The Post Office

Peter and I continued our fish habitat survey today. Before suiting up we went to the Mill Creek Correctional Facility to introduce ourselves and get ID checked in anticipation of tomorrow's kayak float through the facility. Officer Templin, who greeted us, told us that the facility used to comprise 2200 acres of dairy and beef farm, but now most of that has been sold to UPS. He also shared a creative use of the invasive Himalayan blackberry that was developed by some of the inmates: "A few years back, the thickets got so overgrown, the guys made a love nest. They dug it out real good, had blankets and stuff back there. That's where they would meet their girlfriends. Weed and vodka would show up there, they called it the post office. Deliveries were pretty regular."