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Milk with Dignity, Migrant Justice and a farmworker speaks

April 22, 2021 by Tova

Grange Notes by Tim Swartz, Grange President (with everyone’s help), April 20, 2021

“Re-opening” the Grange:  ideas for food and celebration

      At our last meeting, the small but select group of Grange members that attended via Zoom continued discussions that started in March, about ways to safely celebrate the improvements in vaccinations and–eventually–to raise our profile in the wider community.
One idea with a fair amount of traction is to sponsor a coffee-and-baked-goods “cafe” for vaccinated folks, which we’re calling the “Two-Shot Cafe”.   This would be a weekly event staffed by (vaccinated) volunteers at the Hall, offering fresh coffee and pastries baked by volunteers to Central Vermont citizens who have had their 2 shots and 2 week “recovery” periods.    Want to take part?  Contact me:  Tim Swartz, at:   swartztim15@gmail.com.  We are not planning to charge for the goodies, but will accept donations!
We also would like to plan an outdoor get-together for Grange users (previous renters, and anyone else who is interested), tentatively scheduled for early August, by which time we hope that COVID infection rates will be considerably reduced in VT.    We’ve talked about having demonstrations of the talents of Hall renters, like dancers and singers, plus maybe a “bouncy-house” for kids, and barbecuing, and potluck food.   Our goal is to remind the public of all the good things that happen at the Hall, as we hope to be opening up to more events by then.
We also need to plan a Grange Clean-up party to get ready for more users to be in the Hall:  washing windows, cleaning the lights, vacuuming the carpets in the foyer, stairway and basement, cleaning and weeding the flowerbeds, etc.   We can do this while maintaining “physical distance” spacing, and wearing masks, as VT still deals with relatively high COVID infection rates.   Join us to help us plan–or let us know by you’re interested by emailing me at the address above.

We’ll be talking more about these ideas at the Saturday, May 1st Grange Meeting, from 4:30 to 6:00.  We will need to look at the public health situation and figure out details–and what group of Grange members and friends will be in charge of planning.   Put this on your Calendar!

The farmworkers who help keep VT dairy farms:  collective action and one man’s story

       Our Grange Lecturer, Carl Etnier put together another agriculture-focused Grange Program for our April 3rd get-together.  He showed 2 videos from Migrant Justice, about their “Milk with Dignity” campaign, through which we learned about the impact that can come from workers uniting with public support, to provide more humane standards for farmworkers.  Then, in a live interview and question period with Arturo, who works on a Central VT dairy farm, we learned one of the personal stories that take place behind the collective story of “immigrant farmworkers in Vermont”.
The first and longer video “Milk with Dignity” told the story of the Migrant Justice organization of VT immigrant farmworkers, and the development of their campaign for major milk-buying corporations to require fair treatment of the workers who produce the milk they buy.  The model was a worker-led social-impact certification campaign called the “Fair Food Program”, developed in Florida by the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW).  It’s designed to “Harness the power of consumer demand to give farmworkers a voice in the decisions that affect their lives, and to eliminate the longstanding abuses that have plagued agriculture for generations.”   The CIW educated consumers about the labor conditions behind the food they eat, and asked them to put pressure on the agribusinesses selling that food to commit to a “Fair Food Certified” code of conduct.  The “Fair Food Standards Council” was set up as a third-party monitoring organization to watch over the actual effects on the farmworkers.
Migrant Justice built a similar campaign for VT farmworkers, with a worker-led group developing the “Milk with Dignity Code of Conduct” for how farmworkers must be treated, tied to a premium on the price of milk to be paid by corporations who join the campaign, to farmers who also join, and commit to following the Code of Conduct.  The money from the premium gets shared between the farmers and the workers to increase the income of both.  There are many more requirements for safe housing and working conditions, plus fair and transparent wage policies.  You can learn more about the details on the Milk with Dignity Code of Conduct website.
The video told about the extremely long hours commonly demanded of workers on some farms, with poor living conditions, high rates of worker injuries, withheld wages and other abuses, before the Milk with Dignity campaign began in 2015.  The film had images of the housing problems, and interviews with farmworkers telling their stories.
The next video, “Impact of Milk with Dignity” took up the story, telling about the first major victory of the campaign, getting Ben & Jerry’s to sign the “MD” contract.   Now, about 65 farms in VT and NY are covered, and over 250 farmworkers are protected by the Code of Conduct.  Annual audits of all farms by the MD Standards Council enforce compliance with the Code; workers have access to a 24/7 worker support line, as well.  Farmers who own these farms receive premiums on the milk price for sales to Ben & Jerry’s, and share the additional income this provides with workers.
Since signing up Ben & Jerry’s, Migrant Justice has been focusing on the Hannaford supermarket chain, another major purchaser of milk in New England.  You can visit the MigrantJustice.net website to learn about this campaign, and how consumers can take part.

