Patrons of Husbandry – a website dedicated to the Granges located in Maine
Whether you’re from Maine or enjoying a Maine getaway, mark your calendar for this (wild) new Maine tradition. Tour wild blueberry farms, pick (and nibble) wild blueberries at select locations, or try a new-to-you wild blueberry dish or drink.
Wild Blueberry Weekend is happening this summer in Maine (rain or shine)—how wild you get is totally up to you. Be sure to map out your adventure online here.
August 3-4, 2024
Sunday, July 28, 2024
Maine’s Open Farm Day is a statewide event started by Maine farmers and supporters in 1989. For more than 30 years, this premier agritourism event has been a way to raise awareness about farms and their importance to Maine. It is an opportunity to connect visitors to Maine farms so they may learn and see firsthand the care and effort to produce quality Maine farm products and ingredients year-round. Each site is different and offers visitors a chance to meet farmers and learn more about the role of farms across Maine.
Maine’s Open Farm Day allows visitors to explore host farms throughout the State on the fourth Sunday in July, rain or shine. Please visit RealMaine.com to learn more about this special invitation to see Maine agriculture where it happens, get tips for a good visit, and find a list of participating farms.
August 16, 2024, Mystic Valley Grange Open Meeting with light refreshments & entertainment. TIME CHANGE -Public Meeting 12 noon to 1:00 pm followed by Open House 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. in East Dixfield. Public invited. For more information, contact Nancy Farrington.
With data breaches on the rise, we wanted to take the time to remind you to stay vigilant against phishing attempts. Hackers use fraudulent practices to spoof people into giving up their data and or money. The most common technique is email phishing.
Hackers send messages that appear legitimate or look like they’re from someone you trust so that you engage with the message or click on malicious attachments. The National Grange will never ask for money, gift cards, emergency assistance or any financial transaction via email. It is very important to look at the details of any email to make sure it is in fact coming from the person you believe it to be. Two-factor authentication is enabled for all National Grange email accounts, which require a security code to be sent to the mobile phone of the National Grange President or staff member before allowing access.
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If something seems fishy…it’s probably phishing. Here are some tips to keep in mind to avoid falling victim and to protect yourself against these attacks. Double-check that the sender’s email address matches who they claim to be. National Grange communication from President Chris Hamp will use the email address champ@nationalgrange.org. Any other variation should not be trusted. Don’t click a link or download from someone you don’t know or weren’t expecting. Don’t reply to a suspicious email or message from an email you don’t recognize. When in doubt, call the person and ask if they sent the email. The “Reply” email address should never be different from the person you believe it to be. Be cautious of slight changes in the email address.
Webmaster’s Note: This is not limited to National Grange email, obviously! We’ve recently been experiencing similar issues here in Maine. Please be vigilant and cautious.
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!
The July Bulletin is now available for download and printing! You can find recent issues of the Bulletin on the Program Books and Information Page.
A page dedicated to the 2024 State Session is now available with preliminary information. This will be a work in progress!
We have made the 2024 National Grange Digest available directly from the MSG Website. It is listed in the National Grange Section of the Program Books and Information Page. This booklet will answer many of your questions regarding Grange Law and Practice.
The Educational Aid and Howes Nurses Scholarship information and application is now available on the Program Books and Information Page or this direct link. Note that the deadline for application is September 15, 2024.
We’ve added two new links to the site. One for “Troopons” and one for Maine Fair Information and Dates.
Check out the Senior Circle being hosted by Victor Grange! It’s a fairly simple way to get folks into your hall!
“Doing things is not the same as getting things done.”
Jared Silver
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!
August 16, 2024, 11 am
Senior Circle – a potluck for Seniors to get together with others for socializing, networking and a game or two. Held on the 3rd Friday of the month at 11 am. . FMI Deb 207-453-4844 or Sherri 207-815-0615. Victor Grange 144 Oakland Rd Fairfield Center. No Charge.
By Melissa Baldwin, Maine State Grange Lecturer
207 324-4661
After a successful North East Lecturers’ Conference, I am ready to gear up and start planning for next year’s Lecturers’ Contests. I will plan most of the same as in the past, along with any new ideas. I am planning a State Lecturers’ Conference for September 14, 2024, at Manchester Grange from 9 am until noon.
By Margaret Henderson, Director
Committee on Women’s Activities
207 948-2762
Wow! It doesn’t seem possible that this year is half over already!
I hope that many of you will be able to attend the CWA conference on August 24, 2024th at 9 am. The new booklet will include dates for next year’s events, new craft projects, and a few other changes.
The CWA committee met and discussed these things and all of us were in agreement on these things. We will talk about all of the changes at the conference. If you have any concerns, please plan to attend the conference.
I am looking forward to seeing all of the wonderful entries in the contests and to seeing many of you at the conference.
Please try to keep hydrated and stay cool in this humidity.
By Walter Boomsma
207 343-1842
Communications Director
I wonder if I’ll ever cease to be amazed by the number of scams being run on the Internet and Social Media. I can’t resist sharing this one because it might actually be considered funny.
So “Commander Kirkland” has reached out to “whom it may concern” with what might initially appear troubling news. He informs us “...you and your organization, that the Federal Law Enforcement agencies of the United States of America in conjunction with Interpol, the World Security Council and the United Nations Amnesty International Program, are announcing a series of arrests and investigations concerning various Religious and Social organizations using a psychological torture, and brainwashing technique known as a ‘forgiveness tatoo’.
I’m reminded a bit of the old joke “You know it’s not going to be a good day when you find the Sixty Minute News Team waiting for you at the office.”
By the way, “forgiveness tattoos”(spelled correctly) are a real item readily found on the Internet. I don’t pretend to fully understand their value, but as far as I can see, they aren’t about brainwashing or torture.
“What is the scam?” you ask. I don’t know, I didn’t fall for it. But I suspect the first step was to get me to reply to the email. It’s interesting that a Federal Law Enforcement Commander is using a Gmail address. I’ll admit, I almost did reply out of curiosity.
You can fool some of the people some of the time and all of the people some of the time, but you can’t fool all of the people all of the time.
Attributed to Abraham Lincoln.
The updated version is
You can fool enough people some of the time to make a decent living.
Unknown
Just don’t be one of those people. And, perhaps more importantly, don’t let these attempts get you down. Think of them as an opportunity to demonstrate how smart you are. Just slow down and think! Wouldn’t you think a high-ranking federal law enforcement official would (among other things):
No worries. Now, if you see the CNN News Team standing in front of the Grange Hall…