Inmate beekeepers raise hives and hopes for future By Christine Souza
Female inmates serving sentences for nonviolent offenses at the Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center in Elk Grove are learning about beekeeping through a first- of-its-kind vocational program that allows them to be outdoors and gain skills for a sweeter future. Hands-on learning happens at the bee yard, a short walk from the correctional center, which houses about 2,500 inmates, including up to 200 inmates in the wom- en’s jail. The outdoor classroom features 10 hives of honeybees. “I just figured this will be a time where I can learn to be more productive within myself. Before I came here, I wasn’t mak- ing the best choices in life,” said Denaysia Thompson, who was serving a six-month sentence for driving under the influence. “When it came to this program, this is one of those ‘half-full’ things where I’ve seen other people do it. Rather than living vi- cariously through them, I figured I’d get my hands dirty.” The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office launched the Second Chance Beekeeping program in 2019-20, as one of the depart- ment’s many vocational, educational and treatment programs to equip offenders with the tools for successful reentry into the community. The course, which in- cludes some classroom learning, is in ses- sion two days a week. Program instructor Steve Hays, a retired sheriff’s deputy and hobbyist beekeeper, brings 30 years of law enforcement expe- rience and a passion for beekeeping to em- power inmates with skills that could lead to future employment. “I’m trying to give back. I talk to them on a personal level, giving different keys for success and success stories, so just talking to them about how to stay out of jail,” said Hays, who got interested in beekeeping from a mentor, a commercial beekeep- er from Galt, who introduced him to the
At the Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center in Elk Grove, inmate Missy Peavey inspects honeybees as part of the vocational beekeeping program offered by the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office.
business and sold him his first hives. While there is a vocational beekeeping program for male inmates in California, the program at Rio Cosumnes, in Sacramento County, is the first in the nation for female inmates. “We wanted to give them an eq- uitable stake,” Hays said. Inmates accepted into the program are introduced to basic honeybee anatomy, seasonality of bees, equipment and safety, and the role of different bees in the hive. As the course progresses, they learn more advanced techniques, such as swarm cap- ture, splitting and creating new hives, and raising queen bees. Standing next to one of her assigned beehives, Thompson said, “It’s got our
‘honey supers’ at the top, which collect a majority of the honey. The bottom two hives hold our queen and her larvae and the eggs. That’s pretty much where all the magic happens.” Popping the lid off one beehive, Thompson inspected it for any pests or disease problems. She found the hive to be healthy. “The queen is doing really, really well. She’s producing a lot (of honey) at this time. It all depends on your queen,” Thompson said, affirming that the queen sets the tone in each hive, joking, “That’s everyday life right there.” Prior to prison, she said she worked in construction as a laborer. She plans to
return to the field of construction when her sentence ends, but as far as a hobby goes, “beekeeping is definitely at the top of my list.” Corrie Foutz, who was serving time for a drug offense, said she loves nature and visiting farmers markets. “I was always interested in agriculture,” she said. “I’m not afraid of bugs and just thought the pro- gram would be fun.” Working outside with the honeybees, Foutz said, is a mindful activity that keeps her focused on something other than life in prison. “Working with the bees, I don’t think of anything else. There’s no drama, it’s just the bees,” she said. “It is giving me hope, like maybe there can be more to life.
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