Patrons of Husbandry – a website dedicated to the Granges located in Maine
The Maine State Grange Office is located at 36 Anthony Avenue, Suite 102, Augusta, ME 04330. The email address is mainestategrange@gmail.com.
Webmaster’s note: The format of this column includes all of the Quill’s Endians participating at various times and in various ways! Phil writes this month’s column.
I had a chance to travel out of state last month to celebrate my mother’s 80th birthday. Most of my siblings made it to the party in Saginaw, MI. I stayed with my older brother in the old neighborhood around the high school we all attended.
A lot of things stuck me about the city and its citizens.
This body has always needed movement, and on daily walks around the neighborhood I remembered the lovely uncomplicated days there. Killing time with a gaggle of neighbors, bicycles at the ready to travel about as we whiled away the summer.
The sidewalks are empty now. My daily walks held not one interaction with man or beast. No one shooting hoops or sitting on the front porches. I’ve got theories, but mostly just sadness.
While in Michigan, I wanted to visit my cousin. He and his family milk 130ish Holsteins that live in a free stall barn 365 days a year. His acreage, flat loamy soil, grows hay, corn, and soybeans that then make up the diet for the cows. Most of our tour of the farm concentrated on seeing equipment. Tractors with eight tires and 4 steps into a climate-controlled cab.
Very much a dying breed, this is the example of small farms that the 1950’s envisioned. They keep no garden, they raise no critters for their own table, they do not drink milk from their cows. They shop for groceries.
My cousin, now nearly 70 years old, has made a life and a living from his farm. His son and family will continue. An anomaly among the 1% of Americans that are farmers.
It was difficult to travel. A mix of emotions as I spent time with family and also experienced a taste of 2026 in an American city and on an American farm that feeds into our industrial food system.
Time away refreshes what we do at Quill’s End. It turns out that growing food for ourselves and for our community adds layers and layers of satisfaction. From soil to patron, community to ecosystem, the work has meaning. We thank you for the chance.
Heather and Phil Retberg and their three children run Quill’s End Farm, a 105-acre property in Penobscot that they bought in 2004. They use rotational grazing on their fifteen open acres and are renovating thirty more acres from woods to pasture to increase grazing for their pigs, grass-fed cattle, lambs, laying hens, and goats. Quill’s Endians are members of Halcyon Grange and publish a newsletter for their farm’s buying club of farmers in the area, and generously permit us to share some of their columns with Grangers. Visit the Quill’s End Farm Facebook Page for more information.
By Sherry Harriman, MSG Master/President
This message is about the Memorial Bricks that were under the flagpole on the side lawn at our previous office building at 146 State Street. Before we sold the headquarters building, I had someone (thanks, Greg) dig them all up for me. Many have people’s names and/or Grange names or both. Richard and I hauled them all home last fall. Now we have made a list & hauled most of them back to the new office at 36 Anthony Ave, Suite 102 in Augusta. Thanks, Richard, for sorting, listing, and moving them all around so many times.
As Richard and I have been traveling, we have dropped some off to those in the neighborhoods we are passing through. A list of what is available at the office is posted under the “Programs & Information” section on the website. If you are interested in picking up any of the bricks at the Augusta office for your Grange or yourself (first come, first served), we will NOT mail the bricks; it is in-person pick-up only, and you or someone else must arrange with Sharon to get them. Please contact Sharon at the office 207-632-3421 or email at mainestategrange@gmail.com — she is most often in the office on Tuesdays and Thursdays 9:30 to 1:30. We have set a September 10, 2026 deadline to collect them, after that time I will take what’s left to my home again and utilize them for something.
A list of what’s available as of July 2026 will be included on the final page of the Bulletin.
Articles in this edition include:
*This refers to Microsoft Publisher. I’ll be addressing in my next Communications Column as well.
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Note that all recent issues are available on the National Grange Website. To save server space, we only post the table of contents on the MSG Website.
With fuel pumps and ATM’s as frequent targets, a surge of skimming devices is threatening consumers. Criminals attach sophisticated skimmers directly over legitimate card slots or splice them into internal wiring to secretly record your financial data.
Many modern skimming devices closely resemble real hardware, making them difficult to detect at first glance. Vulnerable targets include standalone ATM’s, unattended retail checkout lines, and card terminals located in busy tourist areas.
