# Ohio Closes Prison Farms



## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Farm skills do not translate into real world jobs.....

Regards, Mike

http://growingtennessee.com/features/2017/05/ohio-closes-prison-farms-saying-ag-skills-dont-translate-real-world-jobs/?utm_source=Growing+Tennessee&utm_campaign=daa88544dd-growingtennessee-daily_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_d75710df8e-daa88544dd-296641129


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

In Mn they used to build Minnesota brand running gears,gravity flow wagons and manure spreaders.I think they quit that 20 yrs ago?

They need to bring back the Chain gangs.Put them to work.


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## hillside hay (Feb 4, 2013)

The ability to work and desire to do so in itself is a real world skill.


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## Bishop (Apr 6, 2015)

That's too bad. Happened here in Ontario too a couple of years ago. The sad thing is that people who take care of animals in my opinion tend to become more caring individuals. I guess I'm wrong.


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## PaMike (Dec 7, 2013)

Yeah, they are closing them all over...the good thing is you can buy some lower wear equipment at auction for reasonable...


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## CowboyRam (Dec 13, 2015)

There is a prison farm here in Riverton, and none of the beef they raise can be used for the any prisons here in Wyoming. Someone lobbied the state government so they could sell beef to prisons. They also train the wild horses. I was running, and teaching inmates the construction trades for a few years. Until Obama got in and the economy went to hell, then the program was shut down. The problem was they wanted to build low income housing, but also at the same time make a profit. I worked for the local community college, the prison industries paid the college. Wyoming Community Development Authority provided the funds for the houses; three entities tying to make money on the program. As it turned out the homes really were not low income house; just to many fingers in the pie. The program I was running was one of the few that gave the inmates the much need chance to learn a trade, and most of those guys don't know any trade. Other than what got them into prison in the first place.


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

I remember my grandfather talking about prison farms. He said the prisoners were too tired to fight and complain. They learned a working man's schedule. Get up, eat, work.

He also said the prisoners would not tolerate a fellow prisoner slacking off.

Built some character that they missed growing up. Did not have near as many repeat offenders as we have now.


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## RockmartGA (Jun 29, 2011)

swmnhay said:


> They need to bring back the Chain gangs.Put them to work.


i remember seeing chain gangs on the side of the road cutting ditch banks with sling blades as a young boy in the 60's. Knew right away that I didn't ever want to do anything to get put on a chain gang. Probably had that effect on a lot of young boys.


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

Purty common, back in the day, in Georgia and Alabama to see "chain gangs"....that term is now reserved for the officials on the sideline at football games.....sit in prison and watch cable tv/workout and use drugs, get three squares a day....life is good


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## CowboyRam (Dec 13, 2015)

Tim/South said:


> I remember my grandfather talking about prison farms. He said the prisoners were too tired to fight and complain. They learned a working man's schedule. Get up, eat, work.
> 
> He also said the prisoners would not tolerate a fellow prisoner slacking off.
> 
> Built some character that they missed growing up. Did not have near as many repeat offenders as we have now.


There is something to be said about them being tired at the end of the day. Dad talks about when he was cow foreman at Warren Livestock our of Cheyenne in the 60's when he slacked up on the guys there would be trouble in in the bunk house, but when he worked the shit out of them they were to tired to cause trouble.


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## woodland (May 23, 2016)

My wife's uncle was in prison a few years ago and he appreciated working in the garden and the carpentry shop since it gave him purpose and a schedule. I've been laying in the house not doing anything for 36 hours with a stomach bug and it's driving me crazy. Can't imagine what it does to someone's mind after years of laziness? They shut down the farms in Canada as well for the same reasons. I think it's unfortunate..... But what does a hard working regular Joe know about "justice "? Besides that it is a system, and a poor one at that.


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## Northeast PA hay and beef (Jan 29, 2017)

They are still running them in new jersey. Our local new holland dealer just delivered new silage wagons blower and chopper to them. And replaced barn cleaner there also. But being run by the government, they didn't get the bid for the new tractor, because the spec sheet called for a 150 hp tractor, and nh lists then at 148 and 152 hp. So they couldn't even put in the offer. Numbers might not be correct but was like a 2 hp difference.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

We still have them in PA. I farm a property near the local prison and I see them out weed whacking and zero-turning the local public ball fields and the prison property where it meets the roads. They had a farm, but they gave up on it. They turned it into one of those spray irrigation fields where they spray the grey water from the prison on the farm field. Some other farmer bales the field up. 
Eeeewwwww. No thanks.


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