Category: Grange Principle and Practice

Meandering Around the Grange Way of Life

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A Little Mind Boggling

By Walter Boomsma, Guest Columnist

In his June column, Phil Retberg offered, “The number of dairy farms in Maine has dropped from 5,100 in 1945 to 145 in 2023,” with the recommendation, “Ponder that.”

That is good advice.

Coincidentally, I’ve been exploring “The Grange: Friend of the Farmer, 1867 -1947” by Charles M. Gardner. It’s a difficult book to describe in a few sentences. I wouldn’t call it a “page turner,” because nearly every page offers something to ponder. Gardner offers insights not only into the organization but also encourages us to get inside the heads of early leaders. It truly qualifies as a “first-hand report” and includes information not often known by present-day members and leaders. Did you know, for example, that the order suffered a “near collapse in the late seventies?” (By the way, that refers to the 1870s. One of the errors of the founders was an over-estimation of the support the organization would receive.) An interesting theme develops around surviving and recovering from the near collapse. In a word, the Grange became about “usefulness.”

In that discussion, it is worth noting that the Grange “…proposed a way of life for the rural population (my bold), of unexplored but tremendous possibilities.”* (So now you know where the title of my book came from.)

One could conclude that the Grange achieved an apex in the mid-1940s, when this book was written. Since then, the number of dairy farms in Maine has “collapsed” substantially. In pondering that, it’s important to consider cause versus correlation. The tempting conclusion that the Grange’s decline is caused by the changes in agriculture and farming might be set aside to ponder “a way of life for the rural population.” How has rural life changed? And, perhaps more importantly, how has the Grange changed?

These are not easy questions to answer, but they are important. As an organization, we might do well to develop a better understanding of “the way of life” that the Grange has and continues to propose.

Another bit of trivia is found in “Friend of the Farmer” when you catch the fact that the Degrees are often referred to as “classes.” I have proposed membership with some orientation or catechism more than once. We have become too obsessed with the ritual, to the extent that we even claim it is a deterrent to membership. Creating an alternative “obligation ceremony” has made it easier and more convenient to join, but in so doing, we may have tossed out the baby with the bath water. We may be neglecting the proposed way of life and the tremendous opportunities it offers.

“Wise indeed were the Grange Founders who designed their new fraternity to meet this extreme need; with other objectives added in rapid succession, in response to the fast-changing demands of the times: some objectives no doubt undreamed of by that early band of wholehearted pioneers.

“Grange leaders may have partially missed this point, which appears to need firm implanting in the minds of all truly anxious to see the Order in its many-sided possibilities; certainly among those charged with present-day guidance of its affairs. The purposes of the Grange have not always been well expressed by its spokesmen; even at times maliciously misinterpreted by its enemies”*

We have plenty to ponder.

*Gardner, Charles M. Friend of the Farmer 1867-1947. National Grange. Kindle Edition.

The Kindle Edition of  “Friend of the Farmer” is available from Amazon, currently priced at $2.99.

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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.

Meandering Around the Grange Way of Life

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Growing the best fruit..

By Walter Boomsma, Guest Columnist

Many years ago, one of my consulting assignments included auditing the hiring process of a manufacturing company. That process included giving prospective employees a tour of the plant. I followed one of those tours, staying at the end of the line and observing.

One of those prospective employees would often reach down and pick up stray pieces of paper and trash on the floor. Based on my observation and recommendation, at the end of the tour, he was pulled from the group and hired on the spot.

Wherever you go, whatever your calling, aim to do good. Good deeds are ever fruitful of yet more good.

Lecturer to Candidates, Second Degree

It didn’t occur to me to ask if he was a Grange Member, but he could have been!

The second sentence of the lecturer’s instruction is a bit obtuse. Just prior to this advice, she asks the Assistant Steward if the candidates have been furnished with seed. The reply is that Ceres has provided corn and “enjoined” them to save the best for planting. The Lecturer notes that the candidates have been “guided by the lesson of faith.”

If we save the best seed for replanting, the harvest will increase. Doing good is much like planting seeds. Doing the most good produces even more good and that’s true regardless of who we are and where we are.

A candidate for employment picks up trash. He does some good and gets hired. He demonstrated that he aims to do good. His simple act demonstrates his potential as a good employee.

A candidate for membership in the Grange gets some good but simple advice. “Aim to do good.” It might be interesting if the lecturer were to ask each candidate to share an example of something good they have done. It shouldn’t be an intimidating question, although for some, doing good is instinctive and unconscious. The job candidate didn’t call attention to himself.

After receiving the Lecturer’s instruction, the Grange candidates move on to the Chaplain. The Chaplain reminds us “the springing seed teaches us to increase goodness…” and to “Do good, hoping for nothing in return, and your reward shall be great.”

This is not so complex or controversial. But in today’s society, where there is much complexity and controversy, a value of the Grange and Grangers is the demonstration of “doing good.”

A demonstration doesn’t have to be a protest.

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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.

Meandering Around the Grange Way of Life

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When Tradition Evolves…

By Walter Boomsma, Guest Columnist

An interesting bit of Grange Trivia is that during our early days, there was much disagreement when members started using the term “Granger” to describe members. Opponents noted strongly that we are “Patrons of Husbandry.” The conservative position was that the term “Grange” applied to the building where those patrons meet. Fast forward some decades. During a recent meeting at our hall, a visitor asked what the “P of H” stood for in our logo.

