In 1867, the National Grange saw a vision to unite private citizens in improving social and economic conditions of the nation's farm population in rural areas. To this day, the Grange wishes to build new opportunities on a private and regional level to meet the needs of individuals in our current society.

With the efforts of local volunteers and the never-ending support provided on a state and national level, Homer has succeeded in becoming the 13th Grange in Alaska. Ed Luttrell, the president of the National Grange, and Gaye Hunt, the president of the Alaska State Grange, officially presented us with our charter Oct. 8.

It has taken almost a year to achieve this great accomplishment. Along the way, people have often asked volunteers, "What is a Grange?"

Simply put, the Grange is a grassroots community effort that works to create and preserve sustainable ways of life, ranging from agriculture to expanding regional social services.

But now that a Grange has actually been established here in Homer, we need to answer that question for ourselves on a more complex level. The Grange is what we create it to be as a collective group. At our last meeting, two motions were passed by a majority of votes about specific proposals that members felt were imperative to adding an element of growth and vitality to Homer and its surrounding area.

The first motion was specifically about a commercial hydroponics greenhouse facility that could operate for at least 10 months per year. After decades of extensive study, John Cowan has earned multiple degrees on a university level associated with the field of agriculture. He says, "My mission is to grow vegetable and herbs of the finest quality and sufficient quantity to meet the demands of local markets."

Cowan is in the final stages of finishing the hydroponics greenhouse facility. The 4,000-square-foot greenhouse would be able to yield fresh produce and naturopathic herbs for unforeseeable years to come, but it must be up and running soon. He urgently needs assistance in order to move forward.

As a Grange, we can seek financial aid by writing grants to explore what funds may be available on a state and national level. Members of the Grange are already working directly with Cowan who share his passion for providing healthy and wholesome products without the use of herbicides and pesticides. Support of any kind is appreciated regardless of whether or not you are a member of the Grange. Please call 399-2043 or e-mail seahawkjohn@gmail.com if you wish to become involved with this project.

The second motion was made in regard to a local public transportation system. Residents in Homer and Anchor Point are increasingly becoming concerned with the high costs of fuel and how we can reduce our carbon imprint on the planet. The deputy director of the new Homer Grange, Wes Schacht, says, "We have the opportunity to acquire buses and vans owned by a business that also desires to help our community." For further information about this proposal, he can be contacted at 235-3458.

The National Grange has evolved over the past 141 years, expanding its support to address a wide variety of issues, including stewardship of America's natural resources, medical reform, climate control, food safety, rural education and legislation designed to assure a strong and viable country. For more information about Alaska's State Grange visit www.alaskagrange.org or the National Grange at www.nationalgrange.org.

We are currently in the process of developing a local Web site to create a public forum for the Grange in Homer. Please look for dates of upcoming meetings in the Homer News if you wish to become involved or learn more about who we are as a group. You can become a member of the Grange for a small fee per year, but anyone is welcome to join our meetings. We wish to educate each other by voicing our concerns and ideas with the ultimate goal of taking action now to make our present way of living a mirror of how we want our future to look.