The next time you fill your tank or use a card terminal, inspect the machine closely for loose, bent, crooked, or scratched components. Pull firmly on the card slot or wiggle the keypad before inserting your card. If anything feels loose or altered, do not use it and notify an employee immediately. To help stay safe, choose tap-to-pay options or digital wallets over physical insertion. Use credit cards for stronger fraud protections.
Report scams to local law enforcement. For help from AARP, call 1-877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Fraud Watch Network at aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork.
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By Clay Collins, Guest Columnist
207 837-0564
“Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives Him who sent me. The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”
Matthew 10:40-42
We are getting into the hot season. The season most of us were dreaming about last winter. You remember, the cold winter that seemed to hang on forever.
Now that the hot weather is here, what do people want most of all? A cool place to relax, and a nice cold drink! But what about those unfortunate people who cannot find these things? What do they do?
When you see someone struggling with the heat, give that person some help. If nothing else, give them a drink of water. If that isn’t possible, definitely call someone or an agency who can help. Be that person who steps up to help someone less fortunate. It doesn’t cost anything.
Until the next time, remember, “Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.” Amen.
Until the next time, remember, “Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.”
Benediction: Gracious Father, help us remember that it doesn’t take much money to help the less fortunate. All it takes is a kind heart. Amen.
Thought for the month:
“May the good saints protect you and bless you today, and may troubles ignore you each step of the way.” [Irish Blessing]
While Chaplain Christine is burdened with technology challenges, she has invited Past MSG Chaplain Clay to share some spiritual thoughts with our Grange Flock.
Sherry Harriman,
Maine State Grange Master/President
207 490-1029
Roster information is now due include: Grange Name & Number, physical address of your meeting hall, day(s) and time of meeting. Officer information for Master/President, Lecturer, Secretary, and CWA chair – Names, addresses, phone numbers and emails.
State Grange Session is again at the Black Bear Inn in Orono – October 30 & 31. Reservations can be made with the front desk 207-962-2708; mention State Grange. Most of those participating were in agreement to return here again, and liked having everything in one place. A very similar schedule as last year except it is not a full election year. After Aug 15th, delegate registration forms, meal forms, and all resolutions will be mailed to each Grange. The delegate registration form will not be posted on the website. Other State Session items will be posted on the site and everything will be mailed in the middle of August. Barbara Foster, Pomona of the National Grange and the Master/President of West Virginia State Grange will be our honored guest again this year.
Here are some tentative highlights
Thursday, October 29
Set up
Friday October 30
10:00 am – Opening in the Sixth Degree, the lowered to the Fourth Degree,anyone may attend session, even if you are not a delegate for your Grange.
10:45 am – Master’s Annual Address
11:15 TBD
Noon Lunch
1:30 pm Memorial Service by Christine Hebert, State Chaplain
2:30 TBD
3:15 Resolutions – by Committee Reports
4:45 Close in the Fourth Degree
5:00 Social time downstairs before banquet
6:00 Banquet – tickets must be purchased in advance
Saturday October 31
8:30 am Opening in the Fourth Degree
9:30 Acceptance of 2026 – 2027 Budget
Election & Installation of Officers
10:45 TBD
Noon Lunch
1:30 Called back to order & close in the Fourth Degree
2:00 Open and Conferral of the Sixth Degree
Delegates to State Grange Each Subordinate and Pomona Grange, is entitled to name 2 Delegates and 2 Alternates to represent your Grange at State Session. You must be a member of that Grange to be a delegate for them and must be voted on by the Grange. The Grange dues must be paid up to date through the Sept 2026 quarter to qualify for voting delegates. An individual may represent only ONE Subordinate Grange, and may also be a delegate for their Pomona, but again they must be voted on by the Grange. The delegate registration form will not be posted on the website. Other State Session items will be posted on the website. Everything will be mailed to the Secretary in the middle of August.
Resolutions for the 2026 State Grange Session are due in the office by August 15, standard mail and/or email. Resolutions must be voted on by the Subordinate or Pomona Grange presenting the resolution.
Installation of Officers. The Installation Ceremony may be handled by each Grange on their own. Granges are required to install their officers annually, usually in September.
General answers for a couple of questions not State Grange related:
Making Motions: Business of the Grange, including motions, may only be conducted or carried out when the Grange is opened and working in full form with a quorum present. Any member of that Grange may make a motion and it MUST be seconded by a different member of your Grange. If the motion is not seconded, discussion cannot take place, and the motion is lost. Opening in full form means following the prescribed manual format for either traditional or alternative opening. Both include opening the Bible, opening the implement case, giving the salutation (the hand signals) and salute to the flag. Business cannot be conducted outside the meeting then announced to the rest of the membership. All must have the opportunity to discuss and vote on all issues. Simple majority carries or loses the motion. The Master may not make a motion; however, they may ask the membership if someone wants to make a motion.
