<p> NATIONAL PARK SERVICE</p><p>MABI AS-1353 Interview with TIM and DOT LEACH</p><p>Interviewer: PHIL HUFFMAN Also Present: MICHELE HARTLEY</p><p>Pawlet, Vermont June 16, 1999</p><p>EXCERPTED</p><p>(Tim Leach)…as you come up the road, I think the locust trees and the old federal house stand out…We have people who stop in to buy syrup, and say, oh, you have a beautiful place here. I could say, yeah, I know, but I always say just thanks, we work hard at trying to make it look good…I'm fortunate because I've known since I was eight years old that I didn't ever want to be anyplace else. (Dot Leach) I think the place is fabulous -- I love living here, and I wouldn't choose to live someplace else. (Tim Leach) I tell the boys, you think about all the places on this earth you can be set down; to be put here, we're really lucky. (Dot Leach) Basically what we've done is we have sold our development rights to the Vermont Land Trust. That means that this property will stay in some sort of agricultural use. It will never grow houses…we're just going to keep doing what we've always done…Tim's policy has always been to be a good steward. Ever since I've known him, he's considered himself a steward of our land. (Tim Leach)…there's quite a legacy here, really. In making the decision to conserve…We both felt a huge responsibility…I don't know if you ever really own land. I mean, you're just here to take care of it.</p>