By Chanel Davis
HPE
GUILFORD COUNTY, N.C. — The Guilford County Prison Farm has begun producing Jailhouse Jelly, Jailhouse Cider and Jailhouse Syrup for sale.
“I started raising grapes out at the farm as a cash crop,” said Sheriff B.J. Barnes. “Muscadine grapes are indigenous to North Carolina. About three years ago, we put in our first vines and this is our second year getting grapes.”
Barnes said that the plan was to make Jailhouse Jelly with the cash crop.
“I got my guys busy on making up a logo for it,” Barnes said.
The logo shows a cartoon image of prisoner in black and white stripes holding grapes with the phrase “Grapes grown by inmates from the Guilford County Prison Farm” underneath.
Inmates have a hand in making the products from the muscadine grapes grown at the farm. They plant, cultivate, grow and pick the muscadine grapes. The grapes are then transferred to D’Vine Foods in Elizabethtown to be processed into jelly, cider or syrup.
“Our purpose is to teach a skill and generate a cash crop for the farm, which goes back into the county’s general fund,” Barnes said. “It gives the prisoners an opportunity to do something positive and grow something that they can see the results of.”
Each product sales for $5 each.
Barnes said that the products give the prisoners a sense of pride and self-worth.
“It is a driving force for me. I am trying to get these prisoners to know that they don’t have to make mistakes for the rest of their lives. They can change their lives around and do something that they can brag about,” Barnes said. “They are proud of the fact that they are making a difference.”
Full story: Jailhouse products take off