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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

Sourdough starter in a jar with a loaf of bread in the background.

How to Make a Sourdough Starter + Tips for Success

Best Beginner Sourdough Sandwich Bread No Yeast

Homemade chili in a white bowl topped with sour cream, onions and cilantro.

Easy Instant Pot Chili Recipe

Buttermilk biscuits in a cast iron pan.

Easy Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits Ready to Eat in 20 Minutes

A jar of homemade cream of potato soup with potatoes on the counter.

Cream of Potato Soup Recipe

Homemade Pop Tarts From Scratch (Hand Pies)

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)

Winter Preserving Recipes

Jars of home canned applesauce.

Homemade Applesauce Recipe (+ How to Can Applesauce)

Fermented cranberry sauce in a white bowl.

Fermented Cranberry Sauce

How to Can Bone Broth at Home

Homemade Cranberry Sauce + Canning Instructions

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

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Melissa K. Norris

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Articles

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Podcast

Why I’m Pressing Pause (And How You Can Help Shape What’s Next)

Root Vegetable Storage Without a Root Cellar: Simple Methods That Work

From-Scratch Cooking Made Easy: Myths vs. Reality

Refreshing Summer Drinks You Can Make at Home

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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