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Melissa K. Norris

Melissa K. Norris

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

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Homestead-Life

This is where I'm sharing my 20+ years of homesteading wisdom and sharing practical tips to make this life easier. From how to live frugally as a homesteader to choosing the best grain mill. I'm also sharing must-know emergency preparedness tips, how to stay warm without electricity, and how to keep cool without air conditioning.

Comfrey plant in a brass colander.

Comfrey Poultice (For Sprains, Strains & Broken Bones)

Read moreComfrey Poultice (For Sprains, Strains & Broken Bones)
A jar filled with mint extract.

Homemade Mint Extract Recipe | Easy Garden-to-Pantry Flavoring

Read moreHomemade Mint Extract Recipe | Easy Garden-to-Pantry Flavoring
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
A glass jar full of Mexican crackers.

Mexican Crackers Recipe

Read moreMexican Crackers Recipe
Bird's eye view of a glass jar full of Italian crackers.

Sour Cream and Onion Crackers Recipe

Read moreSour Cream and Onion Crackers Recipe
Bird's eye view of a glass jar full of Italian crackers.

Italian Crackers Recipe |Crispy Homemade Herb Crackers

Read moreItalian Crackers Recipe |Crispy Homemade Herb Crackers
A glass jar full of sweet and salty crackers.

Sweet and Salty Crackers Recipe

Read moreSweet and Salty Crackers Recipe
Homemade crackers on a cooking sheet and some crackers in a Mason jar.

Homemade Cheese Crackers Recipe (4 Ingredients!)

Read moreHomemade Cheese Crackers Recipe (4 Ingredients!)
Bird's eye view of a glass jar full of Italian crackers.

Homemade Crackers (Ready in Minutes)

Read moreHomemade Crackers (Ready in Minutes)
A glass mug with nettle leaf tea.

How to Make Nettle Leaf Tea

Read moreHow to Make Nettle Leaf Tea
Jars filled with DIY seasoning mixes, and labeled with a tag.

Homemade Seasoning Blends (+ Free Printable Tags)

Read moreHomemade Seasoning Blends (+ Free Printable Tags)
A jar filled with DIY Italian seasoning mix, and labeled with a tag.

DIY Italian Seasoning (Homemade Italian Spice Blend)

Read moreDIY Italian Seasoning (Homemade Italian Spice Blend)
A jar filled with DIY ranch seasoning mix, and labeled with a tag.

DIY Ranch Seasoning Mix Recipe

Read moreDIY Ranch Seasoning Mix Recipe
A woman dumping seeds from a packet into her hand.

Succession Planting & Intercropping in the Garden

Read moreSuccession Planting & Intercropping in the Garden

5 Symptoms Your Gut Health is Off- Heal Your Gut Naturally

Read more5 Symptoms Your Gut Health is Off- Heal Your Gut Naturally
Mozzarella cheese and whey separating out.

How to Make Whey in Four Easy Steps

Read moreHow to Make Whey in Four Easy Steps
A snowy road lined with trees.

10 Ways to Keep Warm Without Electricity

Read more10 Ways to Keep Warm Without Electricity
A woman screwing a band onto a jar of bone broth.

5 Nutrient-Dense Foods That Support Better Health Naturally

Read more5 Nutrient-Dense Foods That Support Better Health Naturally
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)
A woman crouched by a woodstove with a fire going, holding an oil lamp.

Must-Know Emergency Preparedness Tips (For Everyone)

Read moreMust-Know Emergency Preparedness Tips (For Everyone)
A woman's hand holding dry bean seeds.

Heirloom Seeds - An Introduction

Read moreHeirloom Seeds - An Introduction

13 Steps to the Simple Life Your Great-Grandparents Knew

Read more13 Steps to the Simple Life Your Great-Grandparents Knew
Various food items on a kitchen counter.

Tips to Eat Real Food

Read moreTips to Eat Real Food

Three Ways to Grow Closer to God

Read moreThree Ways to Grow Closer to God

How God Used an Addict to Convict Me

Read moreHow God Used an Addict to Convict Me

Intercessory Prayer- How to Stand in the Gap for Loved Ones

Read moreIntercessory Prayer- How to Stand in the Gap for Loved Ones

Leaving a Spiritual Legacy for Your Children

Read moreLeaving a Spiritual Legacy for Your Children

What Makes the Best Memories?

Read moreWhat Makes the Best Memories?

Planting a Garden for the Soul and Body

Read morePlanting a Garden for the Soul and Body

What is a Life Coach and Why You Need One

Read moreWhat is a Life Coach and Why You Need One

Why Good People Won't Get Into Heaven

Read moreWhy Good People Won't Get Into Heaven

How to Bless Others

Read moreHow to Bless Others

Are You Running From God's Call?

Read moreAre You Running From God's Call?

Do You Know Which Path God Wants for You?

Read moreDo You Know Which Path God Wants for You?

7 Days to Simple:Purify Your Life

Read more7 Days to Simple:Purify Your Life

Feel Like You Never Have Enough Time? Read this.

Read moreFeel Like You Never Have Enough Time? Read this.

When God Closes a Door

Read moreWhen God Closes a Door

Why I Don't Believe In Coincidences and Neither Should You

Read moreWhy I Don't Believe In Coincidences and Neither Should You

Does Fasting Help Your Prayers Get Heard?

Read moreDoes Fasting Help Your Prayers Get Heard?

Does Homesteading Bring You Closer to God?

Read moreDoes Homesteading Bring You Closer to God?

Have You Seen God Lately?

Read moreHave You Seen God Lately?

Never Stop Praying for the Prodigal

Read moreNever Stop Praying for the Prodigal
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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

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

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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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