After watching the films, Carl introduced us–via Zoom of course–to Arturo, an immigrant farmworker in Central VT.  Arturo told us some of his story, and then answered some questions.   He is pleased to now be working for a farmer who pays fair wages and provides good working conditions–especially since he has experienced much worse.
Arturo came to the Vermont about 10 years ago, after growing up and working on cattle ranches in Mexico. owned by relative.   One of his brothers had already come here, and sent back word that there was work here for people with experience working with cows.   He paid about $5,000 to smugglers who helped him get here.  His first job was at a farm which required workers to start milking the approximately 330 cows at 4:30 AM, and finishing up evening milking after 7:30.  Besides the stress on the farmworkers, he says farms like these are also not good for the cows.  Like many other immigrant workers, his housing and work conditions were uncomfortable at best.
For the past 7 years, Arturo has had better working and living conditions, on an organic dairy farm.   He has about 50 cousins also working on VT dairy farms now, and many are envious of his more comfortable living quarters.   But he still faces the limitations of being an immigrant with no way to gain legal status.  Going off the farm to buy groceries exposes him and fellow workers to the risk of ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) capture and imprisonment.  He’d like to visit his family in Mexico, but that would be an even bigger risk–even before COVID.  He has had a case of COVID already–but it’s risky for him and others to leave the farm to get vaccinated.  VT Dept. of Health does have plans to send vaccination teams to visit farms and give shots to farmworkers, but this will take time.
Arturo’s future is far from guaranteed, as the farm on which he works is losing its current contract for milk purchases soon.   He supports the efforts of Migrant Justice to improve working and living conditions on Vermont dairy farms, and to support paths to legal status for workers who have risked so much, and worked so hard to keep VT dairy farms going.
We really appreciate Arturo’s willingness to speak openly with us about his story and what he has seen of the general situation of the many (as high as 1500) immigrant farmworkers in Vermont.  We intentionally were not given more information to identify him or the farm on which he works, to protect his privacy.   To see this whole program, including the films and the interview with Arturo, please check out the audio and video recordings on the Grange Calendar listing for April 3rd.

 Grange Policy note:  in 2017, the VT State Grange passed a resolution submitted by our Grange, supporting a Senate bill at that time, S. 1034, which would have set up a “Blue Card” system for agricultural workers, similar to the “Green Card” system currently available to allow legal working conditions for other professions.  This bill never made it out of committee in the 115th Congress.

Some action in the U.S. Congress on immigrant workers’ rights, but…: H.R. 1603, the “Farm Workforce Modernization Act” has been passed by the House.  This bill, which originated in 2019 under the former President, would provide a path to citizenship for undocumented agricultural workers–but it would require up to 8 more years of agricultural work to qualify.  There are also expansions of the H2A visa program for ag workers in this bill.
Farmworker advocates are divided on the balance of benefits in this bill, and the compromises made with agribusiness companies to win their support.   Migrant Justice is raising these concerns, along with the Food Chain Workers Alliance.   I found an informative article which presents both sides, in an online publication about where our food comes from, “thecounter.org“.
This bill is currently in the Senate Judiciary Committee, and is supported by the Biden administration.   I’ll try to keep tabs on it, and urge you to do the same!  In the 21st century, Granges must support all facets of agriculture, certainly including the less-visible undocumented workers who are so important to VT dairy farming, as well as to agricultural production in many parts of the U.S.

April 26th: Another Migrant Justice initiative:  Fair and Impartial Policing Policy for Barre

       If you’re interested in the work of Migrant Justice, you may already know that they were central to the inauguration of Vermont’s “Fair and Impartial Policing Policy” or FIPP, which among other things forbids local police from informing US Immigration authorities about the immigration status of people stopped for traffic offenses and other minor legal infractions.   Migrant Justice continues to work with towns and cities to strengthen the “firewalls” between police and ICE.  These firewalls help farmworkers to more safely leave farms for shopping, visiting–and getting vaccinated.
On Monday evening, April 26th, from 6:30 to 7:45, Vermont Interfaith Action will hold an educational session with Migrant Justice called “No Mas Polimigra!“; here’s how the Interfaith Action group describes this online event:

Poli = Cops
Migra = Immigration agents
No Polimigra = Ending the collaboration between local/ state law enforcement agents and federal immigration agents.
FIPP = Fair and impartial policing policy.

Join us on Monday, April 26th at 6:30PM as we hear from Migrant Justice about what the “No Mas Polimigra” campaign is all about and we can do to strengthen FIPP in our community.  You must register to get the Zoom link at this link:  http://bit.ly/BarreFIPP.

I am planning to take part in this Zoom event, hope you will join me!  –Tim Swartz

Bottle  Bill expansion:  moving forward in Vermont legislature

      Another government issue on which the Grange has taken a position is in support of an expansion of the deposit and redemption system for beer and soda containers which was set up in Vermont in the 1970s.   At that time, our state was a leader in alleviating litter by requiring stores to charge 5-cent deposits on carbonated beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic).   Later a 15-cent deposit on liquor bottles was added.  The consumer (or whoever returned the bottles and cans) gets the 5-cents back when returned to a redemption center.
Since then, other states have expanded this deposit system to cover containers for juices, waters, sports drinks and other bottled and canned beverages.  But Vermont has continued to limit the system to beer, soda and other carbonated items (plus liquor bottles).
Back in 2004, the State Grange in Vermont passed a resolution supporting expansion of the scope of the law; in 2011, with beverage distributors attempting to repeal the Bottle Bill, our Capital City Grange submitted a resolution supporting the expansion also, and advocating an increase in the deposit amount.

Well, this year the Legislature is working on the expansion we were looking for, and an increase the deposit amount to a dime.  The bill, HR has been passed out of the House, and “crossed over” to the State Senate.  I’ve been told by Washington County Senator Andrew Perchlik that it is unlikely it will make it out of the Senate Committee in the waning days of this session, but will be considered in 2022.   I’ll keep Grange members posted; if you want to write to your Senators about this bill now as well as in next year’s session, please let them know that the Grange supports this change!
As one who bikes and walks on the roads near where I live, it’s clear that the current bill is not stopping people from tossing bottles and cans out of the windows of their cars.   That’s why I’m supporting the expansion and increased deposit amount.

Filed Under: Grange Notes

Not April Fools…it really is Spring!

March 30, 2021 by Tova

Grange Notes by Tim Swartz, Grange President (with everyone’s help), March 30, 2021

April meeting program takes a look at immigrant farmworkers in Vermont, and their struggle for legal status and rights

As we’ve learned in the last year, our food supply is brought to us by a previously unappreciated group of workers.   We found out that “essential workers” include people who grow, process and ship our food and grocery items, and those who staff the stores where we buy them.
This month, our bi-monthly Grange Program series builds on some of the discussion at our last program (about Hollister Hill Farm in Plainfield) about farming, small farms vs. large agribusiness, state regulation and farmers’ rights.   We’ll be looking at the community of immigrant farm workers who are a vital part of keeping Vermont’s hard-pressed dairy farms going.  These in turn support major Vermont dairy industries, like Ben & Jerry’s and Cabot Cheese, plus the milk sold to dairy processors and grocery chains.
As it  has been since the advent of the COVID-19 virus in our communities, our Program will be available via ZOOM.   Grange Lecturer Carl Etnier has been in touch with Migrant Justice, the organization of those farmworkers which has been working since 2009 to gain rights and better working conditions for them.   Carl has arranged for a showing of  two short films: “Milk with Dignity” and “Impact of Milk with Dignity”, about Migrant Justice’s campaign.    For several years, Migrant Justice has been putting pressure on dairy businesses to sign onto the Milk with Dignity pledge to require all milk they buy to be produced on farms that treat workers fairly.   Since the landmark agreement with Ben & Jerry’s in 2017, Migrant Justice has been campaigning to get other corporations–notably Hannaford’s Supermarkets–on board.
In addition to the films, Carl has arranged for a local farmworker to join us–via Zoom of course–to be part of our discussion.  We’ll have a chance to discuss the films, what the campaign means for the people most directly affected, and ways that Grange members and friends can be part of this effort.
For more info on Migrant Justice, please visit their website:   migrantjustice.net, to see info about the origin of the group, the injustices they work against, the awards they have received and the ongoing struggles they and their members face.
To join us on Saturday, April 3rd from 5:00 to 6:00 for the film and discussion, please go to:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82616664552

Meeting ID 826 1666 4552
To join the meeting, audio only from your phone, dial this number:  646 558 8656
Remember, Zoom link info is always posted on the Grange Website Calendar listing for Grange meetings & programs.

