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A few months ago Todd Bard, owner of EvanLEE Organics, contacted our facility to explore the possibility of installing 2445 Organics patented Super Grow Racks in a separate room located in the Work Release Building. The WCSO grow room is now in its 3rd month. The inmates are growing nutrient dense organic produce, in primitive soil year round with their own two hands, which helps them to develop new skills and personal growth.
Officer Alexis Orlaff is the hands-on supervisor of the project. He works with the inmates in all aspects of the growing process, from seeding and watering, to thinning the new sprouts, all the way to harvest. The racks each provide three harvests of leafy greens before composting. The compost rejuvenates into soil in 30-45 days and is then reused. This project demonstrates environment sustainability and health concepts as part of the green revolution.
In these early phases, Todd Bard and his crew are overseeing the project. Our hope is to expand the project to generate large quantities of organic produce and to provide more opportunities for the inmates to develop the skills necessary to undertake a project, and to reap the results materially and personally.
EvanLEE Organics is named after Evan Bard, Todd and Barbara’s oldest daughter who was killed in a drunk driving crash in 2013. Evan Bard was a junior nursing student at Curry College. Profits from EvanLEE Organics go to fund Evan’s EvvGirl Foundation. The mission of EvvGirl is to continue Evan’s love and passion in helping NICU Hospitals, pediatrics, and nursing as well as to educate the public on the danger of excessive drinking, drug use, and impaired driving. Sheriff Lew Evangelidis has been very helpful in putting together parts of the SEIZE THE KEYS Drunk Driving Educational Program with the Bards.
