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Melissa K. Norris

Melissa K. Norris

Simple Modern Homesteading for a Healthy & Self-Sufficient Life

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DIY Recipes & Tutorials

fresh herbs in box

How to Dry Fresh Herbs at Home 

Read moreHow to Dry Fresh Herbs at Home 
A woman crouching in a medicinal herb next to yarrow and chamomile.

Medicinal Herb Garden (Planning and Growing)

Read moreMedicinal Herb Garden (Planning and Growing)
A woman labeling a tin of homemade healing salve.

DIY Sore Muscle Rub Salve

Read moreDIY Sore Muscle Rub Salve
Beef liver supplements on a wooden counter.

How to Make Beef Liver Supplements

Read moreHow to Make Beef Liver Supplements
A bottle of Fairchild's apple cider vinegar on a kitchen counter.

39 Apple Cider Vinegar Uses

Read more39 Apple Cider Vinegar Uses
A jar of herbal capsules on a wooden counter.

Herbal Stress Relief Capsules (Natural Remedy)

Read moreHerbal Stress Relief Capsules (Natural Remedy)
A woman dipping her finger into homemade healing salve.

Herbal Wound Healing Salve Recipe

Read moreHerbal Wound Healing Salve Recipe
A jar of steeping calendula oil.

Homemade Calendula Oil (+ How to Use It)

Read moreHomemade Calendula Oil (+ How to Use It)
Pinterest pin containing three images. Top image is of fresh picked dandelions resting on a white napkin sitting on a whitewashed table. Bottom left image is fresh chickweed placed on a wooden table with a wood bowl in the background. Bottom right image is a steaming cup of tea in a white teacup placed on a white saucer, and garnished with fresh nettle leaves. Text overlay says "Edible and Medicinal Common Weeds in Your Backyard. How to Harvest, Cook, & Preserve".

Dandelion Salve Recipe – DIY Healing Salve

Read moreDandelion Salve Recipe – DIY Healing Salve
Comfrey plant in a brass colander.

Comfrey Poultice (For Sprains, Strains & Broken Bones)

Read moreComfrey Poultice (For Sprains, Strains & Broken Bones)
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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

Three images of hot cross buns sitting on a napkin. Text overlay says,

Traditional Hot Cross Buns – Easy Recipe from 1950

Morel mushrooms in a basket on the forest floor.

Where to Find Morel Mushrooms

sourdough starter in Maosn jar on counter

Best Beginner Sourdough Sandwich Bread No Yeast

A woman's hand putting whole grain into a measuring cup with a Mockmill home grain mill in the background.

13 Healthy Ingredients to Swap Out Now

Finished loaf of artisan bread in a cast iron dutch oven lined with parchment paper.

Easy No Knead Artisan Bread Recipe

A closeup of a hand picking a morel mushroom.

Rules for Foraging Wild Edibles (+Mushroom Foraging Tips)

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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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

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  • 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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