State prisons have donated more than six tons of vegetables to food banks across the state this year, according to figures compiled by the state Department of Corrections.

The prison farm programs are designed to produce food for inmates, as well as work for them. The donations are from surplus crops.

What did their gardens grow? A few examples:

-At Pine Lodge Corrections Center for Women, prisoners donated more than a ton of lettuce, tomatoes, peppers and onions.
-The Monroe prison's Special Offender Unit grew lettuce, herbs, cucumbers, squash and tomatoes.
-The horticulture program at the Washington Corrections Center in Shelton donated more than 9,000 pounds of squash, lettuce, beans, cucumbers and peas to various food banks and a local senior center.

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