from the small amount of produce used on site, today the prison purchases its food on contract from a wholesale food services provider. According to Dave, “If you’re doing time, this is a good place to do your time. If you’re busy, time goes by faster.” The inmates in the farm program receive a small hourly wage for their labor, and many have positive experiences doing meaningful work with the animals. The Culinary arts program
Dave and some of the inmates currently tend 200 beef cattle, which are auctioned live in Littleton. There is an effort
In addition to the NECC’s farm underway to incorporate some of this meat into the Concord Public School system (Cadwell). program, the institution has operated another food-related participating inmates with culinary skills that can be (and service and training program that began in 1983: an inmatereportedly, are often) used for employment in the food run restaurant that is open to the public. For about three industry upon their release. In the summer months, some of dollars, visitors and prison employees can order a five-course these inmates also help to grow vegetables in the half-acre meal cooked and served by the NECC inmates involved in garden plot, which provides some produce for the kitchen in the Culinary Arts Program. This program provides the summer months.
The dairy barn at the NECC is now used to store boxes and various equipment. All of the milking equipment was sold off as surplus. 74
Concord, Massachusetts