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Melissa K. Norris

Melissa K. Norris

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

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Food Preservation

Learn how to preserve your food like a pro! Whether you're growing it yourself or buying in bulk in season. Here you'll find all the best food preservation techniques and recipes, from how to dry fresh herbs, how to store potatoes without a root cellar, water bath canning vs. pressure canning, and how to choose the best pressure canner.

A woman standing by two pressure canners in the kitchen.

How to Use a Pressure Canner: A Beginner's Step-by-Step Guide

Read moreHow to Use a Pressure Canner: A Beginner's Step-by-Step Guide
A jar of fermented hot sauce on a counter next to fresh peppers.

Fermented Hot Sauce Recipe | Easy Homemade Pepper Sauce

Read moreFermented Hot Sauce Recipe | Easy Homemade Pepper Sauce
A jar of fermented sauerkraut sitting on a counter.

Fermented Sauerkraut Recipe (Easy Traditional Homemade Kraut) 

Read moreFermented Sauerkraut Recipe (Easy Traditional Homemade Kraut) 
Pickled asparagus in a jar.

Quick Pickled Asparagus Recipe (Easy Refrigerator Pickles)

Read moreQuick Pickled Asparagus Recipe (Easy Refrigerator Pickles)
Jars of canned pickled asparagus on a counter.

Pickled Asparagus Recipe for Canning (Crisp, Easy, and Shelf Stable)

Read morePickled Asparagus Recipe for Canning (Crisp, Easy, and Shelf Stable)
Three jars of peppers in fermenting jars.

Fermented Peppers | Easy Probiotic Pepper Ferment

Read moreFermented Peppers | Easy Probiotic Pepper Ferment
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)
A white bowl full of fermented salsa garnished with cilantro and a wedge of lime.

Fermented Salsa | Probiotic Homemade Salsa

Read moreFermented Salsa | Probiotic Homemade Salsa
Canned apple pie filling with apples.

Canned Apple Pie Filling Recipe & Tutorial

Read moreCanned Apple Pie Filling Recipe & Tutorial
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
A jar of homemade buttermilk sitting on a counter.

Homemade Buttermilk Recipe (Real Cultured Buttermilk)

Read moreHomemade Buttermilk Recipe (Real Cultured Buttermilk)
A woman holding up a jar of canned food.

Ultimate Water Bath Canning Guide (Beginner-Friendly)

Read moreUltimate Water Bath Canning Guide (Beginner-Friendly)

Pioneering Today-How to Make Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

Read morePioneering Today-How to Make Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

Pioneering Today-Low Sugar No Pectin Cherry Jam

Read morePioneering Today-Low Sugar No Pectin Cherry Jam

How to Pressure Can Shelled Beans

Read moreHow to Pressure Can Shelled Beans
Image of three 8 ounce Mason Jars filled with spicy peach jam, stacked in a pyramid, and sitting on a whitewashed table. Placed in front of the jars is an additional opened 8 ounce Mason Jar filled with spicy peach jam with a spoon for serving. Text overlay say

Spicy Peach Jam Recipe Low Sugar and No Pectin

Read moreSpicy Peach Jam Recipe Low Sugar and No Pectin
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 Can Bone Broth at Home

Read moreHow to Can Bone Broth at Home

Homemade Cranberry Sauce + Canning Instructions

Read moreHomemade Cranberry Sauce + Canning Instructions
Apricots hanging on a tree with the sun shining through the leaves.

How to Can Apricots- Easy Canned Apricots Recipe

Read moreHow to Can Apricots- Easy Canned Apricots Recipe
Jars of home canned tomato sauce on counter with ripe paste tomatoes and wicker basket

Canning Tomato Sauce (Water-Bath & Pressure Canning)

Read moreCanning Tomato Sauce (Water-Bath & Pressure Canning)
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
Baked kale chips served in a white bowl.

Baked Kale Chips Your Kids Will Eat

Read moreBaked Kale Chips Your Kids Will Eat
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!)
Jars of grape jelly sitting on a countertop.

Homemade Grape Jelly (Low Sugar)

Read moreHomemade Grape Jelly (Low Sugar)
A jar of apple butter with a ribbon tied around it.

