I spent some time in prison last month.
Admittedly it was of my own free will and not because of any errant criminal behavior. My three hours spent touring the agricultural and manufacturing facilities at the Colorado State Correctional Facility were eye-opening to say the least.
I first became curious about the facility after learning that some local food producers and distributors were buying products from the prison and was hoping to get a first-hand look in order to share the story with Colorado Central readers.
Inmates are offered a chance to learn real skills and gain a sense of accomplishments through a variety of programs designed to generate income for the facilities. Inmates earn at most a few dollars a day but have a hand in crop, fish and milk production which helps bring nourishing foods to the tables of many Coloradans.
We’ve never made any secret that we at Colorado Central are proponents of local food production and healthy eating (although the lure of the donut can come at any time). Despite the short growing season of our region and the uncertainty of weather conditions, there are a growing number of farms and food production facilities sprouting up which can help us to stay afloat and more self-sufficient in very uncertain economic times.
From beef and goat, to trout, eggs, cheese and even wine, locals are taking the initiative and “growin’ their own” for their livelihoods along with a sense that we need to change the equation for the way we produce and transport our foods.
Consider the thousands of miles most of our food has to travel to make it to our plates and the costs associated with that transportation – not to mention the uncertainty of its origin and nutritional value. Bill Hatcher’s article on page nine about locally grown food cites more statistics about food production in the U.S.. On page 16, regular contributor Susan Tweit (who must be a mind-reader) submitted a sobering piece on the hidden costs of our current food production system.
Although it may sound as if we are preaching a lifestyle choice in regard to your dinner table, we are not. Folks often don’t have the time, budget or inclination to buy local or organic foods, and it is very convenient to shop at Safeway and procure everything you need for a tasty and balanced diet. We are just excited about the possibilities in Central Colorado right here and now.
– Mike Rosso
