Patrons of Husbandry – a website dedicated to the Granges located in Maine
Grange Craft Fairs— a list of Holiday Shopping Opportunities at Granges
The Maine State Grange Office is located at
36 Anthony Avenue, Suite 102, Augusta, ME 04330
The office is open Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday from 9:30 am until 1:30 pm
The email address is mainestategrange@gmail.com.
For website matters, email webmaster@mainestategrange.org.
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.
Since early September, we have had the cows in our neighbor’s field just north of Quill’s End Farm. The field goes all the way to Back Ridge Rd. Every time we have animals near that (less-travelled) road, cars stop and watch. I get it. I like hanging out with cows. I wonder though, if anyone would stop and watch 100 years ago.
It has become such an anomaly to see animals out in a field. Even in farming communities, the cows, hogs, and chickens live indoors for their entire lives. It gladdens my heart to see that people are still attracted enough to livestock to stop and stare for a second.
I spent my early years in Medellin, Colombia. It was a city of millions in the 70s and 80s of last century, but many of its residents were fresh from the countryside. Some kept chickens or quail in cages in their homes. Some kept rabbits on little dirt courtyards. Wherever there was a little space, it was filled with a vestige of a time that was fleeting, when more than not, people were involved with raising and growing their food.
Some men made money with a horse and cart. Lacking fields and barns, they would work a horse until thin, let it loose, and catch a fat one. Horses roamed the city in little herds, snacking in city parks and dooryards, biding their time until they gained enough condition to warrant being caught and worked.
For thousands of years, humans have had a working relationship with animals that the Industrial Revolution is erasing. It is a shame. Machines cannot replace the relationships built by good work, of shared sweat and experience, and the many benefits of keeping livestock.
You all get to share some of the benefits while making it possible for us to continue this millennia-old relationship in the products we make, but maybe at some time, you’ll need to jump a fence, touch a cow, and remember the shared past, perhaps the future.
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.
“Honor to the soldier and sailor everywhere, who bravely bears his country’s cause. Honor, also, to the citizen who cares for his brother in the field and serves, as he best can, the same cause.”
Abraham Lincoln
November 21, 2026, 9 am-2 pm
White Rock Grange #380 hosts dozens of crafters and artisans for your Christmas shopping pleasure. Handmade home decor, crochet & knitted items, hand towels, sewn items, soy candles, and much more!
Please consider bringing a donation for the local food pantry.
Whhite Rock Grange is located at 33 Wilson Road in Gorham, Maine 04038.
Farmington Grange has begun its WWW (Wednesday Work/Welcome and Warm Up for the winter. Every 1st and 3rd Wednesday, our Grange is open from 12 to 2 pm. Coffee, tea, soup, and sweets provided. Anyone can come in for social time, lunch, or to work on projects. Grange members are currently working on a crazy quilt.
Farmington Grange is located at 124 Bridge Street in West Farmington. FMI contact Bonnie Clark.
By Margaret Henderson, Director
Committee on Women’s Activities
207 948-2762
What a beautiful fall we have had. The colors were spectacular!
We had a good conference back in August. There was a total of 54 entries and there were 3 categories with
no entries. The winners from Classes A-K were sent to “Big E”. We had 5 winners from Maine. In Class A Afghans: Laurie McBurnie won 3rd place; Class B Doilies Roseanna Starks won 2nd place; Class
C Embroidery: Gail Butterfield won 3rd place; Class G Adult Garment: Mary Jane McLoon won 2nd place and Class I Quilted Wall Hanging: Kathy Gowen won 1st place.
I had the pleasure of presenting these awards at State Grange. Congratulations ladies. I look forward to seeing your entries next year.
I also presented a check to Richard Harriman for House in the Woods. I also have a check to present to Home for Little Wanderers this week. Thank you to
everyone for the donations to help these organizations. They really appreciate it.
I thought that State Grange session went very well. It was great to see everyone.
I hope that everyone will have a Happy Thanksgiving. Enjoy your day with family and friends.
Robocalls can be more than just annoying. While some automated calls are legitimate, others are used by criminals to steal money or personal information. These calls may promise prizes, demand payment for debts you don’t owe or claim to come from a trusted organization.
Scammers can manipulate caller ID to make a call appear to come from a local number or a legitimate business. They may also use stolen personal information and artificial intelligence to make their calls more convincing. Even if a number looks familiar, that doesn’t mean the caller can be trusted.
To protect yourself, avoid answering calls from unknown numbers. If you answer a suspicious robocall, hang up without pressing any buttons. Check with your phone provider about call-blocking options and consider adding your number to DoNotCall.gov. While this can reduce unwanted telemarketing calls, it won’t stop scammers who ignore the rules.
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.
Sherry Harriman,
Maine State Grange Master/President
207 490-1029
We had a busy Maine State Grange Session held October 30 & 31 in Orono which went very well. I would say thank-you a thousand times to everyone who participated and/or helped in any way to make it a wonderful event.
