Prison farming

With six dairy and crop farms totaling 1,930 acres, the New Jersey Department of Corrections is one of the largest farmers in the state, according to the Department of Agriculture. Dairy farms run by the DOC's self-sufficient AgriIndustries program maintain some 700 animals statewide and run almost exclusively on prison labor. Prisoners either live on the farm or are bussed in as day laborers. And though its tough work, rolling hills beat a prison cell any day, say these minimum security inmates.

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[joegoatman]

Those aren't Jersey cows you idiot! They're Holsteins.

[babalina]

It is great to see this, so good, these men seem to be truly enjoying this work. They have been caged in inner city, truly this work is healing. Bravo to everyone involved.

[Out4Respect]

@haymarketmassacre va is very calm in certain areas the areas ilive in is not

[wynandtruter]

Great stuff

[haymarketmassacre]

I lived on a farm in Virginia and the atmosphe is very condusive to happiness. Great idea to get these guys away from the prison near the end of their sentence. Hopefully the mellower atmosphere of farm life with its simple visible accomplishments will help them adjust to being back in the real world.

[822BKR]

@DistractionCascade The opportunity before prison is called 'SCHOOL' ... and I'm sure that was provided ... and it works if that other basic provision called PARENTS is there.

[cheflaszlo]

cool

[prmsb]

i think that is a good thing for them to do work to teach them life is not alawys easy

[1johnConnor]

f^&k the NJDOC!! They are the most arrogant jerks I ever came to know. i loathe those bastards every single one of them should go and walk off a cliff. The things I have seen them do is unreal. Things that would get them sent to prison. selling drugs (c o Roy solomon!!) yeah you got caught too ya jerk. it was funny seeing you have to eat the mess hall slop right next to me but for every roy solomon there 10 that weren't caught! there is nothing "correct about the department of corrections"!!!

[Bahamutr13]

Lucky...

[FlatwoodsDairyLLC]

lol at 1:40

[crock703]

Great project. I suspect that most people who commit crimes are looking for help by showing their anger, just like kids who hit. This gives them an opportunity to experience something new and to give back.

Urban farms in Detroit also do a good job or giving recently released ex-cons the opportunity to have some stability and feel like they're giving back as well.