Category: Grange Principle and Practice

Exploring Traditions – May, 2026

Meandering Around the Grange Way of Life

By Walter Boomsma, Guest Columnist

From the First Degree

During our recent Degree Day, someone commented that they wished more people could hear the words from the Degree Work. For the next few issues, we’ll be sharing some of them!

Early in the First Degree, the Overseer explains to the candidates:

“Friends, the Grange is a great fraternity, and the lessons of its ritual are expressed by the use of symbols drawn from the field, the farm and the farm home. The first four Degrees of our Order are based upon the seasons of the year, each conveying its appropriate lesson. You are about to enter the mysteries of the First Degree, symbolic of springtime on the farm, when all Nature is bursting into newness of life. The wild flowers are making the woods and the hills glorious with their beauty; orchards are in bloom, and the air is redolent with their perfume; plowing the fields has begun and soon the sower will go forth to sow.

Additional Laborers and Maids are needed for work in field and household, and we accept you as willing workers, now in waiting for the tasks to which you will be assigned: For in our fraternity there is work for all, and the idler has no place among Patrons of Husbandry.”

Of course, the idea is to do more than simply hear (read) the words. With this, we have the opportunity to digest those words. It was not an accident that the Degree Work starts with the spring season, “when all Nature is bursting into newness of life.” Joining the Grange is also about newness in our lives as we commit to live differently, in accordance with the “precepts of our order.”  There is work to be done on our farms, our communities, and ourselves. Joining the Grange was never meant to be a passive experience, and the “idler has no place among Patrons of Husbandry.”

Another advantage of reading and absorbing these words is that we’re allowed to drift off into visualization. We can take the time to see what the overseer is describing. Imagine standing at the gate to a farm, ready to enter and become responsible for what happens on it. There is no sense of dread. Perhaps some anxiety and tension, but a deep sense of excitement and possibility.

As the Lecturer accepts the candidates’ applications (signets), he explains, “An honest man is the noblest work of God… The first and highest object of our Order is to develop a  better and higher manhood and womanhood.” That’s not just something we do to and for others. It’s something we do to and for ourselves.

Any degree or ritual quotations are from the forty-seventh edition of the 2023 Subordinate Grange Manual or the most recent edition of the Pomona Grange Manual. The views and opinions expressed in “Exploring Traditions” are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official doctrine and policy of the Grange. Information about the book “Exploring Traditions—Celebrating the Grange Way of Life” can be found at http://wboomsma.com, on Mr. Boomsma’s Amazon Author Page, or by contacting the author.

Grange Heirloom – May 2026

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.

Degree Day Success

Five candidates from three Granges enjoyed experiencing the Four Degrees on Sunday, April 26, 2026. While we don’t have all the specific names and numbers yet, we should thank Androscoggin Pomona for making the day happen and Manchester Grange for serving as host.

Photo of candidates by David Colby Young

If we lacked quantity, we made up for it with quality. Quality not in the sense of a flawless delivery, but quality in the sense of “a good time was had by all.” It even seemed appropriate that the sun shone brightly on the backs of the harvest marchers.

I wish more people could hear the language of the degrees, it really is beautiful.

(Overheard)

With rare exception, most of those participating as officers relied on manuals or “cheat sheets.” Even those who have the language memorized are finding that the infrequency of Degree Days leads to forgetfulness. (Age has nothing to do with it, right?)

The ice cream store next to the Manchester Grange was nearly gridlocked as we experienced one of the warmest spring days this year. This led to speculation that ice cream, rather than apples, might be appropriate at the end of the Fourth Degree.

Degree Day Reminder!

The  Androscoggin Pomona Grange Degree Day at Manchester Grange is fast approaching! If you have candidates attending, please let Norma Meserve know!

Also, remember that candidates should bring a completed application.

Manchester Grange is located at 953 Western Avenue in Manchester, Maine

Grange Heirloom – April 2026

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.

The Grange: More Than a Place

By Walter Boomsma, MSG Communications Director

This article was published in the April 2026 Issue of the Guilford Register.

