Likely you’ve felt like you have been missing something in your life. You are absolutely over the consumer driven greed and bad for you ingredients politicians are making money on. Keeping us sick, tired, and poor. Okay, yes, enough of this. This isn’t about the injustice of our surroundings, but the empowerment of taking things back. Bringing things back to wholesome, limited ingredients that you can pronounce. Delicious hobbies that you can share with your friends, loved ones, and neighbors. Even make a business out of it or a side hustle. Simply taking flour and water, and growing it into endless delicacies.

Ruth is the one who got me hooked. No surprise there. Brilliant Ruth never shows up empty handed and always brings something to teach us. Crafting, baking, unholstering, endless learning. Ruth feeds my soul in a way that makes me so thankful that we entered each other’s lives over 15 years ago. The type of friendship I’d dreamed about my whole life. Enter Ruth.

Ruth showed up with a still warm artisanal loaf of sourdough, gorgeously decorated, perfectly crusted, and with everything needed to teach me how to do it myself. Bringing starter, teaching me how to create my own starter, and then what to do to keep feeding it, utilize it, and work wonders even with the discard. Yes there are millions of blogs that deep dive into sourdough like this gem shared by Ruth: Preppy Kitchen Sourdough

Here are the episodes that visually show you the way, should you be interested.

The Sam’Splains TV Show eps all about sourdough, starring Ruth to kick us off!
Better Off Bread with Ruth Part 1

Better Off Bread with Ruth Part 2

Sourdough Starter and Discard Cinnamon Buns

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I have always loved Halloween. IT was THE be all end all of holidays with my family. Every year we would go all out creating walk through Halloween events through our backyard and house. I would be in an oversized wolf costume stuffed with newspaper and would spring out at people scaring their brains out. Best days always.

As soon as the temp drops (if it does) the thoughts of pumpkins dance across my vision, the house of Practical Magic appears, and decorating begins. Cue all the Halloweeny themed outfits, and costumes of course.

Spooky Sam’Splains Episodes:

• CharBOOterie

• Spooktacular Tomato Soup and Ghostie Grilled Cheese

• Terrifyingly Simple Delights

• Frozen Ghosties and Witchy Cauldron Cupcakes

• Adorable Owl Cupcakes

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The world is on fire, but one small thing we can do which will have a big impact on our own lives is growing and making our own food. A super easy thing to do, is to get into your sourdough era, which is supposed to be better on your gut anyway. When my bff Ruth comes to visit, Kevin and I get super excited. Ruth is an amazing human. One of the super cool things is that usually she shows up with something to teach us. Last time it was needle felting and Challah bread making. Which btw is the easiest bread to make ever, I was so surprised. The only part of it that is hard in my opinion is the braiding part. But regardless of your braiding skill level, it’ll be delicious no matter what it ends up looking like.

We were not disappointed. I would like to start by saying when Ruth gets to take a mental health break from homelife, we are her resort. It is an honor and a privilege. I grow so very depressed when she leaves, like finishing a favorite book, and already missing it.

Ruth rolled in with a fresh artisan loaf still warm, her cast iron with lid, and all the fixin’s to teach us the magic of sourdough, which is mostly just science and math based. Sharing some of her starter, we began to feed and grow our own, So very easy.

Now with the same starter she left us with, we continue to have the makings of sourdough at all times. A brilliant and awesome hobby that can empower you to know that A) you can do anything and B) nothing is out of your reach. If everyone grew gardens with some varying edible plants, and made their own bread to share or barter, someone has some chickens for eggs, and such we would be so much less dependent on big grocery.

Did you know after the world war people grew victory gardens, and every sunday would set up fold up tables at the end of their yard/driveway to put out the extras of what they grew? Everyone would walk around and get what they needed, and it didn’t cost a thing. Community based is where we need to go back to. No big corporate forcing us to live paycheck to paycheck, being dependent on their mood swings and price gouging, with no one to protect us.

Growing your own things and making your own things like bread, is a game changer. Bartering with neighbors using pickles, or squashes, to have someone watch the puppy so we can get a date night is the best. And you feel like a million dollars because you grew that, you baked that, you stood up to the machine and told it you weren’t it’s b*tch anymore.

It is a start, and a great one at that. So get your sourdough era fixin’s and join us in a world of endless warm bread filling your house with wafting smells of deliciousness and success.

