FRANKLIN — Mitzi Popp of Carrollton proudly held two large zucchinis, one in each arm, as if she were holding a set of twins Thursday.

“It’s the first productive thing I’ve done in a long time. It’s something I can be proud of myself for,” she said. “I like doing yard work and getting outside. We have a lot of fun out here. I’d stay here from sunup to sundown if they let me.”

Popp is a Simpson County Detention Center inmate participating in the jail’s garden program, which allows low-level charge inmates to plant, take care of and harvest vegetables. They go out a few hours a week, and a deputy is there at all times.

“It was designed to provide homegrown vegetables to the inmates. They weed, pull vegetables off and take them back to the kitchen crew to prepare,” Deputy Jada Kessler said. “We bring them out here to teach them a trade. It’s going to offer them something different.”

Kessler doesn’t just go out and watch the inmates work. “I get out here and work just as hard as they do,” she said.

The garden was a way to create more jobs for women inmates, Simpson County Jailer Eric Vaughn said.

“When I ran for office, I knew the equality wasn’t correct here as far as the men’s jobs versus the women’s jobs,” he said.

The 2 acres of land near the community’s park is leased by the jail for $1 from Arney Industrial. Between eight and 12 inmates participate. The seeds and plants came from J & J Market, which is a partnership with ’Tis the Season, Kessler said. Vegetables include tomatoes, squash, zucchini, watermelon, broccoli, cabbage, eggplants, corn and peppers.

“Most of the garden was started by seeds, and we have some by plants,” she said.

Sometimes there has been too much food. Some of it has been frozen, but there have been other ways to make sure it has been used.

“They’ve learned from the extension service how to can,” Vaughn said. “We sent some to the Allen County jail and they fed them.”

The food they provide is served to the entire jail, and if there’s extra, Vaughn lets the kitchen crew experiment to find new recipes to serve the inmates.

“They’re getting something organic and nutritious,” Kessler said.

They get the joy of seeing how their hard work pays off. When the first of their harvest began to grow, they were delighted.

“They were so excited to see four ripe cherry tomatoes on the vine,” Kessler said.

From time to time, cars and trucks honked as they passed the work crew. That isn’t unusual, Kessler said.

“We got a lot of support from the community,” she said. “These girls get out here and they really work hard. It gives them patience.

Vaughn agreed.

“They can sit and think while they work,” he said.

It worked for one former inmate who sent a picture of her garden to Kessler and Vaughn. She had participated in the program.

“That tells me that it’s working, that it’s doing what it’s supposed to do,” Kessler said.

Scarlett Ratterree of Boyd County said that now that she’s gardening, she has found it’s something she enjoys doing.

“I’d rather be out here than in the kitchen,” she said. “Fresh air, sun – it’s something I haven’t had in a while. It keeps me busy.”

Amber Ferrell of Franklin works in the kitchen full time. Although she gets to garden only once a week, she prefers to be outside.

“It’s the freedom, just to get out of the cell and come out here, plus we get to eat the vegetables,” she said.

Popp said Vaughn and Kessler are really good to the inmates in the garden because they provide them with rest, sunscreen and hydration while they’re working.

“We do everything manually. We set the rows ourselves, dig the trenches ourselves,” she said. “We do everything by hand.”

The program is about more than nutrition, Popps said.

“It helps us all become a productive member of society when we get out, plus it’s good exercise,” Popp said. “If we can get out here and do right, then we can get out there and do right.”

— Follow features reporter Alyssa Harvey on Twitter at twitter.com/bgdnfeatures or visit bgdailynews.com.