For the past 20 years the Boyd County Extension Service has offered the Master Gardener course to the inmates of the Federal Correctional Institution in Ashland, Ky.  In December 2021, 15 inmates earned their Kentucky Master Gardener certification.  Upon release from the prison the inmates will be able to use this certification as well as the knowledge they have gained in horticulture to help secure gainful employment to aid in their quest to become reintegrated back into society.  Not only do the inmates learn in a classroom setting, they also learn hands on skills by volunteering in the facilities 6 acre garden that produces on average 60,000 lbs of produce annually.  This program also benefits those less fortunate in the local community with all the fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables going to a food redistribution center, River Cities Harvest that serves over 28 agencies in Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia.