GREENSBORO (AP) — The prison farm in Guilford County has begun producing several products for sale.
The products include Jailhouse Jelly, Jailhouse Cider and Jailhouse Syrup, the High Point Enterprise (http://bit.ly/1lkxO2P) reported.
Sheriff B.J. Barnes says about three years ago he put in vines of muscadine grapes and is in his second year of production.
“I started raising grapes out at the farm as a cash crop,” Barnes said.
The logo on Jailhouse Jelly shows a cartoon image of a prisoner in black and white stripes holding grapes.
Inmates 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 sells for $5 each.
“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.”