The harvest is in, and inmates from the Kenosha Correctional Center, 6353 14th Avenue, along with others in correction facilities across the state, are using the food grown in their own garden to help stretch food costs.

“We have a small garden. Our population is 120 inmates and we were really trying to focus on what was on our menu and being innovative in reducing our food costs for inmates,” KCC facility superintendent Ann Krueger said.

Under the supervision of Sgt. Peter Alt, seven inmates planted, tended and harvested the garden, which produced approximately 160 pounds of produce including peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes and onions.

The seedlings are planted and cultivated at another correctional facility and transported to Kenosha for the local facility garden.

The 19 year-old Kenosha facility, Krueger said, has always had a garden.

Produce from the KCC garden saved as much as $240 this year, department of corrections spokesperson John Dipko said.

A total of 28 state facilities grew thousands of pounds of produce this year. The larger institutions give much of the excess to food pantries.

The largest harvest is at Oakhill Correction Institution in Oregon, Wis. which grows approximately 75,000 pounds of produce annually, including tomatoes, corn, cabbage, and broccoli and gives 25 percent of its harvest to local food banks.

Krueger said the KCC garden isn’t big enough to share produce outside the center.

The gardens also provide inmates a skill that can help them in attaining employment as well as provide an opportunity to give back to the community. It also teaches inmates how to reduce their family’s food cost through gardening.