Inmates were picked up from the facility at 6.15am, to have cows in the milking shed by 7.30am and be returned to the facility by 3pm.
He had been managing the farm and teaching inmates since the facility opened.
An inmate had never attempted to escape when working on the farm.
"They could drive a tractor down the driveway and keep going but in 14 years, we've never had anyone look like doing that."
He felt safer working on the farm than he did walking in central Dunedin at midnight, he said.
The main purpose of the farm was to give inmates a chance to learn new skills so they had a better chance of being employed on release.
Inmates worked towards Primary ITO qualifications in agriculture skills.
