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As part of an education program designed to reduce recidivism among inmates of the Floyd County Prison, several inmates have been rehabilitating old tractors that are then put to work in other county-affiliated operations.

Warden Mike Long said itÐÔÊӽ紫ý a win-win for the county and the inmates, who are taught needed skills that will hopefully provide for themselves and their families when they leave prison.

“It helps the county because we’re able to purchase and maintain older equipment so the county doesn’t have to buy new ones,� Long said. “Plus, it teaches inmates a lifelong skill they can use when they get out.�

Typically, inmates struggle to find work when they are released, which contributes to a cycle of them returning to prison.

Unfortunately, Long also says the program contributes to his obsession with using Facebook Marketplace to find old equipment the inmates can restore and put to use.

“You had to see the state of the 1952 Massey-Harris tractor when we first got it. It was a wreck,â€� Long said. “But two of our guys spent a few months rebuilding it from the ground up, and itÐÔÊӽ紫ý beautiful now. We should put it in the Savoy car museum in Cartersville.â€�

Long said he purchased the Massey-Harris tractor from a farm in Dade County, maybe a mile or so from the Tennessee line, for next to nothing.

The inmates also refurbished a 1962 Massey-Ferguson, which was possibly made in England, Long said.

“The Massey-Ferguson was a gift from Alan Davis, a Rome resident who volunteered with the community a lot,� Long said. “He gave it to us when he passed; he wanted to make sure it was put to use.�

Both the Massey-Ferguson and the Massey-Harris will be given to the Floyd County Agricultural Center when itÐÔÊӽ紫ý completed, and are expected to be put to work, hopefully in a way that will keep them working for a few more decades.

The inmates also maintain much of the equipment used to keep up properties across Floyd County.

“They also recently repaired a 1964 John Deere tractor thatÐÔÊӽ紫ý been used at Camp Sidney Dew for almost 20 years,â€� corrections officer Joey Ineichen said. “Although it was in much better shape than the two older ones.â€�

The John Deere was purchased in the early 2000s by former Campy Sidney Dew Park Ranger Bill Pompie, Long said, and it was used until recently when it was sent to the prison for work.

“For a machine thatÐÔÊӽ紫ý over 60 years old, it was in good shape,â€� Ineichen said. “We’ll get it back to them soon and hopefully it’ll be good for another 50 years.â€