Part 1 TV Episode

Part 2 is here!

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I fell in love with hops in an unusual fashion. No it wasn’t because of beer or getting drunk. I was living in London and on an excursion to High Castle Farm which is famous for two things, the endless lavender fields in blossom, and hops that people get to decorate their mantels for the holidays. I fell in love with their sleepy time tea which included of course lavender, rosehips, chamomile, mint, but also hops! The chemical found in hops is used mostly in the making of hopsy beer, but did you know it also works great in tea without getting you intoxicated. It takes the edge off in a calming way.

I was sad to leave London and head back here to the US, where tea isn’t as big of a deal, sigh. I couldn’t find anything like the tea I had gotten at High Castle Farm, and I was quickly running out of it. So I did a reverse engineering trick and figured out the breakdown of ratios in the making of the dried tea.

Next came the fun part. I decided to try my luck at growing hops. Having no background in it, and no idea what to expect, I blindly went forward. Realizing research is a good idea, I studied up on it and using that and what I had learned on tour at the High Castle Farm, I grew my first crop of hops. It grew up 25 feet. I had to have it go up into a tall tree branch. I collected about a dozen or so hops flowers matured and ready to be dried for tea. Success.

But the next year that one vine came back as 20 and I realized, ruh roh… I needed more tall trees and branches in which hops could still be mostly in the sun all day. This was my best crop yet.

Moving out to PA has given me a chance to establish friendships with locally owned and run businesses. Schaylors Brewing Company is right down the street, dog friendly, and has endless awesome events. I was hooked. One of the owners Jess is awesome and helped me set up an episode recording with their brewmaster Mike. Mike then showed me how they brew beer in house, in big machines that he explained. He also shared with me that they have a great relationship with a farm down the way that breeds cattle. Once the hops formula is kicked and the delicious beer to ferment is separated from it, all the sludge is picked up by a local farm and fed to the happiest cattle you may ever meet.

I am such a fan of relationships like that! Community at its best working with locally owned and run businesses collaborating on all sorts of things including events! The Schaylor Events Calendar is jam packed month after month with super fun craft nights, trivia, food themed dazzlers, and so much more. In fact, we the Women of WEEU are kicking off Ladies Nights starting this month!

August 28th with Aqua Om Paddle for a relaxing light paddle and sunset meditation. Be rocked into a calming hug as Kami leads us through meditation among nature at its best.

September 25that 6:30pm join us at Schaylor Brewing Co with Rustic Rose to make fall wreaths with fun drink specials including their pumpkin spiced witchy brew!

October 1st at 6pm WEEU Ladies Night is all about painting pumpkins at the Art Room in West Reading and sipping yummy pumpkin beer from Saucony Creek Brewing!

November we head to Ridgewood Winery for a Charcuterie Course with Brie Charcuterie! TBD 6th or 13th at 6pm.

And so much more being lined up each month.

On this all new Sam’Splains the World Field Trip Edition we headed to Schaylor Brewing Company where brewmaster Mike teaches us how our favorite local beer is made. Then host Samantha Bremekamp shares how easy it is to grow your own hops vertically! Easy peasy and great dried and in tea too! Something for everyone!

TV Episode

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Are you ready to experience a haven of happiness, where the aroma of freshly brewed coffee mingles with the gentle purrs of adorable kittens? Fresh baked goods continuously leave the oven. Plants surround you and you can even take those home too? Look no further than Kitt's Cafe, your ultimate destination for a heartwarming and delightful escape!

Adopt a Furry Friend

At Kitt's Cafe, we believe every cat deserves a loving home. Our cafe is filled with playful, cuddly kittens, all available for adoption. Spend time getting to know these charming furballs, and you might just find your new best friend! Our dedicated staff will guide you through the adoption process, ensuring a smooth and joyful transition for both you and your new companion.

Indulge Your Taste Buds

Prepare your palate for an extraordinary culinary journey! Our menu features an incredible array of delectable dishes, crafted with the freshest ingredients. From savory sandwiches and salads to decadent pastries and desserts, there’s something to satisfy every craving.

Savor Their Diverse Beverage Selection

Quench your thirst with our extensive beverage menu. Whether you’re a coffee connoisseur, a tea enthusiast, or a lover of refreshing smoothies, we have a drink to suit your mood. Our baristas are experts at crafting the perfect cup, ensuring a delightful experience with every sip.

