GILBERTSVILLE—In reports given at the last meeting of Butternut Valley Grange, it was noted that The Empire House, Evans Auction Service, Gordon Hughes, Gale Sorenson and Louis Kellas renewed their individual Associate Membership with the Grange. April Tiffany of New Berlin is a new Associate Member. Associate Membership is for individuals or businesses who support the goals and principles of the Grange in this unique way. Others who wish to support the Grange without being a regular member may pursue such interest by contacting Roger Halbert 607-783-2691.

Anna Ritchey reported that home delivered meals once a month are made to about forty homes as a community service project. The Grange voted to make a contribution to the Nate Lull Golf Tournament which has raised over $65,000 during the past four years that awards annual scholarships to graduating seniors of area schools.

The Grange will have a team assembled for their pie-making day on August 21. Pre-orders can now be made by calling Roberta Halbert 607-783-2445 prior to August 18. Another pie assembly day will be held prior to the Harvest Festival in Cooperstown which is held on September 12.

Members are reminded to bring ay “C” notes dollar bills to the August meeting as they must be turned into State Grange in September for the statewide cancer project when a donation will be presented to a Waterloo area cancer facility during the State Grange Convention in Waterloo, in October.

The last gathering of the Garden to Table Project, a collaborative effort of the Grange and the Gilbertsville Baptist Church, will be held on Saturday, August 22 with a luncheon at the Baptist Church Fellowship Hall in Gilbertsville starting at 11:30 to 1:30 p.m. The first session started with pepper and tomato plants with extra plants available to attendees. The session covered soils and pH, container gardening, seed sourcing and plant selection. The second workshop covered garden management, pruning plants, harvesting and processing vegetables for freezing, canning and dehydrating. The session on August 22 will use vegetables and fruits of the season. Reservations can be made by contacting Lynne Porter at 607-764-8720, even first timers are welcomed. The project was in response to the Rural Life Initiative sponsored by the National Grange.

President, Lynne Porter will be announcing committees for the new Grange year which starts September 2026.

- Information from Roger Halbert