Bedlam Farm Blog Journal by Jon Katz

9 October

Cambridge Pantry: Today Is Betty Crocker Day, A Month Of Desserts. Muffins, Biscuits, Pancakes: Was Betty A Real Person? The Real Story…

by Jon Katz

Today, we would like to ask for your support in providing four much-wanted but rarely available items from Betty Crocker: Buttermilk Pancakes, Blueberry Muffin Mix, Butter Biscuit Mix Pancake and Waffle Mix, Chocolate Chip Muffin.

When shared with these hard-pressed families, these items will not only bring joy but also bring up cherished memories with their children.

Making these with their children is a beautiful activity that makes everyone feel good about food and is something the family can do together.

The pantry currently needs baking goods, which is always a favorite.

The Regional Food Bank, the Cambridge Pantry’s leading supplier, could not provide the usual assorted baking boxes for the Cambridge Pantry this week. Sarah calls the baking goods shelves “weak,” meaning she needs help.

Betty Crocker Day? You can see more about Betty Crocker down below.

Betty Crocker Complete Buttermilk Biscuit Mix, add water, 7.5 oz, Pack of 9, $16.11.

BC Blueberry Muffin Mix, 6.5 oz, Pack of 9, $11.54

BC Chocolate Chip Muffin Mix 6.5 oz, Pack of 9, $13.41.

Betty Crocker Buttermilk Pancake and Waffle Mix, 6.5 0z, (Pack

Of 9), $11.49.

____

So Betty Crocker was never real; many Betty Crockers were and still are trusted by many food buyers.

Betty was a fictional character created by the Washburn-Crosby Company to respond to a swarm of customer inquiries.

The company, which later became General Mills, used the name to personalize responses to a flood of questions and baking advice from readers of the Saturday Evening Post. 

They decided that the best baking tips would come from a woman, so they made one up. She took many forms, each meant to connect to homemakers who baked at the time. It worked.

More (Details below.)

___

Alert: Two Popular Things The Pantry is out of and can’t replace.

Nissin Top Ramen Noodle Soup, Soy Sauce, 3 Ounce, Pack of 24, $11. 76.

Nissin Top Ramen Noodle Soup, Chicken, 3 Oz Pack of 24, $6.88.

If you can, thanks for thinking of the Ramen. You are very much appreciated. They are trendy, and Sarah expected Ramen might also be on the food bank truck. As she puts it, it’s another “weak” shelf.

We can fix that.

__________

More On Betty Crocker:

Betty Crocker has become a fully vested American symbol of family, hearth, and home that many generations treasure and look up to,” says Margaret J. King, Ph.D., director of Cultural Studies & Analysis, a think tank that advises businesses on their fit with culture and cultural values. Her image is solidly emblematic of the middle class, productivity, and women as homemakers.”

 The Washburn-Crosby Company, which owned Gold Medal Flour (later sold to General Mills), always responded to customer queries. In 1921, the company advertised a contest in the Saturday Evening Post where contestants had to complete and mail in a jigsaw puzzle. They didn’t expect a flood of baking questions or contest entries. Although they often received letters and always responded, the company capitalized on the moment by creating a persona to answer home cooks’ questions. Betty Crocker was born.

And is still selling baking goods today. They miss her at the food pantry. Please support “Betty Crocker ” Day at the food pantry if possible.

The Army Of Good is really helping us,” she said. “Thanks.”

A note: You can access these items on the Cambridge Amazon Food Wish List day or night, seven days a week.  You can go to any kink above or the green pantry button at the end of every blog post. Thanks a million.

9 October

Beautiful Morning, Today, Wednesday, October 9, 2024: In Black And White And Color – Two Cameras

by Jon Katz

I love my new morning routine, and I have a new L.L.Bean winter bathrobe to keep me warm on my morning photo excursions. I’ve got a lot of work and experimentation to do. Today is Betty Crocker’s day at the Cambridge Food Pantry. I’m going online to see if she was ever alive. Come along for the morning walk.

I took out two cameras this morning: my Mirrorless full frame and monochrome. Come and see. More later.


We are starting the day.

Fate at work (more or less).

We are opening the pasture gate.

Lulu’s morning hug.

Morning sun.

Moving manure, the Bedlam Farm Fertilizer

Zip cleans up every morning after breakfast.

Mad Dog

St. Jo’s morning.

