Pioneering Today

Join me with guest Marc Warnke as he nearly convinces me to get goats again! We’re talking all things raising goats, from the space and supplies required, time it takes to milk them daily, and the various uses they have around the homestead. He’s a wealth of information and you’ll definitely want to check out the corresponding blog post for the resources mentioned. For more information and any links mentioned in this episode, visit https://melissaknorris.com/433.

This podcast is sponsored by Azure Standard. For first-time Azure customers, you can use code “Melissa15” to get 15% off your first order of $100 or more delivered to a drop location.

Join me as I continue on in this Homesteading 101 Series (Back to the Basics). Today’s episode is all about the basics of preserving. There are ten different methods I’ll discuss in today’s podcast, listed in order from what I consider to be the easiest to the most difficult. I truly believe in layering on skillsets to help prevent overwhelm. If you’re new to preserving, this podcast will be a treasure trove of information and tips for getting started. For more information and any links mentioned in this episode, visit https://melissaknorris.com/432.

Be sure to join me for my live training all about preserving on June 10, 2024. 

This podcast is sponsored by Azure Standard. For first-time Azure customers, you can use code “Melissa10” to get 10% off your first order of $50 or more delivered to a drop location.

In the realm of sustainable farming practices, regenerative agriculture has really come to the forefront of our attention. It provides hope with a holistic approach to land stewardship that goes beyond mere sustainability to actively restore and regenerate ecosystems. But what exactly is regenerative agriculture, and why does it matter? Join me with Noble Research Institutes Jim Johnson as he shares regenerative agriculture practices to improve our soil, ecosystem and, ultimately, our planet. For links and resources, visit the blog post here: https://melissaknorris.com/431.

This post is sponsored by Azure Standard. For first-time Azure customers, you can use code “Melissa10” to get 10% off your first order of $50 or more.

This week I’m sharing a bit more about my own health journey and what I learned about the dangers of soda. I’m excited to have CeAnne Kosel from Farmhouse Teas joining me as she’s a wealth of information when it comes to making your own healthy homemade soda alternatives that actually taste good and that your family will love. If you’d like to learn more from CeAnne, she’ll be at this year’s Modern Homesteading Conference in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho June 28-29, 2024. We can’t wait to see you there and we hope you enjoy this episode of the Pioneering Today Podcast. To learn more, visit the blog post here: https://melissaknorris.com/430.

This post is sponsored by Azure Standard. If you’re not quite ready to make your own soda, Azure has quite a few alternatives, including water kefir grains. For first-time Azure customers, you can use code “Melissa10” to get 10% off your first order of $50 or more.

While I continue my podcast break, please enjoy this podcast episode that was published as a YouTube video only. I’m interviewing Dr. Patrick Jones on the medicinal herbs I’m growing in my garden, plus discussing many of their uses. If you’re looking to grow a medicinal herb garden, you’ll definitely want to check out the post that goes with this interview as it’s jam-packed with more herbal info. If you’d like to learn more from Doc Jones, he’ll be at this year’s Modern Homesteading Conference in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho June 28-29, 2024. You can hear him teach and shop his herbal remedies at his booth. We can’t wait to see you there and we hope you enjoy this episode of the Pioneering Today Podcast. To learn more, visit the blog post here: https://melissaknorris.com/429.

I know last week I said I’d be taking a break from podcasting, and while that’s still true, I just couldn’t leave you all hanging for three whole weeks. So this week and next week I have a couple of special podcast episodes that originally aired as video interviews over on YouTube with Dr. Patrick Jones from Homegrown Herbalist. In this podcast, he’s sharing his wisdom of herbal medicine and veterinary care. Sharing what herbs are safe for animals (and which should be avoided or used with caution). If you’d like to learn more from Doc Jones, he’ll be at this year’s Modern Homesteading Conference in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho June 28-29, 2024. You can hear him teach and shop his herbal remedies at his booth. We can’t wait to see you there and we hope you enjoy this episode of the Pioneering Today Podcast. To learn more, visit the blog post here: https://melissaknorris.com/428

Join me with my guest Deanne Converse as we discuss ways to become more self-sustainable with our livestock feed costs. Deanne is sharing her years of experience in feeding livestock without the feed store. With the rise in feed costs over the past few years, this is one podcast you won’t want to miss. We’re not only talking about how to feed cattle, but chickens, pigs, sheep, goats and more. For more information and any links mentioned in this episode, visit https://melissaknorris.com/427.

This post is sponsored by The Modern Homesteading Conference. If you haven’t purchased your tickets yet, don’t wait!

Join me as I continue on in this Homesteading 101 Series (Back to the Basics). Today’s episode is all about the basics of raising livestock, and I’ll heavily focus on cattle. If you’ve ever wanted to raise your own grass-fed, grass-finished beef then this is the podcast for you. I’m giving you all the basics you need in today’s episode, plus many links for additional resources. For more information and any links mentioned in this episode, visit https://melissaknorris.com/426.

This post is sponsored by Azure Standard. If you’re not yet raising your own beef cattle and are looking for good quality beef, look no further than Azure Standard. They offer sustainably sourced beef products from frozen cuts of beef to, my favorite, beef jerky! We've purchased their beef jerky for my son and husband to take as snacks on their long days of work and it’s delicious. They also carry many A2/A2 dairy products that you'll want to check out. For first-time Azure customers, you can use code “Melissa10” to get 10% off your first order of $50 or more.

Be sure to sign up for my Homestead Skills Summit, April 22-26, 2024. Each day of the week we’ll focus on a different homesteading topic, with live Q&A and prizes and a final live Q&A session on Friday to wrap up the week. Join here: https://melissaknorris.com/pta-summit/

Join me and my guest, Don Tipping from Siskiyou Seeds as we discuss the history of seeds and seed saving and how it’s changed over the past 100 years. Our conversation takes a deep dive into how seed companies source their seed (this may surprise you!) and how to know you’re getting quality seeds with the exact characteristics you want. For more information and any links mentioned in this episode, visit https://melissaknorris.com/425. 

This post is sponsored by Azure Standard. If you’re in need of garden starts, be sure to check out Ellie’s Eden plants. They have a large selection of vegetable, herb and flower starts and they’re fantastic quality. For first time Azure customers, you can use code “Melissa10” to get 10% off your first order of $50 or more.

Be sure to sign up for my Homestead Skills Summit, April 22-26, 2024. Each day of the week we’ll focus on a different homesteading topic, with live Q&A and prizes and a final live Q&A session on Friday to wrap up the week. Join here: https://melissaknorris.com/pta-summit/

Join me and my guest, Susan Poizner, as we discuss the basics of growing fruit trees. With a few tips under your belt, you’ll know what fruit tree varieties will work best for your climate, when to plant your trees, and the nine tips for getting your fruit trees to grow fast! Susan also covers some mistakes to avoid when planting new fruit trees and we briefly cover how to protect your trees from disease (or rehabilitate neglected trees). For more information and any links mentioned in this episode, visit melissaknorris.com/424 

Join me as I continue on in this Homesteading 101 Series (Back to the Basics). Today’s episode is all about the basics of gardening. Which ultimately means understanding the basics of soil. You don’t have to be a soil expert, or a biochemist to understand how to know if your soil is good (or how to amend it, if needed). However, if you don’t pay attention to your soil quality, it doesn’t matter how many other gardening skills you acquire, you’ll continue to struggle if your soil quality is poor. I’m giving you all the basics you need in today’s episode, plus many links for additional resources. For more information and any links mentioned in this episode, visit melissaknorris.com/423.

Azure Standard: I want to thank Azure Standard for sponsoring this podcast. One of my favorite things about Azure is every spring they offer incredible garden starts! So, if you find yourself behind the curve of starting seeds indoors, you can order starts from Ellie’s Eden. They have vegetable starts, flower starts, herb starts… so many options! For first-time customers, you can get 10% off your first Azure Standard purchase of $50 or more using coupon code “Melissa10” at checkout.

Join me for this podcast interview with Dr. Christopher Hobbs as we discuss the health benefits of mushrooms. The benefits are vast, and when you consider that you can easily grow mushrooms at home (or forage for them nearly everywhere), it gets even more exciting. Ever since I found healing from stomach acid and ulcers by changing the food I ate, I've continued down the rabbit hole of using our food and herbs as medicine. Join me with Dr. Hobbs as we discuss the best mushrooms for their medicinal purposes, the benefits of consuming mushrooms, and how mushrooms may be a great way to get some extra prebiotic fiber into our diets. For more information and any links mentioned in this episode, visit melissaknorris.com/422.

Check out my live class on 3/20/24 all about growing and foraging for mushrooms here: https://my.demio.com/ref/EIhRpGOdPqVWiDqE

American Blossom Linens: I want to thank American Blossom Linens for sponsoring this podcast. You may think of linens and bedsheets as a basic item, but they're a staple in most homes. If you want heirloom quality sheets that will last a lifetime, American Blossom Linens is for you. I've found in many areas of the homestead, by investing in higher quality items (yes, they generally cost more up front), I inevitably save money in the long run. This is definitely true for my sheet set from American Blossom Linens. I’ve had my sheets for two and a half years and they’re only getting softer and softer. Use coupon code "PioneeringToday20" to get 20% off your first set of sheets at: https://melissaknorris.com/ABL

One of the crops that’s easily overlooked for growing a sustainable food source on the homestead is the nut tree. As with fruit trees, once a nut tree is established, it can produce food for your family for decades (and even generations) to come. Learn which nut trees are best for your homestead needs with David Hughes from Rock Bridge Trees. He’s sharing his best tips on nut tree care and maintenance, harvesting and even pest control. For more information and any links mentioned in this episode, visit melissaknorris.com/421.

Azure Standard: I want to thank Azure Standard for sponsoring this podcast. If you don’t yet have nut trees of your own, Azure is a fantastic source for buying nuts in bulk. It’s the only place I’ll buy my nuts because I trust their sourcing and quality control practices. Not only does Azure Standard carry whole nuts, they also carry a wide variety of nut butters and other such products. For first-time customers, you can get 10% off your first Azure Standard purchase of $50 or more using coupon code “Melissa10” at checkout.

Join me for this podcast series on Homesteading 101: Back to the Basics. We know countless people are joining this homesteading movement, and I would like to hold the door open and welcome you in. In this series we’ll be discussing the five pillars of homesteading: gardening, livestock, homestead cooking, preserving and herbal medicine. Though this series won't be a comprehensive step-by-step on how to start a homestead, it should help answer some of those basic questions many people have when venturing into a new aspect of homesteading. For more information and any links mentioned in this episode, visit https://melissaknorris.com/420.

American Blossom Linens: I want to thank American Blossom Linens for sponsoring this podcast. You may think of linens and bedsheets as a basic item, but they're a staple in most homes. If you want heirloom quality sheets that will last a lifetime, American Blossom Linens is for you. I've found in many areas of the homestead, by investing in higher quality items (yes, they generally cost more up front), I inevitably save money in the long run. This is definitely true for my sheet set from American Blossom Linens. I’ve had my sheets for two and a half years and they’re only getting softer and softer. Use coupon code "PioneeringToday20" to get 20% off your first set of sheets at: https://melissaknorris.com/ABL

For the first time ever, genetically modified seeds have been made available to the common gardener for home use. I’ve been hearing from many home gardeners how excited they are to grow this new variety of tomato in their home garden, which to be honest, surprises me. Which makes me wonder if everyone knows exactly what GMO seeds are, and if we ought to be concerned? In today’s podcast, I’m diving into the nitty gritty of what classifies a seed as GMO, or Hybrid, or F1 Hybrid. I’m also explaining self-pollination, open-pollination and what you need to know as a home-gardener to successfully seed save. But more importantly, I want to discuss the place of GMO seeds in the home-garden. For more information and any links mentioned in this episode, visit melissaknorris.com/419.

Azure Standard is the sponsor for this podcast. For first-time Azure customers, get 10% off your first order of $50 or more with coupon code "Melissa10" at checkout: https://melissaknorris.com/azure-standard

Are you under the impression that you live in a pretty secure area, free of threats from natural disasters or wide-spread emergencies? I invite you to listen to today’s podcast and you may reconsider just how prepared you and your family are. Emergencies happen in the blink of an eye, and if you’re not ready, they can be catastrophic. Join me with Jeff Anderson from Warrior Life as he shares his knowledge of being prepared and how to pack a “bug out bag” (also known as a “go bag”). He’ll share what must-haves each bag needs, plus some items to avoid. Grab his FREE class here: melissaknorris.com/warrior-life-workshop. For more information and any links mentioned in this episode, visit melissaknorris.com/418.

Now is the time to be thinking about your medicinal herb gardens. When planning to stock your herbal medicine cabinets, the planning starts well before harvest. Whether you’re growing your own medicinal herbs, just getting started with an herb garden, or purchasing herbs, tinctures, or other herbal remedies already made, now is the time to plan to stock up for the year. Come listen to this episode as I share my tips on how to plan, buy seeds, starts or cuttings, or purchase products from trusted and reputable sources. For more information and any links mentioned in this episode, visit melissaknorris.com/417. To grab the Medicinal Herb Garden e-book go here 

With meat labeling laws being changed right before our eyes, it's getting harder and harder to trust where our meat is coming from, and how it was raised and processed. Will Harris and his daughter Jenni from White Oak Pastures share the steps consumers can take to regain control over the food industry. For more information and any links mentioned in this episode, visit melissaknorris.com/416.

