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| 1,150-acre spread feeds 1,700 inmates |
| By visaliatimesdelta.com |
| Published: 09/11/2009 |
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The fields of alfalfa, oats and Sudan grass appear no different from the thousands of surrounding farm acres in Tulare County. At first glance, the scenery — tractors and trucks and livestock pens — looks like any other full-scale ag operation. But the farm along Avenue 368 between Visalia and Cutler just east of Road 112 turns out to be unusual. Managed by the Tulare County Sheriff's Department, this 450-acre spread, an additional 700 acres of rangeland throughout the county and accompanying cattle and hog herds, vegetable garden and fruit operation help feed the county's population of 1,700 inmates at bargain prices. The farm supplies the county's jails with all their beef and pork about 3,500 pounds a week and more than half, or about 100,000 pounds, of vegetables. A county program that collects culled fruit from local packinghouses and farms also supplies thousands of pounds of nectarines, plums, oranges and juice to the jails. "There's always something going on here," said Tom Guinn, a former Tulare County deputy and the farm's manager for the past 17 years. Once common throughout the state, county farms such as Tulare's now number in the single digits, according to Tulare County Sheriff's Capt. Jim Hinesly, who manages the jail system. Guinn has overseen the farm's expansion over the last two decades, using his family background in ranching to remake the operation into what he says is more of a business. Read More. |
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