The Starke County Justice Center gardening program continues to grow!
According to Therapeutic Community Coordinator and Jail Warden Phil Cherry, the garden has quadrupled in size since last year. Justice Center has received multiple awards for the garden and the program in the three years since it’s been implemented.
Despite the dreary weather Thursday morning, a handful of trustees were out planting some “cold weather” items such as onions and potatoes. Though only about 6 inmates were working on this task, Warden Cherry shared that anywhere from 30 to 40 individuals will eventually be involved.
He said individuals are chosen to participate based on their behavior and said the gardening is typically attended in conjunction with other programs offered through the Justice Center’s Therapeutic Community.
“This is all behavior based. They take our in-custody substance abuse class, they work out here, we do a fathering class. So we like them to be involved with some different things as well as this.” Cherry went on, “It’s a good program, Purdue Extension Office came over through the month of March to do a horticulture class and all these guys were involved in it.”
Before the rain started coming down too hard, the trustees were able to plant 5 rows of potatoes and 6 rows of onions. Cherry said the rows are about 100 feet long and the goal is to get about 17 rows of potatoes planted which will produce about 3,000 to 4,000 pounds.
The warden said the plan is to plant radishes next and then when the weather breaks, they’ll put in more vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, zucchinis and maybe even some pumpkins.
The trustees even kept the garden going throughout the wintertime, utilizing a greenhouse on the premises. They were able to grow a number of items including strawberries, tomatoes, cabbage, spices and some flowers, thanks to the temperature controlled structure that was purchased with commissary money. Some of those items will be transported to the outdoor garden once the weather improves.
One unique aspect of the greenhouse that gardeners use is an aquaponics system that utilizes fish waste as a fertilizer. The Warden said this system significantly speeds up the growing process. An item that may typically take 22 days to grow will grow in about half the time when planted there.
Lots of items from the garden are donated each year but they’re also utilized to offset meal costs at the jail. Trustees also have an opportunity to help prepare the food they’ve grown if they pitch in with kitchen duty.
Maintenance Director Tony Mildice supervises and assists with the garden program. Mildice said he gets the trustees involved at every level of the process. From building the structures within the green house, to taking care of the fish utilized in the aquaponic system, Mildice said he feels it’s beneficial to show the inmates how to do these things on their own in order to pass the skills along.
Chief Detective Adam Gray spoke to the success of the program saying that recidivism rates have declined significantly, dropping from about 60 percent to 20 percent over the last few years. He added that the trustees obviously take pride in their work and those who are chosen due to good behavior, are appreciative the opportunity to work outside and acquire new skills.
Gray also shared that the Starke County Justice Center was the very first Indiana correctional facility to implement a Therapeutic Community program and due to its success, many jails in the state our mirroring Starke County.