Let's dive into the gut-brain connection and how to improve our gut for better overall health and wellness. If you've been around here for any length of time, you know we discuss the importance of our gut health. 70-80% of our gut health is located in our gut. So what we eat, food-wise, not only affects our digestion and overall health, but our immune system. The amazing thing is that it goes beyond our immune system because it impacts the way our brain communicates with all the other systems in our body. For more information and any links mentioned in this episode, visit melissaknorris.com/415.

This week I’m sharing my health update (post surgery) as well as my battle with a 35 day virus(es). I’m also sharing my need for margin, and some of the health changes I’m making in 2024. If you find yourself nearing burnout, don’t wait until it finally happens to make necessary changes in your life. This is so important not only for mental health, but our physical health as well. For more information and any links mentioned in this episode, visit melissaknorris.com/414.

This past week we were running our cattle herd through the system for getting tags (which helps track lineage), castration and overall wellbeing. Having a larger operation has meant some changes for these practices. If you’re thinking about raising cattle, I highly recommend you listen to today’s podcast as I’m sharing some of the differences between owning one, nine or 20+ head of cattle. I also discuss the differences between banding or cut castration and why we switched. For more information and any links mentioned in this episode, visit melissaknorris.com/413.

Join me with Sophia Eng, author of The Nourishing Asian Kitchen, as we discuss her journey into homesteading, motherhood, homeschooling, blogging and becoming a cookbook author. No doubt you’ve heard of the Nourishing Traditions cookbook by Sally Fallon. Sophia took her inspiration from there and recreated over 100 traditional Asian recipes that had been passed down for generations in her family. But instead of using processed ingredients, she used only real whole foods. For more information and any links mentioned in this episode, visit melissaknorris.com/412.

As promised, in today’s episode I’m spilling the beans on the health issues I’ve been having for the past few years. Turns out, what I thought was a damaged muscle turned out to be a tumor. By the time you’re hearing this, I should be happily recovering from surgery and will be sure to give you an update once I’m able. In this episode, I’m also sharing my frustrations about the broken medical system (hint: they match my frustrations about the broken food system) and sharing encouragement on ways to be your own advocate. For more information and any links mentioned in this episode, visit melissaknorris.com/411.

I’ve been traveling for the past two weeks. In fact, in about a 14 day period, I was only home a few of those days. What I noticed was the huge lack of healthy food available in many parts of the United States. I’ve become quite accustomed to what’s available in my own slice of the world, and I can easily forget that not everyone has available to them what I do here. So what is it that we need to focus on today in order to fix our broken food system? Listen to this podcast episode and hear my own thoughts on the changes I want to see start happening, and how you can be a part of that change. For more information and any links mentioned in this episode, visit melissaknorris.com/410.

Welcome back to part two of my series on answering your questions. In today’s episode, I’m sharing a bit more of the “behind-the-scenes” of what it takes to run my business. From how much time per day I spend on my job, to how many people I have working with me. Plus how to create a homestead that can sustain itself financially and all the different ways that can look. For more information and any links mentioned in this episode, visit melissaknorris.com/409.

Welcome back to another episode of the Pioneering Today Podcast. In today’s episode, I’ll be answering your questions from social media. All these questions pertain to homesteading, so we’re calling this the “Homesteading Edition” and I’ll be back next week to answer more of your questions pertaining to the financial side of homesteading and running a business. For more information and any links mentioned in this episode, visit melissaknorris.com/408.

Have you ever wondered how people manage to grocery shop, cook from-scratch meals for their family, and have no waste coming out of their homes? They make it look so easy! Though it might not be easy, it is simple. Join me for today’s podcast with special guest, Mary Shrader from Mary’s Nest as we discuss the skills that were passed down to us from our parents who lived through the Great Depression. For more information and any links mentioned in this episode, visit melissaknorris.com/407.

Have you ever wondered if it’s safe to can previously frozen foods? I’m here to tell you it is, but with a few caveats. There are certain foods I wouldn’t feel comfortable canning after it has been frozen (and I’ll share why in the podcast), but there are also a few things you want to consider before tossing those precious veggies into the freezer. For more information and any links mentioned in this episode, visit melissaknorris.com/406.

Come hang out with me and Kaylee Richardson (from The Honeystead) as we discuss our favorite medicinal herbs and their uses. For more information and any links mentioned in this episode, visit melissaknorris.com/405.

What is an adaptogen and why should you consider incorporating them into your daily routine? Learn about adaptogen herbs and how they can be used to help support your body on a daily basis, including what adaptogens to use, where to buy them, and how to use them.  For more information and any links mentioned in this episode, visit melissaknorris.com/404.

Join me for today’s episode of the Pioneering Today Podcast with hunting expert Chris Gilmour. For many, hunting brings up negative connotations or even sadness. My guest can completely understand that as he wasn't raised with hunting as I was. In fact, he was even a vegetarian for eight years! Listen in to this episode because we’re discussing all things hunting, from the various hunting styles, how much it costs to get into hunting, how to find the best places to hunt, and where you can join Chris for a hunting course. For more information and any links mentioned in this episode, visit melissaknorris.com/402.

Today’s episode of the Pioneering Today Podcast is all about how to preserve food when it’s too hot to can (even canning outdoors). For many of us, August comes with some extreme heat. This isn’t always great for our garden, especially during the peak of the harvest. Learn how to make sure your harvest doesn’t go to waste and that you can preserve all that garden goodness without heating up your house in the process. For more information and any links mentioned in this episode, visit melissaknorris.com/401.

Today’s episode of the Pioneering Today Podcast is a special one with a local friend of mine, Andrea. Andrea is co-host of the Ancestral Kitchen Podcast and is shedding light on a very interesting topic of a “working bee.” In today’s episode, she’s sharing what a working bee is, how it can be different based on whatever your particular interests or needs, and how they are extremely relevant and needed in today’s day and age. Have a listen because I think you’re going to find this episode very encouraging and inspiring. Maybe you’ll start a working bee of your own? For more information and any links mentioned in this episode, visit melissaknorris.com/400.

Join me for today’s episode of the Pioneering Today Podcast with Dr. Patrick Jones. He’s sharing his wisdom for harvesting, preserving and using wild medicinal herbs that can be found right in our own backyard. If you’re interested in herbal medicine, this is one episode you won’t want to miss. For more information and any links mentioned in this episode, visit melissaknorris.com/403.

Today’s episode of the Pioneering Today Podcast is with author Bevin Cohen. He’s spearheaded the movement for at home pressing of seed and nut oils and loves to share his years of knowledge and experience with us. If you’ve ever wondered about the health of seed oils, this podcast may surprise you! And, find out why I’ll be growing mamoth sunflowers in my garden next year! For more information and any links mentioned in this episode, visit melissaknorris.com/399.

Today’s episode of the Pioneering Today Podcast is with master canning expert Georgia Varozza. She and I are discussing the ins and outs of safe canning, including questions such as reusing canning lids, sugar secrets, how to know if a canning recipe is safe, and so much more. For more information and any links mentioned in this episode, visit melissaknorris.com/398.

Join me for today’s Pioneering Today Podcast as I share some behind the scenes from the Modern Homesteading Conference. There were some crazy events that took place, and more than one miracle to share about. If you want to snag your early-bird tickets for next year’s conference, visit modernhomesteading.com and for more information and any links mentioned in this episode, visit melissaknorris.com/397.

Join me for today’s Pioneering Today Podcast as I discuss how to set yourself up for the possibility of taking a vacation from the homestead. This doesn’t happen overnight, and there are some systems you may need to get in place. However, from my own experience (and hearing from others) you’ll never regret getting these systems in place because they only make your own life easier for the future. For more information and any links mentioned in this episode, visit: melissaknorris.com/396.

Join me for today’s Pioneering Today Podcast as I discuss the benefits and drawbacks of freeze dried vs. dehydrated food. What exactly are the differences between freeze-drying and dehydrating. Are there benefits that outweigh one from the other? Are there certain foods that should or shouldn't be preserved by these methods? Plus, learn the only foods that are shelf-stable when freeze-dried and how this can be a game changer when it comes to stocking a well-supplied pantry or long-term food storage supply. For more information and any links mentioned in this episode, visit: melissaknorris.com/395.

Join me for today’s Pioneering Today Podcast as I’m joined by Joe from Premier 1. We’re talking about everything you need to know to get started with electric fence netting. If you’ve been using netting for years, you’ll still want to catch today’s episode as there were tips I learned after three years of using this electric netting myself. We’re sharing tips for setting up nets to keep out specific predators, how much fence you need, the size of the energizer needed, battery life and so much more. For more information and any links mentioned in this episode, visit: melissaknorris.com/394.

Join me for today’s Pioneering Today Podcast as I discuss the pros and cons of home electric pressure and water bath canners. Are they safe? Should we trust them? How do we know whether to pressure or water bath can specific items? Are there items you cannot safely can? And whether or not you’ll find an electric canner in my kitchen. All this and more on today’s episode of the podcast. For more information and any links mentioned in this episode, visit: melissaknorris.com/393.

Join me for today’s Pioneering Today Podcast as I catch you up on all the happenings around here, including some of the decision-making processes we go through to determine the livestock we'll raise each year and whether or not we’re raising pigs again. I’m also sharing some fun updates on the Norris Farmstead and ways you can get involved with either a Farm Stay, or some in-person workshops this year. For more information and any links mentioned in this episode, visit: melissaknorris.com/392.

Join me for today’s podcast with guest Joel Salatin as we discuss mRNA in livestock and how that translates into our food supply. Learn how “organic” doesn’t mean you’re safe from vaccines in your food. Plus hear Joels top two tips for how we can take an active role in raising our own livestock, or sourcing from local farmers using his motto, “Know your farmer, know your food.” For more information and any links mentioned in this episode, visit: melissaknorris.com/391.

In today’s podcast, my guest Katie Millhorn from Millhorn Farmstead in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho is sharing her knowledge of A2 raw milk and it’s healing and transformative power. She’s seen first hand the healing it can have on a person with an autoimmune disease, and now owns and operates one of the largest raw milk dairy farms in Idaho with her family. She’s also my partner for the Modern Homesteading Conference that will be held in North Idaho this year (June/July 2023). Get tickets here https://modernhomesteading.com/ For more information and any links mentioned in this episode, visit: melissaknorris.com/390.

In today’s podcast, my guest Stephanie Haglund from The Rancher’s Homestead and I are discussing the various ways to consume beef liver and mask the taste to reap the amazing health and nutritional benefits. Both Stephanie and I had to learn the hard way from eating a standard American diet which led to severe health issues. It’s our hope to share our stories so you don’t have to learn the hard way. Come learn all about this nutrient-dense superfood and what it can do for you and your health. For more information and any links mentioned in this episode, visit: melissaknorris.com/389.

One of the most commonly asked questions I get is how does someone start homesteading. I get this question from people who already have their forever homestead, and from people who don’t yet have that property. Truth be told, there’s a LOT you can be doing to prepare yourself for this modern homesteading lifestyle right now, no matter where you live. From an apartment in the city, to 40 acres on a homestead, there are skills you can be learning and mastering that will bring you in to this modern homestead life. For more information and any links mentioned in this episode, visit: https://melissaknorris.com/388.

Homeschooling, though once a very unconventional method of schooling, has seen a comeback in the past few years. Join me in today’s podcast episode with Kody Hanner, from The Homestead Education, where we discuss the various methods of schooling our children. We’ll look at the differences of public school vs. homeschool and why no two homeschools look the same. And we’ll also discuss Kody’s curriculum that she’s written for homeschooling and non-homeschooling families alike. For more information and any links mentioned in this episode, visit: https://melissaknorris.com/387.

Have you ever heard of a “survival garden?” For some, this term evokes fear and a sense of doom and gloom… but in reality, survival gardens are simply what the majority of people grew in the backyard just a few generations ago. So what is a survival garden? What crops should be planted in one, and how do we start one ourselves? If you’ve asked yourself any of these questions, then this podcast episode is for you. For more information and any links mentioned in this episode, visit: melissaknorris.com/386.

If you've ever wanted to grow heirloom apple varieties in an apple orchard or even learn how to graft your own apple trees on your homestead, this podcast episode is for you! Join me with Nikki Conley from Athol Orchards Antique Apple Farm as she shares about the unique history of apple varieties in America. From heirloom varieties to feral and domesticated apples, we’re diving in deep. I’m also excited to announce that Nikki will be a speaker at the first annual Modern Homesteading Conference this year! For more information, where you can find Nikki, and any links mentioned in this episode, visit: melissaknorris.com/385.

Have you wondered what natural cheese making is and how it differs from making cheese with store-bought cultures? Have you ever heard of “clabber”? And have you ever thought cheese-making to be similar to making sourdough bread? Join me in this podcast with Robyn Jackson from Cheese From Scratch as she shares her years of knowledge with us on making cheese naturally, from scratch, without store-bought cultures. For more information, where you can find Robyn, and any links mentioned in this episode, visit: melissaknorris.com/384.

Today’s podcast is another live coaching call with Michelle, a member of the Pioneering Today Academy. When planning to put in a fruit or berry orchard, there are some tips you'll want to know about ahead of time. Join me on this live coaching call as we discuss how to move forward planning a fruit tree and berry bush orchard as well as how to keep the fruit safe from pests. Also, the doors are currently open for the Pioneering Today Academy so jump on over and join us (if you missed the opening, sign up for the waitlist and you’ll be notified next time the doors open). For any links mentioned in this episode, visit: melissaknorris.com/383.

Today’s podcast is another live coaching call with Maddie, a member of the Pioneering Today Academy. We’re discussing how to plan which herbs to grow in a medicinal herb garden as well as the properties of different herbs that match her needs. If you'd like access to the academy to learn to grow your own herbs & safely create a natural medicine cabinet from custom blended teas, tinctures, herbal salves & soaps, be sure to sign up for the Pioneering Today Academy waitlist so you're notified when the doors open. For any links mentioned in this episode, check out the blog post here: melissaknorris.com/382.

