MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. — Fresh produce is being put on dinner tables from a football field-sized organic garden, but it’s not farmers doing the growing. Instead, the garden is being tended by inmates at Indiana State Prison (ISP), in the northwestern part of the state.

Ron Neal, acting prison superintendent, said six offenders do everything from planting the seed to harvesting the thousands of pounds of vegetables yielded each year by the huge garden inside the walls of the prison, built in 1860 along the southern tip of Lake Michigan.

Recently, 309 pounds of vegetables were given to the Salvation Army, Sand Castle Shelter for Homeless Families and Stepping Stone Shelter for Women, all local organizations. The Salvation Army, for example, took boxes of tomatoes and cucumbers that went fast.

Since a vast majority of the food given out to the needy are in cans or boxes, “I always love when we have fresh items that we can give to people,” said Lt. Bill Brutto, commander of the Salvation Army in Michigan City.

Other produce is carried into the prison and sold to inmates to generate funds to purchase seeds and plants for crops that will grow the following year in the garden, said Pam James, an ISP spokeswoman.

“This is a very worthwhile program for the offenders involved in the project and is an opportunity to give back to the local community,” she said.

Collard greens, potatoes, squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, okra and mixed herbs are among vegetables raised in the garden on the 100-acre prison grounds on Michigan City’s west side. Melons and sweet corn are included in the produce too.

Neal said the six inmates tending to the garden all have a passion for growing things and are aged 60 and older, serving lengthy sentences up to life. They reside in the open dormitory section of the prison because they’re classified as nonviolent. The prison gardeners were selected after background checks revealed most of them had varying degrees of farming or growing experience prior to being incarcerated. The others learn about growing fruits and vegetables as they go.

“They take it seriously,” said Neal, who added the offenders go to great lengths to produce a healthy crop, taking actions like testing the soil to determine if there’s a need to balance the nutrient levels in the ground.

Brutto said the produce included with the bags of food received by the 800 or so individuals who come into the pantry each week goes quickly. He said there are other sources of fresh produce such as farmers or gardeners who might donate if they have extra, but he’d like to see a much larger supply chain of vegetables.

“As soon as it comes through the door it goes right back out,” said Brutto.

Neal said the prison gardeners also benefit by having an outlet away from the general prison population to pursue their talents and passion. There are also upsides in terms of taste and nutrition for the remainder of the offenders, who don’t get much of opportunity to obtain fresh vegetables throughout the year.

Neal said the prison gardeners are assigned plots to work in the garden and with the exception of a tiller, strictly use hand tools like shovels and hoes, for security reasons.

In a good season, James said as much as 5,000 pounds of produce is yielded by the garden which started in 2006. Some of the money from the sale of produce inside the prison also goes toward purchasing gifts for Toys for Tots, a program operated by the Marines to help provide a good Christmas for needy children. 

“It’s obviously a positive event any way you look at it,” said Neal.