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Melissa K. Norris

Melissa K. Norris

Simple Modern Homesteading for a Healthy & Self-Sufficient Life

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You are here: Home / Blog
Scottish Highland Cow grazing in a field.

Raising Grass-Fed Beef (Pros & Cons)

Read moreRaising Grass-Fed Beef (Pros & Cons)
One opened and one sealed jar of marinated mozzarella balls sitting on a counter.

Marinated Mozzarella Balls with Garlic & Herbs – Easy 5 Minute Recipe

Read moreMarinated Mozzarella Balls with Garlic & Herbs – Easy 5 Minute Recipe

How to Start a Fire Without a Lighter

Read moreHow to Start a Fire Without a Lighter
Various food items on a kitchen counter.

Tips to Eat Real Food

Read moreTips to Eat Real Food
Bean seeds being direct down into the soil.

Why Heirloom Seeds Are My Favorite

Read moreWhy Heirloom Seeds Are My Favorite
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
A woman pruning an elderberry bush with loppers.

Fruit Maintenance & When to Prune Berry Bushes

Read moreFruit Maintenance & When to Prune Berry Bushes
A woman crouching in a medicinal herb next to yarrow and chamomile.

Medicinal Herb Garden (Planning and Growing)

Read moreMedicinal Herb Garden (Planning and Growing)

Non-GMO Foods & How to Avoid GMOs

Read moreNon-GMO Foods & How to Avoid GMOs
A woman labeling a tin of homemade healing salve.

DIY Sore Muscle Rub Salve

Read moreDIY Sore Muscle Rub Salve
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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)

two jars of strawberry jam sitting on a tabletop with fresh strawberries around it.

Strawberry Jam Recipe without Pectin and Low Sugar

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

Fermented pickles in large jars.

Quick & Easy Fermented Pickles Recipe

A basket full of strawberries.

How to Preserve Strawberries: Keep Those Berries Fresh!

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Melissa K. Norris

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Articles

  • Gardening
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Podcast

How My Mom Fed Our Family on $100 a Month (And the Simple Habits That Still Work Today)

Spring Meal Planning (Without the Overwhelm)

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

Why Winter Isn’t Actually Slower (and What to Do Instead)

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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