Though not all of us are homesteading with special needs children, it's likely that many of us know someone who is. In this podcast, my good friend Rachel is sharing her tips on raising a special needs child on the homestead. If you're a parent with a newly diagnosed child with special needs it can be hard to know exactly where to start. How to talk to family and friends about your child and how to express their needs. For any links mentioned in this episode, be sure to check out the blog post here: melissaknorris.com/381

You may be wondering how baking consistently good bread and land sabbaths come together into one episode of a podcast. That's the beauty of a live coaching call! Today I’m interviewing Britnay, a member of the Pioneering Today Academy. We’re diving into the science behind land sabbaths, as well as troubleshooting the issues she’s been having while baking homemade bread. For any links and additional information, be sure to check out the blog post here: melissaknorris.com/380

Learn to grow your best garden ever with these nine simple steps for growing an abundance of food. If you’re new to gardening, or just need to take your gardening skills and knowledge to the next level, this podcast is for you. Be sure to check out the corresponding blog post for additional tips and links to everything mentioned in this podcast at melissaknorris.com/379. Also be sure to check out my Backyard Gardening Systems course here. 

Today’s podcast is a live coaching call with Pioneering Today Academy member, Joan. Joan is fairly new to raising a flock of 12 backyard egg-laying chickens. She’s looking for tips on how to protect her flock from “bully” chickens. What she can grow in the garden to help supplement her chickens feed and improve their health. As well as whether or not chickens can be raised indoors (due to some changing ordinances in her neighborhood). For answers to all these questions, as well as the show notes and any links mentioned in today’s podcast, visit https://melissaknorris.com/378.

Today’s podcast is a live coaching call with Pioneering Today Academy member, Briana-Jo, and we’re discussing real-life problems she’s facing on her homestead. Briana-Jo works a full-time job (commuting 30 miles each way), lives on 1.3 acres with much of the land shaded or wooded, and a long to-do list of projects. We’ll be discussing ways to utilize imperfect land and how to prioritize projects. For the show notes and any links mentioned in today’s podcast visit https://melissaknorris.com/377.

If you want to cook from scratch and eliminate (or reduce) the amount of processed or fast foods in your home, these time saving tips are for you. These are the same tips I’ve used for years to eat real food without being chained to the stove or feeling like all I do is cook. If you need help getting real food on the table without a ton of extra time, then you, my friend, are in the right place. For the show notes and any links mentioned in today’s podcast: https://melissaknorris.com/376.

When we sit down and start to plan out our year, it can be very easy to quickly get overwhelmed and feel like there's no way we'll be able to get everything done. But that's usually because we haven't made a plan! Sure it would be great if there were an “easy button,” but too often we confuse “simple” for “easy”. And though this homesteading lifestyle allows for more simplicity, it’s anything but easy. For the show notes and any links mentioned in today’s podcast: https://melissaknorris.com/375.

This might be the hardest podcast I've had to record. As many of you already know, we lost our dairy cow Clover after she delivered a beautiful bull calf (who we named Rebel). We still aren't certain of the cause of Clover's death, but the vet gave us some ideas. Though it doesn't make this homesteading life any easier, it's been nice to know I'm not alone in this journey. If you want to hear Clover's birth story and the events that transpired the last week of her life, then come listen to today's podcast episode. For the show notes and links, visit my website at https://melissaknorris.com/374.

Could you (or would you) go without the internet for an ENTIRE year? Rory Feek encourages us to look deeper at finding those connections with the faith, family and friends in our lives. If you were fortunate enough to be at the Homestead Festival last year, you know just how special these events can be. Connecting with homesteaders, making friends, learning new skills, and being inspired by like-minded people is incredible. It's for this reason that Rory took on a one-year challenge where he’s completely unplugged for an entire year. To hear more about this, or for all of the show notes and links, visit my website at https://melissaknorris.com/373.

Welcome to part four of my four part series where I’m answering YOUR questions! This week it’s ask me anything! I’m answering all the remaining questions from my Instagram poll. I’m covering topics from how to get started homesteading, how to homestead while working a full-time job and raising children, what my favorite and least favorite homestead chores are, and what my favorite podcasts are! For all of the show notes and links, visit my website at https://melissaknorris.com/372.

Welcome to part three of my four part series where I’m answering YOUR questions! This week it’s all about preserving! From dehydrating, pressure canning, steam canning, and water bath canning, I’m covering all of your questions. I’ve even got some bonus sourdough tips on how to know if your starter has gone bad! For all of the show notes and links, visit my website at https://melissaknorris.com/371.

A few weeks ago I took to social media and told you to ask me anything! This is the second of a four-part series where I’ll be breaking those questions up into categories and answering your questions! Today’s topic is all about livestock, more specifically, milk cows and chickens. From how to protect your flock, how Clover our milk cow is doing, and how I use up all our extra raw milk. For all of the show notes and links, visit https://melissaknorris.com/370.

A few weeks ago I took to social media and told you to ask me anything! This is the first of a three or four part series where I’ll be breaking those questions up into categories and answering your questions! Today’s topic is all about gardening. We’re talking about using greenhouses and high-tunnels, over-wintering herbs and strawberries, getting started with the easiest crops to grow and more. For all of the show notes and links, visit https://melissaknorris.com/369.

It’s that time of year again when we’re all searching for that perfect holiday gift for the ones we love. If you have a homesteader in your life (or someone who loves quality gifts), this is THE holiday gift guide for you, and I’m updating it this year with my newest favorite finds! You can think of this podcast like two friends sitting down chatting about their amazing deals. For all of the show notes and links to these great companies and products, visit https://melissaknorris.com/368.

In this podcast episode, we're talking to land-buying expert Dave Denniston from Generation Family Properties. He’s sharing all about purchasing land for on or off-grid living, ensuring a clean title and affordable options. If you've ever wanted to buy land, you may realize early on that it can be an intimidating process. Come listen to Dave’s best tips on doing your due diligence when acquiring land. For all of the show notes and links, visit https://melissaknorris.com/367.

Let's talk about the truth behind the USDA in America and its home canning industry regulations and recommendations. The USDA has guidelines for each different food to preserve as well as for different canning methods. Food preservation safety is crucial to keep food from spoiling and people who eat it from getting sick. If food is not preserved correctly, it will spoil and, therefore, must be discarded. For all of the show notes and links, visit https://melissaknorris.com/366.

Trust me when I say you’re in for a treat with today’s podcast. I'm chatting with Beth from Crowley House Flower Farm about how she earns a living doing what she loves… growing cut flowers. If you’re thinking, "I don't need to grow cut flowers," or, "I already grow flowers in my garden, so this episode isn't for me," stick with me because, for decades, I didn't put time or effort into growing flowers. Then I started studying herbalism and quickly realized how certain flowers (that double as medicine) can actually help my vegetable garden as well. For all of the show notes and links, visit https://melissaknorris.com/365.

There's no better time to prepare for winter. In this podcast I’m sharing my best tips for how to prepare for winter, including every area of the homestead. We’re talking about the animals, their shelter and their feed. The gardens, berry bushes and fruit orchards. And we’re even covering some of the household fall chores (think spring cleaning but in the fall) as well as getting the pantry stocked for winter. For all of the show notes and links, visit https://melissaknorris.com/364.

I was recently posed a question by one of my listeners regarding the issue of the conflict between supporting local farmers and trying to get the most for your money when it comes to our food. This is a topic of discussion that's getting louder each year as inflation continues to increase the cost of food. The supply-chain issues have also made many of us reconsider where we're sourcing our food and other supplies. For all of the show notes and links, visit https://melissaknorris.com/363.

Learn the three most common homesteading mistakes people make when embarking on their homesteading journey. And learn a few tips to keep your focus where it will have the best impact. In this episode, I’m talking with Jess Sowards from Roots & Refuge Farm and she’s sharing her first-time homesteading wisdom, especially as she and her husband build their forever homestead from scratch on bare land in South Carolina. For all of the show notes and links, visit https://melissaknorris.com/362.

What are the basic supplies and knowledge we should all have to live a prepared lifestyle? Join me on this podcast with Malori from Black Rifle Homestead as she shares her experience as a military wife. We’re discussing what it’s like trying to homestead (while moving every 2-3 years) and the things she builds up after each move. She also shares some basic survival and preparedness skills, whether you live on a homestead or not. For all of the show notes and links, visit https://melissaknorris.com/361.

Have you reached a point where you've been homesteading long enough to consider offering something to your community? So have we! As a family and a business, we've maximized the space we're in and we've reached the limit as to the size of the workshops and classes we can offer… but we want to do more! Join me in this episode as I share all the preparation and planning happening behind the scenes to make this Farm Stay a reality. For all of the show notes and links, visit https://melissaknorris.com/360.

This homesteading lifestyle means we are ever learning, and that’s part of the excitement and joy we find in it. Learning new homestead skills or how to utilize old skills in a more modern, efficient way is one of my favorite things about this life. Today’s podcast is a continuation of the basic homesteading skills we should all learn, or continue learning. For all of the show notes and links, visit https://melissaknorris.com/358.

Learn how to use herbs safely, effectively and in the appropriate dosage for your pets and livestock with Doc Jones from HomeGrown Herbalist. We’re discussing mastitis in dairy cows, de-worming animals, even snake and spider bites in this episode. Plus the differences between essential oils and the whole herb and whether different variations of the same herb have different medicinal properties. For all of the show notes and links, visit https://melissaknorris.com/357.

Nate and Erin live on a ½-acre homestead in Illinois where they raise chickens and rabbits for meat. Join us for this podcast where they’re sharing their tips for how to cook rabbit so it tastes incredible (like a cross between chicken and turkey), comes out tender every time, and they even share their favorite recipes for using rabbit. For all of the show notes and links, visit https://melissaknorris.com/356.

This homesteading lifestyle means we are ever learning, and that’s part of the excitement and joy we find in it. Learning new homestead skills or how to utilize old skills in a more modern, efficient way is one of my favorite things about this life. Today’s podcast is all about the basic homesteading skills we should all learn, or continue learning. For all of the show notes and links, visit https://melissaknorris.com/355.

It’s that time of year again where we have zucchini coming out our ears! So how do we preserve and cook all of the zucchini to enjoy throughout the year? You won’t want to miss this episode of the Pioneering Today Podcast where I’m sharing ten ways to preserve and cook zucchini (including my husband’s and my favorite way). For all of the show notes and links, visit https://melissaknorris.com/354.

If you're a hunter or have the desire to cook wild game, then you won’t want to miss this episode. Learning these tips and tricks to cooking with wild game is a process, but Tammy Trayer can help us avoid common mistakes when preparing wild game. People often think they don't like the taste or texture of wild game, but it likely has more to do with the cooking methods than the meat. For all of the show notes and links, and how to find Tammy, visit https://melissaknorris.com/353.

This podcast is all about raising meat, specifically pork, and learning how to cure and store that pork without refrigeration. Brandon Sheard from Farmstead Meatsmith is joining us to share his many years of wisdom, especially the three methods of cooking that are pivotal when it comes to raising livestock. For all of the show notes and links, and how to find Brandon, visit https://melissaknorris.com/352.

Botulism is a real and deadly form of food poisoning that makes many home canners nervous. And for good reason! However, there are food preservation techniques and safety tips you can follow to ensure you and your family are safe. Learn the signs of contaminated food and the best preservation and storage methods in this podcast. For all of the show notes and links, visit https://melissaknorris.com/351.

If you suspect you've purchased contaminated soil, you'll want to know about the tips I’m sharing in today’s podcast for soil remediation and how to fix your soil. The number of issues of contaminated soil is increasing and people are having to deal with soil or compost that's been exposed to herbicides or other contaminants that are negatively affecting their gardens. For all of the show notes and links, visit https://melissaknorris.com/350.

We bought a 40-acre homestead but it’s not for us! That may sound strange, but we’ve had a dream to host large events and teach real life homesteading classes for a long time now, and this property, just ½ mile from our current home became available and we bought it! You’ll have to listen to the podcast (and watch the tour) to hear more of our vision for the property, but I’m so excited to finally be able to share this news with you! For all of the show notes and links, visit https://melissaknorris.com/349.

I’ve been going through my own hormone health journey since January 2022 and have been working with Dr. Shannyn. I’m so excited to have her on today’s episode of the podcast as she shares her wisdom and knowledge on how to heal our hormones, the steps we can take right now, and why individual testing is so crucial for true healing. For all of the show notes and links, visit https://melissaknorris.com/348.

If you're looking to raise meat chickens, the next natural step for us modern-day Pioneers is to consider breeding chickens for a sustainable flock. Join me for this podcast with Tom McMurray from Murray McMurray Hatchery to learn what it takes to successfully breed chickens, as well as tips and tricks if you're considering this option, and how the Avian Flu might effect you. For all of the show notes and links, visit https://melissaknorris.com/347.

Sometimes you can do everything right, follow all the correct steps, and still have seed starting problems with your vegetables and flowers. In this post, we're troubleshooting seed starting issues and giving solutions to hopefully kick those seeds starts off in the right direction. I’m also discussing options for what you can do if you haven't started seeds yet but still want to grow a garden this year. That’s right, even at the end of May, it’s not too late to plant a garden! For all of the show notes and links, visit https://melissaknorris.com/346.