Lulu

Bud

8 October

The Adventure Continues. Photo Painting. Breaking New Ground, Kisses To The Ghost Of Ms. O’Keeffe, Her Genius Lives On

by Jon Katz

“Georgia O’Keeffe also showed her independence by painting what she wanted. Not that anybody tried to stop her from painting anything, but she went places that she wanted to go with nobody’s permission but her own. She painted what she wanted in the way she wanted. She didn’t care if it wasn’t the “right way” to paint. She knew her way was right, and nobody could convince her otherwise.”  — Weebly.

I went a bit crazy today. Call it an experiment binge.

Ken sent me a message yesterday about my spiritual explorations. He got right to the point:” You’re nuts.” He is not the first person to tell me that; I know it to be true. I always used the word “crazy,” but my shrink said it was too harsh. “Strange would do,” she said.

I’ve learned to avoid engaging or arguing with people who use odd punctuation or exclamation marks; it never goes well. It always feels that they don’t quite agree with what they wrote; they must add something.

But Ken had a point.

I’ve been reading a lot about Georgia O’Keeffe lately, and she was frequently called all kinds of names, from whore to faker to insane. She said she was happy to be crazy, as everyone she liked was crazy, and she rarely was comfortable with anyone who claimed to be sane.

She said they were boring. Bless her spirit and courage.

I thanked Ken for calling me nuts. If I’ve earned anything in my life, it’s that the so-called “sane” people are crazier than anyone. Look what they’ve done to our world.

Again, I shared a common value with O’Keeffe,  someone far out of my range who I admired. I am crazy, or “nuts,” as Ken put it, and I went crazy with experimentation with a tech-teacher friend who went on Light Room with me to help me get to the next level.

It was great fun and left me high as a kite. I did get to another level and have many more to go. I might even get crazier.

Please feel free to come along for the ride. It will be easier if you are a little strange, too. I can’t wait to share these pictures; thanks much. I think I’ve reached another place. I earned my position on the earth today; it’s time to check out. Thanks so much, Diane.

I hope to see you all tomorrow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8 October

Sarah’s Chosen Pantry Support, Child Support, Health Support, Today Tuesday, 10/9/2024: Hand Soap, $7.53, Pack of Six, Hugghies Bag Wipes, (See Buying Options, $11.39 And Up)

by Jon Katz

This morning’s supplies are for children and the adults who care for them: Baby wipes and hand soap. I also added some yearned-for deserts down below.

Original Fresh Liquid Hand Soap, 7.5 Fl Oz (Pack of 6), $7.53

Huggies Natural Care Sensitive Baby Wipes, Unscented, Hypoallergenic, 99 % purified water, 8 Flip-Top Packs (448 Wipes Total),  (see all buying options, $11.39 up.)

Thanks to your generous support, our pasta sauce shelf is fully stocked by Terry, the Tuesday morning volunteer who stacks the shelves.

My choices below are from the updated Cambridge Pantry Amazon Food Wish List. Everything on the list is needed; you can browse it any time by clicking on the links here or the green food pantry button at the bottom of every page.

These items are changed several times daily, and they all go from the shelves or are impossible for the pantry to acquire.

 

Alberto VO 5 Extra Body Volumizing Shampoo, 15 Oz (Pack of 1), $1.01.

Colgate Total Whitening Toothpaste Gel, No-Trade-offs, Freshens Breath, Whitens Teeth, Provides Sensitivity Relief, Mint Flavor 4 Pack, 5.1 Oz tubes, $12.78.

Betty Crocker Bisquick Complete Buttermilk Biscuit Mix, Add Water, 7.5 Oz (Pack Of 9), $16.11.

Betty Crocker Blueberry Muffin Mix, 6.5 (Pack of 9), $11.54.

 

Cereal: The Shelf Is Full.

The women guests are thankful for the Maxi-Pads you sent for them.

8 October

Beautiful Morning At Sunrise In The Mist. I Give Thanks Every Morning For Being Here…

by Jon Katz

It was an especially beautiful morning. I went to the food pantry this morning to take some pictures and watch Terry put the new foods on the shelves. My Saturday day off seems like a long time. Got a lot of blogging to do. Thanks for the good words about the morning beauty. It’s good for me as well, it reminds me why I am here.

Just a little bit of hay each morning so they can adjust…

Zip on his morning explorations, snow or not.

 

The sun was on my side this morning. It’s getting a bit chilly for my bathrobe.

Every morning, Maria greets every single animal…

 

One of Zip’s Calendar shots, there are many.

 

St. Joe brings the mist….

 

Zip likes to meditate in this lawn chair every morning after he eats..

I think this landscape is one of the prettiest.

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