Discover Unique Treasures

Beyond the delightful company of cats and delicious food, Kitt's Cafe offers a curated selection of unique plants and charming gifts. Find the perfect potted plant to brighten your home or a special memento for a loved one. Our gift shop is brimming with cat-themed merchandise, local artisan crafts, and other delightful surprises.

More Than Just a Cafe

Kitt's Cafe is more than just a cat cafe; it’s a community hub where animal lovers can connect, relax, and make a difference. We host regular events, including adoption drives, educational workshops, and themed parties, fostering a vibrant and engaging atmosphere.

Come visit us at Kitt's Cafe and let us fill your day with joy, purrs, and unforgettable moments. Your new best friend and a culinary adventure await!

My love of cats runs deep. From my little orange kitty from childhood, to being Puss in Boots for Halloween in elementary school, costume made by my fabulous mother! To pairing with NatGeo explorers in the field studying big cats and making those lessons come to life, to today’s love of Kitt’s Cafe. It has it all!

BCTV Episode

830 WEEU Radio Spot 39 Minute Mark

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Studies show that being near water significantly helps your mental well being. It lifts your spirits and reminds you that life is worth living. I am fortunate to have grown up near water and have most of my life lived near it. Oceans, Bays, Rivers, Creeks, Lakes… always make the day better. Kayaking, surfing, floating, and bobbing up and down are just some of my favorite things to do on water. Moving to this area of PA, near three hours away from the oceanfront I grew up against was a bit of a shock and led to a new level of depression. It’s kind of hard to surf with no ocean. I also didn’t know anyone here, and my partner was traveling solo most of the time and is not much of an outdoorsman anyway. Still trying to get him to go kayaking with me. But I digress.

Lo and behold, Aqua Om Paddle appears into my life like the needed ray of sunshine that it is. Kami, the founder and owner, is awesome. Having worked the grind of corporate life, she needed a change. Mental clarity and a life worth living that wasn’t just making someone else a lot of money. She discovered paddleboarding and found that it wasn’t anywhere near Berks County. Kami would drive an hour each way in order to be able to paddleboard. Paddleboarding became her life, the air she breathed, and her reason for getting up in the morning. She did it so much that she began competing in it. Kami was good. Not just good, but really good. But something was missing.

Kami realized quickly that she wanted to be able to share her love of paddleboarding and since Berks County didn’t yet have it, she created Aqua Om Paddle. An incredible company that brings people together in so many different ways from straight paddleboarding lessons, and the like to historic paddle tours, soon to be lantern tours, and glamping! Collabs came in naturally and often she brings into the mix more awesome business owners of Berks that bring their own unique flair to the experience. From doing paddleboard pilates, and yoga, to Sip SUP Sunset collabs with Rise Up Nutrition and so much more.

TV Episode

830 WEEU Radio Spot turned Podcast 39 minute mark!

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The closest I have gotten to any of those long lost dreams has been getting involved with National Geographic and being paired with explorers in the field to bring into the library classes I was privileged to teach Kindergarten through eighth graders. NatGeo and I would pair groups with explorers and help raise awareness for endangered animals, learn about becoming stewards of our planet, and the importance of simply caring. Caring enough to not let a species go extinct for the next generations to learn about and enjoy.

Traveling to conservation zoos all around the world whose main focus is to help bring back a species, help them expand, and educate the public around them with animal ambassadors. I was so thrilled to reach out to the Lehigh Valley Zoo and collaborate on an episode.

The location itself is gorgeous and up a mountain. The views are stunning, even before you see the animals. AND my favorite thing about this zoo is that you can have your wedding here! Or feed giraffes, or host an anniversary party, and everything in between. Venues that defy the norm in my opinion are the most memorable and engaging spaces. Having Joshua the Giraffe as best man… Can you top that?

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Ever since I was a little girl I loved animals and learning about them, pretending to be them, and surrounding myself with stuffies to help me live my dreams. On safari, in the jungle, swinging into the rainforest, and growing up to be the next Jane Goodall, or Steve Irwin whose passing I won’t ever get over.

The closest I have gotten to any of those long lost dreams has been getting involved with National Geographic and being paired with explorers in the field to bring into the library classes I was privileged to teach Kindergarten through eighth graders. NatGeo and I would pair groups with explorers and help raise awareness for endangered animals, learn about becoming stewards of our planet, and the importance of simply caring. Caring enough to not let a species go extinct for the next generations to learn about and enjoy.

