Exploring Traditions – June, 2024

Meandering Around the Grange Way of Life

Owner or Steward?

By Walter Boomsma, Guest Columnist

A dairy farmer recently shared his thoughts and feelings regarding his favorite cow, Judy. A terminal illness meant a tough decision on his part. Explaining that decision, he observed, “ I do not own these cows. I am their steward.” He added that meant he was obligated to decide in the best interest of Judy and not on what he thought, felt, or wanted.

“It is required in Stewards that they be found faithful.”

Opening statement when installing the office of Steward

A simple definition of “steward” is one who manages the property of others. So we could rightly ask the Installing Officer, “To whom am I expected to be faithful?” The remainder of the charge given by the installing officer describes the steward’s obligation to the overseer, to “new workers,” and to “keep safely and in proper order the property of the Grange,” noting, “It requires good judgment on your part.” That might be an understatement.

I often visit a local dairy farm where we buy our milk—not quite directly from the cows, but from their steward. But I do get to pat the girls and scratch them under their chins. If the steward happens to be around, we talk about them and sometimes talk to them. I learn a lot. He describes himself as their caretaker. And, while we might be guilty of anthropomorphizing a bit, we are both convinced they trust his care. He points out, “They’ve got it made.” It seems to be a “good deal” for everyone. The milk they give is amazing!

Just maybe that epitomizes stewardship. I shared with him an Amish Proverb. “If you don’t help with the milking, you’ll forget the cows’ names.”

A few years ago, there was a movement (I don’t know where it started) to stop Grangers from saying “my Grange.” I suppose it was a well-intended effort to stop implying ownership. “It’s not your Grange; it belongs to everyone.” Personally, I never had a problem with the words. What’s critical is what we do, not what we say. If a farmer wants to call them “my cows,” that’s okay as long as he or she remembers it’s about stewardship and practices accordingly. Words don’t mean; people give meaning to them. If you tell me about your Grange, I am willing to assume that you live as a steward of it.

The Grange Way of Life is ultimately that of stewardship. During the Second Degree, the Chaplain reminds the candidate for membership, “In no other occupation does a man’s daily labor bring him into such close companionship with the Great Creator as in the cultivation of the soil. Therefore, guard against selfishness. If thine enemy hunger, feed him. Do good, hoping for nothing in return, and your reward shall be great. Love one another.

Love and stewardship are not always easy. One of the most memorable lessons of the degrees for me personally happens in the First Degree, when the Master displays a few kernels of corn and says, “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.”

Are you (in your Grange and in your life) helping with the milking? Do you know the cows names?

Any degree or ritual quotations are from the forty-sixth edition of the 2013 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.

View from the Farm – June 2024

Webmaster’s note: The format of this column includes all of the Quill’s Endians participating at various times and in various ways! Phil writes this month’s column.

The Farmstead Root Cellar in June

There are many things that we do on small farms that seem logical to us, but are not necessarily logical to commodity farmers. Alongside the enterprises that earn us money, we homestead. We keep a garden, fruit trees, and cane fruits for our own larder and to share with friends. We tap maple trees to boil sap and sweeten our mornings.

There are certain things that resonate with any food grower. The excitement of the first fresh greens, the sun-warmed first tomatoes, the crisp, tangy bite of an apple while you stand beneath the tree.

Since we eat seasonally, these are things we don’t enjoy all year round, but we can extend that excitement pretty far.

We have been eating a lot of potatoes recently. We do love potatoes, but there is also an urgency for consumption this time of the year. Our supply, while holding out in quantity, is slowly degrading in quality. Today, for our second meal with potatoes in it, I uncovered our last half-bushel. I’m fairly certain that these are not potatoes of unusual size, but after fishing through the dregs of the last container for every last usable spud, they seemed like whoppers to me. A two-bite home fry! The excitement of the last of the potatoes will soon give way to the longing for new potatoes with firm crisp flesh, but for now a gigantic, medium-sized potato will do very well. 

