On the grounds of an abandoned and decommissioned prison in North Carolina, vegetables are being tended by people who might have ended up in a real prison.
In converting old prisons to year-round-farming and education centers, a group called Growing Change, solves several problems at once. The program brings together young men on the edge of the criminal justice system, and jobless wounded veterans returning from deployment.
Growing Change helps at-risk youth — who need to fulfill long hours of community service — learn sustainable farming practices, animal husbandry, and receive clinical therapy.
Meanwhile, the veterans work toward university degrees in environmental sciences and sustainable agriculture. Together, these individuals young and old who may have been on the fringes of society work to rehabilitate land that might be contaminated and the decaying prison property.
The prison kitchen has been converted into a commercial-grade community kitchen where the county will provide training on preparing and preserving food, while also serving as a classroom for students receiving training in foodservice and culinary arts.
The crops produced by Growing Change farm are also sold to local restaurants, a business enterprise aspect of the project that allows the program to be self-sustaining for years.