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Free Lectures to Help Save The Grange Riverhead Landmark

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The Grange in Riverhead PHOTO: BARBARA ELLEN KOCH, RIVERHEAD NEWS-REVIEW

The Nature Lyceum School for Organic Horticulture and the First Parish Church of Riverhead have teamed up to offer free weekly lectures in organics at “The Grange”, a historic building in Riverhead, New York. Their mission is to generate awareness and raise donations towards the preservation of the church-owned historic structure in urgent need of repairs that could cost as much as $150,000.

Built in 1831 as a meeting hall for farmers,  The Grange still serves the community by hosting local events and support groups and one night a week it doubles as a homeless shelter. The “Save The Grange” lecture series has been well received.

“We call it off-off Broadway organic improv,” said Jeff Frank, founder of the Westhampton-based Lyceum which has been giving classes in organics for almost two decades. “All this wouldn’t have been possible without the generosity of the instructors.”

The Nature Lyceum instructors are a tight network of dedicated volunteers comprised of mostly Long Island-based farmers, landscapers, health professionals and green industry entrepreneurs; some instructors come from as far away as Pennsylvania to teach organic practices.

They have covered such topics as “How to Grow Sprouts, Wheat Grass and More”,“Herbology, Healing and Horticulture” and “Elementals in the Garden”. With the reception these lectures have received, The Nature Lyceum is happily committed to maintaining the series.

“This is the philosophy of organics”, says Frank. “It’s more than a premium label on food. It’s also about giving, about lending a hand. Organics is not just good for the body, but good for the soul.”