© 2026, Walter Boomsma

One of my greatest pleasures in life is attempting to explain the origins and purpose of this organization called “the Grange” to excited third graders as part of our “Words for Thirds” program. I start by attempting to determine what they already know about the Grange, and I’ll always remember the young girl who waved her hand enthusiastically and announced, “I was born there.”

It took a little thinking to realize she’d heard me say “LaGrange” – one of the small, rural communities here in Maine. Her answer was certainly amusing, but it was also insightful and telling. Like the organization she was learning about, she was proud of her roots and heritage. She announced her connection and kinship to LaGrange just as enthusiastically as I announce my connection to the Grange.

For those unfamiliar with it, the Grange, officially known as the Patrons of Husbandry, was founded in 1867 to revitalize American agriculture and foster a sense of belonging among rural families following the Civil War. By establishing local Granges, the organization provided a vital social hub that offered educational lectures, cooperative buying power to lower costs, and a rare space for men, women, and youth to participate equally. This focus on mutual aid and collective improvement transformed isolated farmsteads into tight-knit networks, cementing the Grange as a cornerstone of rural social life and civic engagement for over a century.

A sense of connection often attracts people to small-town rural America. But even small towns are experiencing a “social disconnect” as things like regional school systems and social media change the traditional model of community. We now have cell phones, tablets, and computers to stay “connected” with people – in many cases, people we rarely see and certainly can’t touch.

But beneath all the communicating, we still want to see people – to touch and be touched – and to feel a part of something. People will claim their families are going “in a million different directions” but not really consider why. Some of it must be the search for connections and a sense of belonging. At the Grange, families find unity, shared purpose, and a sense of community regardless of geographic boundaries. Being from “LaGrange” is not enough. Being from “the Grange” offers more.

The Grange, with its fundamental principles and practices, is one place where the entire family can not only be together but also feel connected to other like-minded people and families. The Grange’s rich heritage as an organization with shared values and missions remains relevant today. One hundred years ago, it was about farmers coming together and overcoming rural isolation. Today, it is about a larger and redefined community, but it is still about coming together and overcoming isolation.

In a study, psychologists McMillan and Chavis identified the four elements required for a “sense of community:” 1) membership, 2) influence, 3) fulfillment of needs, and 4) shared emotional connection. An in-depth study isn’t required to see how an active Grange contributes to those elements and builds a sense of community. From potluck suppers to community service projects, Grange members and friends feel a sense of kinship and demonstrate a cooperative spirit.

There are several crucial factors that distinguish the Grange from other civic and community organizations. The family orientation is one notable difference. Grange families find occasions when they don’t go in a million directions. Another is the diversity of programming and interests. The Grange offers social, economic, and educational benefits to all. You can’t be born there, but you can belong.

Home on the Grange

By Walter Boomsma

Guilford Register Logo
Originally posted in The Guilford Register Magazine in celebration of Grange Month.

One of my greatest pleasures in life is attempting to explain the origins and purpose of this organization called “the Grange” to excited third graders as part of our “Words for Thirds” program. I start by attempting to determine what they already know about the Grange, and I’ll always remember the young girl who waved her hand enthusiastically and announced, “I was born there.”

It took a little thinking to realize she’d heard me say “LaGrange” – one of the small, rural communities here in Maine. Her answer was certainly amusing, but it was also insightful and telling. Like the organization she was learning about, she was proud of her roots and heritage.  She announced her connection and kinship to LaGrange just as enthusiastically as I announce my connection to the Grange.

For those unfamiliar with it, the Grange, officially known as the Patrons of Husbandry, was founded in 1867 to revitalize American agriculture and foster a sense of belonging among rural families following the Civil War. By establishing local “Granges,” the organization provided a vital social hub that offered educational lectures, cooperative buying power to lower costs, and a rare space for men, women, and youth to participate equally. This focus on mutual aid and collective improvement transformed isolated farmsteads into tight-knit networks, cementing the Grange as a cornerstone of rural social life and civic engagement for over a century.

