KEVIN YOUNG, DIRECTOR
60822 Creek Road
Niles, MI 49120
269-684-3870
kevin60822@sbcglobal.net
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018 GRANGE NEWS
Worthy Master, First Lady, National Grange Representative, Delegates, Brothers and Sisters:
Welcome to the 145th Annual Convention of the Michigan State Grange!! It is hard to believe that it is time for yet another Michigan State Grange Session. Time sure goes by fast and for some reason this year has gone by way too fast!! I hope everyone has enjoyed my articles as at times I felt like I was just rambling on but at the time I was writing them it was what was on my mind. Agriculture in our Great State is a very important part of life and of the State Economy, and I feel honored to be the Director of the MSG Agriculture Department. It has been a very up and down year so far for Agriculture in our Country and it isn’t over yet. Please keep a close eye on future bills that could harm Agriculture as many of us know it. Some bills have become law and has harmed the small farmers yet again. We the Grange, need to stand strong more than ever to let everyone know that the Grange is still alive and here to help our friends in Agriculture.
I look forward to seeing how many entries the Ag Department receives this year at State Session! We added more things to enter so I hope we were able to cover everyone no matter if you have and outdoor garden or a place in your home to grow things! I hope to continue to bring you information on this Department that has meant so much to our Great Organization when it was first founded! I hope everyone enjoys the State Session and their stay in the Oshtemo area!!!
Fraternally, Kevin Young, AG Director
PUMPKINS
1st: Joanne Cebulski, Barnard #689
2nd: Teena Munsell, Plymouth/Westland #389
3rd: Randy Cebulski, Barnard #689
LATE SQUASH
1st: Russell Hoag, Community #1675
2nd: Sharon Popler, Burns #160
3rd: Kevin Young, Community #1675
INDIAN CORN
1st: Teena Munsell, Plymouth/Westland #389
POTATOES
1st: Sharon Popler, Burns #160
APPLES
1st: Wilbur Kurburski, Harbor Springs #730
Worthy Master, First Lady, National Grange Representative, Delegates, Brothers and Sisters:
Welcome to the 145th Annual Convention of the Michigan State Grange!! It is hard to believe that it is time for yet another Michigan State Grange Session. Time sure goes by fast and for some reason this year has gone by way too fast!! I hope everyone has enjoyed my articles as at times I felt like I was just rambling on but at the time I was writing them it was what was on my mind. Agriculture in our Great State is a very important part of life and of the State Economy, and I feel honored to be the Director of the MSG Agriculture Department. It has been a very up and down year so far for Agriculture in our Country and it isn’t over yet. Please keep a close eye on future bills that could harm Agriculture as many of us know it. Some bills have become law and has harmed the small farmers yet again. We the Grange, need to stand strong more than ever to let everyone know that the Grange is still alive and here to help our friends in Agriculture.
I look forward to seeing how many entries the Ag Department receives this year at State Session! We added more things to enter so I hope we were able to cover everyone no matter if you have and outdoor garden or a place in your home to grow things! I hope to continue to bring you information on this Department that has meant so much to our Great Organization when it was first founded! I hope everyone enjoys the State Session and their stay in the Oshtemo area!!!
Fraternally, Kevin Young, AG Director
PUMPKINS
1st: Joanne Cebulski, Barnard #689
2nd: Teena Munsell, Plymouth/Westland #389
3rd: Randy Cebulski, Barnard #689
LATE SQUASH
1st: Russell Hoag, Community #1675
2nd: Sharon Popler, Burns #160
3rd: Kevin Young, Community #1675
INDIAN CORN
1st: Teena Munsell, Plymouth/Westland #389
POTATOES
1st: Sharon Popler, Burns #160
APPLES
1st: Wilbur Kurburski, Harbor Springs #730
AGRICULTURE
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018 GRANGE NEWS
Wow! August is almost over and another County Fair season is in the books for my area. I am sitting here after finishing up a very busy week (August 21st) at the Berrien County Youth Fair both as a volunteer and a very proud Uncle! We started out with loading the 4 market pigs in less than 15 minutes! The kids washed the pigs in the trailer and then my oldest nephew gave each pig a haircut. The pigs looked very good and all made weight on Sunday morning during weigh in at the fair. The market goats and breeding stock all made it to the fair in good condition as well. The proud Uncle was so happy with how the kids did this year with their goats. They did very well with showmanship and then came the really proud moment when 2 of the kids were in the champion drive for Grand Champion Dairy Market Goat, which my nephew was the winner with his goat that we raised in my back yard! That makes 2 years in a row as my niece won last year! The pigs looked really well but the judge wasn’t looking for what we had in the type of pigs. With the fair week past us, that means my chores will slow way down as I do not have goats and pigs to care for any longer. They will surely be missed for the next few weeks, but I do have chores to do yet. Our small flock of 17 chickens and one guinea hen are stilling doing well. They enjoy all of the things from the garden that have been there a little too long. Like zucchini that are the size of baseball bats or tomatoes that the bugs started to eat on. They expect “goodies” every time I go out to the coop!