For years I have talked about how to become more self-sufficient, but that’s no longer what I’m teaching! Sure, there are still ways to become less reliant on the grocery store, or other stores for our well-being, but I’ve come to realize that focusing more on community sufficiency is the way to go for long-lasting change and greater “self-sufficiency”. Want to know more? For all of the show notes and links, visit https://melissaknorris.com/345.

My family is five weeks into owning our own dairy cow and I’m so excited to have Kate from Venison for Dinner on the podcast today. We’re chatting all things dairy cows from the best way to feed them, the various breeds and their milk quality, milking tips, and more! You’ll especially want to check out Kate’s heavy cream drop biscuit recipe! For all of the show notes and links, visit https://melissaknorris.com/344.

I’m not an alarmist, but I am hearing from some very reliable sources that feed costs are expected to double, maybe even triple by the end of summer. When you hear information like this, it’s important, if you’re able, to stock up now and get your homestead prepared for the possible increase. In this podcast episode I’m sharing my tips and what we’re doing NOW to save money LATER. For all of the show notes and links, visit https://melissaknorris.com/343.

In this episode of the Pioneering Today Podcast, Rebekah Rhodes and I are discussing all things thyroid health. We both share our individual thyroid journeys as well as some of the things we've done to help heal, as well as what we're doing currently to stay in the best health possible. For all of the show notes and links, visit https://melissaknorris.com/342.

Have you ever heard of a 30-day self-sufficiency challenge? On today's podcast, I'm talking with Carl who, for 30 days, ate only foods he could either grow or source from his own property, or locally to where he lives. This included everything from beverages, fats, seasonings, and more! He even traveled to the ocean to harvest his own sea salt for the challenge! If you’ve wanted to rely less on the grocery store, this is an interview to listen to! For all of the show notes and links, visit https://melissaknorris.com/341

It’s been a very busy season here on our homestead with many changes that we're excited about… including a new milk cow! In this podcast you will get to learn about a few of the many projects we’ve been working on, and I'm continuing to tease about a couple of upcoming projects I can't quite divulge yet. This is a departure from my normal podcasts, so if you’re looking for more gardening content, be sure to check out my other episodes. For all of the show notes and links, visit https://melissaknorris.com/340.

Today’s podcast is an interview with my good friend Michelle who is preparing to sell her five acre homestead. She’s sharing all her best tips for what to do and what NOT to do when planning to sell your home. These tips will come in handy whether you’re looking to sell immediately, or not for a few years. For all of the show notes and links, visit https://melissaknorris.com/338.

In this episode, I’m sharing my best tips that I use on a daily and weekly basis to get it all done from work, household chores, homestead chores, and quality family time. Today’s podcast is a coaching call with Pioneering Today Academy member Tami S. who is looking for tips on time management to get all the homesteading things done each week without overwhelm, feeling behind, or missing out on what’s truly important in life.For all of the show notes and links, visit https://melissaknorris.com/337

Today’s podcast is a coaching call with Pioneering Today Academy member Stephanie Hester-Rodriguiz. She is moving to a new homestead property and looking for tips for what to do first and how to avoid overwhelm why trying to “do it all” at once. I’m sharing my best time-saving tips, how to avoid costly mistakes, and how to keep moving forward even when you don’t have the perfect plan laid out. For all of the show notes and links, visit https://melissaknorris.com/336.

Today’s podcast is a coaching call with Pioneering Today Academy member Susan Vesta who is moving to raw land and looking for the best time-saving tips when it comes to establishing new gardens and growing areas. We’re discussing everything from the pros and cons of raised garden beds, soil quality, utilizing the land for perennials, the best time to plant, and more. For all of the show notes and links, visit https://melissaknorris.com/335.

I shared recently that I’m going to be having to go gluten-free for a while to help regulate some imbalances in my body, which is why today’s podcast is so timely for me! If you're looking to transition (or improve) your gluten-free baking skills, this podcast will be a well of valuable information. Robyn Harrison, from Gluten-Free Baking Courses, is here to share her wisdom and knowledge for all things gluten-free baking. For all of the show notes and links, visit https://melissaknorris.com/334.

Our family is recovering from COVID and doing very well. In this episode, I’m sharing our experience as well as some of the herbal protocols we followed to help alleviate symptoms and get through the virus. I’m also discussing online censorship and why it’s so important to be able to get the information we all want, when we want it, and decide what is truth and what isn’t for ourselves. For more information, links, and show notes visit melissaknorris.com/333.

If homesteading and gardening are hard work, then homesteading and gardening with children can seem downright impossible! We're taking a realistic look at what homesteading with children looks like and how to succeed with guest Rebekah Rhodes. Everything from how to get children involved, setting your kids up for success, living each day with grace, and changing expectations. For more information, links, and show notes visit https://melissaknorris.com/332

Learning how to raise pigs for meat is a great option for any homestead or farm wanting to become more self-sustainable. But choosing the breed and tailoring the care takes a bit of know-how. Join me for this podcast interview with "Pork" Rhyne Cureton as he shares his best tips on raising pigs. For more information, links, and show notes visit melissaknorris.com/331.

What new gardening techniques and plant varieties am I growing in this year's garden? Listen to this podcast to find out what's been working and what I'm changing this year including plant varieties, seed companies, and why I’m looking closer to home. For more information, links, and show notes visit melissaknorris.com/330.

In this episode I'm looking back at the year (2021), sharing some of my favorite takeaways and even sharing future plans for 2022. I’m covering topics from decluttering month by month, breeding cows, ordering chicks, whether we’ll be hosting more in-person workshops on our homestead next year, and how I’m partnering with The Homestead Documentary Project. For more information, links, and show notes visit melissaknorris.com/329.

Today’s podcast is with Kaylee Richardson from The Honeystead and we’re discussing all the links between beekeeping and plant medicine, including the medicinal benefits of honey, pollen, propolis, beeswax, and even what plants are best to plant for honeybees. If you’ve ever considered owning honeybees, this podcast will make you want to go out and get them right now. For more information, links, and show notes visit melissaknorris.com/328.

Give heartfelt homemade gifts this year and build fellowship at the same time by hosting your own holiday craft party! Listen in for all my tips and DIYs for the ultimate crafting day to fill your home and heart with joy while deepening friendships and building community. If there’s anything the last couple of years have taught us it’s that fellowship and spending time together are so important. For more information, links, and show notes visit melissaknorris.com/327.

I'm chatting with Carrie Wilson discussing everything you need to know about the Homestead Documentary Project. We're discussing what it is, who can benefit from it, where to watch, and where to find more info. You won’t want to miss this episode filled with the desire to connect fellow (or aspiring) homesteaders to other like-minded people. For more information, links and shownotes visit melissaknorris.com/326.

I'm chatting with Carrie Wilson discussing everything you need to know about the Homestead Documentary Project. We're discussing what it is, who can benefit from it, where to watch, and where to find more info. You won’t want to miss this episode filled with the desire to connect fellow (or aspiring) homesteaders to other like-minded people. For more information, links and shownotes visit melissaknorris.com/326.

We live in a very rural area and experience power outages on a regular basis, especially during the winter months. Over the past 22 years, we've learned how to use a generator during a power outage, plus some great things to consider when using a generator or considering the best way for you to know how to use a generator at home. I’m also sharing some of our tips for keeping food fresh if you don’t have a generator. For more information, links and shownotes visit melissaknorris.com/325.

What if you couldn't get medicine from the store? What would you do? We're discussing different options for alternative medicines, like growing and using medicinal herbs at home, as well as supply and supply issues with our modern medicinal system. For more information, links and shownotes visit melissaknorris.com/324.

If you've never heard the term hugelkultur gardening you're in for a treat. This centuries-old method of gardening is making a comeback, and this podcast episode is filled with everything you need to know to successfully grow a garden using this German peasant traditional way of gardening. Learn its origins, the proper method, plus tips and tricks for success. For more information, links and shownotes visit melissaknorris.com/323.

Did you know that a teaspoon of rosehips has as much vitamin C as 6 oranges? If you’re not using rosehips medicinally, this podcast is a must-listen! I’m talking with CeAnne from Farmhouse teas and we’re going over everything from growing, harvesting and preserving rosehips to how to use them medicinally. This is must-know information for heading into the winter months to give your body a natural immune boost. For more information, links and shownotes visit melissaknorris.com/322.

If you’ve ever wondered about raising sheep for their wool or fiber this podcast episode is for you. I’m talking with Janet from Timbercreek Farms who is sharing all her knowledge on raising healthy sheep, caring for your flock, and how to skirt and naturally dye wool to use for garments, blankets and other uses. For more information, links and shownotes visit melissaknorris.com/321.

In this podcast we're talking all about fermenting vegetables! Including the three different kinds of fermentation and which is used when fermenting vegetables, how to ferment vegetables, plus all the supplies you need (and the supplies you DON'T need). You’ll be surprised at how little you need to ferment successfully, but there are also some optional tools that will help you out and make the process easier along the way. For more information, links and shownotes visit melissaknorris.com/320.

If you're thinking about buying goats or raising goats on your property, this is the post for you. We're covering everything you need to know about raising goats for a successful journey. We'll be covering what to know when buying goats for the first time, what to look for when buying goats, finding a goat vet, common diseases and health issues with goats, best breeds of goats for milking, and creating a dairy from goats. For more information, links and shownotes visit melissaknorris.com/319.

Our skin is our biggest organ and what we come in contact with affects us. It's important to know what ingredients we're putting on our body, not only the ones that are harmful, but also the ones that are beneficial, and how they work with our bodies and skin. In this podcast, episode #318, I’m interviewing Emilie Toups from Toups & Co and discussing her journey to a healthier life through homesteading, food and skincare. For more information, links and shownotes visit melissaknorris.com/318.

If you've ever considered raising rabbits for meat, this podcast is a must-listen. Jeremy Chambers and I are discussing everything one would need to know in order to raise rabbits for meat. We cover everything from meat rabbit breeds, whether raising rabbits for meat is worth it and if it's profitable, how long it takes to raise rabbits for meat, whether you can raise meat rabbits in your backyard, and so much more! For more information, links and shownotes visit melissaknorris.com/317.

Today’s podcast is a fun one as I’m answering YOUR questions! We’re covering topics from root cellaring (and tips if you don’t have a root cellar), stocking up on food, what I use for makeup and skincare, my bucket list for homesteading, overwintering strawberries, things I need to increase for a year of food for my own family, and so much more! For more information, links and shownotes visit melissaknorris.com/316.

Today’s podcast is so inspiring and one that even challenges me! I’m interviewing Alexia from Hawthorn Farm who recently did a one-year challenge with her husband where they ate only foods they themselves had harvested, or friends and family had harvested and gifted them. They didn’t step foot in the grocery store, raised their own produce and meat, and you won’t believe what she had to say about her experience. For more information, links and shownotes visit melissaknorris.com/315.

When it comes to preserving food, we all run out of freezer space first! So how do we preserve items like eggs, cheese, milk and meat where the product is shelf-stable and we’re creating more space in our freezers? Come listen in to today’s podcast where I’m discussing the various preservation methods for these foods, plus what the best methods are for each. For more information, links and shownotes visit melissaknorris.com/314.

Growing fruit trees in pots is a fantastic solution if you want to produce fruit for your family, but you may not be in your forever home, or don't have the acreage for a full orchard. Learn the tips for success from Christy of Gardenerd as she shares which fruit trees grow best in pots, how to take advantage of microclimates, which containers are best, plus tips to make sure your trees grow and produce fruit for years to come. For more information, links and shownotes visit melissaknorris.com/313.

This week’s podcast is very special to me as it includes my dad and me taking a trip down memory lane as we visit the old “Homestead” where he grew up. This is actually the audio taken from a YouTube video I published a couple weeks back, so if you’d like to watch the video along with the podcast, visit melissaknorris.com/312 and some of the conversations we’re having may make more sense when you can see it. He’s a wealth of information on living through hard times and the hardest working man I know.

There are many ways to grow food in the garden, but if you're short on space, using grow bags is a fantastic option to not only gain more space but grow food without having to build a permanent gardening option. Join me for this podcast episode with Kevin Espiritu from Epic Gardening as he shares his epic wisdom on using grow bags in the garden. For more information, visit melissaknorris.com/311

Many people recommend artificial lighting to keep up egg production during the winter months, but this is hard on hens. Alternatively, I work with the seasons to allow the hens to produce eggs in their natural cycles. As a result, our homestead has high egg production in the spring, with low production in the winter. A critical homesteading skill is to learn which foods are seasonal, and some may be surprised to learn that eggs are seasonal too! For more information, visit melissaknorris.com/310.

If you’re an entrepreneur or a homesteader looking to make an income from your time, skills, or physical products, this podcast is for you! Join me and Anne Briggs (from Anne of All Trades) as we discuss the realities behind owning your own business, and how to properly price products to make a profit. For more information and related links from this episode, visit melissaknorris.com/309.

Sit down with Joel Salatin and me as we discuss methods for increasing the profits from your homestead, different methods for earning a living from your homestead, and ways to increase production (even on a small homestead). We also discuss the best animals and practices for regenerative agriculture and improving the land WITH your animals for both the health of the animal and the land. For more information, visit melissaknorris.com/308.

There are several different methods for food preservation, and in this episode of the Pioneering Today Podcast, we are going to cover what mechanisms are at play for nine of these methods. Not all forms of food preservation are appropriate for every food, so it’s important to have a good understanding of what is happening during food preservation in order to know which method to use. For more information, visit melissaknorris.com/307.

