OAK HARBOR, Ohio — An Oak Harbor family is paying it forward for the sake of research and wildlife, putting 80 acres of old farmland to use for future generations instead of just sitting on it. But a tornado that tore through in June almost put a project in jeopardy.
What or who you love can sometimes lead to unexpected paths. For Vicki Rae Harder-Throne, it was back to her family farm.
“I was not a farm girl,” Harder-Thorne said. “I couldn't wait to get away. When she died three years ago, I wanted to carry on her legacy.”
In memory of her mother Lois's deep care for nature, this spring, Harder-Thorne began transforming her family's farm into a wetland. The goal is to grow area wildlife and educate youth through her STEM program, Earth Heart Farm. But the project almost didn't happen after an EF2 tornado hit in June, causing widespread damage to her family's home and their land.
“Ariel shots showed long rafters all through the field, and of course, there was a shed outback, a red shed that was gone,” Harder-Thorne said.
Harder-Thorne didn't let the storm stop her. She picked up, and this week, she welcomed over 200 students to the newly completed wetland project for fall field days.
“People were skeptical we were going to be able to do this after being through this,” Harder-Thorne said. “They were surprised. I said, 'Oh yeah, we are going to host it;' here we are.”
At Earth Heart Farms, students observe, collect data and run tests. Stuff that's not always easily taught in a classroom.
“It's so important for them to see that chemistry is everywhere, not just in our classroom, but it's here outside Earth heart farms too,” said Gloria Kreischergajewicz, a chemistry teacher at Ottawa Hills High School.
Harder-Thorne hopes students walk away understanding how local ecosystems have a large impact and how the foundation for protecting our environment comes from love.
“I want you to experience some of that beauty, some of that majesty, and walk away today realizing that you are not visiting nature; you are nature,” Harder-Thorne said.
