Tag: Grange Advocacy

Fact Sheet for Beginning Farmers

University of Maine Cooperative Extension has released a new fact sheet to support individuals who are starting farm enterprises, an effort that often comes with a steep learning curve.

Bulletin #1215, Avoiding Common Mistakes of Beginning Farmers outlines the challenges often faced by new farmers and offers research-based guidance to help growers and producers reduce risk and build a strong foundation for long-term farm success. Topics include developing a business plan, assessing land and soil resources, evaluating equipment needs, establishing recordkeeping systems and identifying markets. The fact sheet is intended for aspiring and early-career farmers seeking practical information to inform decision-making during the startup phase of farm operations. The publication is available free of charge on the Cooperative Extension Publications webpage. For more information or to request a reasonable accommodation, contact Nicholas Rowley at 207.778.4650 or nicholas.rowley@maine.edu.

Grange Heirloom – June 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.

Mill Stream Grange Visits School

Kindergartners Start Farming

Recently, Mill Stream Grange members Jill Sampson, Lisa Goucher, and Paula Hanley visited teacher Melanie Hall’s kindergarten class at Mt. Vernon Elementary School to share information about the Grange and farming.  Each child was given a new book titled “Farming” by Gail Gibbons, a coloring book on farming, and animal stickers. Jill read “Farming” to the students, then Lisa and Paula helped each of them to plant sunflower seeds, which were placed on the windowsill in the sun.  

Mt Vernon Kinders had fun learning
Jill reads to future farmers.
Jill reads to future farmers
The farmers’ tools and future crops

Farming by Gail Gibbons is a popular nonfiction children’s book that uses clear, colorful illustrations and diagrams to explain the year-round work on a farm, from planting and harvesting crops to caring for animals and dealing with seasonal changes. An updated edition includes new safety equipment and procedures, making it an engaging and educational resource for young readers (ages 4-8) about agriculture, tractors, and where food comes from. It is available from Amazon.

What’s not to love about Jill’s apron? “Romaine Calm and Carrot On.”

Emergency Relief Fund:

 Supporting Those Impacted by the Searsmont Lumber Mill Explosion

On May 15th, a devastating fire and explosion occurred at the Robbins Lumber mill in Searsmont, Maine, after crews responded to a fire in one of the mill’s silos. The incident prompted a mass-casualty response involving multiple fire departments, first responders, emergency agencies, and hospitals across Maine. Firefighter Andrew Cross tragically lost his life, at least 11 individuals were injured, and several people remain in serious and critical condition following the explosion. 

Many individuals, families, firefighters, and first responders are now facing the physical, emotional, and financial impacts of this tragedy. Recovery from injuries, time away from work, travel for medical care, funeral expenses, and other unexpected hardships may place significant strain on those affected in the days and weeks ahead. 

The Maine Strong Memorial Foundation has launched this designated Emergency Relief Fund to support the confirmed individuals and families impacted by the Searsmont lumber mill explosion. This fund will help provide immediate financial relief during this difficult time. 

The Foundation is continuing to work directly with Town of Searsmont officials, local contacts, community representatives, and affected families throughout the campaign in a collaborative and unified effort to help confirm impacted individuals, coordinate support efforts, and ensure funds are distributed responsibly and transparently as additional information continues to emerge. 

As part of this effort, the Maine Strong Memorial Foundation will also provide up to an additional $1,000 in support for each confirmed individual directly impacted by this tragedy, including the family of firefighter Andrew Cross. 

100% of all donations made through this campaign will go directly toward supporting the confirmed individuals and families impacted by this tragedy.

More information and to donate

Maine Senior FarmShare Program

AUGUSTA – The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry’s (DACF) Maine Senior FarmShare Program (MSFP) will soon begin enrolling participants for the 2026 season. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Maine Senior FarmShare Program, which has helped connect older adults with fresh Maine-grown produce, cut herbs, and honey while supporting local farms across the state.

Enrollment for the 2026 season will open on June 1, 2026.

