Counselor Hayden said this project also has great nutritional health benefits aside from the therapeutic aspect. Some of the vegetables being grown in the community garden are jalapenos, banana peppers, cabbage, onions, watermelon, cantaloupe, squash, and sunflowers, just to name a few. Many of the seeds and plants were donated to the garden project and they have started composting for a garden next year.

“It’s a day-to-day thing and is a lot of work,” said Lucas, one of the gardeners from the Veterans pod in Unit 5. “I grew up around gardens and it requires a lot of patience. Everything in the garden can be an analogy for our recovery too. If you don’t weed out your issues then it will engulf you, just like weeds would do in the garden.”

Another gardener from the Veterans pod named Jake said, “In recovery the bad elements can choke you out just like weeds can do in the garden. Since we have started this project I have learned not only maintenance for the garden but also how to take care of myself.”

On the Peer Support Specialist and Mentor pod in Unit 5 the garden looks much the same, albeit a few different plants. Johnny, who helps maintain the garden said it has been a great experience working in the garden. “It’s good for us to come out here and do something, to put hard work in and see it prosper. It’s good to come work and get away from it all, and it turns into something we can benefit from.”