Reimbursement Funds Grant Program dates are from Nov. 1, 2025 to Sept 31, 2026 for Community Service: The 2026 Reimbursement Funds Grant Program for Community Service Program is to repay half (1/2) of the expenses you paid for materials up to $250, for Community Service work done by your Grange such as the Dictionary Project, Cemetery cleanup, or Christmas party for area families. Program Projects and requests for reimbursement must be made during this time frame. You may request only one reimbursement during the program term. Materials must be purchased before the reimbursement request is made and you must provide receipts for items you purchased for reimbursement. No receipts, no reimbursement. No cash donations or contributions will be reimbursed. I would suggest buying gift cards to make a donation, thus you would have a receipt.
Your secretary received the paperwork for the reimbursement program back in January or you may contact the office for the form. This is not part of the Community Service Program & Notebook, just that it relates to the materials for community service projects.
The Maine State Grange does not give or provide funds or grants for building repairs, improvements, property upgrades, or paying bills, etc.
Grange Heirlooms are snippets from the lessons of the Grange as taught in the Rituals and Declaration of Purposes.
Use the icons below to share this Grange Heirloom on social media and help others understand what the Grange stands for! If this heirloom has a particular meaning for you, click the “leave a comment” link at the left and share your comment with us!
For additional information and resources regarding the Heirloom Program, visit the Heirloom Resource Page on the Maine State Grange Website.
Manchester Grange recently unveiled a Little Free Library® as a result of what might be described as a family project. Member Paige Tobie is determined to make the Manchester Grange more visible and relevant to their community. She notes that the hall’s location is an ideal location, adjacent to the elementary school playground, a Fielder’s Choice ice cream stand, and on a busy highway. She credits her husband, Forrest, with being the brains behind the project, adapting some online plans to make it bigger than normal models to provide more books for the community since Manchester does not have a public library. Daughters Olive and Margo helped with the painting, though they were disappointed with the choice of a “boring” color.
Keeping the Grange identity meant using a photo of an old Grange sign inside the building and attaching it to the library. The library is officially registered with the Little Free Library organization (Charter #226621) with the location mapped on the LFL site.
In addition to its global location, a brand-new Manchester Grange Website offers a “venue and community space to bring people together.” The site is clean, efficient, and easy to navigate. Family memberships are available!
But wait! There are more reasons to find your way to the Manchester Grange Hall. Recently added picnic tables are readily available and, on the first and third Mondays of the month, a coffee open house welcomes visitors from 8 am – 10 am. (Hint: bring books for the Little Free Library!) You can get summertime reading materials, coffee, and a warm welcome that will help you discover the value of community and the Grange.
The Fourth of July – also known as Independence Day or July 4th – has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1941; yet the tradition of Independence Day celebrations dates back to the 18th century and the American Revolutionary War.
On July 2, 1776, the Second Continental Congress voted in favor of independence from Britain. Two days later, delegates from the 13 colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence, a historic document drafted by Thomas Jefferson.
The Declaration of Independence allowed Congress to seek alliances with foreign countries, and the fledgling U.S. formed its most important alliance early in 1778 with France. Without France’s support, America might well have lost the Revolutionary War.
The war waged by the American colonies against Britain, which began more than a year earlier in April 1775 at Lexington and Concord near Boston, would eventually end when British forces surrendered in Yorktown, Virginia. Yet the Declaration and America’s victory had far-reaching effects around the globe as other nations saw a small novel nation win its freedom from the greatest military force of its time.
From 1776 to today, July 4th has been celebrated as the birth of American independence with festivities ranging from fireworks, parades and concerts to more casual family gatherings and barbecues.
This year’s Independence Day will be celebrated on Saturday, July 4, 2026, marking the nation’s 250th birthday. Known as the semiquincentennial, this historic milestone commemorates two and a half centuries since the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.
Communities across the country will observe the anniversary with special ceremonies, educational programs, parades, concerts and other events honoring America’s history. The occasion also offers an opportunity to reflect on the nation’s founding ideals, recognize the generations who have worked to preserve and expand its freedoms and consider how Americans can carry those ideals forward for the next 250 years.
