By Harvest Lechler
If one were to follow the windy asphalt roads long enough, they would wind up deep in the heart of Meigs County, where the center of United Plant Savers lies. The large wooden Welcome Center with its purple, green, and yellow trim will proudly meet you, ready to invite all into the world of plant wisdom inside and all around it. Surrounded by animals, plants, and community, this place is home to many but surprisingly quiet. Not much disturbs the peace here unless an event is being hosted or a group is visiting. Even then, the calming silence of the land creates a sense of inferiority in the way that it is so much bigger than we could ever be. I’ve called this little corner of the Appalachian Mountains home for the past 19 years, my whole life. The land here is beautiful and thriving, full of hidden pockets blanketed with more native herbs and tree species than I could pretend to recognize. But one of the most magical parts about this place is the community.
My parents bought land in Meigs before I was born, but United Plant Savers had been active here for years before their arrival. Some of my earlier memories of our community are of the meet- and-greet Intern potlucks, where the Interns hosted dinners to get to know the members of the community. I spent a lot of time on the land throughout my childhood. When I was younger, we attended potlucks and community events here, and I attended permaculture and plant classes with my parents. When I was about eleven years old, I sat in on the classes for the Fall Medicinal Plant Conservation Center session. My mom or dad would drop me off in the morning, and I’d spend the day tagging along with the group. I took classes and walks with them and even got to lend a hand in some of the projects. Even though I was still a little kid, I learned a lot through this experience, and it brought me closer to the land and medicine around me.
students during an Environmental Education program
Even during the school year, I spent a lot of time at the Sanctuary. I was homeschooled for all of grade school, and our local homeschool group was hosted onsite for several years. We would attend once a week, meeting to learn and go over our lessons. The freedom of the space allowed us to explore and discover more about the world around us and expand our field of knowledge away from just traditional Math, Science, and English. We took daily hikes and would swim in the warm months. We watched the carp swim in the pond and the spring flowers bloom. This was before the Welcome Center was built on the property, so we split our time between the screened-in Gazebo and the Yurt, depending on the weather. Now the group is hosted in the back room of the Center, where my younger siblings attend classes.
I have watched the Welcome Center have major effects on both the organization and our community. We now have a place to comfortably gather for potlucks, birthdays, and workshops. I even had my graduation party here. The large meeting room is forever full of a warm glow, let in through the floor-to-ceiling windows that capture every bit of sunlight. The large bookshelves line the room, full of knowledge from the Duke Ethnobotanical Archives. The whole building has a feeling of community, like people are meant to gather here to talk, dine, laugh, learn, and bond. About a year after the building was finished, I started working in the office here at UpS. Working here holds the same feelings for me.
When Katey Patterson first offered me a job here in the office, I was supposed to do small things such as ship orders, go to the post office, and clean sometimes. But the longer I was here, the more my job spread to include more duties. I started not only doing paperwork, but also helping work and plan events, painting and working on different spaces, helping to run camping and lodging, planting and weeding beds, and lending a hand wherever it was needed. The variety of duties is one of my favorite parts of this job, and I love how the team will come together to finish a large project. I love teaching people about this place and the plant world, but I love learning from others just as much. I love being able to spend time on the land and learn while on the job. This space holds a special place in my heart, along with many memories, and I feel extremely grateful to get to invest my time here and put my effort into such an important mission.
Harvest Lechler works as an Office Assistant at United Plant Savers and has been involved with the organization her whole life. She was born and raised in southeastern Ohio and was homeschooled from 1st-8th grade, allowing her to get outside and embrace the world around her. She is a nature enthusiast who loves hiking, camping, and exploring the outdoors.