As we were relishing our good fortune, Benjamin related a story about a farming friend of his eating apples in June. Wrinkly, soft fleshed June apples from your own farm! Nothing better, until…

Heather and Phil Retberg and their three children run Quill’s End Farm, a 105-acre property in Penobscot that they bought in 2004. They use rotational grazing on their fifteen open acres and are renovating thirty more acres from woods to pasture to increase grazing for their pigs, grass-fed cattle, lambs, laying hens, and goats. Heather is Vice President of Halcyon Grange #345 and writes a newsletter for their farm’s buying club of farmers in her area and has generously permitted us to share some of their columns with Grangers. Visit the Quill’s End Farm Facebook Page for more information.

Beans, Beans…

Jon Thurston writes, “I belong to a group dedicated to preserving heirloom seeds in Maine. We are planning a large bean supper this fall and were wondering what the favorite bean varieties were in each county for traditional bean suppers. Any information you may have would be appreciated.”

While this isn’t exactly the data we collect or have available on the website, it is an interesting question! Feel free to comment here or contact Jon directly!

Ag Committee Report – June 2024

By Roberta Meserve, MSG Ag Director
(207) 998-3857

It feels like summer weather has arrived. I hope you all have had a successful planting season and that the weather cooperates to give your seeds and seedlings a good start.

As you planted, did you put in an extra row (or at least a plant or two), to share with others, or for your Grange’s fair exhibit?

If your Grange lacks the people power or items for a full Ag or Domestic fair exhibit, consider an Educational Fair Exhibit. These can give your Grange exposure and presence at the fairs but can be done with fewer items and workers. Check with your local fairs to find out the size and shape of the exhibit space, and get ready to educate the fair visitors about Grange and agriculture.

The MSG Ag Department Handbook, which is available on the MSG website, contains rules, guidelines, suggestions, and scoresheets for all fair exhibits.

Remember to support your local farm stands and Farmers’ Markets, and enjoy all the wonderful, fresh treats that summers in Maine provide us.

Grange Today! 6-14-2024

The Newsletter of the National Grange

Articles in this edition include:

  • Welcome to Grange Today!
  • Florissant Designated “Purple Heart” Community
  • Survey of Agricultural Industry
  • Local EMS, Fire Companies Treated and Thanked
  • “Hands Busy and Hearts Happy” as Grange Rediscovers Joy of Community Service
  • Virginville Celebrates Community Open House
  • Celebrating a Golden Sheaf Member
  • June’s Grange Heirloom
  • Distinguished Grange Applications Due Soon
  • Grange Store & Benefits

Click the button below to read and/or subscribe to the Patrons Chain!

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Note that all recent issues are available on the National Grange Website. To save space, we only post the table of contents on the MSG Website.

CWA Report – June 2024

By Margaret Henderson, Director
Committee on Women’s Activities
207 948-2762

Committee on Women’s Activities

I wish that we could have a whole day with no rain.

We had a great turnout for the yard sale on the 1st. Thank you to everyone who supported the CWA table.

I hope that many of you are working on items for the contests. It is awesome to see all of the amazing talent that we have in the wonderful State of Maine!

I am looking forward to seeing many of you at the 150th anniversary celebration at State Grange Headquarters on June 29th.

Hope you are all staying healthy and safe.

Membership Moments – June 2024

By Rick Grotton,
Membership Committee Director
207 582-5915

This month, we will go into more depth on this important part of gaining membership. Doesn’t it seem like almost everyone you ask about Grange has never heard of it or has heard of Grange but knows nothing about it? Many will tell you they had a relative who belonged a while back or some will say they briefly belonged but no more. However, they cannot define Grange. This is really sad. Who will join an organization they know nothing about or have just heard about? I knew nothing about Grange when I joined, but I found out there were many Granges in my area at the time. I’m sure these Granges were active with meetings and events posted in the papers, but like most people, I did not pay attention because it wasn’t something that interested me, or nobody had spoken to me about Grange.  With membership levels elevated at the time and the number of Granges around, how come we still knew nothing about Grange? Sure, they advertised public suppers and dances, but was that enough? Evidently not. Some of the mentioned Granges are still active; however, some of those that closed did not hold membership drives or lost interest even with a good number of members. 