The garden hasn’t done well this summer for some reason. The zucchini didn’t produce like they usually do and the tomatoes did poorly. The only good thing so far is the butternut squash! Let’s hope there will be plenty of squash to exhibit at State Session!! I hope everyone that has planted items for the Agriculture Department classes are doing well too!
As we move in to the harvest season, please keep in mind that we will once again be sharing the roads with very large sized farm equipment. I know we are all in a hurry to get where we are going but we need to keep in mind that those big pieces of equipment help to put food on our families’ tables.
I look forward to seeing everyone at the Michigan State Grange Convention that is being held in mid October at the West Oshtemo Grange Hall. This is the first time in a very long time that State Session has been held at a Grange Hall. I am part of the Host Region and can’t wait for everyone to see the remodeled Grange Hall thank s to Township Board who owns the Grange Hall. I know our host region has been working hard to make this convention very nice. Keep in mind that State Session is still on a shortened schedule so check the MGN and the website for the proposed schedule. One change for this year is we are having the Awards meal as a dinner rather than at noon for lunch.
Ya’ll come now, ya hear!!!
See you at State Session!!
Wow! August is almost over and another County Fair season is in the books for my area. I am sitting here after finishing up a very busy week (August 21st) at the Berrien County Youth Fair both as a volunteer and a very proud Uncle! We started out with loading the 4 market pigs in less than 15 minutes! The kids washed the pigs in the trailer and then my oldest nephew gave each pig a haircut. The pigs looked very good and all made weight on Sunday morning during weigh in at the fair. The market goats and breeding stock all made it to the fair in good condition as well. The proud Uncle was so happy with how the kids did this year with their goats. They did very well with showmanship and then came the really proud moment when 2 of the kids were in the champion drive for Grand Champion Dairy Market Goat, which my nephew was the winner with his goat that we raised in my back yard! That makes 2 years in a row as my niece won last year! The pigs looked really well but the judge wasn’t looking for what we had in the type of pigs. With the fair week past us, that means my chores will slow way down as I do not have goats and pigs to care for any longer. They will surely be missed for the next few weeks, but I do have chores to do yet. Our small flock of 17 chickens and one guinea hen are stilling doing well. They enjoy all of the things from the garden that have been there a little too long. Like zucchini that are the size of baseball bats or tomatoes that the bugs started to eat on. They expect “goodies” every time I go out to the coop!
The garden hasn’t done well this summer for some reason. The zucchini didn’t produce like they usually do and the tomatoes did poorly. The only good thing so far is the butternut squash! Let’s hope there will be plenty of squash to exhibit at State Session!! I hope everyone that has planted items for the Agriculture Department classes are doing well too!
As we move in to the harvest season, please keep in mind that we will once again be sharing the roads with very large sized farm equipment. I know we are all in a hurry to get where we are going but we need to keep in mind that those big pieces of equipment help to put food on our families’ tables.
I look forward to seeing everyone at the Michigan State Grange Convention that is being held in mid October at the West Oshtemo Grange Hall. This is the first time in a very long time that State Session has been held at a Grange Hall. I am part of the Host Region and can’t wait for everyone to see the remodeled Grange Hall thank s to Township Board who owns the Grange Hall. I know our host region has been working hard to make this convention very nice. Keep in mind that State Session is still on a shortened schedule so check the MGN and the website for the proposed schedule. One change for this year is we are having the Awards meal as a dinner rather than at noon for lunch.
Ya’ll come now, ya hear!!!
See you at State Session!!
