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Melissa K. Norris

Melissa K. Norris

5th-generation homesteader. Helping modern women live from scratch.

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Melissa Norris

Young raspberry leaves on a spring plant.

Raspberry Leaf Tea Benefits + How to Make Raspberry Leaf Tea

Read moreRaspberry Leaf Tea Benefits + How to Make Raspberry Leaf Tea
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)
Large bean teepee with a mountain in the background.

Vertical Garden Planning & Expanding Growing Spaces

Read moreVertical Garden Planning & Expanding Growing Spaces
Three jars of strawberry jam hot out of the canner.

Strawberry Jam Without Pectin (Low Sugar Recipe)

Read moreStrawberry Jam Without Pectin (Low Sugar Recipe)
Brussels sprouts growing on a stalk in the garden.

How to Grow Brussel Sprouts for Maximum Harvest

Read moreHow to Grow Brussel Sprouts for Maximum Harvest
A woman's hand pruning sage.

How to Prune Basil Plants to Double Your Harvest

Read moreHow to Prune Basil Plants to Double Your Harvest
Strawberries ready to pick off the vine.

How to Plant Strawberries + Tips for Success

Read moreHow to Plant Strawberries + Tips for Success
Morel mushrooms in a basket on the forest floor.

Where to Find Morel Mushrooms

Read moreWhere to Find Morel Mushrooms
A woman standing by a flowering apple tree while it rains.

Gardening in May (Garden Tasks By Month)

Read moreGardening in May (Garden Tasks By Month)
A bag of pig feed.

Stocking Up on Animal Feed (+ How Much to Feed Animals)

Read moreStocking Up on Animal Feed (+ How Much to Feed Animals)
Seeds just starting to germinate in small compostable containers.

Gardening in April (Garden Tasks by Month)

Read moreGardening in April (Garden Tasks by Month)
A snowy road lined with trees.

10 Ways to Keep Warm Without Electricity

Read more10 Ways to Keep Warm Without Electricity
A shot of a homestead property from a drone up high with a woman standing arms out in the center.

Gardening in March (Garden Tasks by Month)

Read moreGardening in March (Garden Tasks by Month)
Blueberries on a bush.

How to Get Rid of Mummy Berry Disease on Blueberry Bushes

Read moreHow to Get Rid of Mummy Berry Disease on Blueberry Bushes
Onion seedlings growing in seed starting trays.

Growing Onions From Seed

Read moreGrowing Onions From Seed
Two bowls of tomato soup with a loaf of bread and a jar of tomato sauce beside it.

Homemade Tomato Soup (From the Pantry)

Read moreHomemade Tomato Soup (From the Pantry)
Three jars of rendered lard on the counter.

How To Render Lard and Why You Should

Read moreHow To Render Lard and Why You Should
Germinated seeds on a wet paper towel.

Cold Stratification of Seeds - Why & How

Read moreCold Stratification of Seeds - Why & How
A baby pig sticking its snout through a fence.

How to Raise Pigs: 12 Tips to Raising Pigs for Meat

Read moreHow to Raise Pigs: 12 Tips to Raising Pigs for Meat
A snowy road lined with trees.

Surviving Winter Without Power & Great Depression Christmas Traditions

Read moreSurviving Winter Without Power & Great Depression Christmas Traditions
A pantry filled with home canned and home-grown food.

How to Keep a Well-Stocked Pantry for Easy, Nourishing Weeknight Meals

Read moreHow to Keep a Well-Stocked Pantry for Easy, Nourishing Weeknight Meals
homemade hot cocoa mix in a mason jar with red and white twine and pine cones on table top

Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix 3 Ways (From Scratch!)

Read moreHomemade Hot Cocoa Mix 3 Ways (From Scratch!)
koa wooden dough scraper making pastry shells

10 Time-Saving Uses for a Wooden Bench Knife in the Kitchen

Read more10 Time-Saving Uses for a Wooden Bench Knife in the Kitchen
A woman's hands showing how to braid garlic.

How to Braid Garlic (Step-By-Step Photos)

Read moreHow to Braid Garlic (Step-By-Step Photos)
A basket of garlic next to a garden bed that has been mulched.

How to Plant Garlic (Fall Garlic Planting)

Read moreHow to Plant Garlic (Fall Garlic Planting)
A slice of no knead bread with strawberry jam.

No-Knead Artisan Bread |Easy Dutch Oven Recipe

Read moreNo-Knead Artisan Bread |Easy Dutch Oven Recipe
Linen bread bag with two baguettes, cutting board with round loaf of artisan bread, butter and jam on counter top

How to Store Homemade Bread (Stays Fresh Longer!)

