Cooking for Crowds

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May 222013
 

chef_stiring_pot_anim_150_clr_6703The UMaine Cooperative Extension (Piscataquis County Office) is offering a “Cooking for Crowds” workshop in August.  You’ll learn up-to-date food safety techniques for buying, storing, preparing and serving foods. Participants receive a resource manual, thermometer, and more! Workshop is scheduled for Thursday, August 15th from 1 PM until 5 PM and costs only $15! (Scholarships are available.) The August workshop will be held at the Extension Office in Dover Foxcroft. You can register online at http://umaine.edu/food-health/food-safety/cooking-for-crowds or by calling 564-3301.

This workshop is actually available in many different parts of the state… Bangor in June… Skowhegan in July…  if you visit the link given above you’ll find a complete list and a way to request a workshop in your area.

Cooking for Crowds – Great for Granges!

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Quick Tip — Earth Day!

 Community Service, Quick Tips  No Responses »
Apr 042013
 

look_who_has_an_idea_150_clr_7993Earth Day is April 22 this year… is it a coincidence that it comes during Grange Month? This year the EPA has adopted a “Pick Five” program with some ideas for simple things we can do to help the earth. Can your Grange come up (quickly, there’s only 18 days left until Earth Day) with a couple of simple activities or programs to conduct to demonstrate the Grange’s commitment to good stewardship of our earth and its resources? Is it time to spruce up the Grange Hall…? Landscape and plant in an environmentally friendly way? Do something to improve the community…?

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Quick Tip

 Community Service, Quick Tips  No Responses »
Feb 282013
 

Submitted by Walter Boomsma

look_who_has_an_idea_150_clr_7993I wish I’d thought of this! You may know that this is the time of year for town meetings, getting ready to tap maple trees, cabin fever, and Kindergarten Registration! Parents of little ones who will be starting school in the fall are bringing them to school to register and maybe get a look at where they’ll be coming in the fall.

The school in Southington Connecticut came up with a “Countdown to Kindergarten” Program that could be adapted to make a great community service program for our Granges! The basic idea is that when parents register their child, they receive a “goodie bag” that helps the family prepare for school. Items include a small white board and marker for the child to start practicing writing, a read aloud book… really, it’s limited only by the imagination. This is not something the child brings to school; it is for the family to use at home.

If a Grange were to provide these, you’d of course include some information about your Grange! And did I mention that maybe the “sewers” could make the drawstring bags…? I’d strongly suggest you contact your school for suggestions for the bag contents.

More information about the Southington Program can be found here.

 

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Quick Tip–Life Skills Series

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Feb 212013
 

look_who_has_an_idea_150_clr_7993Bethlehem Grange in Selkirk, New York recently held its first “Life Skills Class.” This class focused on what it takes to properly and easily balance a checkbook, write checks and reconcile any errors found. These are skills that sound simple to some, but not everyone knows how to do.

Bethlehem Grange hopes to hold a life skills class about once a month from now on. There are already many ideas in the works for upcoming classes including writing a resume/cover letter, practice interviews, container gardening, budgeting, simple mending, cooking, car care, de-cluttering and household repairs.

Consider what skills you and your fellow Grangers could use some help with and start a life skills class of your own! Brushing up on life skills like these can really simplify your life and the lives of your fellow Grangers.

(Quoted from the New Grange Electronic Newsletter–have you signed up for your free subscription yet?)

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Quick Tip: Green Granger Summit!

 Quick Tips, Uncategorized  1 Response »
Feb 142013
 

look_who_has_an_idea_150_clr_7993It’s too bad this “Green Granger Summit” is in Oregon, it sounds like a great program! I thought I’d share it here as a “Quick Tip” as an idea for a program… a scaled down version might be very possible. Another thought would be for several Granges (or a Pomona) to combine resources to sponsor one…

Welcome one and all to Oregon’s 3 Green Granger Summit, March 22-24 at Spencer Creek Grange, just outside of Eugene.  Great speakers, great locally grown food, great entertainment.  We’re even thinking about video conferencing, if we can get the bandwidth.  We’re still working on that.  We’ll find housing for anyone that can make it! More information at Spencercreekgrange.org.