Traveling to conservation zoos all around the world whose main focus is to help bring back a species, help them expand, and educate the public around them with animal ambassadors. I was so thrilled to reach out to the Lehigh Valley Zoo and collaborate on an episode.

The location itself is gorgeous and up a mountain. The views are stunning, even before you see the animals. AND my favorite thing about this zoo is that you can have your wedding here! Or feed giraffes, or host an anniversary party, and everything in between. Venues that defy the norm in my opinion are the most memorable and engaging spaces. Having Joshua the Giraffe as best man… Can you top that?

Tv Episode

830 WEEU Radio Spot Minute Mark 38:38!

Monkey Bread Episode

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Dreaming of elegant times with tea parties, fabulous hats, and french motifs in the US? Look no further! Right in Reading, PA a new dawn has begun bringing with it enchantment, elegance, and delicacies that transport you to Versailles during the short reign of Marie Antoinette. Such splendor. Yohanna, the owner and head pastry chef who opened this beautiful spot of Ma Patisserie exactly a year ago, had been living in the visions of this before the cafe was even a thought.

Yohanna has been collecting teapots and beautiful franciscan china for years and years adding her well known Easter celebrations where after the kids find all the eggs, the ladies adorned in floral dresses and matching hats have a tea party that can rival the places I have visited abroad. Then one day having passed this storefront a million times, wondering why is it still empty? Knowing it had been a really fabulous dressmaker’s shop including those stunning pop out windows where the gowns would be displayed to passersby. “One day, I just called the number, and I was told it was my lucky day.” The gorgeous gold adorned molding was already there. The pop out ceiling molding was in perfect shape. All she and her team needed to do was give it a good clean, fresh coat of ceiling paint, and fill it with the daintiest tea sets that I have ever seen. A collection started way before the idea and dream of opening a cafe even came up.

Ever since it has quickly become a community staple hosting events for local business owners to mix and mingle at their diversity hosted events. The most recent one had an enormous turn out and it was so lovely to see everyone having such a wonderful time networking and building lifelong friendships. Yohanna is hosting a macrame fondant class where you can learn how to weave gorgeous cake decorations that are truly one of a kind. You absolutely have to experience what is sure to become your new favorite hang.

Location: 113 N 5th Street Reading, PA

TV Episode

Radio Show & Podcast at the 38:55 Minute Mark

Dave Russell, Radio Icon

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Creating the Sam’Splains World was a way of connecting with the outside world. The field trips have long been something I had craved and missed since childhood. As I started to do field trip editions of the show, it got me out of the house, meeting interesting people, and learning a whole heck of a lot in all different areas. I choose locally owned and run businesses, family owned, multigeneration owned, businesses that could benefit from a shout out. And so the most popular segments helped me not feel as alone and isolated. It opened up a whole new world for me. Which led me to meet fascinating, and incredible people I likely would have never come across otherwise.

One new friend here recently started doing roller derby. How badass is that? I can’t think of a cooler thing to do. I wanted to join as well but physical limitations prevent me from fully participating. That and the inability to stay upright on traditional roller skates. I grew up during the rollerblade craze. So I did the next best thing. I reached out a few times and finally heard back from the awesome owners who said it was a green light!

Over the pandemic a handful of these derby savages pooled some resources and bought a historic roller rink in Pottsgrove, PA. They started a league. There was something really special about the world they were building around them.

First of all, it is super inclusive. They have a multitiered level system so that people can continue to grow and get better at movement and understanding roller derby before being thrown to the wolves. Secondly, they genuinely have a wonderful comRADery and cheer each other on. They “fight” but don’t make it personal while bouting or practicing. There is no “whelp you didn’t pass the first level so now you are dead to us,” vibes at all. How many people are terrified to try something new based on failure and humility alone. No one needs the added stress of, “Well you paid, you couldn’t cut the mustard, no go live alone in your cowerdess.” Having been an athlete growing up, I understand how cutthroat things can be, how nasty people can be, and how awful coaches can ruin a career of an athlete based on anger and spite that has nothing to do with the players. Rockstar Roller Derby is the opposite of that nasty business.