When we’re dreaming of an ideal homestead, it’s true that many of us picture acreage with a beautiful log cabin tucked in the treeline, or a huge farmhouse with every upgrade imaginable. But does that mean without those things you can’t homestead? Absolutely not! I’m dispelling the most commonly believed homesteading myths in today’s podcast. To read them all and to grab the show notes and links mentioned, visit melissaknorris.com/306.

We’re talking about how to grow food year-round using covers. Most often, people think of growing under cover for colder climates, but this method actually works for helping grow your garden in the heat of summer, too. Niki Jabbour, author of Year Round Gardening: Growing Under Cover and SavvyGardener.com and I are discussing all things gardening and chatting about methods for extending your growing season to all four seasons. Grab the show notes and links mentioned at melissaknorris.com/305.

In today's episode, I'm talking with Jessica Soward from Roots & Refuge Farm and we're discussing foolproof methods that you need to build into your gardening plan. When gardening overwhelm sets in, having these methods available means there's less stress to be had! Grab the show notes and links mentioned at melissaknorris.com/304.

If you’re considering buying land and starting a homestead, or even moving an existing homestead to a new property, this podcast is one you'll want to tune into to learn what to look for and things to be aware of BEFORE you buy. Today's episode is with Cathy Paine, who I interviewed all about raising American Guinea Hogs, and she's chatting with me, sharing all her insight into what you need to know when buying a homestead.  For more information and shownotes visit melissaknorris.com/303.

In today’s Pioneering Today Podcast (episode #302), did you struggle with diseased plants in your garden last year? Want to expand the garden but need to make sure you're maximizing your efforts? I’m talking with Christine, a homesteader in Northern Michigan who is looking for gardening advice as she and her husband expand their garden, add structures like high tunnels and trellises, and learn how to protect their garden from common diseases. For more information and show notes visit melissaknorris.com/302

Today’s Pioneering Today Podcast (episode #301), I'm talking with Andrea from VW Family Farms. She and her family live on 700-acres where they homeschool their children and raise over 100 head of cattle, 40 pigs, 200 chickens, 15 beehives, and many more. They have 22,000 feet of garden space and grow their own food utilizing greenhouses and aquaponics. Their system also allows them to raise their own tilapia! For more information and shownotes visit melissaknorris.com/301.

Today I’m answering YOUR questions! I took a poll on Instagram asking what you wanted to know about gardening - any question on any gardening topic. The results were so many! In today’s podcast, I’m answering as many questions as possible, to the best of my ability based on my own experiences and knowledge. For a full list of the questions and answers, shownotes and any links mentioned, visit melissaknorris.com/300.

Did you know you could add nitrogen and feed the soil by using specific companion plants? Today's episode shares which companion plants can ADD nitrogen to the soil, when to plant them, and what you need to do in order to do it successfully (and avoid having crops take over) all with no-till methods. For more information and shownotes visit melissaknorris.com/299.

Living the pioneer or modern homesteader lifestyle is something that many of us are drawn to, but there are times in a family where only one person is on board. What can be done to encourage the rest of the family to take part in this self-sustainable way of life that gets them excited instead of dreading it? Join me for today’s podcast where I’m helping Stephanie, a member of the Pioneering Today Academy, with just that! For more information and show notes visit melissaknorris.com/298.

Keeping backyard egg-laying chickens is a wonderful way to offset your food costs. It’s also great to know you’re getting healthy eggs from hens that have been fed non-GMO food and had plenty of access to fresh greens, bugs and worms. But there are some specifics you’ll want to know before bringing your chickens home for the best success. Check out today’s podcast for everything you need to know to raise backyard chickens. For more information and shownotes visit melissaknorris.com/297.

Today we’re learning how we can grow MORE food with LESS work by using “food forests”. Daron, the founder of Growing With Nature, a website aimed at allowing our living world to come alive with abundance for people, plants and wildlife, is sharing his knowledge for growing food forests, why they’re important, and how to do it no matter what growing zone you're in or where you are in your gardening journey. Grab all the resources mentioned in today’s episode on the blog: melissaknorris.com/296.

In this episode, we’re talking about fermented dairy, the health benefits, the history and why you should absolutely be consuming fermented dairy on a regular basis. Not just fermented dairy, but HOMEMADE fermented dairy and why it’s so much better for you! Also, sign up for the Pioneering Today Academy waitlist here: melissaknorris.com/PTA. For more information and show notes visit melissaknorris.com/295.

This last year we raised American Guinea hogs for the very first time. Today I'm sharing our experience in raising them, how we liked the meat, the pros and cons of raising this breed, what the final price per pound was, and our conclusion on whether we'll raise them again in future years. This is the follow up from my previous podcast episode (episode #282) all about raising American Guinea Hogs. For more information and shownotes visit melissaknorris.com/294.

Do you struggle with time management and taking on too many projects? There are so many things that we homesteaders want to do but often we overextend ourselves and then get overwhelmed. In today's podcast, I share tips on how to be more organized and focused so you can be more productive and continue to make progress towards greater self-sufficiency. For more information and shownotes visit melissaknorris.com/293.

In today’s Pioneering Today Podcast I’m interviewing Casey who wants to raise livestock and grow a substantial garden all while living in the suburbs of Utah. Learn how to utilize community gardens or shared property to accomplish your homesteading goals without the actual homestead property. For more information and show notes visit melissaknorris.com/292.

In today’s Pioneering Today Podcast we’re going to be covering everything you need to know for starting seeds indoors. The supplies needed, when to start them, how to start them, and the mistakes to avoid. Usually, the mistakes I see gardeners making when starting seeds are very simple fixes and we’ll cover them all in today’s episode. For show notes, more seed starting information, free seed starting charts, or to read the podcast transcript, visit melissaknorris.com/291.

Learn practical time-management tips on becoming a homesteader and how to get everything done in a day without wasting time or getting distracted with Anne of All Trades. She shares her homesteading journey from Taiwan to Seattle, and now settled in Nashville, TN. Amidst boatloads of helpful practical advice, she shares how the phrase, "don't compare your beginning to someone else's middle" has helped her on her journey. For show notes or to read the podcast transcript, visit melissaknorris.com/290.

Shannon, who lives in the Pacific Northwest, is looking for some gardening tips to take her small, raised-bed garden to the next level. She wants to learn how to feed her family well, growing a year's worth of food, but not getting overwhelmed when it comes time to preserve it all. In today’s podcast, I give her my tips for starting seeds, cool and warm weather planting, and an overall great garden season. For more information, or to read the podcast transcript, visit melissaknorris.com/289.

Learn how to make a sourdough starter from scratch, plus the best feeding methods and which flours to use for feeding. Anytime anyone has issues with their sourdough bread, it always comes back to their starter. Make your starter the correct way, right from the beginning, then join me for more tips in my FREE LIVE class on 1/20/2021 here: melissaknorris.com/starter. You’ll also get other free goodies, so I hope to see you there! For the full written instructions visit melissaknorris.com/288.

This is my story from an eating disorder as a teen to my health today and what my daily workouts consist of now. As a homesteader, there are always movements that require me to be in good physical shape. From building fences, lifting hay bales, and weeding the garden, if I’m not physically fit, I end up in pain from injury or strain. In today’s podcast, I’m sharing my tips on how I’ve learned to keep fitness a daily practice in order to maintain my homesteading lifestyle. For more information, or to read the podcast transcript, visit melissaknorris.com/287.

Wouldn't it feel wonderful to live in a home that's neat and tidy all-year-round? As fellow former “clutter-addicts”, Tracy Lynn and I are sitting down discussing ways to declutter your home, month by month, week by week, no more than 20 minutes each day to keep it clean all year round. Be sure to visit the blog post to grab Tracy’s FREE printable worksheet to use in your home! melissaknorris.com/286.

Do you have a vegetable garden or want to start one this year? Now is the time to plan for your best year yet in gardening. Whether you're a seasoned gardener or first-timer, you'll benefit from these tips. In this BONUS episode of The Pioneering Today Podcast, I'm sharing how you can actually get three garden seasons in a year, where to buy seeds, when to get seeds started or planted, plus many more tips on cold-weather gardening. For resource links go to https://melissaknorris.com/bonus1 Get your Family Garden Planner for planting charts, how much to plant worksheets, year, month, and day planner for your best garden ever.

The holidays can bring out the best and worst in people. I tend to have more of a “PollyAnna” viewpoint, but with current situations surrounding COVID and 2020, I have noticed deeper emotions and more division this year than any other time in my life. Certainly, I’m not the only one dealing with this, so today we’re discussing how to handle these emotions surrounding the realities of 2020. For more information, or to read the podcast transcript, visit melissaknorris.com/285.

Certainly the "best" homemade gifts is subjective, but I'm basing this list on the gifts I've given or received and had the gift receiver come back and compliment, or ask for the recipe (or more) of what you gifted them! To me, that's a pretty big compliment. For more information, or to read the podcast transcript, visit melissaknorris.com/284.

It’s our goal each year to grow more food and improve our self-sufficiency skills. One of my goals this year is simplicity. Because of the canning supply shortage, wintering our crops in the garden was very important. Listen to this episode to learn which vegetables you can store in the garden, which vegetables don’t store well, and all my tips for how to store them properly WITHOUT heat or row covers. For more information, or to read the podcast transcript, visit melissaknorris.com/283.

Up until a year ago, I didn't even know about this specific breed of hogs, how they differ from the modern breeds, and how to raise them. But after reading "Saving the Guinea Hogs: The Recovery of an American Homestead Breed" by Cathy Payne, I was so excited to get started. Join me as I chat with Cathy in today's Pioneering Today Podcast, Episode #282, all about the American Guinea Hog. For more information, or to read the podcast transcript, visit melissaknorris.com/282.

It's close to the holidays and you may be wondering just what to get for your homesteading friends! In this episode of the Pioneering Today Podcast, I'm sharing the best gifts for homesteaders. Covering everything from the kitchen, to the garden, tools, gadgets, and more! For the full transcript and links visit melissaknorris.com/281

When Autumn was bit by a tick at age 19, it took a number of years before her Lyme disease surfaced. She realized a change needed to happen, little did she know homesteading would help her Lyme Disease recovery. melissaknorris.com/280

Over a year ago we did an experiment in the garden by covering half of it with wood chips. The results have been very eye-opening! Here's what I liked, disliked and if we're mulching with wood chips again this year. melissaknorris.com/279

As a new homesteader, it can be hard to know what to do FIRST on your homestead. Or, if you've been homesteading for a while, what to do NEXT. In this podcast, I'm sharing my tips to know what to do next, and how it worked out for my family when first getting started so many years ago. melissaknorris.com/278

If you have been homesteading for any length of time, or you’re just getting started with your homestead, there comes a time when you begin to feel overwhelmed with all of the work and everything that needs to get done. So how do we stay motivated and remember our “why” during these busy seasons? Listen to today’s podcast for my tips and motivation, and visit my blog for the transcript, show notes, and additional links from today’s episode: melissaknorris.com/277  

Learn how to use root cuttings, stem cuttings, and even air layering to create free berry, fruit, and herb plants from existing plants. What you need to know about rooting hormones, best time of year for success, and more in this episode with plant expert Leslie Halleck. For blog post, resources, links and more visit https://melissaknorris.com/276

Use this old method (funny how old things become new again, isn't it?) of co-grazing and silvopasture to increase your profit and sustainability with your livestock without increasing your land. This episode talks about which livestock is best suited to this, how to become more profitable, how to create a silvopasture and so much more. Grab links & resources at https://melissaknorris.com/275 Get your ticket to my affiliate the Homesteaders of America's Conference https://melissaknorris.com/HOA

These are the 8 things I'm doing now to make sure my immune system is stronger come cold & flu season this fall and winter and you should join me. I firmly believe it's the things we do every day that have the biggest impact on our health and quality of life. For links & resources go to https://melissaknorris.com/274 For info on the Pioneering Today Academy and our Fall Herbal Challenge visit https://melissaknorris.com/PTA

We're bringing in the harvest and that means herbs for the spice and natural medicine cabinet. Use these methods and tips to make sure you're getting the strongest medicinal properties in your herbs including the best harvest time, drying method, AND storing them correctly. Join my FREE live Using Herbs Effectively & Safely During Cold & Flu Season here https://melissaknorris.com/herbclass and get resource links for this episode at https://melissaknorris.com/273

Using all the forms of food preservation provides you with a lot more food to eat throughout the fall and winter and also means you're not left with mounds of molding produce if you can't get canning supplies. Some foods are better suited to specific forms of food preservation due to safety and others on how you like to cook/eat them. For links/resources/recipes go to https://melissaknorris.com/272

Here's what we're doing to be ready for fall/winter, whatever it may bring. It's a little bit different than what we've done in the past, but many of these practices are ones we'll keep up as a permanent part of our homestead. Grab all the links and resources for today's episode https://melissaknorris.com/271 

I've never shared like this before on a podcast, warning, you will hear me cry. But it's important that anyone raising animals knows what to expect, the emotional side of livestock (including butcher day though this story is about the birth of a calf the mother rejected and what unfolded), along with my personal story of losing a baby due to a tubal pregnancy. My goal is you will find beauty among the hard and be left with hope. 