April Grange meeting–4:30 to 5:00

As usual in even-numbered months, we’ll have a brief meeting for Grange members and anyone else who would like to join us.   We’ll take a look at our finances, and discuss the changes in public health regulations and how they will change our ability to rent to some groups as vaccinations begin to be more common, and the warmer weather increases our ventilation possibilities.  We will also discuss plans for our display at the Champlain Valley Fair in August!

Join Zoom Meeting
www.zoom.us/j/91894580413
Meeting ID 918 9458 0413
(no passcode needed)
To join by phone for audio:  646 558 8656

March meeting: considering options for extending tax exemption

A small group of Grange members attended the Zoom meeting on March 3rd; we had a good discussion of how to proceed, now that Berlin has voted us only a partial tax exemption for the 2021 tax year.  Because of the Selectboard’s re-wording of the Article we had proposed for the Town Ballot, we were only able to ask for exemption from Town taxes, not from the much larger School tax segment of the tax bill.   We were very encouraged by the large margin of support we got from Berlin voters, who supported us by an almost 4:1 margin.
The complete tax exemption we were voted in 2016 for 5 years has been a huge boon, allowing us to concentrate on improving the community services we offer, and on ways to improve the Community Hall we provide for Berlin and the surrounding communities, rather than having to worry about how to pay the tax bill.   Our all-volunteer membership and building management team has done a great job using this time, and would like to continue to focus on these positive efforts.  Of course, the last year has cut the income we receive from renters to a trickle of support from just a couple of dedicated renters, who have continued to pay despite not being able to use the Hall.  Our finances are even more precarious than they used to be.   We have been able to survive because we have been able to keep our thermostats very low, substantially reduced snow-plowing during the winter, and have reduced electrical bills.   Contributions from generous members of the Grange community have kept us solvent, but hardly thriving.
We look forward to slowly improving health conditions in the later months of 2021–but it will be a slow process.   We expect that even after we are allowed to host events, it will take time for people to be willing to gather in groups.   The dance events that have been our biggest rental events will be among the last types allowed to re-open.   The close contact and aerobic activity which are central parts of the dances are among the best ways to spread viruses, so we will be looking to the CDC, the VT Dept. of Health and the national dance communities for guidance on how we can eventually open our doors for these events, in as safe a way as possible.
Given the continuing poor financial conditions we expect, we decided at our March meeting that we will need to apply for an abatement of the taxes we will be billed for the 2021 tax year.  The grounds for abatement that we will use is inability to pay, based on the great reduction in income we have experienced since March of 2021.  These decisions are “at the discretion of the Board of Abatement”, which consists of the Selectboard, the Treasurer, the Listers and the Justices of the Peace for the Town.  So there is no guarantee that we will be granted this form of relief.
We also expect to seek a 5-year exemption from all property taxes again, at the 2022 Town Meeting.  We will need to get signatures on petitions to get this specific wording on the Article for the Town Meeting, and will then have to advocate for why we deserve this.   As we did before, we will discuss the many ways we benefit the Central Vermont community, including the Town of Berlin, and the policy of providing free use of the Hall to Berlin residents and organizations we have continued since 2016.   We have talked about ways to elevate the profile of the Grange, especially once we can hold events there again, to make sure people know about the Grange, our improved facilities, and the range of events that take place there.  We will be looking to all Grange members and friends to help us spread the word, as we are gradually able to re-open and become an active community hub again.
We can expect more discussion of these plans as we get closer to time to get petitions signed.   Continued improvement in the public health situation will make all of this easier–and we urge all community members to comply with public health policies to keep the situation improving!

Champlain Valley Fair

It’s on:  CCG at the CVF.  At our  March meeting, and in email exchanges since then, we found several folks who will help with creating a display, staffing a table and promoting the work of the Grange at the Champlain Valley Fair, Aug. 27 to Sept. 5.  At this point (150 days away, according to the CVF website), the fair is scheduled to be open to the public, and we’ll be part of the action.  Stay tuned for more info!

