Unforgettable Insights: My Transformative Journey at The Big Summer Potluck Food Blogger Retreat in Bucks County, PA

Perhaps you’ve noticed my blog has been a little quieter than usual. This past weekend, I embarked on a truly remarkable experience: my first-ever food blogger event. It was The Big Summer Potluck (BSP), nestled in the picturesque Bucks County, Pennsylvania. This wasn’t your typical conference focused on SEO strategies or traffic growth hacks. Instead, BSP was a deeply personal retreat, a gathering of kindred spirits united by a profound love for food and writing. For someone like me, a self-proclaimed introvert who often struggles with social interactions, the decision to attend felt monumental. Yet, taking that leap proved to be one of the most impactful choices I’ve made. The Big Summer Potluck didn’t just offer networking opportunities; it reshaped my perspective, challenged my comfort zone, and introduced me to an incredible community of individuals I never knew existed (and I’m sure they felt the same about me!). I’m thrilled to share a recap of this life-changing weekend and the invaluable lessons I brought home.

Connecting and Sharing: The Friday Night Welcome

The retreat kicked off on Friday night at the stunning Anderson house. Seriously, this place was gorgeous – I half-jokingly considered moving in! True to its name, The Big Summer Potluck invited everyone to bring a dish to share. After a surprisingly challenging Thursday night in the kitchen, I managed to contribute 24 humble banana cupcakes with fudge frosting – a far cry from my original ambitious plan, but they were made with love.

Admittedly, Friday evening was a bit overwhelming. Walking into a room full of mostly unfamiliar faces, my introverted nature immediately flared up. Mingling has never been my strong suit. However, I pushed myself. I consciously sought out conversations, introduced myself, and listened intently. This deliberate effort to engage, even when uncomfortable, made all the difference, setting the stage for a much more relaxed and enjoyable Saturday.

A Day of Inspiration: Saturday’s Speakers and Demos

Saturday was the heart of the retreat, a day filled with inspiring cooking demonstrations and insightful guest speakers – a true delight for the “nerd” in me who loves to learn. While BSP didn’t delve into blog analytics, its profound focus was on personal enrichment and becoming a better, more authentic individual, which ultimately translates into more meaningful content.

“If you take time, you will have more time. Be open, be present, be vulnerable.”
– Brooke from Food Woolf

Lesson 1: Embracing Mindfulness in a Digital World

The first impactful lesson came from Brooke, the insightful voice behind Food Woolf. Her presentation on mindfulness resonated deeply with everyone present. It’s incredibly easy for us bloggers, and indeed, anyone living in this fast-paced digital age, to get completely consumed by our online lives. We often find ourselves neglecting personal relationships, ignoring the quiet moments, and generally losing touch with the present reality. Brooke reminded us of the critical need to carve out time for ourselves, even amidst mundane tasks like washing dishes, and to truly be aware, to be present.

Her message was simple yet profound: don’t just go through the motions. Be present. Take a few deep breaths, immerse yourself in the current moment. How many times have you felt perpetually behind on social media, constantly trying to catch up? Or found yourself toggling between Facebook and Twitter while attempting to write a blog post? Brooke gently nudged us to understand that it’s perfectly fine – in fact, essential – to unplug occasionally. It’s healthy for our minds, our creativity, and our overall well-being.

She also highlighted a common blogger dilemma: the impulse to document everything. When was the last time you truly baked or cooked a meal purely for the joy of it, without reaching for your camera? At BSP, during meals, it was a familiar sight to see most bloggers capturing photos rather than immediately digging in and savoring the food. Personally, even before Brooke’s inspiring talk, I found myself taking very few pictures of the food, preferring to simply enjoy the experience. This reinforced the power of living in the moment.

Her words had an immediate impact on me. On Tuesday night, instead of staying up late to write this very post, edit photos, or organize my recipe archives, I made a conscious decision to go to bed early. And guess what? The world didn’t end. My inbox wasn’t overflowing with angry emails demanding my whereabouts. All that happened was I gained more restful sleep. I truly cannot express the depth of inspiration I felt from Brooke’s session. I highly recommend reading her further thoughts on mindfulness on her blog; her insights are truly transformative.

Lesson 2: Choosing Inspiration Over Jealousy in the Blogging World

A powerful question posed by Joy the Baker deeply resonated with every blogger in the room: Do you choose to be jealous or do you choose to be inspired? This is a sentiment every content creator, particularly in the visually driven food blogging space, can relate to. We are constantly exposed to a deluge of seemingly perfect content – stunning images on Pinterest, flawless white kitchens, impeccably styled dishes, or that ideal drip on an ice cream cone. The constant comparison can be relentless.

