Master Gardeners Sow Seeds Of Inspiration to Local Inmates
The LSU AgCenter's Master Gardeners and Sheriff Victor Jones have combined efforts to foster education and gardening skills in the men at the Natchitoches Parish Detention Center.
They started out with a few plants, vegetables and flowers on a small plot of land. Now there's a greenhouse, a large planting field and a colorful landscaped flower bed to greet guests at the main building. The flower bed has snapdragons, marigolds, roses, bougainvilleas and hedges. The produce stand will soon open with vegetables for sale. The vegetables are also used at the dentention center to enhance meals served there.
The inmates are nursing, cultivating and propagating the plants to get them ready for the public. But their success did not happen overnight.
Faye Lewis is a Master Gardener and compliance officer at the detention center. She wanted to see the talents of the young men around her in action. She discussed it with Jones and soon sought the assistance of the LSU AgCenter's Master Gardeners. They have collaborated on several gardening projects.
"The sheriff believes in what we are doing and has supported the effort and Faye Lewis coordinated this program beautifully," said Master Gardener Elizabeth Madden. Other Master Gardeners helping at the detention center were Donna Welch and Vera Brewer.
"This greenhouse is a testament to their work. This all came from seeds," said Welch, who will conduct a seminar during the April 25 symposium at Natchitoches Country Club. "They have planted a strawberry bed, herbs, citrus fruit trees and much more out there. All of them are craftsmen of some sort, and I'm so proud of them."
Inmates Frank Hunter and Michael Howard were both knowledgeable about gardening before they took the lead at the greenhouse. Hunter monitored the hanging baskets and looked after seedlings that grew out only three days after they were planted.
"We can build our own flower beds around our house now," said Howard.
Inmate William Edwards does the record keeping on the supplies and keeps the plants labeled and tagged.
"I like learning about the different ways of growing plants. We learn the germination techniques on our plants. Before we do something, we read up on it. It is more than just growing plants, there is a lot of learning involved. By keeping records of the plants and their progress we learn how to do it differently or better the next time," said Edwards.
"I like planting flowers. I love them. They are beautiful. The most challenging thing is keeping the birds from eating the strawberries we are growing," said inmate Michael Paige.
Inmate Jason Jefferson started the project about three months ago. "It's a learning experience for me. I've learned how to plant flowers, tomatoes and stuff. I'll be able to do my own flowers one day."
Lewis said the greenhouse was donated by Northwestern State University. "We thought it would give the guys out here a project to work on."
Master Gardeners go to the detention center two days a week, but the majority of the work is done by the inmates.
"We hope to provide them with a skill when they get out of here. They develop a sense of pride in their work. We started out as a little plot," Lewis said. She pointed out the vast expansion across the fields.
Inmate Angelo Washington said, "It's a new experience for me. I didn't really eat vegetables." But he's reconsidering this stance, the more he works around them. What I learn here will help me garden with my mother and grandmother. His favorite plants are beans and corn and his favorite flowers are marigolds, impatiens and roses. He has researched and studied them all.
Clifford Blake, a security officer, feels it is a positive project. "We try to get them to see that gardening is a skill that they can take with them. It's a learning process. It keeps them motivated and focused on something positive."
Inmate Larry Moody and others constructed the greenhouse. "It took us about two months to finish the project. I'm happy to see them making good use of it and it's coming along nicely. All the plants in here, they started from seeds.
"Before we got the greenhouse, they would have to start from scratch and just go straight to the fields with them," said Moody.
The time in the greenhouse gives the plants a better chance at success.
Brewer is passionate about the project and is pleased with what the inmates have done.
"They do it all. They grew the marigolds from the seeds. They are so caring and knowledgeable about things. They even discovered insect-infested cucumber seeds. Frank and Michael took steps to protect the tomatoes and other plants when they knew freezing weather was coming. They made all the hanging baskets and have learned how to take cuttings from angel trumpets and day lilies."
This success is surprising since only Hunter and Howard had previous gardening experience. They train the new people. Sammie Smith, the newest member on the project, also had some gardening knowledge.
"Now they are collecting stuff to build a compost. They will start with debris from the garden," said Brewer.
Welch says the men are on an intermediate level as far as their skill level.
"We just want people to realize that what they are doing out here is very viable. They have an enormous amount of talent."
"My prayer is that at least one of them carries this out when they leave here. Gardening is an art that's going to be lost if we don't share it with others," said Brewer.
Article Written by Demetria Ledet, Lifestyle Editor for the Natchitoches Times. (318) 352-3618; lifestyleeditor@natchitochestimes.com
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| Last Updated: 4/22/2009 2:26:57 PM |
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