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Melissa K. Norris

Melissa K. Norris

Simple Modern Homesteading for a Healthy & Self-Sufficient Life

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Melissa Norris

Two jars of bone broth and a spoonful of gelatinous broth.

Does Pressure Canning Ruin Bone Broth

Read moreDoes Pressure Canning Ruin Bone Broth
homecanned green beans in jar on counter

What Causes Canning Lids to Buckle? (+ Proper Tightening)

Read moreWhat Causes Canning Lids to Buckle? (+ Proper Tightening)
Canned pears in a steam canner.

How to Can Pears the EASY Way

Read moreHow to Can Pears the EASY Way
Dirty freshly harvested carrots on the ground.

How to Save Carrot Seeds + Understanding Pollination

Read moreHow to Save Carrot Seeds + Understanding Pollination
Four American Guinea Hogs eating.

5 Tips to Raising Livestock for Food

Read more5 Tips to Raising Livestock for Food
A woman pointing to a squash growing in the garden.

Gardening in October (Garden Tasks by Month)

Read moreGardening in October (Garden Tasks by Month)
A woman pouring vodka into a bottle for homemade vanilla extract.

Homemade Vanilla Extract

Read moreHomemade Vanilla Extract
A woman's hands holding a bean pod hanging on a trelis.

Gardening in September (Garden Tasks by Month)

Read moreGardening in September (Garden Tasks by Month)
Kahm yeast on the surface of a ferment in a mason jar.

Kahm Yeast (What, Why & Does it Ruin a Ferment)

Read moreKahm Yeast (What, Why & Does it Ruin a Ferment)
Celery salt in a half-pint mason jar.

How to Make Celery Salt (Preserve Celery)

Read moreHow to Make Celery Salt (Preserve Celery)
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A woman in the kitchen with jars of home canned food.

Howdy, I’m Melissa!

I’m so glad you’re here. This is the place for all of us who loved Little House when we were young and thought Laura was our best friend. It’s where we grow dinner in the backyard and think everything looks and tastes better when it comes from a Mason jar. Here, you’ll find my favorite from-scratch recipes, herbal remedies and tutorials, and all my gardening tips from my 20+ years of growing and raising our own food.

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My Most Popular Posts

Sourdough starter in a jar with a loaf of bread in the background.

How to Make a Sourdough Starter + Tips for Success

sourdough starter in Maosn jar on counter

Best Beginner Sourdough Sandwich Bread No Yeast

Cream of mushroom soup in a Mason jar.

Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup Recipe

A plate full of molasses cookies with another in the background.

Great-Grandma’s Old-Fashioned Chewy Molasses Cookie Recipe

Buttermilk biscuits in a cast iron pan.

Easy Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits Ready to Eat in 20 Minutes

Image of a slice of jam roly poly served on a decorative plate. A jar of raspberry jam is sitting in the background. Text overlay says,

Vintage Recipe: Jam Roly-Poly Recipe without Suet

Plated by Season: Home‑Cooked. Home‑Grown. On Your Table in 30 Minutes or Less.

75+ seasonal, from‑scratch recipes + a monthly harvest chart. Real meals. Minimal fuss.

Grab Your Copy ($20, Free Shipping)

Fall Canning Recipes

three different sized jars of apple pie filling and a smaller jar of apple pie jam.

Apple Pie Jam Low Sugar Recipe

Jars of home canned applesauce.

Homemade Applesauce Recipe (+ How to Can Applesauce)

Fermented cranberry sauce in a white bowl.

Fermented Cranberry Sauce

Homemade Cranberry Sauce + Canning Instructions

Jars of mustard pickles sitting on a counter.

Homemade Mustard Pickles (+ Canning Instructions)

Canned Apple Pie Filling Recipe & Tutorial

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Melissa K. Norris

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Articles

  • Gardening
  • Homesteading
  • Recipes
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Podcast

Why I’m Pressing Pause (And How You Can Help Shape What’s Next)

Root Vegetable Storage Without a Root Cellar: Simple Methods That Work

From-Scratch Cooking Made Easy: Myths vs. Reality

Refreshing Summer Drinks You Can Make at Home

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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