Read moreHow to Store Homemade Bread (Stays Fresh Longer!)
Red apples in a wooden crate with more crates stacked behind it.

12 Ways to Preserve Apples at Home

Read more12 Ways to Preserve Apples at Home
A jar of homemade Greek yogurt with a spoon lifting a bite to show texture.

Plain Yogurt Recipe | Easy Homemade Yogurt With Just 2 Ingredients

Read morePlain Yogurt Recipe | Easy Homemade Yogurt With Just 2 Ingredients
Echinacea flowers and a tincture bottle sitting on a wooden counter top.

How to Make Echinacea Tincture (Fresh or Dried)

Read moreHow to Make Echinacea Tincture (Fresh or Dried)
Two quart mason jars filled with freeze dried eggs sitting on a counter with a basket of eggs beside it.

Freeze Dried Eggs for Long-Term Storage (+ Reconstituting Freeze Dried Eggs)

Read moreFreeze Dried Eggs for Long-Term Storage (+ Reconstituting Freeze Dried Eggs)
A glass of ginger water with ginger, brown sugar and a spoon on a counter.

Old-Fashioned Ginger Water Recipe (Switchel or Haymaker Punch)

Read moreOld-Fashioned Ginger Water Recipe (Switchel or Haymaker Punch)
A woman in the garden with a frown pointing to her potatoes affected by early blight.

Preventing & Treating Early Blight of Tomato & Potato Plants

Read morePreventing & Treating Early Blight of Tomato & Potato Plants
Baby meat chicks hanging out in the grass.

Raising Chickens for Profit

Read moreRaising Chickens for Profit
A woman standing beside a mobile chicken tractor with chickens inside.

How to Keep Animals Cool in Hot Weather

Read moreHow to Keep Animals Cool in Hot Weather
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
A woman conditioning a wooden dough scraper with wood butter and her hands.

How to Care For & Condition Wood Products

Read moreHow to Care For & Condition Wood Products
A woman standing in front of a red barn holding up a wire basket full of farm fresh eggs.

Homesteading Myths and Tips for Success

Read moreHomesteading Myths and Tips for Success
Image of a small ziplock baggie filled with dehydrated sourdough starter and instructions written on the bag.

Rehydrating Sourdough Starter

Read moreRehydrating Sourdough Starter
Image of a fruit tree guild.

Planting a Fruit Tree Guild

Read morePlanting a Fruit Tree Guild
Ingredients for elderberry syrup: honey, dried elderberries and apple cider vinegar.

29 of the BEST Elderberry Recipes (Dried Elderberry Recipes)

Read more29 of the BEST Elderberry Recipes (Dried Elderberry Recipes)
A woman holding seedlings in her hands, standing outside by a potting bench.

Potting Up Seedlings & How to Separate Seedlings

Read morePotting Up Seedlings & How to Separate Seedlings
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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

Soft Sourdough Sandwich Bread (Beginner Friendly Recipe)

Homemade Pop Tarts From Scratch (Hand Pies)

A cooked whole roast chicken in a cast iron skillet.

Easy Oven Roasted Chicken Recipe (Crispy & Juicy)

A white plate with a helping of strawberry rhubarb dump cake and a fork. Text overlay says, "Strawberry Rhubarb Dump Cake Real Food Style: Homemade Cake Mix & No Jello".

Strawberry Rhubarb Dump Cake without Jello & Homemade Cake Mix

Bacon wrapped asparagus on a white plate.

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus (Easy Appetizer or Side Dish)

A stack of homemade graham crackers on a plate.

Easy Homemade Graham Crackers

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)

Spring Preserving Recipes

A jar of pickled asparagus with spears on a plate.

Pickled Asparagus Recipe (Canned, Quick, or Refrigerator)

Three jars of strawberry jam hot out of the canner.

Strawberry Jam Without Pectin (Low Sugar Recipe)

Jar of fermented lemons on a counter with a bag of citrus and sliced lemons on a plate

How to Store Lemons (For a Year!) - Fermented Lemons

A jar of fermented pickles sitting on an outdoor table.

Fermented Pickles Recipe|Easy Old-Fashioned Salt Brine Pickles

A basket full of strawberries.

How to Preserve Strawberries: Keep Those Berries Fresh!

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Melissa K. Norris

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  • About Melissa K. Norris — Modern Homesteading ExpertStart Here
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Articles

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Podcast

Why Your Food Preservation Isn’t Working (And How to Fix It Safely)

Feeding a Family on a Budget

Spring Meal Planning (Without the Overwhelm)

Why Dieting Stops Working After 40 (The Blood Sugar Loop Explained)

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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