WORCESTER, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — Inmates at Worcester County Jail and House of Corrections are sharing vegetables grown in their organic farm with food programs in Central Massachusetts.
Worcester County has the largest organic jail farm in Massachusetts. During this year's harvest, they have grown 40,000 pounds of vegetables on the 15-acre estate.
Senior centers, food pantries, and Meals on Wheels programs throughout the area are now reaping the benefit.
"The last six weeks we've been out every day delivering as many as 500 pounds of produce throughout the 60 towns," said Worcester County Sheriff Lou Evangelidis.
Vegetables grown on the farm include squash, zucchini, tomatoes, eggplant, and green beans.
The inmates are said to take a lot of pride in helping supply food to people in need.
"They enjoy particularly when they know that this produce goes to feed not only their fellows inmates or themselves, but to feed the community where many of them come from," said Evangelidis. "And they feel a lot of gratitude about being part of something so special because it doesn't happen anywhere."
WBZ's Kim Tunnicliffe (@KimWBZ) reports
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(Photo: Worcester County Sheriff's Office)