We first want to thank you for your generous support of this vital community improvement project. Then, we want you to make a reservation to use the facilities...
Posted November, 2023 ~ by Nancy Best
In a collaborative effort by the Grange and the Friday Harbor Food Bank, six gallons of dried pears and 24 gallons of dried apples were delivered to the San Juan Island Food Bank. It's been a great year for apples on the island!
Posted November, 2023 ~ by John Latimer
The Grange just completed several days of pressing a lot of apples and pears! On September 23rd, we had a Grange pressing event at Sweet Earth Farm as part of the annual Farm Tours. We also had three days of pressings where 22 people utilized the Grange fruit grinder and juice pressing equipment to turn their apples and pears into wonderful juice.
Posted October, 2023
Congratulations to Christian and Lea Andrade, San Juan Island Grange Life Members! They joined our Grange in 2018, donated tools to our fledgling tool library, renewed their memberships every year, and then decided to go big. Christian and Lea bought a Life Membership in our Grange!
Posted October, 2023 ~ by John Latimer
The Grange will be hosting three cider pressing days for members who want to get their apples pressed. We'll be scheduling one-hour time slots so everyone doesn't show up together and slow the pressings. To reserve your time slot, please email John and list your preferred day, hour slot, and approximate number of pounds of apples to press.
Posted August, 2023
Repair Fair is back on Sunday, September 17th, 12-4pm at the Grange Hall. Demonstrations and instruction on screen-printing and natural dyeing, basic mending/sewing, blade sharpening, small furniture repair, bike and tool repair (no combustible engines).
Posted August, 2023 ~ by John Latimer
The Grange will be holding several different fruit-pressing events to use our fruit crushing and pressing equipment. The first event will be on September 23 as part of the San Juan Island Farm Tours, 1-4pm at Sweet Earth Farm. The other pressing events will be held at the Grange Hall on October 8, 14, and 22.
Posted July, 2023 ~ by Bruce Robinson
On May 11, 2023, many of the agricultural organizations in the San Juan County gathered at Brickworks to collaborate in the development of a food systems plan for the islands. The San Juan Island Grange was represented by Roger Ellison, Jon Latimer, Candance Jagel, and Bruce Robinson.
Posted June, 2023
Though it may be a cringe-worth thought, once the summer garden is planted, filling our winter pantry is the next order of business. When spring-planted greens and peas are done, planting vegetables that crave cold and stand up well in rain and snow means we will be able to eat our own fresh veggies beside the wood stove (or ductless heat pump) when the daffodils come up next spring.
Posted May, 2023 ~ by Roger Ellison & Bill Severson
San Juan Island Grange is excited to announce the installation of a Level 2 Electric Vehicle Charger in front of Grange Hall. This will be the first EV charger on a public street in Friday Harbor and the first charger to be powered by solar panels!
When the Town replaced the sidewalk in front of the hall, they put in an electrical conduit to make installation easier for us. The charger has arrived and is now awaiting a permit from the town.
To support a resilient community of growers, makers, and keepers, to foster social and political engagement, and to maintain our Hall as a home for celebrations and programs.
We are a grass-roots, non-partisan advocacy group, and because we are a non-profit (501c8), we can accept donations and participate in crafting legislation at all levels.
San Juan Island Grange #966 is for rural citizens with both legislative programs and community activities such as talent and craft contests, scholarships, and much more. You don’t have to be a farmer to belong, though many are. Our elected officers volunteer and our ‘work’ occurs through various committees, but the heart of our mission is community well-being, and we enjoy gathering to celebrate this.
The complete list of our 2022 Officers of the San Juan Island Grange #966 is here.
Our bylaws and resolutions are here.
The Grange started after the Civil War to begin healing and overcome the sense of isolation that many farmers were feeling as well as help them respond to new national markets. Grange Halls across the country housed mutual assistance programs, and many agricultural cooperatives were started by Granges to improve the economic lot of the family farm. Today each local Grange chooses its own mission and program, and Granges come together at the state and national levels for joint efforts.
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