 Each community with a Grange should know what is happening within it’s walls at all times. In Chelsea, we have been organizing public events, involving the community, getting involved in community events, showing up at town meetings, getting involved with the schools, and educating our citizens. We are a small but lively group and I am very happy to be a member of this Grange. It is up to us and all members around the state to educate others on our colorful past and important part of American history not recorded in any history books from schools.

I had belonged to other well-known organizations, such as the Knights of Columbus and the Jaycees, and appreciated their work and efforts. Of course, we have all heard of the Lions Clubs, the Elks, the Odd Fellows, the Masons, and other community organizations such as 4H. But why not the Grange? With our longevity and colorful past, it should be known to all. Today, the Grange is still an important organization for farmers and communities alike. We need to band together to show that we still exist and are there to help. Just holding public suppers and bingo is not enough. We need to grow and need members to carry on our work and traditions. So be visible, educate, and be proud of our worthy organization called the Grange. I am.

Fraternal Concern — Rolf Staples, Sr.

Submitted by Walter Boomsma, MSG Communications Director

It is my sad duty to inform you that Rolf Staples Sr. passed away on June 10, 2024, following a long illness. Rolf was a member of Bangor Grange and Old Town Grange, where he held numerous offices, including Master/President.

Rolf served as Deputy of the North Penobscot Pomona from 2006 to 2009 and on the Maine State Grange Membership Committee. He led numerous Degree Days and an Officer Installation Team. He and his wife Anne supported Granges in the area, including the Piscataquis Pomona. Rolf’s knowledge and understanding of “the Grange Way” was deep, and he truly loved the Grange. When Rolf said, “for the good of the Order,” you could trust it.

Cards of condolence and encouragement should be mailed to Anne Staples, 487 Grandview Avenue, Apt 202, Bangor, ME 04401

A service is scheduled on Sunday, June 23, 2024, at 1:00 pm, at the Essex Street Baptist Church in Bangor. A complete obituary is available here.

May the example of our Brother inspire us to persevere and
when we are called to lay down our implements here on earth, may we be reunited with all our Brothers and Sisters who have labored in His glorious cause. May we enter the Paradise not made with hands, eternal in the heavens and receive that welcome plaudit: “Well done, good and faithful servant.” We remember our Brother not as one dead – but as one gone on before us through the gates, where dwells the Great Master of us all.

Adapted from the Subordinate Grange Manual, 2023

Communications Column – June 2024

By Walter Boomsma
207 343-1842
Communications Director

What are we doing? 

“Multimedia” is defined as “the use of a variety of artistic or communicative media.” Most often, it is associated with technology and audio-visual activity. A recent question received on the website suggests we might do well to think a bit beyond that. It was probing enough to deserve repeating and providing at least a general answer. You can read both the question and answer here.

One aspect of the question that made it important is that the asker has been “thinking about ways to give back to my community.” That drove her to become curious about the Grange Halls’ main functions today. As someone who can be a bit obsessive over communication, that drives me to wonder how we answer that question. In multimedia terms, we are answering it, but are we answering it accurately and completely?

The questioner had obviously perused the site some. She noted that there was a lot of information about the history of the Grange, but not much about the purpose of the Grange today. She had clearly seen the scholarships page and noted that Granges hold public suppers to raise money. I understand that but I also find it a bit troubling. I hope the Granges across our state are doing more than raising money by holding potluck suppers.

I’m familiar with a Grange that had a great public supper program. People came from miles around to eat well every month. Sometimes, they ran out of food, and most times, there was a line to get in. That Grange is now closed. A simple analysis suggests that offering good meals at an affordable price isn’t enough to create a sustainable Grange. It will draw customers, but workers are hard to come by. When we get them, they will tire quickly and start asking, “What’s the point?”