I immediately felt like I was part of the family from the moment I walked in the door. I have never experienced a more supportive and genuinely caring group of strangers in my life. Don’t let this tough exterior group photo fool you.

I have been following these fierce warriors on social media for months watching them go outside of roller derby to clean parks together. They volunteer all the time as a group and really give back to the communities they all grew up around or in.

I love so much that they team up with local charities and split the funds raised at bouts. The money they keep goes to the historic building, a small amount goes to helping their own players who may not be able to afford skates. The rest goes to the charity. That’s it. That alone represents the warmth they bring into the world around them. Plus their bouts are fun, they have a penalty wheel with really hilarious combative tasks like the croud favorite pillow fight, or tug of war, or cart race, or arm wrestling et al.

It is a dazzling spectacle of skill and show-woman-ship. It is something you yourself need to experience. With three bouts coming up September 6, October 11, and November 15th which is the fundraising event! I will certainly be attending and working my way into becoming a regular member of the group sans skates and I cannot wait!

Pulled from the Rockstar Roller Derby Website: Just some of the charities these incredible humans have raised money for: American Red Cross

• Better Days Ahead

• LGBT Center of Reading

• NAMI

• Phoenixville Hospital Thrift Shop

• Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities

• Strive Initiative

• The Trevor Project

• Toys for Tots

• UN Crisis Relief

• World Central Kitchen

Watch the episode here!

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Licensed Professional Counselor, and my good friend, Cynthia Thomasset who has a practice in Shillington, PA sheds light on toxic stress, holding in anger, and the importance of release. Another very important thing to note in this is that finding the right therapist is a lot like dating. The likelihood of you finding the perfect match on your first try is unrealistic. You need to try a few people out, and there are awesome therapists like Cynthia who will happily match you with a colleague she believes will be the ideal match for you and what you are looking for and needing most. So do not give up after having one mediocre experience. Finding the right person who actually hears you is rewarding and makes your life so much better.

As we deep dived into Toxic Stress and the poison it creates when holding onto it, we speak of ways to deal with it safely that make you feel so much better without harming yourself or others. I mentioned my good friends who I have watched become the best parents. Their oldest can have coping issues so they discovered that if she needs to let some rage out one way of accomplishing this safely is by letting her beat the daylights out of a cardboard box. We have them ten fold so may as well use them to our advantage.

Cynthia is the one who put the Anger House on my radar, as an excellent episode focus. But I knew that I wanted Cynthia to explain to us what toxic stress is, how it manifests within us when we hold onto it, and the importance of letting it go.

Another way for me to recenter myself is by going forest bathing or as some of you may know it as walking in the woods or hiking depending on how far you go. Forest bathing studies go back centuries. In my personal experience being enveloped by tall trees filtering in sunlight, and surrounded by a cacophony of bird sounds and other nature sounds is an instant mood booster. It lowers my blood pressure and it allows me to be in the moment. I bring my dog everytime and find that it also does so much for her. The enrichment of smelling new scents, trying to solve nature mysteries, and sometimes running into dog friends is a rewarding experience for both of us. Guess which one of us sniffs everything…

Whatever you find, however you find it, and where ever you go to get it… this one thing is true for all of us, releasing rage makes us healthier. Go find The Anger House near you, a great therapist, and mystical woods to walk in. You’ll thank yourself every time!

Here is the full episode:

Full Episode

Look for the release of the podcast version post in substack, and also you can listen where podcasts live like spotify or itunes or apply podcasts.

Articles and Links from Cynthia Thomasset:

Toxic Stress Article:

Toxic Stress: Definition, Causes, & Treatment | ChoosingTherapy.com

Grow Therapy, to find a therapist:

https://growtherapy.com/

Psychology Today, to find therapist:

Psychology Today: Health, Help, Happiness + Find a Therapist

My Psychology Today:

Cynthia Thomasset, Licensed Professional Counselor, Shillington, PA, 19607 | Psychology Todayshow

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When you discover someone who is curious, researches, and tirelessly tries different recipes until finding the perfect balance, you have struck gold. I have been so lucky to have befriended Beverly the founder and owner of Muddy Creek Soap Company in lively West Reading, and I have never looked back.

If you are like me, then you absolutely cannot pass up a good sniff-by when walking past the artisanal soap display. Often looking more like art than the soap you grew up with, but so far removed as the ingredients are superior in every which way, often vegan.

