Friends swear it’ s the perfect career for Catland, a creative artist who loves the outdoors and children.
“ Everyone that knows me always says this job was‘ made’ for me,” she said.“ Everyday, I get to interact with people of all ages who share my passions: growing and cooking food, enjoying and protecting nature, and learning new skills. I truly wake up excited about my work and I see myself being at the Agriplex for a very long time.” She loves that no two days at Agriplex are ever the same.
“ One morning, someone might drop off 30 pounds of zucchini that need a home. The next, I’ m sent to the store for carrot juice because our baby turtles need a vitamin bath,” she said.“ I might need to help unload and sort through pallets of donated seeds for our free public seed collection, or prepare to welcome a reptile expert arriving with 20 live snakes for a class.”
What never changes, however, are the smiling faces of her students.
“ Seeing both new and returning families is always exciting,” she said.“ Just one class at the Agriplex is usually all it takes to get people hooked. We’ ve built a strong community of farmers, growers, learners and families, and I love forming relationships with all of them.”
Catland builds her curriculum to reflect what Agriplex represents: gardening, farming, native plants and animals, historical preservation, heritage skills, environmental awareness, community, nutrition and sustainability.
Samantha Catland looks on as children feed and brush a Scottish Highland cow during the Agriplex’ s Touring Farms for Kids program at Gleann Brook Acres in June 2025.
“ I want to help the Agriplex become a household name throughout Northern Alabama,” she said.“ It’ s a unique and valuable resource that I hope more people can take advantage of in the future. I am especially dedicated to making the teaching kitchen a space that inspires families to cook nourishing, home-prepared meals and enjoy them together.”
28 | PROFILE 2026