How do we use our Grange halls? It’s not just about the building—it’s about our identity and purpose. And it’s not just about our identity and purpose, it’s how we communicate them. Most people have heard the expression, “What you’re doing shouts so loud I can’t hear what you’re saying.”

I was sitting in a potluck supper one evening before a meeting. There was a noise in the front lobby. A member went to investigate and discovered a child adjusting her shoe while two adults looked on. (She’d picked up a stone during the walk.) The adults explained that they lived nearby and often went for a walk past the Grange Hall and it was usually dark and empty. They wondered what it was all about. They were invited in to warm up and join us for dinner. They had already eaten but were hungry for information. Once they learned what our Grange was about and why we were there, they couldn’t wait to join.

Our dark and usually vacant Grange Hall was not communicating well because most of what we are about and what we do doesn’t happen in the hall. It happens in the community. There are also Granges that are busy hosting community events and occupied often. It’s not that one or the other is right. It’s that what we do communicates. We need to find ways to accurately and adequately communicate. Getting people into the hall does not necessarily equate to getting people into the Grange. Conversely, getting people into the Grange does not necessarily equate to getting them into the hall. Every Grange has members who do not attend meetings but are a big help with the “labors of the day.”

“Doing” is an important word. Our communication must be about what we are doing—not just what we used to do. We rightly value our heritage and history. Consider for a moment local historical societies—there is a huge emphasis on history, but the point of the society is to preserve history. A historical society gets supported and joined because of what it is doing. We live in the present tense—or at least we are supposed to!

One of the communication challenges we face with describing “what the Grange does” is the amount of diversity. It is both a weakness and a strength. Asking people to read the “Declaration of Purposes” is not a practical answer. Show and tell works. It’s often called “Show and Share” these days with good reason.

Let’s share more about what the Grange is doing and why. People DO want to know. And many would like to help and be part of doing the right things for our communities.

► FACT: So far this year, our biggest month was March when nearly 800 people the MSG Website!

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Junior Report – June 2024

By Betty Young
Terry LaCombe
MSG Junior Co-Directors

Thank you all for the cards, prayers, and get-well wishes. I took my rest seriously, and I am slowly getting back into the swing of things.

Maine State Junior Grange will meet at Headquarters in Augusta on the 29th of June, 2024 to celebrate Maine State Grange’s 150th Sesquicentennial. (1874-2024) We all look forward to participating. If you have a Junior Member and are interested in joining us on this day, please contact someone on our committee. Please find our schedule below.

  • 11:30 am Leaders will arrive. Set up, photo releases, discuss July and get ready for noon.
  • 12:00 pm Pizza lunch for Junior’s and families. Refreshments will be available between 1 pm and 4 pm. Many thanks in advance to the 150th Sesquicentennial Committee.
  • 12:30 pm Go upstairs, practice song, and check for Junior seats.
  • 1 pm Rest/Craft/Discuss July’s meeting.
  • 1:30 pm Outside to practice song/yard game before going upstairs. The bank will be closed. However, we will need to proceed with caution and depends on weather.
  • 2:00 pm Start heading upstairs for the program.
  • 2:30 pm Program starts. You can leave anytime after we sing or stay to visit.

*PLEASE NOTE: This schedule will be followed as closely as possible but may be altered if needed.

We have a fun summer and fall planned:

July- “fun in the sun” and we won’t forget the sunscreen! We will discuss this during the June meeting.

August 3rd-5th – Jr Grange Camp will be in the southern part of the beautiful state of Maine.

You don’t have to be a Junior Grange member to attend. We will teach you all about Junior Grange. Parents are welcome/encouraged to stay with your children if you would like. A background check is necessary. Big E Craft.

Sept 21st- Headquarters (Get ready for State session)

Oct- Meeting is State Session.

We will send the song and other details to each Junior family via email. We look forward to seeing each and every one of you.

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