Interested older adults may complete an online application on the MSFP website. This application includes a menu that lists farms by county, so they can select the farm they would like to enroll with in MSFP. An applicant can choose a farm in any county, regardless of where they live. Applicants will receive immediate email notification indicating whether they are eligible or ineligible.

Ocean View Grange Helps with Flags

Ridge Church Cemetery with flags placed for Memorial Day
Along with the local American Legion, several Grange members volunteered to help place American Flags on the Grave markers for veterans at the Ridge Church cemetery in St George, Maine.  This is a very moving and rewarding duty.

Click it or Ticket!

Reprinted from an e-newsletter by Maine Senator Stacey Guerin, District 4.

The Maine Bureau of Highway Safety (BHS) announced the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s “Click It or Ticket” seat belt education and enforcement campaign began May 11 and will run through Sunday, May 31. The campaign, which coincides with the Memorial Day holiday weekend, will involve Maine State Police and local agencies across the state.

There have been 23 motor vehicle occupant fatalities in Maine so far in 2026. Of those, 13 (57%) were unbelted. Nationally in 2024, 9,758 passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes were not wearing seat belts.  Among the young adult (18-34) passenger vehicle occupants killed in 2024, 59% were unbuckled— one of the highest percentages for all age groups.

Seat belt violations became a primary traffic infraction in Maine in 2007 and carry a fine of $50 for the first offense, $125 for the second offense and $250 for the third and subsequent offenses. BHS said participating law enforcement agencies are taking a no-excuses approach and will be writing citations day and night. BHS also reminds drivers that child passengers must be restrained with smaller children secured in a safety seat that fits their weight, height and the vehicle in which it is secured. For more information or tips on properly securing a child safety seat, visit their webpage

Memorial Day, 2025

Enjoy this holiday weekend. But don’t forget to remember.

“Having fun honors them. They died so we could.”

Walter Boomsma, Memorials, Monuments, and Memories

flowers on a tombstone
Photo by RDNE Stock project on Pexels.com

A Strange Coincidence!

This is just too weird not to share. I have been working diligently on a book titled “Memorials, Monuments, and Memories” to release it in time for Memorial Day this year.

My cover illustrator is located in another country. It was interesting trying to describe to her what the cover image should look like. About the time she finished the front cover illustration, Jill Sampson of Mill Stream Grange submitted photos of their members placing flags on veterans’ graves in Vienna, Maine (in this country).

Mill Stream Grange
Walter’s Book Cover

The similarities are a little uncanny. Maybe I should have waited and used the Mill Stream Photo!

There is a bit of a Grange connection. A huge thanks to Larry Bailey of Ocean View Grange for his generous permission to use his artwork on the back cover. It’s great to “bump into” good Grangers on “Main Street America!”

Memorials, Monuments, and Memories is a collection of personal essays and reflections spanning more than a decade of Memorial Days, Veterans Days, and moments of quiet civic remembrance. Drawing on childhood memories of small-town parades, a father’s honor guard, and the family cemetery plot, author Walter Boomsma weaves together the personal and the universal — exploring what it truly means to honor the fallen, keep faith with the past, and celebrate our shared humanity. From the red poppies of Flanders Fields to a weathered “Baby” gravestone in rural Maine, these pages remind us that remembrance is not about loss — it is about love, legacy, and the living obligation we carry forward.

The book is on sale! Ordering information is available here.

New England Fairs Memo

The Maine State Veterinarian’s office is sharing an important memo about animal health rules for the 2026 New England fair and show season. Please review the New England Fairs Memo (PDF).

This memo explains new guidance related to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) and how it may affect animal exhibitions this year.

Key points include:

  • Some poultry and waterfowl shows may be delayed, limited, or canceled.
  • Cattle from states with HPAI cases should not attend New England fairs.
  • Strong biosecurity practices are expected for all animals.
  • Rules for Certificates of Veterinary Inspection (OCVIs) for the 2026 season.

For more information about animal health at fairs and events, visit the Animal Health program’s Fair Information webpage.