Lancaster Fellow Foodies

07/30/2024

Hi folks! Friendly reminder that you don’t have to be unemployed, unhoused, disabled, a veteran, a single parent or a senior citizen to go to a food pantry! 🍗🥗🥞
Especially right now, folks can’t make ends meet. Local stats that show over 70% of pantry-goers are employed. 📈

If you need food to offset the inflated cost of other things in your budget, go to a food pantry! That’s what they are there for!
There’s many to choose from and they are all unique. 🍓🥑
To ease your mind: Central PA Food Bank member pantries are not allowed to ask for detailed financial information or incorporate religious aspects. 🙅🏻‍♀️

Find one near you:

FIND FOOD There are more than 1,100 soup kitchens, food pantries, shelters and social programs within the 27 counties the Food Bank serves. Search for one

09/14/2023

I’m sharing the story of when I used the SNAP program because I want folks to see that anyone can go through tough times AND how impactful the program can be.

This program is tremendously important to ensure that folks still have access to food in a dignified way, even if life is sucking at the moment.
Myth Buster - The average person is on SNAP for less than a year.

I used SNAP while I was working 2 side jobs during COVID and had been laid off. I had just gone through a divorce because my husband cheated on me, and all of sudden I had to move, come up with first month’s rent and the deposit. I no longer shared bills, had to buy household items, and had a more expensive monthly rent.
Between that, the legal expenses, and medical expenses from something that also occurred at the time, I couldn’t make ends meet. I felt ashamed to apply for SNAP but then I realized “WAIT… this is a system I have been paying into my whole life. That’s what SNAP is here for, to help fellow Americans when life gets tough”.
When the card arrived I felt a wave of relief; to be able to shop normally and not just pick out cheap food just to survive made me feel human again.
I was in shock every time the card worked at a grocery store, and VERY excited when a Farmers market vendor explained my EBT $ goes further on produce at markets.

I used SNAP for about 6 months until I got a job that paid much better and could cover most expenses. I could have stayed on longer. That would have allowed me to save up a bit more for emergencies (like when my car’s head gasket blew a few months later) but I still felt a slight tingle of “maybe someone else can use this money more”.

I only had that feeling is because I knew SNAP was always under fire. The negative social stigma has been well curated by the government and media myths, and that is not a coincidence. Even right now they are working to cut SNAP benefits again.

So PLEASE sign this petition and if you feel up to it, call your representatives. You most likely will get an aide or a voicemail.
All you have to say is - “don’t cut anymore SNAP benefits, in fact, add more!”

Can you sign our petition asking Congress to renew SNAP WITHOUT cuts to the program? Click here to sign on:

Add your name to tell Congress: pass the Farm Bill with no cuts to SNAP!

11/01/2022

Check it out!! I know this is the opposite side of the state but so much good work is being done in these farms I had to celebrate them.
I hope this county gets a slice of the recent USDA money set aside to support BIPOC small farmers.
Hey Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank - maybe an opportunity for a partnership?

In Pittsburgh’s Black community, urban agriculture goes beyond growing vegetables. It’s about providing food security, life and career skills, opportunities for veterans and youth empowerment.

09/07/2022

A few chores done between raindrops - the most important being goat cuddle time!

Pepper has become our neediest goat and often knocks me over in her attention- seeking attempts 😅

09/05/2022

Between rain showers I wandered my pollinator garden, and was surprised to find bees hurrying between Blooms!

08/31/2022

Thank you to all who attended our local foods cooking demo dinner - your enthusiastic participation made the class fun ! It was a pleasure to nerd out on herb botany and local food markets with you all. Thank you to Zest for inviting me to be a guest in your cooking school, and to Chestnut Ridge Honey LLC for speaking about your honey and wax products, and for bringing all your swag to promote awesome local food businesses! I was excited to see that Upohar will be a special guest at Zest in January!

08/22/2022

Canning feels like collecting garden gems 🤩. Next I’d like to try pickling some of the okra… Got any good recipes?

07/20/2022

Hello Fellow Foodies! I’ll be a guest “chef” at Zest 🍋 for a Special Event SATURDAY August 27th!
🥖I’ll be demonstrating and then serving a meal made from seasonal & hyper-locally sourced ingredients, some grown on my (new) farmette! 🧀🌱🫐
THERE ARE ONLY A FEW TICKETS LEFT

Join us for a delicious night out - Check out the menu on my profile link 🦋

07/20/2022

Hello Fellow Foodies! I’ll be a guest “chef” at Zest 🍋 for a Special Event THIS SATURDAY July 23rd!
🥖I’ll be demonstrating and then serving a meal made from seasonal & hyper-locally sourced ingredients, some grown on my (new) farmette! 🧀🌱🫐
THERE ARE ONLY A FEW TICKETS LEFT (4)

Join us for a delicious night out - Check out the menu here:

Come relax and enjoy a wonderful evening of local food and education with Rebecca Bedenbaugh, owner of Lancaster

07/09/2022

Aged Cheddar & caramelized Shallot Zucchini fritters!
I read a few recipes online and decided none of them were quite what I was looking for so I made my own recipe by pulling from about 6 recipes:
Makes about 10 fritters:
- 3 medium squash, grated, salted lightly and pressed to release excess liquid.
- 2 eggs
-caramelize 1 shallot (or just dice and throw in raw)
- about 12 chives, chopped, save half for topping
- 1 cup flour, I used half wheat, half all purpose flour but you can use whatever mix you like.
-2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice or 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 oz of sharp white or aged cheddar, shredded (add more if you like 😊)
Blend all the ingredients together.
Heat heavy bottomed pan (I used a cast iron) over medium high heat. Add olive oil (or whatever oil you like) so it just covers the bottom of the pan.
Once the oil is heated, add large dollops of zucchini dough (about 2.5 tablespoons) into the pan, and flatten with back of spoon or spatula.
Do not overcrowd the pan.
Lower heat to medium.
Allow fritters to cook on either side for about 3 minutes, or until each side is golden brown and the fritter is cooked the whole way through.
Remove with a spatial and rest on paper towels to absorb excess oil.
I made a sauce from 1/2 cup sour cream, the rest of the chives, dill and about 1 teaspoon powdered garlic.
Feel free to adjust to your taste!
ENJOY!

07/06/2022

Pollinator Butt 🥰
The pollinator garden is starting to pop! This year I took a leap of faith and started many of these flowers from seed 😬I found that echinacea, snapdragon, bee balm, status, sun balls and verbena are easy to grow from seed. However columbines, foxglove and Delphinium proved to be very finicky! I was lucky enough to have a neighbor with years of gardening wisdom that gifted me many transplants as well 😍. Lastly I was lucky enough to find some amazing native plant growers at the Landis Valley festival and a private nursery in the stony creek inn area. They say perennials take three years to really show off, the saying is sow, grow, show! So fingers crossed!!

06/29/2022

Hello Fellow Foodies! I’ll be a guest “chef” at Zest 🍋 for a Special Event on July 23rd- I’ll be demonstrating and then serving a meal made from seasonal & hyper-locally sourced ingredients, some grown on my (new) farm! 🧀🌱🫐

Join us for a delicious night out - Check out the link here:

Stay up to date with our schedule and cooking classes! Register for one of our cooking classes today to learn all kinds of delicious recipes.