You’ll also want to check their website and some of their other activities–well done!

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Quick Tip – Grange Bees!

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Jan 072013
 

look_who_has_an_idea_150_clr_7993For several years now Valley Grange has been using “Grange Bees” in conjunction with our meetings… simply stated, Grange Bees are members who agree to be the official hosts for a meeting. While all members pitch in, we find it efficient to rotate the “official” responsibilities among members. This year we developed a Grange Bee Checklist (click the link for a sample copy) to help our bees keep track. We also occasionally all “swarm” to the hall for major cleaning and projects. Everybody can be a bee!

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Quick Tip — Snowflakes for Newtown!

 Community Service, Quick Tips  No Responses »
Dec 232012
 

look_who_has_an_idea_150_clr_7993snow_flake_arrow_design_400_clr_6941If you’re looking for a quick  community service project to warm your heart in January, here’s an idea: host a paper snowflake making workshop! I can tell you from being at school, kids love to make them! The Connecticut Parent Teachers Association has requested paper snowflakes for Sandy Hook so the kids can have a “winter wonderland” at their new school. Several libraries in Maine (Gardiner and Brewer to name a few) have already scheduled workshops requiring only that participants bring their own scissors!

Snowflakes can be sent directly to Connecticut by mailing them to Connecticut PTSA, 60 Connolly Parkway, Building 12, Suite 103, Hamden CT 06514 but must be sent to arrive by January 12th! Hurry!

And if you’ve forgotten how to make paper snowflakes… here’s one of many sites with simple instructions:

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Paper-Snowflake

Bonus suggestion: Some first graders might have an idea for making this project even more fun… discover how one class created a “flash mob” involving Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer!

 

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Quick Tip

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Dec 162012
 

This site will not exploit or debate the recent tragedy in Connecticut… but we will provide a resource. All of us have some contact with children, as volunteers, parents and grandparents, or just friends. Please be prepared for possible questions or statements… here is one well-written, easy-to-read article that will help you:

http://www.dougy.org/news-events/news/the-senseless-shootings-how-to-talk-with-your-children/1466/

Thanks to the JD Foundation in Abbot Maine for sharing this… if you need additional assistance, please reach out to a grief support group or professional. If you need assistance finding support, send me an email  (webmasteratmainestategrangedotorg)   and I will try to assist you.

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Quick Tip

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Dec 122012
 

Well, maybe… it’s interesting and sometimes helpful to learn what’s happening with Granges around the country! I happened onto an interesting article about a Grange in Massachusetts — an interesting example of how a program announcement turned into a feature article. I won’t spoil it for you, but the short version is the Williamsburg Grange recently did some brainstorming to find ways to fix up their hall–partly because the local school is interested in using the Grange Hall while the school is undergoing renovations. Among the ideas surfaced by Grange Master Candy Smith are some “horsetrading” regarding a dishwasher… Check out “Updating the Grange, Fundraiser December 16.”

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Quick Tip

 Quick Tips  No Responses »
Dec 082012
 

Here’s a quick tip that’s really quick–as in 13 seconds! It’s excerpted from a recent announcement of the next National Grange TeamSpeak:

We are embarking upon a new grass roots membership campaign, the “13 Second Campaign”, and here is how you can participate. On the 13th day of each month, beginning this week, post a brief 13-second message on your social media (Face Book, Twitter, Blog, etc.) sharing a personal message about your Grange experience. Your message may share a personal growth experience, a real-life example of community service, or a challenge to be a part of the community through Grange. The most important part of your 13-second message is to always invite the reader to take action. Invite them to join your Grange. Invite them to ask you for more information. Invite them to become a part of something bigger than themselves, the Grange….”

The next National TeamSpeak is Tuesday December 11th at 9 PM. If you are unfamiliar with the program, be aware you do need to plan ahead some to participate–ad

 

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