Artisanal soap boasts about the ingredients that make your skin feel quenched, supple, and treated right. Ditch the bad ex (manufactured drying out soap) and treat your skin to the recipes it deserves. Made with ingredients you have actually heard of and can pronounce!

Before I became so lucky as to have found a place around the block from me, I met Yvette. During the pandemic I had the privilege of becoming friends with Yvette who hails from South Africa, a Nat Geo Explorer, scientist, ornithologist, and so much more. She started the movement of getting female products to girls so that they could stop missing school and start feeling human. Yvie makes artisanal soaps. Often making videos of soap making and creating the most delicious smelling and feeling soaps I had ever experienced. How? Yvie sent a huge box of assorted soaps that she made via her amazing in-laws who carried it back from South Africa to the UK where they reside and then shipped it directly to me. How I Iong for the days in which we are not separated by so much distance.

Ever since, I have been chasing that artisanal soap high, and finally, after all this time, found a local artist and member of the international Soap Guild a mere five minute drive from my house in beautiful and fun West Reading. Muddy Creek Soap Company is a delightful and vibrant shop that is always filled with customers who exclusively use Beverly’s products.

Bevery Kelly-Carfagno is the wizard behind the endless products being introduced into the store. Having grown up with skin issues, not surprisingly exacerbated by the harsh ingredients that dry out skin found in most major soap brands, and exhausted by being told to just use ivory by doctors, Beverly began experimenting. She happened upon hand crafted artisanal soaps at markets and such, and realized oh my! These feel so much better on my skin… I am no longer having the issues that ivory always led to. Beverly did her research, and through trial and error, and joining the Soap Makers Guild, she found her sweet spot.

She and her supportive husband hustled her soaps all the way up and down the east coast, until one day her husband saw a sign for rent in West Reading. He believed in her so much that he helped her land in a great location on the bustling West Reading main strip and they never looked back. This February will be her tenth anniversary in that location! So much to celebrate, and yet so much to keep experimenting with.

Beverly was kind enough to show me and the Sam’Splains audience how her best selling products are made. The science and the baking measurements of it all, and it was as thrilling as it was scent-sational. Muddy Creek is my go to when having friends and loved ones visit our hamlet in PA. It is always a huge success! Ranging from grabbing great gifts for those you care about, to treating yo’self to the skin care you deserve.

Case and point, a gorgeous male couple was in the shop while I was filming, stocking up on their favorite products made by Beverly before making their move down to Del Ray! If that isn’t a testament to the quality and popularity of Beverly’s magic, I don’t know what is. The best part, they can and will be ordering online and having it shipped once they go through their stock. But they didn’t want to move without it!

Please enjoy the half hour segment airing on BCTV 9pm on Friday, which now lives on youtube under the Sam’Splains Playlist.

Wanting a bit more? Enjoy the extended version and learn how two other best selling products are made! It is the closest thing to being a wizard or a witch that I have discovered outside of playing DnD.

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Americana Apiary in Shoemakersville, PA

Kim and Dave Brown, owners

Get ready for an exciting adventure in the all-new episode of Sam'Splains the World Field Trip Edition Americana Apiary Pocast Edition. Join host Samantha Bremekamp as she journeys to Americana Apiary to uncover the fascinating world of bees and honey. Learn all about these incredible creatures from the experts themselves, Kim and Dave. Tune in and discover the sweet secrets of the hive!

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Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I would end up moving to the pretzel capital of the world. No, not Germany… but close ish… Sturgis Pretzels has been around since the mid 1800s. Did you know that the hard pretzel was invented here in the United States in PA by Julius Sturgis who was working at a bread bakery and discovered that someone had left the soft pretzels in the oven and as the ovens were turned on to heat for the day, those leftover pretzels were baked a second time, thus birthing hard pretzels.

Julius was intrigued by someone’s mistake and decided to make a go of it. He and his fourteen children moved and branched out on their own to create Julius Sturgis Pretzels which still stands in Lititz, PA where you can take a tour and twist your own pretzel creations!

Then two brothers of the Sturgis Family Marriott, who went by Tom which became Tom Sturgis Pretzels, and Kerrel, created Sturgis Brothers Pretzels relocating to Reading, PA to open up their own pretzel bakery and factory. Then once more, Tom Sturgis the son of Marriott opened up his own place right here in Shillington, PA!

