The Silverton Grange in Silverton, Oregon, is a dynamic, local organization supporting:
- Education
- Providing a local gathering place
- Sustainable agriculture
- Participatory democracy
Founded in 1867, the Grange is the nation’s oldest farm organization and supports community, agriculture, and education. The Silverton Grange is bringing these ideals into the 21st century by being relevant to today’s families and today’s issues. We are especially concerned with promoting a sustainable community and local economy, and we believe local farmers and food producers are critical to that goal.
Education
We support education to better all people—children and adults and to ensure a strong community. We host educational events such as the Talking About Sustainabilty Forum and canning classes.
Providing a Local Gathering Place
The Grange hall is available and used for many kinds of events, including classes, receptions, and meetings. We are currently renovating the Grange hall to provide a better meeting place for the Silverton area.
Sustainable Agriculture
The Silverton Grange is committed to supporting local, sustainable farmers. In September 2006 we hosted the first 100-Mile Breakfast, an event featuring food from within 100 miles of Silverton. Local, sustainable agriculture is critical to reducing our dependence on foreign oil—the more local our food is, the less we rely on petroleum to ship our food. Local food also supports our local economy, helping ensure that family farms stay part of our community.
Participatory Democracy
The Grange provides a unique way to get involved in state and national politics. Local granges can approve a resolution that can be taken forward to the state grange conference. If it is approved at the state level, the grange will have its lobbyist support the issue. In 2006, the Silverton Grange had two resolutions approved at the state level: one banning seed patents and the other asking the grange to support the use of biofuels.
Contact us
Please contact us for more information. Email silvertongrange@gmail.com, or write to:
Silverton Grange #748
PO Box 1115
Silverton OR 97381
The Silverton Grange Hall is located at 201 Division Street, off South Water (South of Ike Mooney Road) in Silverton. To learn how to get to the Grange, you can use this Google Maps link.