Inmates give back, learn skills with jail garden
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BENTON COUNTY, Tenn. — Inmates in Benton County now have a way to give back while still serving time. The county broke ground Friday on its first inmate-run garden, and officials say they hope the impact will spread beyond the field. “We get a chance to work again and give back to the community before we get out,” inmate Michael Gregory said. For the first time, inmates in the Benton County Jail are growing their green thumbs. “The other counties have it, and they’ve had it for a while,” Benton County Sheriff Kenny Christopher said. “But they were doing like a half acre to an acre, and we’re doing six acres.” The fruits and veggies are not only giving inmates a chance to work and rehabilitate — this project will save taxpayers an estimated $20,000 a year. “We’ll help them with the canning and freezing, and we have a big walk-in back at the jail, so we’re looking forward to trying to fill that,” Christopher said. The inmates will be growing more than 10 different types of vegetables in their 6-acre garden, including tomato and pepper plants, which all were donated by businesses across West Tennessee. “It helps the business owners feel like they’re taking pride,” Benton County Chamber of Commerce Director Sara Kilgore said. “Maybe they donated some seed, some fertilizer or maybe they’ve even given us a break on a tiller.” With a repeat offender rate of about 80 percent, officials hope these new skills will allow the inmates to flourish after their release. “One day this may come in handy since I’ve never done it before,” inmate Matthew Henry said. “Now I can try it and do it myself. It’s good to have someone teach you how to do it.” And for Sheriff Christopher, he says rehabilitation has always been one of his main goals. “You go back to the old saying, ‘You give a man a fish — he eats for a day. You teach a man to fish — he eats for a lifetime,” Christopher said. “That’s really what we have this all based on.” A $10,000 grant was used to help get the garden started. Christopher says they also are expecting to donate any food not used at the jail to the Second Harvest Food Bank.