A sense of connection often attracts people to rural small-town America. But even small towns are experiencing a “social disconnect” as things like regional school systems and social media change the traditional model of community. We now have cell phones, tablets, and computers to stay “connected” with people – in many cases, people we rarely see and certainly can’t touch.

But beneath all the communicating, we still want to see people – to touch and be touched – and to feel a part of something. People will claim their families are going “in a million different directions” but not really consider why. Some of it has to be the search for connections and belonging. One reason every community needs a Grange is that folks are searching hard for a sense of community, and geographic boundaries no longer provide it. Being from “LaGrange” is not enough. Being from “the Grange” offers more.

The Grange, with its fundamental principles and practices, is one place where the entire family can not only be together but also feel connected to other like-minded people and families. The Grange’s rich heritage as an organization with shared values and missions remains relevant today. One hundred years ago, it was about farmers coming together and overcoming rural isolation. Today, it is about a larger and redefined community, but it is still about coming together and overcoming isolation.

In a study, psychologists McMillan and Chavis identified the four elements required for a “sense of community”: 1) membership, 2) influence, 3) fulfillment of needs, and 4) shared emotional connection. An in-depth study isn’t required to see how an active Grange contributes to those elements and builds a sense of community. From potluck suppers to community service projects, Grange members and friends feel a sense of kinship and demonstrate a cooperative spirit.

There are several important factors that distinguish the Grange from other civic and community organizations. The family orientation is one notable exception. Grange families find occasions when they don’t go in a million directions. Another is the diversity of programming and interests. The Grange offers social, political, economic, and educational benefits to all. You can’t be born there, but you can belong.

Complete Issue of the Guilford Register

ⓒ by the author

Exploring Traditions – March, 2026

Meandering Around the Grange Way of Life

By Walter Boomsma, Guest Columnist

To Degree or Not to Degree

As we approach what have become annual degree days, there’s an opportunity to give some thought to our heritage and tradition. If it’s not obvious, I admit to having a bias that moving away from the things that made the Grange successful and strong is not always in our best interest. But I’m also not unreasonable. As you may know, the degrees are no longer considered the only path to membership. I’m okay with that.

But it might be a mistake to imply that those degrees no longer have value. One potential challenge we have is the vocabulary we’ve fallen into when talking about them. We often ask questions like “Have you had the four degrees?” or “Have you taken the degrees?” That creates a somewhat passive approach that potentially limits our engagement in the degree work.

The degrees are not a product; they are a process. That process was created to help members learn the “lessons of the Grange.” One could rightly question whether or not the process is as effective as it was in the early years of the Grange, but the expression “don’t throw out the baby with the bath water” comes to mind. In recent years, the Grange has approved of alternative paths to membership, including an obligation ceremony. I’m not aware of any hard data, but I suspect the vast majority of new members are not experiencing (my preferred term) the traditional degree work.

If you’re among them, I’d ask you to wonder if you have missed something.

But I would quickly add that even if you experienced the degrees, you probably have missed something. I know I did! It is only after repeated exposure and study that the lessons of the Grange became clearer and more meaningful. We may think the degrees are no longer relevant, but the lessons they contain are perhaps more relevant and important than they were in the early days of the Grange. I have lobbied in the past for finding creative ways to offer those lessons—or even to reinforce them. (Imagine an online self-paced class!) That desire is actually the basis for “Exploring Traditions” columns. 150 years ago, oral instruction and symbolism were state-of-the-art teaching techniques. They are still valid, certainly. The key is to remember that those lessons are a process, not a product to hand out.

So, while opportunities to experience the lessons of the degrees are infrequent, they are no less valid or important. You might be surprised at what you can learn by participating or observing. One of the moments I remember from my first time participating happened in the Second Degree.

“We are now to teach you how to plant the seed. Behold these inanimate kernels of corn! But the germ has life—the future plant is there. We loosen the soil—we bury the seed; and in so doing impress upon our minds the truth of the immortality of the soul. There is no object in which, to appearance, life and death border so closely together as in the grains of seed buried in the earth; but when life seems extinct a fuller and richer existence begins anew.

