UMaine Extension Master Gardener Program mentioned in BDN article on prison initiative

A Bangor Daily News article about a gardening initiative at the Maine State Prison in Warren mentioned the University of Maine Cooperative Extension’s Master Gardener Program. The prison gardening program is in its third season and is run entirely by inmates, encompassing about 2.5 acres of the grounds to grow vegetables to feed the prison population, corrections officers and the community, according to the article. “It allows them (the inmates) to help feed themselves and also allows them to learn a skill. It makes great sense,” said Randall Liberty, Maine Department of Corrections Commissioner, certified UMaine Extension Master Gardener and founder of the prison’s gardening program. The prison began offering a course to certify inmates as master gardeners through a partnership with the UMaine Extension Master Gardener Program, which teaches the fundamentals of horticulture, including how to compost, fix soil deficiencies, and make the most of a short growing season, the BDN reported. Inmates can choose to participate in the gardening program after receiving certification through the course. Last year, inmates in the Maine Department of Correction harvested about 250,000 pounds of produce. Next year, Liberty hopes to expand the reach of the program and make it 500,000 pounds, increasing the amount of surplus given to local food banks or food pantries. “I hope a significant part of that will be used to combat food insecurity in the state of Maine,” Liberty said. “No Mainer should go hungry, we have the resources. I think it’s our duty to work and combat that.”