Old-Fashioned Apple Butter Recipe for Canning

Read moreOld-Fashioned Apple Butter Recipe for Canning
Canned pears in a steam canner.

How to Can Pears the EASY Way

Read moreHow to Can Pears the EASY Way
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!)
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

Read moreHow to Store Lemons (For a Year!) - Fermented Lemons
Fermented cranberry sauce in a white bowl.

Fermented Cranberry Sauce

Read moreFermented Cranberry Sauce
three different sized jars of apple pie filling and a smaller jar of apple pie jam.

Apple Pie Jam Low Sugar Recipe

Read moreApple Pie Jam Low Sugar Recipe
Red pepper jelly in jars.

Quick Red Pepper Jelly Recipe

Read moreQuick Red Pepper Jelly Recipe

Refrigerator Bread And Butter Pickles Recipe (+ Canning Instructions)

Read moreRefrigerator Bread And Butter Pickles Recipe (+ Canning Instructions)
Blackberry jam in a Mason jar.

Homemade Blackberry Jam Recipe (Low Sugar + Canning Instructions)

Read moreHomemade Blackberry Jam Recipe (Low Sugar + Canning Instructions)
Green tomatoes in a basket.

Storing Green Tomatoes for Fresh Eating

Read moreStoring Green Tomatoes for Fresh Eating
fresh herbs in box

How to Dry Fresh Herbs at Home 

Read moreHow to Dry Fresh Herbs at Home 
Celery salt in a half-pint mason jar.

How to Make Celery Salt (Preserve Celery)

Read moreHow to Make Celery Salt (Preserve Celery)
A basket full of strawberries.

How to Preserve Strawberries: Keep Those Berries Fresh!

Read moreHow to Preserve Strawberries: Keep Those Berries Fresh!
Jars of home canned applesauce.

Homemade Applesauce Recipe (+ How to Can Applesauce)

Read moreHomemade Applesauce Recipe (+ How to Can Applesauce)
Basil salt three ways in jars on a counter.

Homemade Basil Salt Recipe (3 Ways)

Read moreHomemade Basil Salt Recipe (3 Ways)
Jars of blueberry jam with a jar of yogurt topped with blueberry jam.

Blueberry Jam Recipe Without Pectin (+ Low-Sugar)

Read moreBlueberry Jam Recipe Without Pectin (+ Low-Sugar)
Pantry shelves lined with home canned food.

What you don't know about the USDA & Canning Safety Rules

Read moreWhat you don't know about the USDA & Canning Safety Rules
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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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Soft Sourdough Sandwich Bread (Beginner Friendly Recipe)

A fork and knife carving a whole roasted chicken.

Oven-Roasted Chicken Recipe | Crispy Skin & Juicy Whole Chicken  

A stack of homemade graham crackers on a plate.

Easy Homemade Graham Crackers

Peach cobbler served on a plate with vanilla ice cream on top.

Healthy Peach Cobbler

Close up shot of a double chocolate zucchini muffin.

Bakery Style Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

A stack of sourdough tortillas on a towel lined counter.

Easy Sourdough Tortillas (Soft and Flexible)

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)

Summer Preserving Recipes

Three jars of strawberry jam hot out of the canner.

Strawberry Jam Without Pectin (Low Sugar Recipe)

A jar of fermented pickles sitting on an outdoor table.

Fermented Pickles Recipe|Easy Old-Fashioned Salt Brine Pickles

Jars of blueberry jam with a jar of yogurt topped with blueberry jam.

Blueberry Jam Recipe Without Pectin (+ Low-Sugar)

placing dill in mason jar crunchy dill pickles on table

Best Homemade Pickles Recipe (Garlic Dill Pickles)

An opened jar of cherry jam with a spoonful.

Cherry Jam Recipe Without Pectin and Low Sugar

Jars of mustard pickles sitting on a counter.

Homemade Mustard Pickles (+ Canning Instructions)

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Melissa K. Norris

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

  • Gardening
  • Homesteading
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Podcast

Summer Meal Planning Made Easy (Quick & Easy Summer Meals)

Healing Plants of the Bible: 16 Biblical Herbs and Their Traditional Uses

Why So Many People Feel Called to Homesteading

What Grows Best in a Pacific Northwest Vegetable Garden?

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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