We had 44 Delegates representing 27 Subordinate Granges and 22 Delegates representing 11 Pomona Granges a total of 66 Delegates with another dozen or so non-delegates participating, also. Our National Rep, Barbara Foster, Pomona of the National Grange and President of the West Virginia State Grange was unable to be with us and a letter was read from her expressing her regrets. I presented my Annual Master’s Address. A beautiful Memorial Service was held. A conflict resolution workshop was directed by Rick Grotton. We recognized 14 former Officers of the Maine State Grange. Awards were presented by Community Service, Family, Health & Hearing, Membership, Lecturer, and CWA.
To celebrate our 250th Anniversary of America we recognized 8 Veterans — Dale Holst, Nancy Farrington, Carl Moon, Paul Woodman, Charles McGillicuddy, Pete Ivers, Jim Meserve and Richard Harriman, presenting each with a handmade quilted lap robe in appreciation of their military service. We enjoyed a marvelous banquet, and were entertained by “Up Tempo” a wonderful local quartet. We passed the 2026 – 2027 budget, accepted officer and department reports, and elected Steven Haycock as the newest member of the Executive Committee. Congratulations. I gave the participants a couple of “quizzes” or classroom assignments – filling out paperwork and turning it in right then, even had some fun drawing pictures. I loved all the ones I was given. We conferred the 6th Degree on 2 candidates. It was a great session, CONGRATULATIONS on a job well done. Again, thank you everyone.
If you would like any of the Session paperwork it can be standard mailed or emailed to you. Contact me or the office at the above address. Most of it, is also posted on the website.
Items available:
2026 -2027 Program Books
Additional information we filled out and returned during the meeting
I am working on filling my Deputy and Committee positions for the coming year. I need Deputies in Androscoggin, Cumberland, Excelsior, and Hancock Pomonas. Some counties have a State Officer assigned, but I would like to get more people involved. I could use extra Deputies in some areas that have a lot of Granges. Duties of Pomona Deputies include visiting each of the Subordinate or Community Granges in your area, give instructions and information, then make an overall report of each Grange to me, and to come to State Session, helping set up & tear down and filling in where needed during those 3 days in October. If you are interested in being a Deputy, please contact me.
The Community Service, Membership, Fundraising, Lecturer, Good of the Order, Agriculture, Women’s Activities and Legislative Committees are all looking for more people to be part of their Committees, to help promote their programs, be involved with discussions and decision making as part of the committees. I would like to have more people involved. If you are interested contact me asap.
The Roster goes to print this month, as soon as I complete my Deputies and Committees.
I am still missing 28 Subordinate Roster Forms.
Happy Thanksgiving! Share something with others less fortunate, especially your time.
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.
By Rick Grotton,
Membership Committee Director
207 582-5915
It was a wonderful time at the State Grange Session. Seeing and hanging out with old and new friends is always a highlight. For those of you who have never attended, you are missing out on making new Grange memories. I received many membership topics to share by talking to other members. The suggestions are appreciated and welcomed. Don’t stop sharing!
If your Grange is in the middle or on the edge of town, invite area organizations to hold meetings or events at the Hall. Police, firemen, town meetings, ladies’ clubs, or other fraternal organizations often need a place to meet when holding a special event or if their own meeting place is unavailable. Many times, they will become Grange members. Being useful and visible to the community is always a plus. Communication is a big key also. Talking and planning with other organizations makes life easier for everyone, and use of the Hall in times other than your Grange meetings is always good. Often, people will comment that they never see anyone at the Hall; it’s always quiet. They then associate Granges as inactive.
Other Grangers hold free community breakfasts or lunches for the community. Inviting musicians to perform a jam session attracts many people for a night of entertainment and fun. The community will associate the Grange Hall as a fun place to go, with a friendly, welcoming atmosphere. Get planning now!
By Clay Collins, Guest Columnist
207 837-0564
“Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words. And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, ‘Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully and you do not care about anyone’s opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay to Caesar, or not?’ But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin for the tax.’ And they brought him a denarius. And Jesus said to them, ‘Whose likeness and inscription is this?’ They said, ‘Caesar’s.’ Then he said to them, ‘Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.’’
Matthew 22:15-22
It is that time of year when most people turn to fall activities such as raking leaves, preparing your snow equipment upcoming storms. What to do first? Do what most people do: flip a coin.
Every time we face difficult decisions or tasks we don’t necessarily want to do, What to do? We flip a coin. Either literally or figuratively.
Hopefully, we do the right thing. The Pharisees tried tricking Jesus into saying they should worship Caesar instead of God. Jesus was aware of their malice. Instead, he took a coin and told them to give Caesar what is Caesar’s and God what is God’s. As you move toward the holidays (Thanksgiving and Christmas), be careful and always remember your elderly friends and neighbors. Check on them regularly.
Until the next time, remember, “Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.”
Benediction: Gracious and patient Father of us all, help us to always make the correct decision, and forgive us for making the wrong decision. Amen.
Thought for the month:
“It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.” (Aristotle)
While Chaplain Christine is burdened with technology challenges, she has invited Past MSG Chaplain Clay to share some spiritual thoughts with our Grange Flock.