I just finished reading an excellent book called Brainscapes, written by Rebecca Schwarzlose. The sub-title, “The warped, wondrous maps written in your brain and how they guide you,” doesn’t quite do it justice. It’s a fascinating look into the neuroscience of our brains. Science suggests that, in many ways, our brains have a mind of their own. (Yes, I’m proud of that play on words.) As might be expected, there are some interesting observations regarding our brain’s evolution.

Last summer, when I learned to work with oxen, our instructor warned us that the first thing we’d have to do was convince the team we weren’t trying to kill them. Of course, he was explaining the avoidance of predators instinct remains firmly implanted in our oxen’s brains. That’s not a bad thing, but working with them requires an understanding of what and how they think.

We could say the same of human beings. We benefit from an understanding of what and how we think. A goal of books like Brainscapesis to create self-awareness and understanding.

Realizing that organizations are collections of human beings, we can broaden the term “evolution” to see how organizations change. Much like the biological term, those changes may be slow and triggered by environmental changes. Unlike biological evolution, the timeline is often much shorter. We went from being Patrons of Husbandry to being Grangers in 100+ years.

That early debate ultimately ended quietly. In retrospect, we could understand the change as a response to the environment. It’s much easier to say “I’m a Granger” than to say “I’m a Patron of Husbandry.”

In a larger sense, the debate continues. Consider, for example, the recent shift of officer titles. Those who favor “president” over “master” see this as “evolution” and a response to our changing social environment. Those who resist are concerned with what gets lost in the process. As is often the case, the odds are good that both sides are right and both sides are wrong.

Some would likely suggest that the Grange has evolved in a way that “Patrons of Husbandry” is no longer an accurate description. Yes, we are still “patrons” – people who provide support. But are we still supporting husbandry? Merriam Webster defines the word as “the cultivation or production of plants or animals, or the control or judicious use of resources.” So, while our focus on farming may be reduced, we are supporters of the “judicious use of resources.”

It’s easy to forget that change is as much about what we keep as what we abandon. If we learn the lessons of the Degrees, we are still very much interested in agriculture. But we’re not limited to elevating farmers. We also look to nature for the lessons it teaches us. In every sense of the words, we are Patrons of Husbandry.

Evolution happens gradually and often with a lack of critical thinking—it’s a reaction. Fortunately, humans have the ability to engage in higher levels of thinking. We can do more than react to changes in our environment and society. Perhaps unfortunately, society seems to be evolving at a rapid pace. (One interesting question Brainscapes raises is whether or not individuals are keeping pace with the evolution of society. Our brains are powerful organs, but not without limitations.)

We are rightly proud of the Grange’s survival as an organization. Whether or not we continue to survive and prosper will largely depend on how we evolve. While it’s important to adapt to our environment, it’s more important that we do so consciously and deliberately. Let’s not wake up some morning and discover we’ve lost what got us here.

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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.

Meandering Around the Grange Way of Life

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Which Tool Shall We Use?

By Walter Boomsma, Guest Columnist

“The spade we use when we wish to penetrate deeper into the soil than we can with the plow. It thus becomes the emblem of thoroughness. Whatsover you attempt to do, strive to do it well.” These are the words spoken by the master to the candidates during the First Degree, the degree of preparation. The master is, of course, describing the implements of the first degree—the ax, plow, harrow, and spade.

Each implement serves a different purpose when working the soil. And each implement represents a different application to what might be considered the Grange Way of Life.

The ax is “used to cut away obstructions…” and as we think about the repeated blows sometimes necessary to cut through the hardest wood we are reminded that “repeated trials surmount every difficulty.”

The plow is used to “break up the ground…” and might represent how we “prepare the mind for growth…” by plowing through the “heavy soil of ignorance.”

The harrow pulverizes the soil and covers the seed. In the instruction, the master suggests this is “emblematic of that course of study and observation necessary for you fully to understand…”

And the spade is used to “penetrate deeper,” suggesting the need for thoroughness. These implements are not just about the soil; they are about our minds and our work.

Grange language can be most interesting. When degrees are discussed there seems to be some diversity of vocabulary. We sometimes ask, “Have you received the degrees?” But I’ve also heard “Have you taken the degrees?” Less frequently the question is, “Have you been through the degrees?”

As a writer, I think words are important—including how we describe the degrees. If we turn to the degrees themselves, the most frequent word used to describe them is “instructed.” (Just prior to the portion of the first degree referred to here, the assistant steward says to the master, “…our brothers and sisters are prepared to receive your instruction.”) The degrees are not meant to be a passive activity. As candidates, we are instructed and we learn. Is it odd that we don’t say, “I’ve learned the degrees?”

The master’s use of these implements is very instructive and includes a lesson we should learn. When faced with life’s challenges, is it not logical that we might best begin by remembering that sometimes we need determination and a desire to keep trying. And early on we need to do some research, get some facts, and “plow through” our own ignorance. When we do so, we shouldn’t just skim the surface. Our goal should be to fully understand. So much so that we grab our spades and dig deep, making sure we are thorough in our quest.

Here’s an idea that might take a while to catch on… during our meetings when we discuss an idea or a problem, could someone suggest we use the implements of the First Degree during our discussion? Should we be using an ax, plow, harrow, or spade? All four are necessary. All four contribute.

Maybe a member will call out, “Hey! I’ve been instructed in the First Degree! I think we should use a spade here. Let’s make sure we’re being thorough and do this well!”

And perhaps before the meeting is over, we’ll remember the Lecturer’s instruction, “…while occupied in the work of preparing your lands for the seed, have faith in God’s promise that seedtime and harvest shall never fail…”

This month’s column was originally published in the book “Exploring Traditions—Celebrating the Grange Way of Life.”

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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.