Associated Press
BOULDER, Colo. — Boulder County Jail inmate Anthony “Alex” Bozeman and master gardener Sue Biter sit at a table under a shade at the jail’s one-acre garden one morning, poring over gardening books.
Some light classical music playing in the background adds an air of tranquility that seems out of place in a correctional facility, but the mood is undeniably calm.
The two make an odd couple as Bozeman towers over Biter, who stands about 5 feet tall. Bozeman has only been here for three months, but the two talk about gardening like old friends.
“We spend a lot of time learning,” Bozeman said. “Our master gardeners are wonderful ladies. They are willing to spend their time volunteering, and I think they learn a lot in the process.”
Although he has only been at the jail for three months, Bozeman knows all the various pests he might come across in the garden, how to water but not over water the plants and what to look for as far as plant disease is concerned.
“It’s a combination of science and labor,” Bozeman said. “As a natural garden, we have to remove the insects and weeds by hands. That’s a big thing with Boulder.”
Master gardener Kathleen Andres said she and the other volunteers — the number varies from week to week — basically consult with the inmates and show them things like how to prune tomato plants and plot out a garden.
The inmates grow a variety of plants, including tomatoes, lettuce, cabbage, watermelons and cantaloupes. The inmates’ contribution is mostly used in salads but occasionally in a pasta course.
On Friday, the inmates had already filled five gallon buckets of squash that sat in a shed, and a wheelbarrow packed with cabbages which would probably become coleslaw later in the day sat in the shade outside.
Sgt. Paul Heger said low risk inmates are allowed to work in the garden and in other capacities throughout Boulder County. He added that the food grown is sold to the company that supplies the jail’s food, which saves taxpayer money.
“Anything extra is given to community food shares,” Heger said. “There is no waste.”
Inmate Jeff Chamberlain said the garden is an example of the “farm to plate” concept, because growing food on site means no gasoline to transport it and no carbon emissions. He added that he has been working on a compost pile in an effort to make the garden more self-sustaining.
“We grow the food here, and we drop it off 100 feet over there,” Chamberlain said. “It in turn feeds the population. The food is still terrible, but not our contribution. It’s the most colorful thing on the plate.”
Biter, who has been volunteering at the jail garden for eight years, said she and the inmates strive to keep the garden as organic as possible and don’t use harsh chemicals to kill weeds and bugs.
“It’s always a work in progress,” Biter said. “And every year is different. You always have a different group of inmates, and you have some vegetables that do well and others that don’t. That’s just the way it goes.”
She said she enjoys handing out gardening tips and working with the inmates, adding that they are always polite and helpful, and she has never had any problems with any of them.
Biter and fellow volunteer Sonja Salkin said on Friday that they enjoy their time working in the jail garden, but hope the inmates don’t come back once they leave, although they do see a repeat customer now and then.
“It is rewarding,” Biter said. “They are gaining knowledge, and they take it with them. Inmates rotate. Some are not here very long. We get them trained, and then they ‘graduate’ as I say.”
Heger said that inmates who work in the community or at the garden receive more good time, and they are able to spend their time in jail doing something productive rather than sitting around.
Cmdr. Tim Oliveira added the inmates who participate in the program also learn a “transferable skill,” they can take with them when they leave.
“They take a lot of pride in it,” he said.
Inmate Aaron Cooper-Sidman said he has enjoyed working in the garden, because it has given him something to do while he serves his sentence rather than “rotting away.” He plans on planting his own garden next year.
“I’m doing something worthwhile and productive,” Cooper-Sidman said. “It’s awesome to know that something I produce is feeding more than 500 inmates. The master gardeners are amazing. They’ve taught us a great deal.”