Our Story.
AloeCLE is our new family business that has its roots in the mountains of Lincoln County, West Virginia. We started as an aloe vera rescue project ten years ago. Miranda’s Aunt Helen had so many overgrown aloes, she was going to resort to composting the pups! Our own house began to fill with aloes of all sizes and Lena began giving aloes to many of her students, family members, and friends. Many of these pups are thriving as full grown Mamas out in the community now!
Why Aloe Vera?
Our aloe rescue project was a huge learning experience for Lena and Miranda. As educators, the idea of taking on something new was welcomed. We made mistakes and admittedly a few aloes passed along the way. While Aunt Helen claimed one couldn’t kill them, we had managed to do so. Aloe Vera plants have a complex balance of fragility and heartiness. A quick bend of a leaf can snap it. Water too often can drown it. At the same time, an adult aloe can withstand neglect, too much sun, too little sun, and overcrowding for an incredibly long time without dying. A healthy, happy aloe plant will produce pups (baby aloes) and may even produce a flower! In addition to the beauty aloes add to any space and the fun of watching it grow, aloes offer various health and beauty benefits that have been used for hundreds of years. Our mission is to share the love of aloe with more people, especially children wanting to care for their first plant and those who may otherwise resist plant parenting.
For the love of glazing…
As our collection of aloes grew, we began to envision ways to create unique pots for our growing aloes, and develop an aloe sales and care business. Our first collection of hand-glazed pots with beautiful aloes is now ready for adoption and fostering! We also have other plant care services, harvesting events, and custom glazed pots we are excited to share with our growing AloeCLE Family!
the story of the crystals...
the story of the crystals...
On June 7 of this year, we began to create a path through the woods behind our house. In the process of the path project, we uncovered a large number of buried rocks and crystals of all kinds. We welcome you to check out the collection items on display and let us know if you are interested to hear more. All fostered mama aloes will go home with a crystal to keep in the soil!