April:  “scheduled shopping” at Kids Trade and Play

Erin Barry, lead organizer of the clothing exchange for kids, parents and families has been able to keep it going during the depths of the winter with “curbside service”.   In April, as the weather warms, we are going to try a restricted version of the “old tradition” of personal selection, on Saturday, April 10th from 9:30 to 11:30 AM.
Erin will be asking people to sign up for half-hour “shopping windows”, when a maximum of 10 people will be allowed to be in the basement selecting items from the many bins of clothes there.  We hope for warm enough weather that we can get extra ventilation in the basement by opening windows  and using fans.  If possible, we encourage families to send one person, to keep the numbers as low as possible.
Sign-up info for the shopping windows will be posted soon on the Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/kidstradeandplay, or email organizer Erin Barry:  birthsinnerlight@yahoo.com.  Masks will be required for everyone, of course.
There will also be an opportunity to bring in donations.  The KT&P volunteers ask that all items brought in be clean, with all clothing un-ripped and stain-free.   Items that don’t meet these standards just end up in the landfill, so please have high standards before you bring them in!   For large donations, please contact Erin at the email address above to arrange when to come in.  The small crew of volunteers will be very busy on the day of the exchange!

A “clerical” note:  new PO box

The truly alert reader may have noticed a new detail in red, in the header at the top of these Notes:  our Grange PO box has changed.  We realized that the large PO box we have used for years is overkill for the small volume of postal mail we receive, so we have rented a smaller one.   Please update your address books with our UPDATED mailing address:
PO Box 234
Northfield Falls VT  05664

The PO box is mostly for mail to the Treasurer, general inquiries about the Grange, and communications from State and National Grange.

Filed Under: Grange Notes

Berlin votes are in: partial tax exemption renewed!

March 5, 2021 by Tova

Grange Notes by Tim Swartz, Grange President (with everyone’s help), March 4, 2021

Our limited tax exemption is supported for the next year:  how can we build support for a full exemption and more permanent support by the Town?

Berlin voters show overwhelming support for extended tax exemption for the Grange

        According to the unofficial tally, the one-year extension of our tax exemption from Berlin town (but not school) taxes was approved by about 616 to 160–a very heartening show of support!
In this year of virtual or non-existent town meetings, we campaigned by Front Porch Forum, by putting an ad in the Washington World, and by appearing at the virtual Town Meeting Info session last Saturday morning.  We also put a “sidecar” sign on our Grange sign.  Evidently, voters recognize our efforts to provide a community gathering/celebration/etc. Hall for the use of this somewhat fragmented town, plus our overall community service mission, and the many events we–in normal times–host and support.
Based on this vote, once public health guidelines allow it, we will be extending our policy of free use of the Grange Hall by Berlin residents and non-profit organizations, as we had hoped.   According to our estimates, we will be excused from about $2,000 in town taxes, though we will still have to pay around $5,000 in school taxes this year.   This is a change from the complete exemption from both categories of property taxes we were voted in 2016, for a term of 5 years.   For reasons that are still not clear, the Selectboard changed our proposed Town Ballot Article to only request exemption from “Municipal” taxes.  We are very grateful to the donors who have given to the fundraising requests we and the Friends of the Capital City Grange Hall have made, which will allow us to pay the school tax bill for this fiscal year–but we don’t see this as a long-term strategy.
At our upcoming (virtual) meeting on Saturday, March 6th, starting at 4:30 PM, we will be discussing how to best arrange for complete exemption in the future, so that we can concentrate on best ways to foster community service and cohesion, rather than struggling to scrape together income to meet a large annual tax bill.  Our exemption over the last 5 years has allowed us to achieve a measure of financial stability, as well as catching up on deferred maintenance (like getting our septic tank pumped for the first time in about 25 years), upgrading from an old storage-type hot water heater to an on-demand one, and investing $5,000 in the basement renovations completed about a year ago!   We’d like to keep moving forward in ways like these, rather than living on the brink as we used to do.

The Phantom struck again this year…

       The last Grange Notes that I sent on Valentine’s day featured our sign, complete with the extra decorations provided by Montpelier’s Valentine Phantom.   Here’s a picture of our Old Entrance doors, also decorated–we just wish more folks could see these!   It’s nice to feel liked, isn’t it?

