Patrons of Husbandry – a website dedicated to the Granges located in Maine
Submitted by Sharon Morton
Richard Harriman, former Steward of the Maine State Grange has undergone successful surgery. Cards of get well may be sent to Richard at his home address of 280 Kennebunk Road, Sanford Maine 04073.
As most know, Grange Friend Katherine studies and performs vintage songs of the Grange. After completing exhaustive research, Katherine has published an extensive history of Grange Songbooks and Sheet Music on her website. Where available, links to digital copies are provided, as well as more in-depth information. Like so much of Grange History, there is much color and a few surprises! Did you know, for example, that The Grange Polka was written by Frank Howards and published in 1874 by John Church & Co.?
On the introductory page, Katherine reminds us of one song that proclaimed the motto of the the Patrons was “Plow Deep.”
Bold monopoly and faction we’ll ever keep at bay
George Cooper
“Plow deep’s” the motto of the Patrons!
And dishonesty shall tremble when farmers clear the way,
“Plow deep’s” the motto of the Patrons!
Like many of the lessons of the Grange, a motto proclaimed in our early history and still applicable today!
We are grateful to Katherine for “plowing deep” and providing this labor of love. Not only do we learn a lot about Grange music, but her complete history provides insights into how the Grange worked many years ago.
By Walter Boomsma,
MSG Communications Director
207 343-1842
Communication Shorts are brief (short) but important items posted for your information and use. Send us your ideas and thoughts!
We’ve had a request for information regarding any 150th Anniversary Celebrations being planned. If it’s your Grange’s Year, let us know!
It’s too late for this year, but the town of Falmouth, Maine, is sponsoring an April Stools Day event (that’s not a typo). Volunteers will clear the Falmouth Community Park trails for spring (with special attention to dog waste). Trash bags and gloves will be available for participants. The event will have a party atmosphere and fun prizes.
We have at least one person seeking a ride to the NELC in June who is willing to share expenses. The conference is June 21-23 in Norwich, CT. If you are going and have some room, let’s see if we can create some connections!
The MSG website is easy to find and gets a lot of use! In the last seven days, 132 people visited the site after searching on Google. It really does make sense to submit your events and make sure your information is correct in the online directory! We especially need working email addresses that are checked regularly!
Submitting news can be as simple as a photo and “cutline.” A cutline is a brief description–longer than a caption–to accompany the photo. Let’s prove that the Grange is alive and well in Maine! (Photos should be submitted as an attachment to an email.) We get inquiries from people looking for active Granges!
(Before we leave March, don’t forget this weekend [March 23-24, 2024], is Maine Maple Weekend!) April is Grange Month, with celebrations throughout the month. Here’s some we know about!
Articles in this edition include:
Click the button below to read and/or subscribe to the Patrons Chain!
Note that all recent issues are available on the National Grange Website. Occasionally, a weekly issue isn’t sent, so the fact that one hasn’t been posted on the MSG website doesn’t necessarily mean we skipped it! You can double-check using the link (Read the Current Issue) above. Effective 2024, we will only maintain one year of issues on the MSG website.
The Parkman Grange has a busy spring planned, starting with its Daddy Daughter Dance on Saturday, April 13, 2024, from 6-8 PM. Young ladies are invited to attend with their dad or an important person in their life. D.J. Steve Boddy will spin tunes and have fun dance games with prizes. Light refreshments will be available. A keepsake photo will be taken to remember this special night. Admission is $5 per person at the door.
The popular Mother’s Day Tea will be on May 11, 2024 from 10 to noon. Kelly Brasier is the guest of honor. Tea sandwiches, sweets, and beverages will be served. Live entertainment and lots of door prizes make this a special occasion which has become a spring tradition for family and friends. Admission is $5 per person, under 5 free. Reservations are required at 207-717-6248.
Applications for the Minnie Bridge Scholarship are available at the Parkman Town Office or anytime on the bulletin board on the porch of Grange Hall. These $500 scholarships are for SAD #4 area, second-year higher education students. The deadline is July 12, 2024.
The Parkman Grange meets on the first Tuesday of the month at 5 PM at the Grange Hall. If you are interested in these and other community-based events, come join them; you don’t need to be a Parkman resident. The hall is located on the corner of State Hwy 150 and North Dexter Road in Parkman
Jonesboro Grange is recently featured on WABI-TV5. Watch the story online!
and don’t forget their Easter Basket Festival March 22-24, 2024!
By Walter Boomsma,
MSG Communications Director
207 343-1842
Communication Shorts are brief (short) but important items posted for your information and use. Send us your ideas and thoughts!
Get it here! Remember, the past few Bulletins are available for downloading and printing on the Program Books and Information Page. We also occasionally accept “guest posts” on topics of interest to Grangers. See the guidelines!
Have you placed your bids yet? (There’s a copy of Exploring Traditions available and it benefits a good cause!)
This isn’t going to be a quick fix! In the meantime, I’ve instituted a manual workaround and will be creating regular emails to subscribers. These won’t be daily and will be based on posting activity. Communication will not stop! It may be a little slower, though. Thanks for your patience.
The traditional resources (proclamation, sample press release, posters, etc.) are now available on the National Grange Website.
Check out the new Deering Grange Website! It’s great that another Grange now has an Internet presence.
Is it time for some spring cleaning? Can your hall and grounds become a community effort? Is there a local garden club that might help with landscaping?
“I find my greatest freedom on the farm. I can be a bad farmer or a lazy farmer and it’s my own business.”
Robert Frost
The world wants to hear about it! Fill out the simple I Love the Grange Form… it only takes a couple of minutes! Thanks to all who have shared so far!
“FOMO” is a Fear Of Missing Out. One strongly recommended treatment is to subscribe to the Maine State Grange Website. We’ll send you a daily summary whenever news and columns are posted, and we won’t share your email address with anyone!
Articles in this edition include:
Click the button below to read and/or subscribe to the Patrons Chain!
Note that all recent issues are available on the National Grange Website. Occasionally, a weekly issue isn’t sent, so the fact that one hasn’t been posted on the MSG website doesn’t necessarily mean we skipped it! You can double-check using the link (Read the Current Issue) above. Effective 2024, we will only maintain one year of issues on the MSG website.
By Brenda Dyer, MSG Community Service/FHH Director
(207) 608-9193
March is when Spring officially starts. We are on Daylight Savings Time, and the days have more daylight. Many have started seedlings for themselves, neighbors, or a community plant sale. Craft fairs are starting to spring up. EVERYONE is Irish for one day. The opportunities for community service are endless.
There are many services that will overlap with other Grange committees. Please make sure to include these in your report ( ie. The CWA committee may make a quilt to be used for a community service event.) This should be reported in the Community Service report under the event and the CWA report.
I am receiving some Coupons for the Coups for Troops. Keep sending them! Thank you Valley Grange and Lakeside Grange.
Family Health and Hearing
March Women’s History Month
17th ST. Patrick’s Day
30th National Doctor’s Day
April Grange Month
Maine State Grange is 150 years old as well as several Subordinate Granges.
Have an open meeting and invite the community to learn about the Grange. CELEBRATE!
Follow the National Grange Theme. Make sure to take pictures.
If you email me, please text me to let me know so it won’t go to spam and/or get deleted. Thank you. Happy Spring!