It’s incredibly easy to fall into the trap of jealousy, to harbor self-doubt and feel inadequate because our own work might not appear as polished or “perfect.” Joy’s message encouraged a critical shift in perspective: instead of succumbing to jealousy, choose inspiration. Remember that what you see online is often a curated snapshot. That plate of beautiful food in a photo shoot might be hiding a towering stack of dirty dishes just out of frame. It’s a powerful reminder that perfection is an illusion, and it’s absolutely okay not to achieve it.

The core of her advice was to focus on being your authentic self. Embrace what you have, and don’t get stuck trying to emulate others. “Be real. Be you.” While it’s important to consider your audience, don’t write solely for the sake of writing for them. Write what genuinely excites you, what you’re passionate about, and your authentic audience will naturally gravitate towards you. This authenticity is what truly builds connection and a loyal following, far more than chasing fleeting trends or perceived perfection.

One of the absolute highlights for me was watching Joy demonstrate how to make her famous Toasted Marshmallow Squares. And yes, I was lucky enough to get a taste! Pure bliss.

Joy, if you happen to be reading this, know that I absolutely adored them! As soon as I restock my marshmallows, I’m making a batch (or sixteen) and probably eating at least two… okay, maybe four. They were truly unforgettable!

Lesson 3: Living Now and Leveraging Your Strengths as a Creator

Perhaps the most surprising and deeply thought-provoking lesson for me came from Molly O’Neill, a renowned, well-rounded food writer with several best-selling cookbooks and a distinguished career writing for The New York Times. Initially, I braced myself for a potentially dry session, given that writing isn’t what I consider my strongest suit. However, her words captivated me and sparked a profound shift in my thinking.

Molly emphasized the critical importance of staying in the “active time.” She challenged the common human tendency to defer happiness or validation to future events: “when this happens, then I’ll be happy” or “when that happens, then I can validate this.” Her powerful message was clear: you need to live now, create now, and find joy in the present. If you believe you lack the time to live in the present, then intentionally set that time aside. Molly herself dedicates just 10 minutes every day to writing. It might sound insignificant, but consistently, every two years, she publishes a book. This illustrates how those small, consistent moments accumulate into something significant, creating a much larger picture over time. She wisely suggested dividing our goals into three categories: immediate work (like daily blog posts), medium work (such as developing a series for a publication), and long-shot work (like writing a book).

Another crucial piece of advice from Molly was to unequivocally play to your strengths. If you’re not a natural-born writer, don’t pretend to be. Instead, embrace what you excel at. If you’re a talented photographer, then be a photographer first and foremost. If you’re a fantastic video producer, then produce compelling video content. She encouraged us to put more photographs than paragraphs if that’s where our talent shines brightest. This isn’t an excuse to neglect improving weaknesses entirely, but it’s a powerful call to stop trying to be something you’re not. As I often confess, I know I’m not a professional writer, and you, my readers, know it too. So, following Molly’s advice, I’ll happily continue to bombard you with more pictures, focusing on what I do best.

More Highlights from The Big Summer Potluck

There’s so much more to recount from BSP, but to keep this post from becoming truly epic in length, I wanted to share a few more memorable highlights and demonstrations (because I’d feel terrible not giving these amazing individuals a shout-out!).

Chef Max Hansen offered a captivating demonstration on the intricate art of smoking salmon, sharing techniques that were both educational and inspiring for home cooks and food enthusiasts alike.

Marisa McClellan, the talented author of Food in Jars, demonstrated how to craft delicious plum preserves. Her focus on small-batch canning truly caught my attention, making her book an immediate top contender for my Amazon wish list. It’s perfect for those who want to dabble in preserving without the overwhelming commitment of large batches.

Pam Anderson, an incredible host, not only opened up her beautiful home and heart to all of us but also shared invaluable insights on how to take any recipe and truly make it your own. Her wisdom on adapting and personalizing recipes was a game-changer.

The weekend concluded with a delightful Sunday morning waffle party, a perfect, relaxed end to an incredibly stimulating and friendly retreat.

A Transformative Experience

My first foray into a food blogger event at The Big Summer Potluck was more than I ever anticipated. As an introvert, stepping out of my comfort zone was a challenge, but the rewards were immeasurable. I left Bucks County not just with new connections and practical tips, but with a renewed sense of purpose and a fresh perspective on my own journey as a food blogger. The lessons on mindfulness from Brooke, embracing inspiration over jealousy from Joy, and living in the active present while leveraging strengths from Molly were truly transformative. This retreat underscored the importance of community, authenticity, and continuous personal growth in a world that often pressures us to conform. I encourage every blogger, especially those who might feel a bit shy or overwhelmed, to seek out similar experiences. You never know how profoundly they might change the way you think, create, and live.