Jail gardening program connects inmates with loved ones through food

GREENFIELD — A program at the Franklin County Jail and House of Correction allows the family members and friends of incarcerated individuals to feel connected to their loved ones, through food.

Last week, the jail restarted its Food to Families program, which began in 2019 but was put on pause during the COVID-19 pandemic. Residents can apply to receive a weekly farm share filled with organic produce grown by inmates. The shares include vegetables, fruits, herbs and flowers, all handpicked in the gardening programs.

“I love this program. It is good to get outside,” said Brady Chilson, an inmate who participates in the Food to Families program. “I love learning about herbs and health benefits, and learning how to keep pests away.”

Gardening programs at the jail began in 2015 and were expanded to include the women’s unit in 2017, according to Education Coordinator Jenny Abeles. The program was further expanded in 2019 after a presentation given by the inmates during a Greenfield Community College class about food and farm systems.

As part of their final project, the inmates were asked to create programs for the community at the jail. One presentation introduced the idea behind the Food to Families program. After attending the presentation, the sheriff liked the idea so much that it was implemented.

Gardening instructor Caroline Bruno said one of the goals behind the program is to address the difficulty of connecting inmates with their loved ones.

“This is an opportunity to provide delicious fresh food and build a connection with their families,” she said.

This program not only connects incarcerated individuals with their families; Bruno said it also fosters a broader connection between people inside the jail and the outside world.

Abeles explained the education about food and gardening can be transformative, with some of the inmates expressing that the program adds experience they’ll be able to use after being released. Others noted they’d learned that, “all you give to the Earth, you get back.” Bruno added it allows the inmates to relax and work at a slower pace in a collaborative environment.

The Food to Families program attracts people with a variety of backgrounds and experiences, Bruno said. Some have extensive knowledge, while others have a burgeoning curiosity about gardening. She added that the simple fact of providing access to hands-on learning outdoors is greatly appreciated. This program is the only opportunity for the inmates to be outside.

The program allows inmates to explore various skills. Bruno mentioned that one participant has taken up crafting flower arrangements, leading the gardening program to consider offering a flower bouquet-making class. Other lessons include holistic medicine and herbalism. Additionally, twice a year, Ricky Baruc and Deb Habib from Seeds of Solidarity farm in Orange teach a class on no-till and organic practices.

Bruno stressed that hobbies like gardening can be instrumental in helping people recover from addiction, too.

Many of the Food to Families participants are part of the jail’s treatment unit, through which both sentenced individuals and those awaiting sentencing can get 10 days off their sentence for every month spent in the unit. The unit includes mandatory programs such as dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) or acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT).

“We are trying to have the people situated here use their time productively,” Abeles said. She explained they have seen great results from the treatment unit.

With the minimal-security area of the jail opening last week for the first time since the pandemic began, many participants in the gardening program expressed excitement about moving to minimal security — something they said was only possible by their “staying consistent,” with the gardening program being “an integral part of that.” In the minimal-security area, the inmates will have access to more privileges, including a lawn with garden plots.

Bella Levavi can be reached at 413-390-4579 or blevavi@recorder.com.