And it is meeting time again, this Saturday

       As mentioned above, we will be having a Grange meeting on Mar. 6th, from 4:30 to 6:00.   It will be virtual, via Zoom again as we follow VT guidelines for safety and health, so no need to brave whatever snow or wind may be our lot on Saturday!
We hope to welcome some new members to our meeting, as people have responded to my plea for renewals–and new members!   In normal times, we would have an “Obligation Ceremony” to welcome Phyllis Rubenstein, Stephen Wright and Janet Cathey to the Grange, but we will have to put that off like so many other things–I haven’t figured out how to virtually gather round new members and–especially–how to sing a welcoming song, given the limitations of Zoom!  There are so many things we look forward to doing…
We will be discussing the next steps we can take to campaign for full exemption from Berlin taxes, when we can make a presentation at an actual, in-person Town Meeting.  As described above, the large impact the property taxes place on us hinders our work to improve our Grange, our Hall and our community service work.
We have also been offered a chance to “toot our horn” by presenting a Grange display at the Champlain Valley Fair in August of this year; the State Grange is impressed with our progress in building links to our host community, and in our community service to the public.  We’ll discuss how–and who–might like to participate in this.
Another topic will be taking a look at the scheduling of our meetings, programs potlucks–originally planned to allow people to attend before dances.  We have been getting feedback that the Saturday afternoon/dinnertime schedule does not work well for some folks, especially families with children.   The changes wrought by COVID have of course taken away the evening contra-dances around which our plans were built.   What options could we/should we explore?  We welcome constructive suggestions!
Remember, anyone is welcome to join us and our discussions–but only Grange members can vote on policy changes, expenditures, etc.!   All can join using this Zoom link:

http://www.zoom.us/j/91894580413

Meeting ID 918 9458 0413

A “clerical” note:  new PO box

       The truly alert reader may have noticed a new detail in red, in the header at the top of these Notes:  our Grange PO box has changed.  We realized that the large PO box we have used for years is overkill for the small volume of postal mail we receive, so we have rented a smaller one.   Please update your address books with our UPDATED mailing address:
PO Box 234
Northfield Falls VT  05664

Note that membership checks should still be sent to our Secretary, as detailed below.   The PO box is mostly for mail to the Treasurer, general inquiries about the Grange, and communications from State and National Grange.

Join the cool kids in the Grange!

       As I’ve mentioned, it’s the annual renewal time at the Grange–and you are welcome to join at any time!  Annual dues of $30 make you a full member of the Grange, able to vote in Grange meetings, and show your support for our local Community Grange.   The dues go also to support the VT State and the National Granges, under the rules of the Grange charter.
Being a Grange member also makes available some benefits negotiated by the National Grange, everything from prescription discounts to hearing screenings and discounts.   You can read all about them by clicking this link to Grange member benefits.
If you aren’t yet a Grange member and want to join, we ask you to go to this page:  http://capitalcitygrange.org/grange-membership-application/, print the PDF membership form there, and mail it with your check to our Grange Secretary:
Charles Martin
639 Minister Brook Rd.
Worcester VT  05682
If you are ready to renew your existing membership, please mail your check to Charles Martin at the address above.  We don’t yet have an electronic way to fill out and deliver these payments.   Maybe you can help us set them up for the folks who no longer routinely use checks!  Our all-volunteer organization needs help in lots of ways, and we welcome your energy!  Please email me with any questions:  swartztim15@gmail.com.

March will again feature “Curbside Service” by Kids Trade and Play–and donations are needed!

       Erin Barry, lead organizer of the clothing exchange for kids, parents and families has been able to keep it going during the depths of the winter, and the heights of the Coronavirus curve in VT.  In March, Erin and one other volunteer will again bag up “pre-requested” items of clothing, games, books, etc.  They will match size, color and gender (if that is important) requests to the best of their ability.   Pickup will be outside.
Erin tells us that they have begun to use up the donated clothing for kids (newborn through Junior 12 sizes), since they have not been open for the usual service, so she is requesting that people bring in donations–at specific times when volunteers can take them in:
  • Saturday, March 6th, 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
  • Friday, March 12th, 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM
  • Saturday, March 13th, 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM (this is also PICKUP DAY)
Working safely in the lower level of the basement with social distancing and masks, Erin and her helper have done their best to meet the requests transmitted through private messages to their Facebook page, or by email to Erin:  birthsinnerlight@yahoo.com.  The Facebook page is the best way to keep in touch with KT&P.

Filed Under: Grange Notes

Love the Grange for Valentine’s Day 💕

February 15, 2021 by Tova

Grange Notes by Tim Swartz, Grange President (with everyone’s help), February 14, 2021

