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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

Three jars of peppers in fermenting jars.

How to Ferment Peppers

Read moreHow to Ferment Peppers
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 string of leather britches drying out laying on a table.

Leather Britches Green Beans (200-Year-Old Preservation Method)

Read moreLeather Britches Green Beans (200-Year-Old Preservation Method)
woman stacking firewood in field to dry

Essential Homestead Skills

Read moreEssential Homestead Skills

How to Smoke Cheese at Home

Read moreHow to Smoke Cheese at Home
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
A close up jar of freeze dried zucchini.

How to Freeze Dry Zucchini

Read moreHow to Freeze Dry Zucchini
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)
Jars of home-canned food.

129+ Best Canning Recipes to Put Up This Year

Read more129+ Best Canning Recipes to Put Up This Year
Sliced apple rounds in a row.

How to Freeze Apples - A Simple Guide for Preserving

Read moreHow to Freeze Apples - A Simple Guide for Preserving

Pioneering Today-How to Make Homemade Grape Juice

Read morePioneering Today-How to Make Homemade Grape Juice

Pioneering Today-Blueberry Basil Thyme Vinegar Recipe

Read morePioneering Today-Blueberry Basil Thyme Vinegar Recipe
placing dill in mason jar crunchy dill pickles on table

7 Tips for Crunchy Pickles Every Time

Read more7 Tips for Crunchy Pickles Every Time
Three jars of jam in a steam canner.

No Sugar Strawberry Jam Recipe

Read moreNo Sugar Strawberry Jam Recipe
Three mason jars filled with sweet and spicy plum sauce. Text overlay says, "Sweet & Spicy Plum Sauce".

Sweet and Spicy Plum Sauce Canning Recipe

Read moreSweet and Spicy Plum Sauce Canning Recipe
homecanned green beans in jar on counter

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

Read moreWhat Causes Canning Lids to Buckle? (+ Proper Tightening)
home canned jars of tomato sauce on counter with ripe tomatoes

Proper Canning Headspace (Is it Important?)

Read moreProper Canning Headspace (Is it Important?)

Pioneering Today-How to Can Peach Salsa

Read morePioneering Today-How to Can Peach Salsa
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)
jars of canned chicken on a towel on kitchen counter

How to Can Chicken (SAFE & Easy Raw Pack Method)

Read moreHow to Can Chicken (SAFE & Easy Raw Pack Method)

Canning 101 Water-Bath vs. Pressure Canner

Read moreCanning 101 Water-Bath vs. Pressure Canner
Tomato sauce being poured into a large pot on the stove.

Weston Tomato Press (+ Tomato Sauce Recipe)

Read moreWeston Tomato Press (+ Tomato Sauce Recipe)
Two pressure canners and jars of home canned food sitting on a kitchen counter.

How to Choose the Best Pressure Canner

Read moreHow to Choose the Best Pressure Canner
Two jars of bone broth and a spoonful of gelatinous broth.

Does Pressure Canning Ruin Bone Broth

Read moreDoes Pressure Canning Ruin Bone Broth
two canned jars of cherries. one opened with a spoon in it, and four cherries - all on a wooden surface

Chocolate Cherry Sauce Recipe (+Canning Instructions)

Read moreChocolate Cherry Sauce Recipe (+Canning Instructions)

Pioneering Today-Baked Garlic and Butternut Squash Recipe and Freezer Tips

Read morePioneering Today-Baked Garlic and Butternut Squash Recipe and Freezer Tips

Salt Cured Ham: Old-Fashioned Preserving

Read moreSalt Cured Ham: Old-Fashioned Preserving
fermented asparagus and sauerkraut in mason jars

Ultimate Guide to Fermented Vegetables: What You Need to Know

Read moreUltimate Guide to Fermented Vegetables: What You Need to Know

Re-Usable Tattler Canning Lids-Do They Work?

Read moreRe-Usable Tattler Canning Lids-Do They Work?

8 Tips to Keep Sane when Preserving the Bounty

Read more8 Tips to Keep Sane when Preserving the Bounty
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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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Articles

  • Gardening
  • Homesteading
  • Recipes
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Podcast

Herbal Remedies for Summer: Natural Relief for Sunburns, Bug Bites, Stings & Scrapes

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)

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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