The health benefits of mushrooms are vast and when you consider you can easily grow them at home, it gets even more exciting. Ever since I found healing from stomach acid and ulcers by changing the food I ate (after being on the max dose of prescription medications) I've continued down the rabbit hole of using our food and herbs as medicine. Learn the benefits & how to preserve mushrooms at home for year-round use. Links & resources at https://melissaknorris.com/269

Learning how to grow mushrooms at home opens up an entirely new world for food production (as well as medicine) in your backyard. You can grow different types of mushrooms in a variety of locations in your backyard and garden. We'll go over the 3 types of growing mediums and which mushrooms do best in each with Mary Ellen from Field and Forrest. For resources, pics and show notes https://melissaknorris.com/268

It's been five months since the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. There are many changes that have taken place. Some which will remain going forward and some that I'm glad won't be permanent. The pandemic certainly changed a lot of things for almost everybody. How people view those changes depends on how they look at life. These are 7 things (some surprised me) that we're keeping as permanent changes in our lives. Resources and blog post at https://melissaknorris.com/267 

There's nothing more frustrating than having bugs or other garden pests decimate your vegetables. Unfortunately, there's a lot of myths or suggestions to use synthetic pesticides. These are the tips that have actually worked in my garden. This way you can have delicious organic vegetables from your backyard without sharing them with pests. Snag links and resources at https://melissaknorris.com/266 Get your copy of the Family Garden Plan to help you grow and harvest a year's worth of vegetables from your backyard http://familygardenplan.com

Have fresh veggies all fall and into winter straight from the garden (and no greenhouse required) with these tips for a fall garden. The first year or two I tried fall gardening it didn't turn out so well, but now we harvest many plants clear through until January, even in our northern climate. For the full planting list with dates go to https://melissaknorris.com/265 Get the chart (and my book) on how much to plant per person at http://familygardenplan.com

Learn about this sustainable form of poultry to use on the homestead and how it's vastly underused today. How to put geese to use on your homestead both to work the land and how to make INCOME from them in multiple ways. Join me and Morgan Gold as we talk about ducks and geese on the homestead for livestock but also as a way to make money. Resources/show notes https://melissaknorris.com/264

We raised and butchered a year's worth of meat birds for our family of 4 in 2 hours. The actual butchering took 2 hours, but the setup, clean up, and packaging were longer. I walk you through our process and tips we've gleaned over the years of raising our own meat birds. For step-by-step photos go to https://melissaknorris.com/263

You'll want to make sure you're turning some of that fresh summer fruit into this easy homemade vinegar that uses only, are you ready for this, 1 ingredient!! This is the easiest food preservation and fermenting you'll ever do. Learn how, troubleshooting, and favorite ways to put that homemade vinegar to use with my guest Autumn (and find out what I've been doing wrong). To get a printable recipe & show notes go to https://melissaknorris.com/262 

One of the questions I get asked the most is how do you manage to get so much done with work and a homestead? Today I'm sharing the truth about balance, seasons, and the fallacy of doing it all. I also give tips on how I've learned to keep the homestead functioning while still working a full-time job (including a day job off the homestead) and what my current schedule looks like. For links/resource https://melissaknorris.com/261  Get The Family Garden Plan HTTP://familygardenplan.com 

Learn the 10 things most organic gardeners forget about to help you grow more food in the space you have, even if it’s not ideal full sun! Many of us need to grow our own food this year, but not everyone has a really large space. Nicky and Dave live in a very urban environment & using the concept of permaculture and a food forest, they have the first-hand experience in growing in a smaller urban space they're sharing with us today. Resources and links https://melissaknorris.com/260 Grow &  harvest a years worth of food with the Family Garden Plan free charts here https://melissaknorris.com/familygardenplan/

Learn how to integrate new chicks into existing flocks, plus, all your questions on mixing meat birds with laying hens and how to keep dual-purpose chickens. Common mistakes you NEED to avoid for the health of your chickens and what to do if your chicken is being bullied by the rest of the flock. Resources at https://melissaknorris.com/259 

Even without going Amish, we can glean a lot from their lifestyle to help us live more self-sufficient and simple with these 7 tips. Learn how one company has helped preserve the Amish way of life while coming full circle and offering Amish and homesteading tools to the public. Episode resources at https://melissaknorris.com/258 Go to lehmans.com/PIONEER from May 22 to June 30, 2020 to receive 10% off any order $50 or more. Enter code PIONEER at checkout.

While a productive garden is the goal, they should also be a place of sanctuary and beauty. Adding in these elements (even if you battle with shade) or small spaces, can bring you more joy in the garden, something we all could use more of, including weed suppression tips. For resource https://melissaknorris.com/257 Join the Pioneering Today Academy now for your step-by-step plan to raise and preserve your own food https://melissaknorris.com/pta

What you need to know to raise chickens for meat, including what breed is best, where to purchase, how much food they need, butcher age, and what you need to do differently with meat birds to avoid early death or leg problems. Links and resources at https://melissaknorris.com/256 Snag your free seat in my newest live class here How to Plan Your Crops & Harvest for a Year's Worth of Food

These 8 common mistakes made by new gardeners are easy to avoid once you know what they are and though common with new gardeners, even us veteran gardeners may be making some of them! Resources and links at https://melissaknorris.com/255 Free seat for the Organic Gardening Workshp https://melissaknorris.com/workshop over 6 days of videos walking you through growing your own vegetables in your backyard.

These are non-food items to keep on hand at all times with tips to make sure you have what you need to run your home and homestead smoothly, from the vehicles, equipment and the cleaner/medicine cabinet. I share my favorites & where I get them. For resources, recipes, and guides go to https://melissaknorris.com/254 Learn how to make homemade soap, herbal salves/ointments, beeswax candles and more https://melissaknorris.lpages.co/handmade-masterclass/

These are the 13 pantry items I always have on hand and the amounts I'm now keeping as a bare minimum since COVID19. Having these items on hand ensures you can make a number of different foods for your family, no matter what is or isn't going on in the world. For links and resources go to https://melissaknorris.com/253 100+ of my best from-scratch recipes inside Hand Made http://handmadethebook.com/

We're implementing steps right now to raise more of our own food than ever before. I share how we're walking through these decisions, what we're adding, and what you should evaluate now on your homestead to have everything in place, including planning for livestock and feed. Resources at https://melissaknorris.com/252 Grow a Years Worth of Food with my book The Family Garden Plan HTTP://familygardenplan.com

What's better than planting something once and having food for years to come? Pretty much nothing! How about some fruit & nut tree varieties that will produce sooner than most? Now we're talking and we added in some uncommon edible plants you probably haven't heard of but make a gorgeous addition to your yard (where we're all spending a bit more time than usual!) Resources at https://melissaknorris.com/251 Get the Family Garden Plan HTTP://familygardenplan.com

Many of us are relying on our gardens this year for food than ever before. In this episode, I, Jill from the Beginners Gardener and Kevin from Epic Gardening share what our preparedness garden plans look like this year and our top 3 crop choices from 3 very different gardening climates to help you create YOUR gardening plan to feed your family. Get the free how much to plant per person for a year's worth of food chart HTTP://familygardenplan.com

These homemade reusable substitutes for single-use store-bought items will serve you well, especially in these times when toilet paper can be hard to come by. Learn valuable tips for homemade versions of paper towels, toilet paper, plastic wrap and more! Resources at https://melissaknorris.com/249

Having a home that is beautiful and functional is extremely important, especially now when many of us are spending more time there. These tips will help you create a vintage and handmade home with easy frugal ideas with inspiration from Lisa of Farmhouse On Boone. Resources at https://melissaknorris.com/248 

Today I answer your questions on growing your own food straight from your messages. Now more than ever people are needing to grow a garden to provide for their family and I answer your questions. Snag resources at https://melissaknorris.com/247 Get your FREE seat in the Organic Gardening Workshop NOW https://melissaknorris.com/workshop

During this unprecedented time with the Coronavirus, I'm sharing what we're doing (and you can too) to stay calm, be prepared, and help others. Where to find staples (and what we're stocking), plans for growing food and herbal medicine, plus involving the family and kids. FREE Organic Gardening Workshop https://melissaknorris.com/workshop and links to tutorials resources from today's episode https://melissaknorris.com/246 

Weeds have long plagued me in the garden & weed fabric does NOT work, but I've finally found some things that do work to keep weeds out of the garden naturally long term. Resources at https://melissaknorris.com/245 Get your seat to the FREE Organic Gardening Workshop here https://melissaknorris.com/workshop from seed starting to permaculture 

No matter what your thoughts are on the coronavirus this is the time to assess how your food storage and supplies are. Where I live schools are being shut down and my guest has people in quarantine around her, stores are empty of supplies, and she shares how being in the real midst of this affects your mindset. This is not meant as fear-mongering, but what is a reality where we are and how to use this time to assess your skill sets where they stand right now. Resources at https://melissaknorris.com/244 Free Organic Gardening Workshop https://melissaknorris.com/workshop

Sustainability and food security is a huge factor in why people start homesteading and can be created with a home garden. Luke from MIGardener shares how much he grows in a small area and how his garden sparked him to start a seed company that made seeds affordable (less than $1 per packet). Go to https://melissaknorris.com/243 for resources AND a 15% off coupon code. Get the Family Garden Plan to know exactly how much to plant for your family and grow from seed to jar http://familygardenplan.com

Learn how to care for fruit trees in fall & winter, including how to determine your pruning based on YOUR climate (this was fascinating!). Know what to do in fall and what you need to do in winter to ensure the vitality of your fruit trees and how to keep disease down. Go to https://melissaknorris.com/242 for 10% off coupon code from Raintree Nurseries. Want step-by-step tutorials and lessons on growing and preserving your own food seasonally? Doors to the Pioneering Today Academy are only open for a short time https://melissaknorris.com/PTA

Evaluating where we're spending our time, especially when we feel overwhelmed, is extremely important for anyone, but especially homesteaders. Not only do I share tips on how to evaluate activities when you don't have enough time but also what you need to know about the podcast moving forward (and no worries, it's not the last episode but it is the last Wednesday episode for the time being). To dive deeper with me check out the Pioneering Today Academy here while we're still open for new members https://melissaknorris.com/waitlist

Tips on how to declutter and organize your home. A homestead has more moving parts than most homes and without systems in place, it can quickly become a jumbled mess. Today TracyLynn gives tips on how to start with room resets and creating systems that work based on your habits and triggers for an organized home so you can get more done with less stress. Resources and links https://melissaknorris.com/240

Learn where to buy whole grains in bulk, my favorite sources, and which grains I buy in bulk. I'll dive into how I use each of those grains in my baking and cooking to help you create a well-stocked pantry. Grab resources and links https://melissaknorris.com/239 including recipes and guides for grinding your own flour at home and picking the best wheat berries for your family's needs.

Small space vegetable gardening is doable and Kevin Espiritu from Epic Gardening shares how he grows a TON of food in a small urban environment and how these tips will help you grow more no matter how much or little space you have. Plus, he walks me through growing herbs indoors with hydroponics during the winter months! Get the links & resources https://melissaknorris.com/238 hurry and snag your spot on the waitlist https://melissaknorris.com/waitlist for the Pioneering Today Academy

Not blessed with great gardening soil? No worries, these 3 easy tips on how to improve soil for gardening will help you out, especially if you have clay, compacted, hard, or sandy soil. We have good soil and I still use these tips every year in the garden. Links & resources at https://melissaknorris.com/237 Get on the waitlist for the Academy https://melissaknorris.com/waitlist for special exclusive videos and resources

Using herbs medicinally isn't something I was raised with, but over the years, I turn to my natural medicine cabinet first but one needs to understand how to brew a medicinal cup of tea differently than just a regular cup of tea. Learn choosing the correct herb, medicinal herb sourcing, how to brew your tea medicinally & growing your own. Resources & links https://melissaknorris.com/236 Get on the waitlist for the Pioneering Today Academy https://melissaknorris.com/waitlist

Picking the best location for a vegetable garden, herbs, or fruit trees depends on your growing climate and land. I walk you through the steps I take when putting in any new plants, beds, or moving ones that haven't been thriving so you can choose the best position for your garden with the 4 basic microclimates every yard has and how to identify microzones easily in the winter months. Resources at https://melissaknorris.com/235 Get the Family Garden Plan for step-by-step planning, growing and harvesting a year's worth of food http://familygardenplan.com 

Breeding chickens naturally using selective breeding for eggs and chicks, either to build up your own flock or to create a homestead income from your chickens. What you need to know about heritage breeds, picking a breeder, where to get started with your flock, and how to create your breeding plan, either for your own flock or business, with best tips for pricing, shipping and more! Get links here https://melissaknorris.com/234 The Pioneering Today Academy only opens for new members a few times a year, get on the waitlist for exclusive goodies https://melissaknorris.com/waitlist 

Crop rotation is one of the easiest ways to make a big difference in your garden's health and decreasing disease, but people often get confused on how to implement it. I walk you through the 4 main vegetable families so you can easily use crop rotation either yearly or seasonal, based on your garden space and crops. Resources for today's episode https://melissaknorris.com/234 Get on the waitlist for the Pioneering Today Academy https://melissaknorris.com/waitlist

Learn how to get started with no till gardening (including the pro's to this method) with Jo Lamp'l. Why you should consider no till gardening methods for healthier soil, including less weeds, and easy tips to transition existing beds to this method. Plus, excellent tips on growing tomatoes in containers successfully including some fun new varieties and how to use these tips for other container plants. Resources and links https://melissaknorris.com/232 Your step-by-step tutorial to raising a year's worth of food The Family Garden Plan http://familygardenplan.com 

I share how we plan our homestead year based on what we need to produce from the homestead and how that works into the calendar year. How we evaluate what and how much to raise for meat and adding in or adjusting infrastructure to make sure that happens, including how we phase things when budget and time is an issue. Links and resources at https://melissaknorris.com/231 my step-by-step plan and guide for raising a year's worth of vegetables & fruit in The Family Garden Plan http://familygardenplan.com

