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Melissa K. Norris

Melissa K. Norris

Simple Modern Homesteading for a Healthy & Self-Sufficient Life

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Frugal Living

Homemade all-purpose cleaner in a glass spray bottle with vinegar concentrate in a Mason jar.

Homemade All-Purpose Cleaner (Citrus or Pine)

Read moreHomemade All-Purpose Cleaner (Citrus or Pine)
A clothesline with white sheets and clothespins.

Frugal Living as a Homesteader (How to Save Money & Get Out of Debt)

Read moreFrugal Living as a Homesteader (How to Save Money & Get Out of Debt)
Up close shot of mint growing in a pot.

How to Make Mint Extract (With or Without Alcohol)

Read moreHow to Make Mint Extract (With or Without Alcohol)
Various food items on a kitchen counter.

Tips to Eat Real Food

Read moreTips to Eat Real Food
A bottle of Fairchild's apple cider vinegar on a kitchen counter.

39 Apple Cider Vinegar Uses

Read more39 Apple Cider Vinegar Uses
Herbs and spices on spoons and in a bowl.

4 Homemade Herb & Spice Blends (+ Free Printable Tags)

Read more4 Homemade Herb & Spice Blends (+ Free Printable Tags)
A close up shot of an evergreen bouquet.

Easy Winter Bouquet (DIY Holiday Bouquet)

Read moreEasy Winter Bouquet (DIY Holiday Bouquet)
Morel mushrooms in a basket on the forest floor.

Where to Find Morel Mushrooms

Read moreWhere to Find Morel Mushrooms
Image of a homemade Christmas ornament with text overlay, "Homemade Christmas Ornament using old canning lids".

DIY Homemade Christmas Canning Lid Ornament

Read moreDIY Homemade Christmas Canning Lid Ornament

6 DIY Re-Purposed Sweater Projects

Read more6 DIY Re-Purposed Sweater Projects
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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

homegrown ripe paste tomatoes in a wicker basket on the grass

How Much to Plant Per Person for a Year’s Worth of Food

A woman inspecting the apples on an apple tree.

How to Grow Fruit Trees

Vertical container planter with strawberries on cement patio

Small Space Vegetable Gardening Urban Gardening Tips

Baby meat chicks hanging out in the grass.

Raising Baby Chicks – Beginners Guide for the First 6 Weeks

A steak on a piece of butcher paper on a counter.

When Butchering a Cow the Best Cuts of Meat to Get

Chickens in a portable coop.

Integrating New Chicks to Existing Flocks Q&A Chicken Raising

Want to grow a year’s worth of food?

Know exactly how many plants per person you need to plant with my easy worksheet and chart!

Summer Canning Recipes

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

Strawberry Jam Recipe without Pectin and Low Sugar

homecanned green beans in jar on counter

How to Can Green Beans the Easy Way – Raw Pack

How to Make Mustard Pickles – Great-Grandma’s Recipe

homemade cherry pie filling in mason jars on white towel

Cherry Pie Filling Recipe (Canning Instructions)

placing dill in mason jar crunchy dill pickles on table

Best Homemade Pickles Recipe (Garlic Dill Pickles)

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Melissa K. Norris

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Articles

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Podcast

Farm Dog Breeds (Which is Best for You?)

Time Spent to Grow a Year’s Worth of Food

Fruits and Vegetables in Season by Month and Tips for Preservation

How to Start Seeds Indoors (Planning, Starting & Mistakes to Avoid)

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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Melissa K. Norris and Pioneering Today LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

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