June 4 and 5 were planting days at the Cook County Sheriff's Garden. A team of eleven Department of Community Supervision and Intervention detainees planted over 400 vegetable transplants. Master Gardeners Cynthia Weaver, Gail Niemann and Mary Harkenrider helped with the planting.

Vegetables planted included cabbage, collards, mustard greens, sweet corn, cucumbers, eggplant, zucchini, okra, peanuts, peppers, tomatoes, pumpkin and watermelon. A variety of herbs were planted including cilantro, oregano, rosemary, sage, basil and thyme.

In 1993 David Devane, executive director of the Cook County Sheriff's Department of Community Supervision and Intervention came up with the idea of a garden at the jail after hearing about a gardening vocational program at the San Francisco County Jail.

The Cook County Sheriff's Garden project is now in its 15th year of operation. The 10,000 square foot garden produces 2000 to 3000 pounds of vegetables each year. Vegetables are given to senior centers, soup kitchens, food pantries and Southside churches. The project is a partnership between the University of Illinois Extension and the Cook County Jail's Department of Community Supervision and Intervention

Each year detainees from the jail's Department of Community Supervision and Intervention are selected to join the program and attend Master Gardener training at the jail. Over the years, 73 detainees have received Master Gardener certification.

At the garden's harvest celebration last fall, Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart said," The detainees Master Gardener certification and gardening experience will help them obtain employment in the future".

Chicago Master Gardeners provide hands-on technical assistance at the garden while working with Mike Taff, Cook County Sheriff's Garden manager and Cook County Extension staff Nancy Kreith and Ron Wolford.

The garden has received numerous awards and recognition including Best Vegetable Garden in the city from the Mayor's Landscape Award Contest. The garden was also featured in a documentary video on community gardens in the United States.