CREDITON Community Bookshop is supporting a local author by stocking “Outside Time: a personal history of prison farming and gardening” by Hannah Wright.

Even people who know about Dartmoor prison may not realise that in 1992, 140 years after prison farming started at HMP Dartmoor (in 1852), the prison service was running the third largest farming operation in the country. “Outside Time” tells the story of how and why farmers were at the heart of the prison service, teaching prisoners to care by looking after animals and grow the food that they ate.

Based on first-hand accounts and previously unpublished sources, “Outside Time” combines the author’s experience of growing up on a prison farm with stories provided by prisoners and staff including local, Crediton resident, Howard Morse.

Howard thought he’d have nothing more to do with farming when he joined the prison service in 1973 as an assistant regional manager.

But to his surprise, Howard, a keen amateur photographer, found himself chronicling the extraordinary success of HMP Farms and Gardens department as they exhibited rare breed livestock and prison-grown produce at local and national shows.

Many of the 47 black and white illustrations were generously contributed by Howard including “Managers Reunion”, which shows Howard, fifth from the left on the front row with John Kingman, former farm manager at HMP Dartmoor, stood to his right. “Managers Reunion” gives some idea of the scale of farming within the prison service.

However, after reaching a peak of productivity 20 years ago, when every prison in England and Wales was supplied with prisoner-grown produce, politicians decided to end field-scale farming.

By the time the “Managers Reunion” photograph was taken, in 2005, 95 per cent of prison land, livestock and machinery had been disbanded.

Now there are only five farms left, but, as “Outside Time” shows there are signs that growing is taking root once again.

Within a wider sustainability agenda, it makes sense to reduce food miles and food waste by enabling prisoners to grow and cook more of the food that they eat.

“A vital testament to the extraordinary power of gardening and growing food to heal broken lives” was how Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, writer, broadcaster and campaigner described it while Professor Alison Liebling, from the Department of Criminology, University of Cambridge described it as: “A gem of a book: a history of, tribute to, and eulogy for prison horticulture and agriculture.”

“A really enjoyable read. A lesson to all of us about reintroducing ourselves to the land and connecting to nature” was how it was described by Sir Tim Smit, co-founder of the Eden Project.

“Outside Time” costs £14.99. It can be ordered online from: https://www.hanwrights.com or purchased in person from the award-winning Crediton Community Bookshop or via the website: https://www.creditoncommunitybookshop.co.uk .

Alan Quick