Tom Sturgis was an engineer and invented a one of a kind artisanal hand worked machine that created delicious pretzels with dozens of individual burners where the pretzels would cook on hot stone slabs as they ventured their way down the conveyor belt. That machine still works to this day! I had the privilege of watching it work in real time. It was glorious. To really marvel at the man made machinery and gasp at the genius behind it. This place needs to be on The Food That Build America with Adam Richman stat!

​Getting a chance to spend quality time with Tom Sturgis himself and watching as his muscle memory immediately went into twisting pretzel dough was thrilling. Making an S for me under the radar like a true gentleman. He is a sweetheart who can out pretzel twist any in the industry to this day. His son Bruce regaled me with the intricate process of how pretzels are made, bagged, and shipped out. Bruce knows the machines inside and out. As the current Sturgis in charge he clearly keeps the family legacy alive but creates such a welcoming environment that the small but mighty staff have been there for decades.

There are so many moving parts it was fascinating to learn. Of course I have a sweet spot for history and learning from Bruce and his son Zack was simply a delight. Looking at old photos of the original bakery, the process, the machines, the people who made it all work, and the dream that is still alive and well today. I could have spent all day with the Sturgis Family! Being so close to history helps me to feel like I too am part of something bigger.

Did you know that they have a wonderfully extensive gift shop with their delicious treats, pottery, jewelry and more! Open to the public and accessible right in Shillington! You can see the rich history around the room with original peels (the long wooden paddle used for flipping pretzels in a hot oven.) You can also see the tins created through time as well as so many wonderful captured moments framed around you. This is the spot that we will be frequenting as my fiance Kevin exclaimed when I came home with bags of Tom Sturgis Pretzels fresh off the line, “We’re a Tom Sturgis Pretzels only house now.” As two avid snackers and lovers of pretzels, that is saying something! Don’t hesitate to get yours today! You can even bump into Tom in the gift shop as he pays for his own items like the extraordinarily classy gentleman he is. We need more Tom, Bruce, and Zack Sturgises in our world!

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There are so many silly things we lose along the way to adulthood that simply should remain in our lives always, like the little bits of joy that remind you that you are in fact alive. A living, breathing being on this big beautiful earth. Yet too many of us get caught up in all the noise of being an adult. That’s just silly. There is absolutely a way to maintain both statuses.

One such way that I recently had the pleasure of discovering is indoor rock climbing at Reading Rocks Climbing and Fitness. As an adult who knows that we are now playing for keeps and has zero interest in being hurt in any way, cross fit anyone? But indoor rock climbing with really lovely squishy safety mats underneath you, climbing problems for all different levels, and get this, the youngest climbers here are 3!

The beautiful thing about indoor rock climbing is that you get to continuously choose your own adventure, you get to meet all different interesting people who are from a myriad of backgrounds. When I went to experience it for myself lead by guide Brandon Anchant, I made the joke that I hope I don’t fall from too high up, to which Brandon quickly said, you won’t, and not to worry because behind you is a doctor over there and a police officer over here. The people there are all following their own journey at their own pace, but the comradery alone made it such a welcoming environment that begged to be revisited.

Fun for the whole family! A great date night alternative to really get to know the person you are seeing, or married to in a whole new rewarding light. Ladies night and Late night are just two of the super fun themed nights that give discounts as well. I immediately thought of my people, our friends, and their kids who many live with varying levels of ADD and ADHD. I knew that this would be such a worthwhile investment.

Just think about winter and everyone being stuck inside with too much energy and not much to do unless a good crisp snowfall allows for outdoor fun. No matter the weather, Reading Rocks is waiting for you! Of course it helps that all of the people that I grew up with or made friends with along the way, or worked with, that got into this sport are all absolutely ripped. Watching the progression from lazy loafs, who hated working out and weren’t the weekend soccer league types, find something truly meaningful, engaging, and fun is inspiring! Plus zero competition except for challenging yourself.

I had been very nervous to see how I would do considering I don’t climb trees any longer. Would I be able to successfully scale the wall? Would I embarrass myself? Not only could I do it, but I really enjoyed it. This place also has a state of the art gym that is already adding so many new work out devices that sound really serious and I have no idea what they mean. But the staff is super helpful and looks forward to taking the time to explain everything to you when you are ready to rock.

Sam'Splains the World Field Trip Edition to Reading Rocks Climbing and Fitness

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