Sabrina Hahn's passion for horticulture has attracted thousands of gardening fans over decades on the radio. But the ABC 'Roots and Shoots' presenter has found a new band of followers; inmates doing time in WA's prison farms who grow the food for the maximum security prisons. With the chronic shortage of skilled agricultural workers, she wants farmers and market gardeners to give former prisoners with farm skills a second chance in life.
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00:00 There's no mistaking Sabrina Hahn's trademark laugh or her passion for plants.
00:08 I love your veggie patch, it's awesome.
00:11 And the people who grow them.
00:13 Well done.
00:14 At the Bartlup Prison Farm west of Mount Barker, the ABC Radio gardening veteran is the guest
00:20 of honour for the 87 farm workers in prison greens.
00:25 Everything's just cropping really well.
00:27 Inmates working at the minimum security prison, designed to reintegrate offenders back into
00:33 the community, produce tonnes of fruit, vegetables, meat and fish destined for the state's main
00:40 prisons.
00:41 The leaves look really healthy.
00:42 The gardening guru providing impromptu growing tips.
00:46 That you will have to thin them out.
00:47 And also booking a dinner date.
00:49 When I come next time to visit you uncle.
00:51 I cook for you.
00:52 You cook for me.
00:53 Okay, 100 per cent.
00:55 But she's here on a mission to inspire prisoners to hone their horticultural skills while doing
01:01 time, to be job ready for WA's food growers who are desperate for workers.
01:06 The little nurseries cannot get staff.
01:10 The farms cannot get staff.
01:13 And horticulture can take you to many different pathways.
01:17 The prisoners' hopeful attitudes to hiring them are changing.
01:21 If you were known as a prisoner no one wanted to know nothing about you.
01:24 No one wanted to know you.
01:26 But nowadays it seems like they're more willing to give us a second chance, which is great.
01:32 Nature never judges you.
01:34 Sabrina Hahn setting an example by hiring ex-convicts in her own business.
01:39 They've all talked about giving back to society for the wrongs that they've done.
01:45 So let's give them the opportunity to do that.
01:48 Let's support them on that pathway.
01:50 And I have been very active in doing that and will continue to.
01:56 Planting the seeds for future growers.
01:59 [BLANK_AUDIO]