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Story Published: Aug 21, 2008 at 4:43 PM PDT SALEM, Ore. -- Seven acres of vegetable garden can produce a lot of -- well, produce. Twenty acres can grow even more. "Potatoes, strawberries, most everything you'd find in your home garden," said Alan Jaskoski, who oversees this unusual agricultural operation. The plot to plant this garden sprouted three years ago at the Marion County jail. See, Jaskoski isn't a typical farmer; in fact, he's a sheriff's deputy. And the gardeners tending the tender starts aren't your average green thumbs. This two gardens are run by hand-picked county jail inmates. The garden keeps the inmates busy -- and the produce helps feed the needy through a local food bank. "It feels alright for doing a sentence," said Ruben Rodriguez Jr while helping water 20 acres of green beans. "When you're done you... [read full story]