Just how many fruit and berry plants do you need to grow a year's worth per person in your family? I break down how many fruit and berry plants we have per person, how to choose which options are best for you based on your climate and space, and average yield amounts. Get the chart and info in the blog post at https://melisskanorris.com/230 and snag your copy + bonuses of The Family Garden Plan http://familygardenplan.com to grow a year's worth of food for you family

The exact list of heirloom varieties I grow in our garden each year. These are my tried and true must-have every year. I also share how much of each variety I plant to take us through an entire year. Get The Family Garden Plan for all the resources and charts to help you grow a year's worth of food here http://familygardenplan.com/ for the written list visit the blog post at https://melissaknorris.com/229

Find out where I buy heirloom seeds and why you should be using some heirloom seeds in your garden if you're not. I also break down the difference in heirloom, hybrid and what GMO means for backyard gardeners as I still see a lot of WRONG info on what GMO seeds actually are. Grab my favorite sources and get your garden planning going with me! Resources & links at https://melissaknorris.com/28 Grow your best garden ever this year with less work and higher yield with the Family Garden Plan http://familygardenplan.com

Learn how to read seed packet information to help you pick the best varieties for your garden. What you must know about days to harvest and germination, spacing, and descriptions that turn in to your secret weapon to growing more food for your family in the same amount of space! For links and resources go to https://melissaknorris.com/227 get signed up for the free worksheets and charts in the garden planning challenge https://melissaknorris.com/mybestgarden

The biggest garden planning mistakes & how to avoid them. Common advice is to start planning your garden with where you're going to put your plants but that is NOT where your gardening should start. I walk you through how to plan your garden strategically based on 20+ years of gardening and raising a year's worth of food for my family based on said garden. Get link/resources for today's episode at https://melissaknorris.com/226 Join my FREE 5 Day Best Garden Plan Challenge here https://melissaknorris.com/mybestgarden 

Get the top takeaways from this year's vegetable garden so you can make next year's garden better and increase the harvest based on this year's experience. I walk you through my biggest takeaways, what I won't be planting again, what I'll be doing more of, and my disease prevention plan. Get links and resources at https://melissaknorris.com/225 Order your copy of The Family Garden Plan and claim bonuses at http://familygardenplan.com  to help you grow more food organically.

It doesn't get much better than a from-scratch Christmas dinner menu based on what was raised in the garden. Let's be real, that's how the homesteaders and pioneers of old did it. I share what we're serving this year for Christmas dinner along with recipes. Get ideas for your meals and what crops you might want to consider putting in if you aren't already growing them! Get recipes, links, and resources at https://melissaknorris.com/224 Use The Family Garden Plan to plan out your crops so you'll be serving your holiday menus from your own garden produce http://familygardenplan.com 

Think you can't grow much on just 1/3 of an acre in the middle of the city? We talk about how Greg from Urban Farm U is growing 80 fruit trees, vegetables and herbs on 1/3 acre in the middle of Phoenix and how you can use the same 3 easy steps to become an urban farmer and growing food not only for your family but your community as well. And if you have more space or acreage, you're definitely want to listen in on some of the techniques he uses as well. Grab the links & resources at https://melissaknorirs.com/223 Grow a Year's Worth of Food with The Family Garden Plan & bonuses at http://familygardenplan.com 

Over the past 20 years of homesteading I've compiled my top favorite homestead related gifts I've received as a gift. Some of these are surprisingly small but will give you ideas for either your own gift giving, sharing with your "santa", or perhaps to save up for or be on the lookout for in the upcoming year. Plus get a behind the scenes look at my newest book and what it involved (and why I never want to be a model) For links and resources go to https://melissaknorris.com/222 

Living like it's the 1800's in a modern world, seems like a contradiction doesn't it, but even if you do have electricity and running water, there are some valuable tips to be learned that can help you save money now and if you do decide to go off-grid, help you make the transition. One of my favorite tips in this chat with Jacquie is how to bake pies and bread on top of a wood stove without any special equipment or using coals but she also shares some great ideas and inspiration for your garden. Get resources and links at https://melissaknorris.com/221 Want to raise a year's worth of food for your family without being overwhelmed? Get your copy of The Family Garden Plan and bonuses here http://familygardenplan.com 

A week in the life on the homestead, what it looks like on our homestead in a week, especially when freezing temps and storms are rolling in. How we prep the garden, livestock and house when temps are supposed to be in the low teens with high winds, and how you can use the same checklist. Get links and resources at https://melissaknorris.com/220 and grow a  year's worth of your own food with my new book & get FREE charts here http://familygardenplan.com 

Does homesteading really save money when you take into account the items you need to buy, livestock, supplies, and the time required? Today we dive into this not often talked about subject with Amy Dingham on when you may or may not actually save money homesteading, what to expect, up front costs, evaluating ways to save money (and if they do) in this honest conversation about still an often taboo subject, money. For resources and links go to https://melissaknorris.com/219

Your homesteading skills will not only save you money but they can help you MAKE money. I share how I'm using our homesteading skills during this holiday season to raise money fast for a fundraiser and how you can do the same thing, for yourself or a fundraiser. Snag my recipes in today's blog post at https://melissaknorris.com/218 get my special Holiday Family Bundle right now at 65% to learn how to bake like Ma Ingalls & make your own homemade products https://melissaknorris.com/familybundle

This is my favorite "lazy" way to compost and build up our vegetable garden soil. If you didn't get to cover crops or a traditional compost pile, you're going to love my sheet mulching method. Learn which manures are best and what materials I prefer for the top layer and why it isn't too late to do this. Get links to all the resources at https://melissaknorris.com/217 Increase your harvest and maximize the space you have using organic and natural methods to raise a year's worth of the fruits and vegetables your family enjoys & get all the pre-order bonuses with my new book The Family Garden Plan at http://familygardenplan.com

What you need to know to get the best cuts of meat on your cut and wrap order, what to tell the butcher, and the cuts you MUST ask for that the butcher won't offer unless you do. Learn how to make sure you get the most out of your beef and choose the best cuts for you and your family in Part 2 of our Grass Feed Beef Series! For resources, recipes, and links go to https://melissaknorris.com/216

These baking hacks and tips show you how to freeze dough for delicious and easy homemade baked goods during busy nights and times without sacrificing any time or flavor! It can be a struggle to always get homemade food served, but these tips come in handy year round but especially during the holidays. I share how I prep pie crust, cookies, bread, rolls and cinnamon rolls ahead of time and what you need to know make it easier and successful. Get my recipes in today's blog post https://melissaknorris.com/215 For over 100+ from scratch recipes get my book Hand Made: the Modern Guide to Made-from-Scratch Living  Need simplified steps and you're a visual learner, then check out the Homemade Bread & Baking System here

When raising grass fed beef there are key things you need to know on butcher day to get the most out of your cow. What to do before the butcher arrives and what cuts to ask for, and some are going to surprise you. How to get the best flavor on your meat and our favorite ways to prepare these lesser heard of cuts. Get the show notes and resources at https://melissaknoris.com/214 including our Freezer Space for Meat Guide, so you know exactly how many feet of freezer space you need per animal. Get Melissa's newest book with bonuses at http://Familygardenplan.com

How to have vegetables growing all year long (or as close as possible), including which plants will still grow during frosts and hard freezes, which ones can be left in the ground, and for those more tender veggies, how to use plant covers to extend the growing season. For links to resources and the plant covers Melissa uses go to https://melissaknorris.com/213 and for the guide to raising your own fruits and vegetables pre-order and get over $96 in bonuses the Family Garden Plan at http://familygardenplan.com

Learn what hygge means and 6 tips for implementing it on the homestead (and why you should!). Melissa talks with Kathie from seasonal homespun living on why embracing hygge during the winter months is good for both the body and soul and practical tips for this Danish tradition. Get all the resources, including recipes and links, at https://melissaknorris.com/212 and take Melissa's free sourdough training series here https://melissaknorris.com/ 

Snag these tips for bread baking to help you get the perfect homemade loaf. If you've ever had bread turn out too dense and heavy or your sandwich loaves are crumbly or too dry, these tips will help you turn them into delicious perfectly textured loaves, especially if you're using sourdough and are having trouble getting your bread recipes to rise correctly. Sign up for the FREE sourdough starter training series here https://melissaknorris.com/sourdough and get more bread resources for this episode at https://melissaknorris.com/211

These cheap (or free) garden ideas will save you money and have a big impact on your garden and homestead success. Melissa dives in with Amy from the Sow Edible Podcast on how to improve red clay soil, an easy cheap (and all natural) way to fertilize and feed your plants, along with a few small but very important things to track that will help your garden and food production in a big way. Grab resources and show notes at https://melissaknorris.com/210 and snag your pre-order bonuses for The Family Garden Plan: Grow a Year's Worth of Healthy and Sustainable Food at http://familygardenplan.com

Almost all of your garden success comes back to the health of your soil and learning how to improve soil health is the answer to virtually every gardening issue you have. Plants not actually producing food, stunted growth, lots of green growth but your carrot or beet is super tiny, blossom end rot, yellowing leaves, all signs of poor or imbalanced soil health. Get blog post/resources at https://melissaknorris.com/209 and access our full detailed soil amendment guide as a pre-order bonus for the Family Garden Plan, get all the details here https://familygardenplan.com 

Learn the surprising health benefits of maple syrup, an old-fashioned sweetener with wonderful properties beyond the flavor, that no other sweetener has, from antioxidants, essential vitamins and minerals, immune boosting, prebiotic and more. Plus using this old time sweetener at home in your kitchen, as well as tips for making this delight yourself from your own trees, or how to make sure you're getting pure maple syrup if purchasing yourself. Join Melissa and backyard sugar maker Michelle to find out how to harness the power of maple syrup in your kitchen, get links and resources at https://melissaknorris.com/208

6 tips on how to treat fruit trees organically and when to spray for disease and pests. Learn what steps to take now in the fall for your fruit trees to decrease pest and disease load, what times of year to spray your fruit trees organically, and options for naturally keeping bugs off your fruit trees that damage the tree or fruit. All the resource links found at https://melissaknorris.com/207 and pre-order bonuses for the Family Garden Plan http://familygardenplan.com

Self sufficient homesteading tips for the long haul from beginning your homestead journey to more experienced. Melissa talks with Anna who started her homesteading journey in a city apartment and in just four years has moved out of the city to their homestead. She shares tips on homesteading while renting, what to look for when purchasing a homestead property and how they're earning an income from their homestead and implementing that. Get the show notes and Anna's free monthly homestead magazine at https://melissaknorris.com/206 

Learn what to do with your berry plants in the fall to increase your harvest next year. How to evaluate overall health and location of the plants, when to move the plants if need be, fertilize and mulching, and more so you have the best berry production next year. For the blog post go to https://melissaknorris.com/205 and to check out the pre-order bonuses on Melissa's newest book The Family Garden Plan: Raise a Year's Worth of Healthy and Sustainably Food go to http://familygardenplan.com/

Raised bed gardening tips, we'll discuss the pros and cons of raised beds, which type of soil and crops are best for raised beds, what you need to consider before constructing, weed management and pest/animal solutions with raised beds with Melissa and Jill from the Beginner Gardeners Podcast. Catch Jill's presentation on Raised Bed Gardening inside the free online Organic Gardening Workshop here https://melissaknorris.com/gardenworkshop Full blog post and resources at https://melissaknorris.com/204

Learn organic pest control for vegetable gardens. Melissa shares how to identify which organic options is the right one, preventative vs infestation use, plus her two favorite options, one is a powder and one is a spray that are like a swiss army knife (they work for almost every pest) and what you need to look out for when purchasing these to ensure it truly is all natural. Get links and resources at https://melissaknorris.com/203 and snag your seat today for the Organic Gardening Workshop https://melissaknorris.com/gardenworkshop

Learn how to choose the best herbal home remedies during the cold and flu season for your body. Melissa interviews clinical herbalist Rosalee De La Foret on how to use the 4 components of energetics when you're not feeling well to determine which herb will serve you best. Rosalee shares her best home remedy for a hot fever and one for a fever where you have the chills. She also walks through best herbs for cold and flu use as well as her top 5 herbs to grow in the home garden to stock your medicine cabinet. Get Rosalee's free chart with Melissa's affiliate link to discover a proven way to learn about herbs… that requires NO memorization or book study. It’s the lost herbal skill that all of our ancestors once knew https://melissaknorris.com/herbwheel for the tea recipes and show notes go to https://melissaknorris.com/202

What is organic gardening and how to incorporate these practices into a home garden. Learn what organic gardening actually means, tips on how identify if your soil is organic and steps to take if it's not to get it there. Do you need organic seed and starts? What organic certification requires and why it's not important for home or backyard gardeners but how we can adapt it for our use. Sign up for the free Organic Gardening Workshop here https://melissaknorris.com/gardenworkshop and snag all the links and show notes at https://melissaknorris.com/201

Healthy garden soil is the foundation of your entire garden. If you get this right, you'll drastically improve your harvest and health of your plants. These tips break down what you need to look at in your soil, where to improve it, and how to improve sandy and clay soil (and how to make it better). PLUS, Melissa is offering a giveaway on seed packets of her family's 100-year-old strain of heirloom Tarheel green pole bean and October bean seed + other goodies in celebration of 200 episodes. You can enter the contest at https://melissaknorris.com/contest and get the written notes and links to resources for this episode at https://melissaknorris.com/200 

A few quick time saving tips on getting your medicinal herbal flowers ready now for next spring. What to do with the flowers you have in the garden this year and how to get a jump start on next spring's herbal flowers, especially those that require seed stratification. Melissa walks you through which plants require seed stratification, her favorite medicinal herbal flowers, and which ones she's adding to the homestead herbal garden and you should consider too! Get today's resources at https://melissaknorris.com/199 and make sure you have your seat saved (especially if you want to learn about companion planting with herbal flowers in the vegetable garden) for the Organic Gardening Workshop here https://melissaknorris.com/gardenworkshop

