Title:  Extension Improves Mental Health and Increases Self-Worth of Men in Addiction Recovery Center through Gardening

Over the past 20 years, the number of people incarcerated and deaths from drug abuse have continued to rise.  Daviess County strives to change the addiction of alcohol and drugs that plague our communities.  The Daviess County Cooperative Extension Service partnered with Owensboro Regional Recovery to organize and conduct a garden therapy program which serves men challenged with drug and alcohol addiction. The participants in the program are selected by the center.

               The Horticulture Extension Agent conducted bi-weekly demonstrations on what to do in the garden for 10 participants over the growing season from spring through fall in 2019.  The participants were responsible for planting, watering, fertilizing, managing insects and diseases, weeding, and harvesting produce in four, 16 ft. x 4 ft. raised bed gardens.

               The gardens produced approximately 232 pounds of fresh produce including tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, green beans, and summer squash yielding about 675 cups at the total price value of $477, which supplemented the food dollars for the center.

               The professional staff of Owensboro Regional Recovery observed that the gardening project benefited the physical and emotional health of the participants.  For example, the garden created a sense of responsibility, increased self-worth, and reduced negative emotions.  In addition, the cognitive skills improved were attention, logic and reasoning, visual processing/following directions, and asking for help.  The staff also said that “In taking responsibility for something that they can physically see the results of their hard work, the guys translate that to getting out of their recovery what they put into it.  Many clients say they use their time in garden to meditate – an important tool of recovery.”  The staff also said that one of the participants said he could use the gardening skills he learned as a way to interact with his children while teaching them gardening skills.  Another result of the garden is that five of the participants made vegetable gardens when they returned home.  The staff member said “They love coming back and showing us pictures of their garden; it gives them a real sense of accomplishment and pride.”