While doing a
story about the Bainbridge Grange last week, I was surprised to
learn that none of the members in the newly-revived fraternal
organization were farmers.
I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised because a) there aren’t
many farmers left on Bainbridge and b) gardeners and local food
fans are increasingly the bulwark of the region’s most active
Grange halls.
With no honest-to-goodness, full-time farmers on the Grange’s
roster, just who is today’s “Granger”?
According to the Grange’s new secretary, John Steiner, the
Bainbridge membership (which has doubled in the last three months,
by the way) is made up, in part, by a cabinet maker, a real estate
manager, a software designer, advertising professional, a
restaurant owner, a community college professor and a few retirees.
Most are united by a love for home-grown food, rural know-how and
old-timey community events, like potlucks and square dances.
A wider array of members means the Grange is destined to offer a
wider array of services and host a wider array of events.
What events? Well, that’s really up to the members, whomever
they may be, Steiner said.
The Grange’s biggest event in several years was Sunday’s garden
fair, which was headlined by gardening book author and columnist
Ann Lovejoy.
“I don’t know that it could have gone better,” Steiner said on
Monday. “We made a good chunk in donations, got $500 by auctioning
off a raised (garden) bed, and signed up several new members.”
A couple local groups also inquired about renting out the hall
for meetings, he said.
If you’d like to get involved with the Bainbridge Grange, call
(206) 659-7197.
They have a website (www.bainbridgegrange.org), but it’s not
quite up and running yet. The national Grange’s website is HERE.
And if you haven’t seen my story, head over
HERE. There’s also a nice photo gallery by Larry Steagall.