From this little seed we have, first the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the ear. So with the mind, when duly nourished with Faith and Hope. But be not deceived! Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. Therefore sow such seeds, and so cultivate them, that at the Harvest the ripened grain may meet our Heavenly Father’s approval and be garnered in the Paradise above.”

In my mind’s eye, I can still see those seeds as the Master completing the motions and saying those words. “When life seems extinct, a fuller and richer existence begins anew.” How can I not like thinking about that?! Every end is a beginning.

Find a way to engage with the lessons of the degrees. You won’t regret it.

Any degree or ritual quotations are from the forty-seventh edition of the 2023 Subordinate Grange Manual or the most recent edition of the Pomona Grange Manual. The views and opinions expressed in “Exploring Traditions” are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official doctrine and policy of the Grange. Information about the book “Exploring Traditions—Celebrating the Grange Way of Life” can be found at http://abbotvillagepress.com, on Mr. Boomsma’s Amazon Author Page, or by contacting the author.

Grange Heirloom – March 2026

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.

Exploring Traditions – February, 2026

Meandering Around the Grange Way of Life

By Walter Boomsma, Guest Columnist

Dilemmas and Decisions

I confess to having recently watched several fictional movies about time travel. The science is interesting. The application is fascinating. When someone travels back in time, there’s usually a dilemma about whether to take an action that might alter the future. Seth Godin points out, “When you give people a choice, they make a choice.”

Traditions rarely happen deliberately. But the development of the Internet is one example of how traditions will change dramatically. For example, somewhere along the way, Grangers developed an interest in cooking and recipes. Consider how many Grange Cookbooks exist and notice that recipes continue to be a feature in the National Grange Magazine. It’s not just limited to Grangers. You can probably find a recipe box and several cookbooks in most homes today. That may not always be the case.

It may not matter how many cookbooks you have. If you can’t find (or don’t have) a recipe box, AI (artificial intelligence) can create a new recipe for you in just a few seconds. It may not be unique or have secret ingredients. Without getting too technical, it will create your recipe by analyzing and combining vast pools of information. Some will no doubt see this as good news. Others will see it as bad news. They’ll all be correct.

In a very real sense, this is one of the major challenges we face as an organization. No, not cookbooks and recipes, but balancing the old with the new.

 Old Hippie lyrics © Conexion Media Group, Inc.

We may not be time travelers to the past, but we have similar dilemmas and decisions. We are given choices and shouldn’t ignore them.

Time-travel movies often make the point that small changes can have big effects in the future. It’s true for both organizations and individuals.

An individual who decides to read for ten minutes every day is potentially altering his future, and if you appreciate the ripple effect, the future of others, and, literally, the world.

The Grange decided in 1867 to give women equal standing (at least in theory), full voting rights, and leadership positions. We can rightfully claim that those radical decisions contributed to women gaining the right to vote fifty years later.

While our crystal ball is often cloudy, it’s worth keeping an eye on it as we make decisions. It’s important for individuals and organizations to accept the idea that we can at least influence our future if not control it. As we travel through time, it might be fun to consider what the Grange Way of Life looks like in the future. The decisions we make and the actions we take will determine it.

“As we are again to separate, and mingle with the world, let us not forget the precepts of our Order. Let us add dignity to labor, and in our dealings with our fellow men be honest, be just, and fear not.

We must avoid intemperance in eating, drinking, and language, also in work and recreation, and whatever we do, strive to do well. Let us be quiet, peaceful citizens, feeding the hungry, helping the fatherless and the widows, and keeping ourselves unspotted from the world.”

Any degree or ritual quotations are from the forty-seventh edition of the 2023 Subordinate Grange Manual or the most recent edition of the Pomona Grange Manual. The views and opinions expressed in “Exploring Traditions” are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official doctrine and policy of the Grange. Information about the book “Exploring Traditions—Celebrating the Grange Way of Life” can be found at http://abbotvillagepress.com, on Mr. Boomsma’s Amazon Author Page, or by contacting the author.