The 2017 Maine State Grange Agricultural Committee Report
Karen Hatch Gagne, Director
I have completed my first year as Director of the Maine State Grange Agricultural Committee. I want to especially thank Agnes and Bob for mentoring me through this first year of adventures. Secondly, I want to thank my 2016-2017 Agricultural Committee for their guidance, wisdom and assistance this year. They are: Shirley and William Hatch, Willie Grenier, Agnes and Bob Nelson, Sandra and Carl Moon, Eleanor and Rance Pooler, Susanne and Steve Verrill, Glenda and George Barker, Sharon Morton, James Rogers and our newest member Rebecca Wentworth.
Just a heads up the Maine AG in the Classroom Annual Meeting and Banquet will be Nov 2nd and you will be receiving a letter asking for your support for this event (serving dinner and providing pies).
The first event of the year was the Maine Agricultural Trade Show in Augusta in January. With the assistance of Sharon and Headquarters, Ag Committee members and wonderful grange Patrons we staffed the booth for 3 days. The Ag Committee Raffle basket (Valentine theme) donated by me, raised $85 toward our Ag Scholarship fund. Many stopped by our booth asking many questions and many interested in joining a grange in their area.
The AG Committee has put together a Maine made basket with lots of goodies made in Maine that will be raffled off at the Annual Convention in October.
On April 5th we hosted an Ag Luncheon for the Maine Legislators prepared and served by State Officers, Ag Committee members and Legislative Committee members and other willing grange members. A special thanks to all who prepared and served food and those who helped clean up following the event. A big thank you to all the donors of Salmon, apples, blueberries, potatoes, and all the pies. Another thank you to all who made and donated fudge for the Grange table in the Capital and those who talked with Legislators and shared the fudge. Thank you Rance for selling tickets for the Ag scholarship raffle at the luncheon collecting $102 that day.
Ag Scholarship raffle tickets were sold at the Ingraham Open House thank you Agnes and Bob Nelson.
The Committee received 9 scholarship applications this year and awarded 4 to very worthy recipients.
Bryce Coffin, Stockholm
Lexi Daggett, New Vineyard
Danielle Harris, Bath
Jessie Hutchinson, Wilton
I worked diligently with judges, grange members, and committee members to create guidelines (using the framework from Piscataquis Fair) for Fair Educational Exhibits. I worked with Sharon at State Headquarters to get information out to fair judges and all Maine Agricultural Fairs in preparation for the Fair Season. The Maine State Fairs are moving closer to the end of the season and I will collect data from them to use for making next fair season more productive. To date I have only received a few responses from our Agricultural Fairs regarding the placing of our Grange Exhibits. Once I have received all the forms I will share it with everyone. I want to send a special thank you to all our grange members who were judges this year.
The 2017 Outstanding Tree Farmer Winners are Pam and Bryan Wells who own 1050 acre woodland property in Milford and Greenfield.
The Maine State Grange booth has been set up thanks to Sharon and others who came to my rescue this week. Also many grange members are assisting in the Grange Store at Fryeburg Fair including Ag Committee members Agnes and Bob Nelson, Sharon and Henry Morton and Steve and Sue Verrill.
The Ag Committee is now working on the Maine AG in the Classroom Annual meeting to be held November 2, 2017. We will be prepping and serving the food to all MAITC participants. We will be looking for pies to serve that night and people to serve the meal. More information will be sent out on this.
As the Grange Annual Convention gets closer we are planning our Ag table with raffle items and silent auction. Hope to see you there. Reminder we have an Ag Luncheon on Thursday noon with Amber Lambke of Maine Grains located at the Somerset Grist Mill as our Speaker. Get your reservations in.
I am looking for people interested in joining and actively participating in our Ag Committee to support Agriculture. Let Master Rick know if you are interested in joining this state committee.
Finally I want to that my entire AG Committee for their commitment, generosity and expertise along with patience as I learn how this committee operates.