It’s that time again–to get our tax exemption renewed

Our regular readers will remember that we have had an exemption from property taxes from the town of Berlin, where our Grange Hall is located; it was voted for a 5-year period in 2016.   Well, guess what…that time period is up.  So now it’s time to ask for your help to get it renewed!
Think about people you know in Berlin, in all parts of your life.  Ask them to please vote “YES” on Article 5 on the Berlin Town Ballot.   The best lobbying is done by people we know!   This Article will exempt the Grange Hall from property taxes, in return for continuing free use of the Hall by Berlin residents and organizations.  This will help us stay solvent, and will allow our wonderful Grange Hall to support Berlin family and official gatherings, as it has for the past 5 years.
This year, there will be no in-person Town Meeting in Berlin, so this vote will happen on the mail-in ballots which were sent out this week by the Town Clerk.  This Article will renew our tax exemption for one year; next year, we will be able to advocate for a 5-year exemption when we can discuss it at the 2022 Town Meeting.
Besides appealing for your help, the Grange is placing an ad in the Washington World, posting in the Berlin and Northfield Front Porch Forums, and we’ve put a page in the Berlin Town Report describing what we do, and the ways we benefit the Town.   We are always looking for other ways to reach the voters of Berlin.   If you have suggestions, by all means contact us!
Remember, personal contacts are the best way to get people to act–so check your address books and reach out to Berlin residents if you want to help the Grange in these hard times!

And it’s time to renew your Grange membership, too!

With the new year comes the need to “re-up” your membership in Capital City Grange #469.  Annual dues of $30 make you a full member of the Grange, able to vote in Grange meetings, and show your support for our local Community Grange.   The dues go also to support the VT State and the National Granges, under the rules of the Grange charter.
Being a Grange member also makes available some benefits negotiated by the National Grange, everything from prescription discounts to hearing screenings and discounts.   You can read all about them by clicking this link to Grange member benefits.
If you aren’t yet a Grange member and want to join, we ask you to go to this page:  http://capitalcitygrange.org/grange-membership-application/, print the PDF membership form there, and mail it with your check to our Grange Secretary:
Charles Martin
639 Minister Brook Rd.
Worcester VT  05682
If you are ready to renew your existing membership, please mail it to Charles Martin at the address above.  We don’t yet have an electronic way to fill out and deliver these payments.   Maybe you can help us set them up for the folks who no longer routinely use checks!  Our all-volunteer organization needs help in lots of ways, and we welcome your energy!
You don’t need to be a Grange member to attend meetings (in person or virtually), and anyone can also come to all Grange events–but we’d love to have you join us as a member!   email me with any questions:  swartztim15@gmail.com.

“Back to the Land Again” program captures new faces of farm life

Our February 6th virtual program began a little late, but was a great hit, drawing about 40 participants.   It featured the new owners of Hollister Hill Farm in Plainfield, Neil & Catherine Dunlop, telling us about how they came to purchase the farm from the previous “back to the land” owners, the Lights.
The Dunlops first stayed at the farm’s “bed & breakfast” 14 years ago–and the Lights offered to sell them the farm then!  Though they dismissed the idea then, further stays followed, and last year they said yes.   Taking over a farm that incorporates about a dozen different “businesses” has been an adventure–but a welcome one for this family.
Neil worked as a journalist prior to their purchase of the farm, and Catherine still works for Network for Good, a company that provides software and coaching for non-profit groups.  The farm, besides taking in guests at the B&B, milks a few cows, sells beef, raw milk, sells local products ranging from bread to locally-roasted coffee, plus their own syrup, yogurt, pork, chicken, eggs and orchard produce in the farm store.
The Dunlops also described some of the history of Bob and Lee Light, who owned the farm before them, having come to Vermont as part of the “back to the land” movement of the 1970s.   The Lights at one point had 70 or 80 Holstein cows to milk, before “the bottom fell out of milk market”–a story familiar to many VT dairy farmers.   The Lights were part of the origin of Rural Vermont, a farmer/activist organization advocating for locally-based farmer involvement in making agricultural regulations, farmer-based sales of farm products including raw milk, and community-scaled farming.
The audience for this program included quite a few folks who are friends of the Lights, as well as dedicated customers at the farm store, helpers with farm projects–and proud owners of descendants of the barn cats.   One of the fascinating parts of the program was hearing stories from audience members, some new to the Dunlops!
If you missed this Zoom event, you can still view and listen to it.   Just click this Grange website Calendar listing for the event, and click the link there for the recording.  There is lots more that I haven’t tried to include in the description above.
To find more info on the farm and their activities, check out the HollisterHillFarm website.
Thanks to Carl Etnier, the Grange Lecturer, who produced and emceed this interesting Program!   Our next one will be on Saturday, April 3rd.

“Curbside Service” keeps Kids Trade and Play going!

