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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

A woman conditioning a wooden dough scraper with wood butter and her hands.

How to Care For & Condition Wood Products

Read moreHow to Care For & Condition Wood Products

3 Reasons You Should Use Honey

Read more3 Reasons You Should Use Honey
Mockmill grain mill grinding grain into a white bowl.

How to Choose the Best Grain Mill & Grind Flour at Home

Read moreHow to Choose the Best Grain Mill & Grind Flour at Home
two week old seedlings in egg cartons ready to be transplanted

Gardening in February (Garden Tasks by Month)

Read moreGardening in February (Garden Tasks by Month)
woman stacking firewood in field to dry

Essential Homestead Skills

Read moreEssential Homestead Skills

Pioneer Homemade Christmas-Day 1 Pumpkin Applesauce Cake

Read morePioneer Homemade Christmas-Day 1 Pumpkin Applesauce Cake

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

Do Natural Deodorants Really Work?

Read moreDo Natural Deodorants Really Work?

15 Homemade Natural Herbal Bath and Body Gifts

Read more15 Homemade Natural Herbal Bath and Body Gifts
A woman cutting evergreen branches with snips.

Christmas Stovetop Potpourri

Read moreChristmas Stovetop Potpourri

7 Signs You Suffer from Thyroid Disease

Read more7 Signs You Suffer from Thyroid Disease
Blueberries on a bush.

How to Get Rid of Mummy Berry Disease on Blueberry Bushes

Read moreHow to Get Rid of Mummy Berry Disease on Blueberry Bushes
A woman standing in front of a red barn holding up a wire basket full of farm fresh eggs.

Homesteading Myths and Tips for Success

Read moreHomesteading Myths and Tips for Success
Baby meat chicks hanging out in the grass.

Raising Chickens for Profit

Read moreRaising Chickens for Profit
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)
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)
Comfrey plant in a brass colander.

Comfrey Poultice (For Sprains, Strains & Broken Bones)

Read moreComfrey Poultice (For Sprains, Strains & Broken Bones)
homemade soy candle in jar on table with blanket and pine cones

How to Make Soy Candles at Home with Essential Oils

Read moreHow to Make Soy Candles at Home with Essential Oils
A woman's hand picking raspberries.

How to Plant Raspberries

Read moreHow to Plant Raspberries

Pioneering Today-Blueberry Basil Thyme Vinegar Recipe

Read morePioneering Today-Blueberry Basil Thyme Vinegar Recipe

4 Simple Habits to Improve Your Energy Naturally

Read more4 Simple Habits to Improve Your Energy Naturally
Two tins filled with homemade candles. Text overlay says, "How to Make Old-Fashioned Beeswax Candles".

How to Make Candles at Home (Beeswax and Lard)

Read moreHow to Make Candles at Home (Beeswax and Lard)

3 Ingredient Homemade Lip Balm Recipe

Read more3 Ingredient Homemade Lip Balm Recipe

5 Things You Shouldn't Ignore

Read more5 Things You Shouldn't Ignore

8 Tips for Bulk Food Storage

Read more8 Tips for Bulk Food Storage
Scottish Highland Cow grazing in a field with a woman by a truck throwing out feed.

Scottish Highland Cows: A Unique Cattle Breed

Read moreScottish Highland Cows: A Unique Cattle Breed

How to Save and Store Your Heirloom Garden Seed

Read moreHow to Save and Store Your Heirloom Garden Seed

How to Start a Fire Without a Lighter

Read moreHow to Start a Fire Without a Lighter
A white bowl of cooked green beans.

How to Cook Leather Britches Green Beans

Read moreHow to Cook Leather Britches Green Beans
A close up shot of an evergreen bouquet.

Easy Winter Bouquet (DIY Holiday Bouquet)

Read moreEasy Winter Bouquet (DIY Holiday Bouquet)

10 Things Our Grandparents Reused During the Great Depression

Read more10 Things Our Grandparents Reused During the Great Depression

10 Things Every Mason Jar Lover Needs

Read more10 Things Every Mason Jar Lover Needs

Pioneering Today-8 Tips for Perfect Homemade Bread

Read morePioneering Today-8 Tips for Perfect Homemade Bread

Dear Mother Who Doesn't Home School Her Children

Read moreDear Mother Who Doesn't Home School Her Children
A garden in winter with much of it dead, and a mountain with snow top peaks in the background.

Gardening in November (Garden Tasks by Month)

Read moreGardening in November (Garden Tasks by Month)

DIY Canning Ring Wreath

Read moreDIY Canning Ring Wreath

DIY Farmhouse Burlap Christmas Ornaments- Easy Homemade Project

Read moreDIY Farmhouse Burlap Christmas Ornaments- Easy Homemade Project

Handmade Gift Bags & Tags from the Great Depression Era

Read moreHandmade Gift Bags & Tags from the Great Depression Era
hanging items by the hem on a clotheline.

Pioneering Today-5 Reasons to Use a Clothesline

Read morePioneering Today-5 Reasons to Use a Clothesline

Pioneering Today-Dutch Oven Cooking Over an Open Fire

Read morePioneering Today-Dutch Oven Cooking Over an Open Fire

Pioneering Today-Basil Lambsquarters Pesto

Read morePioneering Today-Basil Lambsquarters Pesto
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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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  • About Melissa K. Norris — Modern Homesteading ExpertStart Here
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Articles

  • Gardening
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  • 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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