About the Ware Grange
The Ware Grange has been serving our community since 1888. The Grange is looking for more like-minded community members to continue and to expand our community and agricultural projects.
We meet at 7pm on the third Monday of most months. Please join us at a meeting or contact us for more information about joining the Grange, helping with our community events, or attending any of our upcoming events.
The Grange is a organization that focuses on service to the local community and support of agriculture and agricultural education. There are Granges in many communities across the state and the country. Every year the Ware Grange holds a variety of events for the community and sponsors local causes.
Since 2016 the Ware Grange has hosted a series of gardening workshops. These workshops feature hands-on demonstrations and tips to help local gardeners successfully grow and maintain their gardens and store their harvest.
In October the Grange sponsors a Pumpkin Carving night for the local families that includes a spooky Halloween story.
The Grange supports education by donating dictionaries to local third grade students in Ware schools each year. We also help educate local children about the history of schools and education in our community by holding a program at the Grange Hall, which originally was Ware's two-room schoolhouse in the 1800s.
History of the Grange
The National Grange was founded in 1867 following the Civil War, and is the oldest agricultural and rural public interest organization. The Grange provided farmers with an opportunity to socialize with one another and also worked to fight for legislation to benefit their economic interests. In the early days of the organization, the Grange fought for fair pricing to ship their goods on the nation's railroads and also fought for Rural Free Delivery by the post office.
The first Grange in Massachusetts was organized in 1873 in the town of Greenfield, and the Massachusetts State Grange was organized later that year. Many Granges exist across the state and work toward the common goal of advancing their interest in agricultural education.
Over the years, the Grange has been a driving force behind improving transportation, waterways, deaf and hard of hearing programs, volunteer fire departments, relief funds worldwide, community service programs, all in addition to helping improve the condition for farms through improving bargaining positions and strengthening property rights.