Erin Barry, lead organizer of the clothing exchange for kids, parents and families has been able to keep it going during the depths of the winter, and the heights of the Coronavirus curve in VT.  In January and February, Erin and one other volunteer have filled bags with “pre-requested” items of clothing, games, books, etc., to the best of their ability.  Working safely in the lower level of the basement with social distancing and masks, Erin and her helper have done their best to meet the requests transmitted through private messages to their Facebook page, or by email to Erin:  birthsinnerlight@yahoo.com.  The Facebook page is the best way to keep track of plans for next month’s KT&P, as Erin and the Grange coordinate plans in relation to public health guidelines.

Filed Under: Grange Notes

February program this Saturday: Back to the Land–Again!

February 3, 2021 by Tova

Grange Notes by Tim Swartz, Grange President (with everyone’s help), February 3, 2021

Hollister Hill Farm:  the next chapter

This month, Grange Lecturer Carl Etnier brings us the story of the transition of a farm to a new “Back to the Land” family:
Neal and Catherine Dunlop left their home in Washington, D.C. with their four kids to take over Hollister Hill Farm in Marshfield, Vermont. Their previous farming experiencing consisted of being guests at the Hollister Hill Farm Bed and Breakfast. Neil says his life reminds him of the Chevy Chase movie “Funny Farm.” They’ll talk about their reasons for wanting to get back to the land, how they were inspired by previous generations of back-to-the-landers, and what they’ve found since they took over in November 2020.
Hollister Hill Farm used to be owned by the Light family, who like the Dunlops started with little or no farming experience when they moved to Vermont in the 1970s.  You can see pictures of the farm and the bed and breakfast at their HollisterHillFarm website, where they say:  “This is a real farm, with real farmers, real animals, real tractors, haying equipment and manure spreaders. We make our living farming and inn-keeping.”
After the presentation, there should be time to ask some questions of the Dunlops and discuss the whole question of passing on farms.  As Vermont’s farm economy continues to change, with stresses from environmental regulations to pandemic market changes to generational shifts, the motivations for transferring stewardship of farms affects all communities, and all of us who like living in a rural landscape.

To join the Zoom meeting starting at 5:00 from your computer or smart-phone, use this link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82616664552

Meeting ID 826 1666 4552

To join the meeting, audio only from your phone, dial this number:  646 558 8656

Before the program:  an informal Grange meeting from 4:30 to 5:00

All are welcome to the Grange meeting as well as the program.  We’ll have brief discussions of a few things:
  • A quick look at our finances, as we make our funds stretch with income only from a few tenants.
  • Berlin Town tax exemption:  we submitted an “Article” for the Town to vote on (by Australian ballot only) on March 2nd.   Unfortunately, the Selectboard decided to amend our request for complete property tax exemption to be only a request for Municipal–not School–tax exemption, and only for one year.   We will still need to campaign!  and to plan for more tax relief next year.
  • Several comments have been received about the timing for our Grange Programs being a bad time to attend, even virtually.   We should discuss this, too, if we have time–I hope we can have a couple of volunteers to come up with possible alternatives, for a more relaxed discussion at our March meeting.

Please follow this link to join us:

Join Zoom Meeting
www.zoom.us/j/91894580413
Meeting ID 918 9458 0413
(no passcode needed)
To join by phone for audio:  646 558 8656

A good time was had by all, at the 5th Saturday House Party!

We were so glad to have 70+ people tune in to the Zoom (and YouTube and Facebook) “Thank You” concert put on by the Friends of the Capital City Grange Hall last Saturday evening.   Combining live music from Joanne Garton and Aaron Marcus with recorded pieces from Jaige Trudel and Adam Broome, our Tech-Master Oliver Scanlon also provided “breakout rooms” for people to chat and share memories and news with each other before the concert.   We know the opportunity to see our friends face-to-face but only in the virtual rooms was bittersweet–but better than not seeing them at all.
In addition to music played live, we also got to see some Highland Scottish dancing from Joanne, Appalachian flat-footing from Aaron, and also  heard a poem by Montpelier poet and musician Susan Reid, read by Sam Sanders with music by Aaron.
A slide show of Grange Hall activities–from dances to building improvement projects to Kids Trade & Play to Valentine’s Day hearts on the doors, and much more–was also put together by Oliver from pictures sent in by various folks–a reminder of our active Grange in less pandemic-y times.  We all can’t wait to open up again!
If you missed this concert, you can see everything but the Zoom breakout rooms at:YouTube: https://youtu.be/KdAnA6fZr60

And on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/768818083987580/

Below, one moment captured, with a variety of faces in the Zoom boxes!

Filed Under: Grange Notes

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Contact Us

Tim Swartz, President, CCG#469
802-225-8921 (cell)
grangepresident@capitalcitygrange.org

 

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