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Melissa K. Norris

Melissa K. Norris

Simple Modern Homesteading for a Healthy & Self-Sufficient Life

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Yarrow in the foreground and lavender in the background.

Modern Homesteading Resources, Recipes & More

Modern Homesteading Resources, Recipes & More

Simple modern homesteading for a happy, healthy, and self-sufficient life.

Featured Articles

Fresh From Scratch Recipes


Bacon wrapped asparagus on a white plate.
Read moreBacon Wrapped Asparagus (Easy Appetizer or Side Dish)

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus (Easy Appetizer or Side Dish)

A jar of pickled asparagus with spears on a plate.
Read morePickled Asparagus Recipe (Canned, Quick, or Refrigerator)

Pickled Asparagus Recipe (Canned, Quick, or Refrigerator)

Three jars of jam in a steam canner.
Read moreNo Sugar Strawberry Jam Recipe

No Sugar Strawberry Jam Recipe

Stacks of homemade strawberry shortcake on a platter with mint and fresh strawberries
Read moreHomemade Strawberry Shortcake Recipe

Homemade Strawberry Shortcake Recipe

Buttermilk ranch dressing in a Mason jar.
Read moreHomemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing (Probiotic)

Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing (Probiotic)

homemade cherry pie filling in mason jars on white towel
Read moreCherry Pie Filling Recipe (Canning Instructions)

Cherry Pie Filling Recipe (Canning Instructions)

Howdy, I’m Melissa.

Welcome to My Homestead

I’m a 5th-generation homesteader who loves getting her hands dirty in the garden, stuffing food into Mason jars (after I wash my hands of course), and hunting down as many traditional old-fashioned skills as possible to put into use on our homestead.

We live on 14.96 acres in the foothills of the North Cascade mountain range of Washington state and have been homesteading for 25+ years. We raise 100% of our own meat from our organic grass fed beef (holler to the Black Angus and majestic Scottish Highland cattle), a flock of hens and ducks for fresh eggs, meat chickens we butcher ourselves, and organic pork (cuz you haven’t eaten bacon until you’ve had home grown).

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More About Melissa
Woman harvesting medicinal herbs and flowers from a garden.

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Get the best homesteading resources & tips

Canning & Food Preservation Recipes for Long-Term Storage


homecanned green beans in jar on counter

How to Can Green Beans the Easy Way – Raw Pack

Read moreHow to Can Green Beans the Easy Way – Raw Pack
two jars of strawberry jam sitting on a tabletop with fresh strawberries around it.

Strawberry Jam Recipe without Pectin and Low Sugar

Read moreStrawberry Jam Recipe without Pectin and Low Sugar
A jar of pickled asparagus with spears on a plate.

Pickled Asparagus Recipe (Canned, Quick, or Refrigerator)

Read morePickled Asparagus Recipe (Canned, Quick, or Refrigerator)
placing dill in mason jar crunchy dill pickles on table

Best Homemade Pickles Recipe (Garlic Dill Pickles)

Read moreBest Homemade Pickles Recipe (Garlic Dill Pickles)
An opened jar of cherry jam with a spoonful.

Cherry Jam Recipe Without Pectin and Low Sugar

Read moreCherry Jam Recipe Without Pectin and Low Sugar

How to Make Mustard Pickles – Great-Grandma’s Recipe

Read moreHow to Make Mustard Pickles – Great-Grandma’s Recipe

Listen to the Top-Ranked Modern Homesteading Podcast-Pioneering Today

Learn the best tips and tricks from growing a homestead garden, preserving the harvest, raising your own livestock, creating a homestead kitchen, and building a natural medicine cabinet from Melissa, a 5th generation homesteader, and other homesteading experts living this lifestyle.

Check Out The Episodes

Join us FREE for the conversation each week.

The Latest Podcast Episodes

A herding dog with livestock.

Farm Dog Breeds (Which is Best for You?)

Read moreFarm Dog Breeds (Which is Best for You?)
A woman in the garden with a colander, harvesting vegetables.

Time Spent to Grow a Year’s Worth of Food

Read moreTime Spent to Grow a Year’s Worth of Food
A woman harvesting tomatoes from the garden.

Fruits and Vegetables in Season by Month and Tips for Preservation

Read moreFruits and Vegetables in Season by Month and Tips for Preservation

Gardening Tips & Tutorials


Picture of a vegetable garden with mountains and a blue sky in the background.

13 Basic Steps to Starting a Vegetable Garden

Read more13 Basic Steps to Starting a Vegetable Garden
Wooden two-sided compost bin.

How to Compost at Home (7 Easy DIY Ways)

Read moreHow to Compost at Home (7 Easy DIY Ways)
chitting seed potatoes on a tray before planting

How to Grow Potatoes (+ Planting Tips)

Read moreHow to Grow Potatoes (+ Planting Tips)
Green beans growing at the base of a cattle panel trellis.

Gardening in June (Garden Tasks By Month)

Read moreGardening in June (Garden Tasks By Month)
A metal container with lavender growing inside.

Container Gardening for Vegetables- Everything You Need to Know

Read moreContainer Gardening for Vegetables- Everything You Need to Know
Coffee grounds in a woman's hands by the garden.

Coffee Grounds in the Garden (4 Ways to Use Them)

Read moreCoffee Grounds in the Garden (4 Ways to Use Them)
Book cover for Everything Worth Preserving

Preserve Food for a Healthy Well-Stocked Pantry & Peace of Mind

Discover the 9 home food preservation methods to safely store delicious food for year-round eating with Melissa’s step-by-step tutorials, recipes, and easy-to-use charts.

Get the Recipes & BOOK NOW

YouTube Videos


We covered 1/2 the garden in wood chips | One Year Later | Did it IMPROVE the Soil?

Self-Sufficiency Tips from the Great Depression | What My Grandparents Raised

She DOUBLED the Vegetable Harvest by doing this ONE Thing | Summer Garden Tour

How Much to Plant Per Person for a Year's Worth of Food

Garden Tour (This FEEDS a Family of 4 for a Year)

14 Vegetables to Plant NOW for Fall Harvest [Fall Gardening]

See More Videos

Melissa K. Norris

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Articles

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Podcast

Farm Dog Breeds (Which is Best for You?)

Time Spent to Grow a Year’s Worth of Food

Fruits and Vegetables in Season by Month and Tips for Preservation

How to Start Seeds Indoors (Planning, Starting & Mistakes to Avoid)

Books

  • Everything Worth Preserving
  • The Family Garden Planner
  • Handmade
  • The Made from Scratch Life
  • The Family Garden Plan

Education

  • Organic Gardening Workshop
  • Home Fruit Preservative Canning e-course
  • Home Canning With Confidence
  • Homemade Bread & Baking Class
  • Natural Homemade Bath and Beauty
  • Pioneering Today Academy


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