5 acres of green beans, an acre of pumpkins and nearly 200 tomato plants this year.

The Boyd County Detention Center near Ashland expected to sell about $7,500 worth of the produce to a local food management company, nearly tripling the program’s income from last year and cutting its own food expenses in the process. A release from the BCDC noted the expansion would help the jail not only save money on its food services budget, but it would also allow for an increase in its donations to area food banks.

Boyd County Jailer Joe Burchett called the garden a “win-win situation” for the jail and the inmates tasked with the planting, maintenance and harvesting labor through the jail’s inmate work program.

“They keep exercised and they stay focused and it gives them a little bit of pride in what they’re doing,” Burchett said.

Lt. Gus Guzman, who oversees the garden program, said the inmates usually work in the garden four days a week. He touched on how beneficial the program is, saying it gives them a sense of being outside in addition to a providing them with a work ethic.

“I feel like being out here helps them grow along with doing hard work,” he said.

Details for this story were reported by the Kokomo, Indiana Tribune and the Ashland, Kentucky Daily Independent.