A growing experience: Herb gardens are cultivating seeds of change

Spicing up prison food has become a competition between offenders housed within the Texas Department of Criminal Justice through the "Herbs Behind Bars" program at Lee College. Select offenders can learn marketable skills of designing, producing and maintaining herb gardens. Taxpayers also benefit by reducing food costs.

"We don't buy herbs at TDCJ so any time you can enhance the flavor of the offenders' food it improves their quality of life," said Ron Hudson, Assistant Director of Laundry, Food & Supply at TDCJ. "The 'Herbs Behind Bars' program follows the agency's mission statement of helping to change offender behavior, reducing recidivism and giving them something positive to do once they're released."

Former TDCJ offender Corey McMullen is a horticulture graduate of Lee College at the Ellis Unit and now has his own business in Houston called Urban Organics where he designs edible residential landscapes.

McMullen, who speaks from experience, says turning a new leaf is possible even while incarcerated. He spent nearly a decade behind bars. Now that he's out, he says it's a joy to see how others have grown through the "Herbs Behind Bars" program.

"The competition among the units is exciting but knowing that it's the guys back at the units who have done all the labor and put their hearts and souls into planting these gardens is a moving experience and humbling, as well."

Judges determining winners of the 2015 "Herbs Behind Bars" Thirteen units broken down into three categories – small, medium and large – submitted 33 portfolios chronicling the beginning to end stages of growing herbs and using them in the kitchens. The submissions were judged by representatives from the Walker County Herb Society and the Texas A&M Agriculture Division.

The 2015 "Herbs Behind Bars" winners are:

Newcomer of the Year – Hutchins Unit
Small Category (0-1,100 population) – Honorable Mention – Marlin Unit; 3rd place Havins Unit; 2nd place Mountain View Unit; 1st place Hilltop Unit
Medium Category (1101-2000 population) – Honorable Mention – Skyview/Hodge; 3rd place Murray Unit; 2nd place Wallace Unit; 1st place Pack Unit
Large Category (2001 or more population) – Honorable Mention – Michael Unit; 3rd place Robertson Unit; 2nd place Smith Unit; 1st place Ellis Unit
Grand Champion – Pack Unit

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