ON HARVEST DAYS, THE WORK BEGINS EARLY. VOLUNTEERS LINE THE ROWS WITH POLE TRIMMERS AND GLOVES, ZIP-TYING EACH PLANT AROUND THE BASE AND GATHERING THE STALKS INTO ARMFULS. OTHERS WAIT TO GATHER THE CUT STALKS, FASTENING BUNDLES TIGHTLY BEFORE STACKING THEM IN PILES. DEAD MATERIAL AND WEEDS ARE HAND-PULLED, LEAVING ONLY CLEAN, PLIABLE GRASS.
THERE IS A RHYTHM TO IT— GATHER, CUT, TIE, CARRY. CHATTER AND LAUGHTER RISE AS BUNDLES GROW, THE WORK OF THE MORNING CARRIED BY CAMARADERIE AND COMMITMENT TO THE CAUSE. BY MORNING’ S END, THE FIELD IS DOTTED WITH NEAT STACKS OF GREEN, READY FOR DELIVERY.
ONCE CUT, SWEETGRASS CANNOT SIT IN PILES FOR LONG, OR IT WILL MOLD. THE BUNDLES ARE DISTRIBUTED IMMEDIATELY, EACH ONE TRANSPORTED TO THE HANDS OF AN ARTIST WHO WILL DRY THE GRASS USING THEIR OWN METHODS. FOR VOLUNTEERS, IT IS A LABOR OF CONNECTION, LINKING FIELD TO ARTISAN, PLANT TO TRADITION, AND ECOLOGY TO CULTURE.
72 • KIAWAH CONSERVANCY