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Melissa K. Norris

Melissa K. Norris

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

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Gardening

A woman's hands showing how to braid garlic.

How to Braid Garlic for Long-Term Storage

Read moreHow to Braid Garlic for Long-Term Storage
Garlic growing in the garden.

How to Harvest Garlic for Long-Term Storage

Read moreHow to Harvest Garlic for Long-Term Storage
Red and yellow potatoes arranged on a burlap sack.

How to Store Potatoes in the Ground (Simple Method That Works Without a Root Cellar)

Read moreHow to Store Potatoes in the Ground (Simple Method That Works Without a Root Cellar)
A woman holding potatoes in the garden.

I Left My Potatoes in the Ground for 5 Years Without Replanting - Here's What Happened

Read moreI Left My Potatoes in the Ground for 5 Years Without Replanting - Here's What Happened
A woman crouching in a medicinal herb next to yarrow and chamomile.

How to Plan a Medicinal Herb Garden (Beginner-Friendly + What to Grow First)

Read moreHow to Plan a Medicinal Herb Garden (Beginner-Friendly + What to Grow First)
A woman cutting an elderberry cutting from an elderberry tree.

Growing Elderberry from Cuttings

Read moreGrowing Elderberry from Cuttings
A woman pruning an elderberry bush with loppers.

How to Prune Elderberry Bushes for Maximum Growth

Read moreHow to Prune Elderberry Bushes for Maximum Growth
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 woman dumping seeds from a packet into her hand.

Succession Planting & Intercropping in the Garden

Read moreSuccession Planting & Intercropping in the Garden
Three jars with basil plants growing in them on a windowsill. Text overlay says, "Grow Basil Indoors All Winter".

Grow Basil Indoors Without Dirt All Winter!

Read moreGrow Basil Indoors Without Dirt All Winter!
Brussels sprouts growing on a stalk in the garden.

How to Grow Brussel Sprouts for Maximum Harvest

Read moreHow to Grow Brussel Sprouts for Maximum Harvest

How to Grow Elderberries & Planting Tips

Read moreHow to Grow Elderberries & Planting Tips
A woman in a bean tunnel picking beans.

Late August Garden Tour

Read moreLate August Garden Tour
Bean seeds being direct down into the soil.

Why Heirloom Seeds Are My Favorite

Read moreWhy Heirloom Seeds Are My Favorite
A woman's hand holding dry bean seeds.

Heirloom Seeds - An Introduction

Read moreHeirloom Seeds - An Introduction
Dirty freshly harvested carrots on the ground.

How to Save Carrot Seeds + Understanding Pollination

Read moreHow to Save Carrot Seeds + Understanding Pollination
Green tomatoes in a basket.

Storing Green Tomatoes for Fresh Eating

Read moreStoring Green Tomatoes for Fresh Eating
Strawberries ready to pick off the vine.

How to Plant Strawberries + Tips for Success

Read moreHow to Plant Strawberries + Tips for Success
A woman kneeling down in the garden harvesting tomatoes into a basket.

How to Prune Tomato Plants For a Better Harvest

Read moreHow to Prune Tomato Plants For a Better Harvest
A woman in the garden with a colander, harvesting vegetables.

End-of-Summer Garden Tips

Read moreEnd-of-Summer Garden Tips

Planting a Garden for the Soul and Body

Read morePlanting a Garden for the Soul and Body
A shot of a homestead property from a drone up high with a woman standing arms out in the center.

Gardening in March (Garden Tasks by Month)

Read moreGardening in March (Garden Tasks by Month)

Non-GMO Foods & How to Avoid GMOs

Read moreNon-GMO Foods & How to Avoid GMOs
A woman pointing to a squash growing in the garden.

Late October Garden Tour

Read moreLate October Garden Tour
A woman holding seedlings in her hands, standing outside by a potting bench.

Potting Up Seedlings & How to Separate Seedlings

Read morePotting Up Seedlings & How to Separate Seedlings
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
A basket of garlic next to a garden bed that has been mulched.

How to Plant Garlic (Fall Garlic Planting)

Read moreHow to Plant Garlic (Fall Garlic Planting)
A woman pointing to a squash growing in the garden.

Gardening in October (Garden Tasks by Month)

Read moreGardening in October (Garden Tasks by Month)
A woman's hands holding a bean pod hanging on a trelis.

Gardening in September (Garden Tasks by Month)

Read moreGardening in September (Garden Tasks by Month)
Drone footage of a woman pruning apple trees in an orchard.

Gardening in August (Garden Tasks by Month)

Read moreGardening in August (Garden Tasks by Month)
Cucumber seedlings growing next to a cattle panel trellis.

Gardening in July (Garden Tasks by Month)

Read moreGardening in July (Garden Tasks by Month)

How to Grow Swiss Chard in your Fall Garden

Read moreHow to Grow Swiss Chard in your Fall Garden
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
ripe blueberries on bush in summer

Pruning Blueberry Bushes & Blueberry Bush Care

Read morePruning Blueberry Bushes & Blueberry Bush Care
A woman standing by a flowering apple tree while it rains.

Gardening in May (Garden Tasks By Month)

Read moreGardening in May (Garden Tasks By Month)
Onion seedlings growing in seed starting trays.

Growing Onions From Seed

Read moreGrowing Onions From Seed
Raspberry Canes

How to Prune Raspberries

Read moreHow to Prune Raspberries
A woman smiling while pruning a fruit tree.

How to Prune Apple Trees (Winter or Summer?)

Read moreHow to Prune Apple Trees (Winter or Summer?)
Image of a fruit tree guild.

Planting a Fruit Tree Guild

Read morePlanting a Fruit Tree Guild

How to Prune Herbs & Perennials for Maximum Growth

Read moreHow to Prune Herbs & Perennials for Maximum Growth

How to Grow An Herbal Tea Garden At Home + Favorite Herbal Tea Blend Recipes

Read moreHow to Grow An Herbal Tea Garden At Home + Favorite Herbal Tea Blend Recipes
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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

  • Gardening
  • Homesteading
  • Recipes
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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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