These 9 garden hacks will help you assess this year's garden to increase next year's harvest and give you a clear plan of action to improve your garden to fit you and your families needs. Melissa walks you through how to look at this year's harvest yield, disease, pests, how much time you spent, and more from your garden to decide what to do differently next year. Grab the full post and resources at https://melissaknorris.com/198  Make sure you sign up for the FREE online Organic Gardening Workshop coming up in just a few weeks here https://melissaknorris.com/gardenworkshop

Learn the best time to harvest your herbal flowers for medicinal purposes. Melissa walks you through her favorite top pics for medicinal herbal flowers, how to use all 3 parts of the echinacea, as well as lavender, chamomile, and calendula. You'll get a detailed explanation of what signs to avoid on the blossoms you want to use medicinally and best time of day to harvest. For resources on this episode, including a video, go to https://melissaknorris.com/197 Make sure you get your free seat for the Organic Gardening Workshop, where you'll learn how to use flowers as a companion plant, and a whole lot more here https://melissaknorris.com/gardenworkshop 

Learn these 9 tips on how to prepare for winter and emergencies on the homestead now. Melissa walks you through where to start if you're beginning, how to do so without being overwhelmed, and where to build once you have your foundation so you're prepared no matter what winter or other emergencies come your way. For links to the resources and supplies Melissa uses on her homestead go here https://melissaknorris.com/196

Siphoning, or liquid loss after canning, is common among canning problems. Learn these 5 easy steps to help prevent it and the guidelines for safety (when is too much liquid loss unsafe). What you need to know about headspace, temps, and more in this canning Q&A episode. Snag resources and full blog post at https://melissaknorris.com/195 and sign up for Melissa's free online canning video series with pressure canning at https://melissaknorris.com/pressurecanning 

Learn how to cure onions for long term winter storage, how to pick the best spot for drying, two methods to use for drying your onions (pro's and con's of each) and how long to cure onions before bringing them inside to store for winter. For video and full blog post show notes go to https://melissaknorris.com/194 Make sure you get registered for the FREE upcoming Organic Gardening Workshop now for extra special early bird perks, click here to get on the list

Learn how to harvest onions at the right time for best long term storage, what to do if onions have bolted (flowered), and best type of onions for winter storage on the pantry shelf. For video and full blog post show notes go to https://melissaknorris.com/193 Make sure you get registered for the FREE upcoming Organic Gardening Workshop now for extra special early bird perks, click here to get on the list

Your pole bean growing guide, we'll go over when to pick pole beans based on the different stages for eating, shelling and seed saving. Troubleshoot common pole bean problems, like blossoms but no beans, hot weather and frosts, and benefits of pole beans vs. bush beans. For pics and full blog post show notes go to https://melissaknorris.com/192 Make sure you get registered for the FREE upcoming Organic Gardening Workshop now for extra special early bird perks, click here to get on the list

Learn what to plant in August for fall and winter garden crops. Melissa breaks how to tailor planting time for your gardening zone and climate, what should be done from seed, and what plants can be put in as seedlings. This is a great way to get as close to year round gardening as possible and have fresh food in the garden even after the frosts settle in. Grab the full list and video at https://melissaknorris.com/191 and make sure you get registered for the FREE upcoming Organic Gardening Workshop now for extra special early bird perks, click here to get on the list

Canning in electric pressure cookers and other pressure canning questions. What you NEED to know about using electric pressure cookers as a pressure canner (despite what the manual may say), what to do if the pressure falls, using well water in canners, double stacking jars inside a pressure canner, which pressure canner is best for your stove type, is it safe to use an older pressure canner (how old is too old), and how long do you have to wait between runs (multiple batches) when pressure canning? Get Melissa's free pressure canning video series here https://melissaknorris.com/pressurecanning and visit the show notes for more links and resources at https://melissaknorris.com/190 Today's show it sponsored by the Home Canning with Confidence e-Course, everything you need to know to safely can a  year's worth of food for your family, from jam, pie filling, pickles, tomatoes, salsa, vegetables, broth, meat, soups and more!

5 tips on how to avoid overwhelm on the homestead, because let's face it, this old-fashioned way of life, it adds another layer of work and tasks. It's worth it, oh is it worth it, but it's important to make sure we're enjoying the process and not allowing ourselves to get too close to burnout. Melissa and Stacy Lynn Harris share their strategies and tips to avoid being overwhelmed or worse, getting closer to homestead burnout. This episode is brought to you by Melissa's free 4 part pressure canning video training series, designed to take away your fear of pressure canning and to take away the overwhelm of wondering if what you're canning is safe. Go here to learn how to pressure can safely! For resources and links go to https://melissaknorris.com/189 

The best ways to water your vegetable garden to help organically increase your harvest yield and eliminate disease, all in the way you water your vegetables! Melissa shares how often to water your vegetables in summer and best techniques for both the plants, ease of implementing, and cost based on what they do on their homestead garden and have found to work the best.

Get links to resources and the full written blog post at https://melissaknorris.com/188 also save the date October 2nd, 2019 for the upcoming FREE Organic Gardening Workshop!

How one makes money homesteading, they went from the suburbs to their homestead and earning their living on their homestead in three years time. Melissa talks to Todd from Sustainable Simple Living Family about their main forms of income from their homestead, mistakes they made, how they made the transition, and what to expect when focusing on earning a living solely from your homestead or small farm. Even if you're not planning on earning a full living from your homestead, you'll get valuable tips on earning some type of money from your homestead skills. Grab all the resources here https:melissaknorris.com/187

Learn how to design a cottage garden or pull elements of one into your own yard. Melissa interviews Carolyn Thomas of Homesteading Family for a close up look of creating a cottage garden with plants that have forgotten medicinal and edible properties. Learn how hollyhock can be used medicinally and some older plants that have wonderful properties to them. List of favorite plants, how to use them, as well as elements you should consider. Grab the lists and full blog post at https://melissaknorris.com/186

Learn how to store you home canned foods safely, what the official sources actually say about storing jars with the canning rings (bands) on or off and what you need to know about jar stacking. Which practices Melissa uses on her canning of 600+ jars a year. What it means if you remove the bands and your lose your seal and more. Get resources and links at https://melissaknorris.com/185 Make sure you're signed up for Melissa's free Home Food Preservation Video series at https://melissaknorris.com/food-preservation-video-series/ The Pioneering Today Academy is your one stop place for step-by-step videos and download guides on how to preserve your food and build up a real food pantry filled with fermented, dehydrated and home canned food https://melissaknorris.com/pioneeringtodayacademy/

Use these pro tips for home food preservation so you know which foods are ready seasonally by the month and the best ways to handle and preserve them so you aren't overwhelmed with all the summer produce coming on, either from your garden or purchased from u-picks or farmer's markets. Armed with this info you won't miss a crop either. Melissa shares her summer preserving plan and how to use the same steps to customize YOUR home food preservation. Sign up for her FREE Home Food Preservation Workshop with step-by-step tutorials on dehydrating, canning and fermenting here https://melissaknorris.com/food-preservation-video-series/ get all the resources and show notes for this episode at https://melissaknorris.com/184

What it's really like to live off grid, tips you can take and use now, even if you're not off grid, and if you're planning to go that way, what you need to know before starting. Melissa interviews Doug & Stacy, a couple of self-proclaimed city slickers, who moved completely off-grid eight years ago. What the transition has been like, what they've learned (and wouldn't do again) and more! Check out the resources for fermenting tutorials/recipe, pressure canning, monthly seasonal garden planting guide and more in the full blog post here https://melissaknorris.com/183 

Learn how to use and grow these 8 medicinal herbs and their uses for an easy herbal tea garden. Harvesting tips, medicinal uses and preparations, cautions to be aware of and best growing tips. Know which do best in containers, location, and growing habits. Melissa shares her favorite herbs for hormonal balance, cooking, anxiety and calming help, digestion, and of course, immune boosting power. Hear part of the herb charts and info from Melissa's book Hand Made . See pictures, video tour of Melissa's herb garden and more at https://melissaknorris.com/182 

Use these 5 tips to maximize your garden yield (aka more vegetables) & beat overwhelm. How to ensure you have a continual harvest of fresh vegetables rather than a huge glut all at once for your non-preserving crops, how to make sure you don't miss crucial planting times, and how to increase the harvest of your existing plants so you don't have to plant as many. Plus, use my garden weeding tip to help you stay on top of it without wanting to pull your hair out. Grab all the links & resources, including my FREE monthly seasonal planting guide at https://melissaknorris.com/181

In this podcast, Melissa shares 10 tomato growing tips from planting, what your leaves are telling you your tomato plants are low on, how to avoid blight and blossom end rot, crop rotation, if indeterminate or determinate tomato varieties are best for you, trellising, and more. Learn these secrets to disease free tomatoes and a large harvest! Grab the FREE Tomato Growing Guide bonus and other resources at https://melissaknorris.com/180

Learn how to start beekeeping with in depth guide on choosing the right place for your hives, types of hives, where to buy bees, how to choose the best bees based on your climate, what supplies you must have to get started (and some frugal options), what to look for when performing hive checks, how much  honey to expect, and how much setting up a backyard hive costs. Get the full blog post and resources for this episode at https://melissaknorris.com/179

In this episode Melissa and guest Shaye Elliot from the Elliot Homestead share their tips for natural weed control at planting time so you can spend less time weeding and more time enjoying your garden, especially with the addition of heirloom flowers. You'll learn how to create a cottage style heirloom garden that provides you with beauty through every season with less work, best flowers, how to plan it, resources and more! This special episode will have you weeding less (and with a weeding plan to take away overwhelm) and putting in heirloom flowers to life long enjoyment. Go to the blog post here for resources and Melissa's Instagram to win a copy of both her book and Shaye's!

In this episode Melissa shares about traditional fire cider™ including it's medicinal benefits, recipe, and the controversy involving trademarks of old time herbal remedies and recipes. Melissa brings on Rosemary Gladstar, one of the founders of the fire cider recipe made popular with home herbalists to share its rich history, how to know if it's right for you, uses, keeping herbal medicine open to everyone, and getting started with growing and making natural medicine in your kitchen. For the recipe, resources, and more go to https://melissaknorris.com/177

Learn how to homestead in small spaces for self-sustainability with both a garden and your own meat practicing urban homesteading. How to evaluate your space for maximum crops, what to raise instead of chickens if they're against the law where you live, how you can homestead and produce a good portion of your own food on less than 1/10th of an acre. Harold shares how he recovered from cancer, started urban homesteading, and does all of this on 1/10th of an acre while still working a full time day job. Read the full post here https://melissaknorris.com/176

Learn some easy tips to germinate your seeds, aka, get the seeds to sprout and grow faster. Because the faster your seeds sprout the sooner you get to harvest. Plus, how to gauge the weather for the fastest growth of your seeds. For all the links and resources Melissa shares in this episode go to https://melissaknorris.com/175 Plus, for this week only the Pioneering Today Academy doors are open!

Learn how much time it really takes to raise a year's worth of food, can you really raise a large vegetable garden and fruit with just 2 hours of work per week? Melissa breaks down the amount of hands on time they spend on their fruit plants and vegetable garden for a family of four that provides them with over 50% of their produce for a year. Grab the resources and links (cuz there's some good ones) here at the blog post https://melissaknorris.com/174

Get real life tips on how to get homemade traditional foods on the table every day when you're busy, plus, some confessions on what it really looks like in a homesteader's kitchen and how cooking like Ma Ingalls meets real life. Join Melissa and Jill from the Prairie Homestead as they share their best tips for traditional cooking while being busy as well as the importance of mindset. Tips for grass fed roast turning out melt-in-your mouth tender, easy planning, and more! Grab the full blog post and resources links here https://melissaknorris.com/173

These easy spring gardening tips with help increase your harvest yield and the amount of fruit and vegetables you bring in this summer. Do these now during early spring to set yourself up for an exceptional growing season. Learn how to apply these tips to your property and garden. Get show notes and resources at https://melissaknorris.com/172  Melissa shares what's worked in their homestead and how to avoid some of the common mistakes they made early on. 

Learn why every garden should have heirloom vegetables growing in it and some of our favorite 10 unique heirloom vegetables to grow in your garden and homestead this year. Why heirloom seeds are the true homesteading garden seed and what makes them so special in every garden and table, hint: it has to do with flavor! Grab each variety in the blog post w/ photos here https://melissaknorris.com/171 and find out how to get some of Melissa's family strain of heirloom Tarheel green bean seed as a FREE bonus coming up very soon!

How to prepare for a snow storm or any extreme weather emergency on your homestead without running to the stores or heading out into the weather. Melissa shares the exact steps she goes through when a storm is on the way, including livestock prep. Get the blog post and full show notes for this episode at https://melissaknorris.com/170

Starting an orchard with the correct fruit trees and berry plants for your climate is crucial to getting a harvest. Choose the correct variety and pollination type for your area with these tips. Melissa walks you through the best fruit types for small areas, larger areas, pollination (cross pollination vs. self-pollination), growing berries, chill hours, adding in new varieties, increasing your harvest. Snag the full written show notes at https://melissaknorris.com/169

Learn how to use herbs and natural remedies, how to build your own natural medicine cabinet using plants that you can either grow at home or get fairly easily, and when to use home remedies and when to turn to modern medicine. All this and more as Melissa chats with Marjory Wildcraft on learning the traditional and age old use of herbs in your natural medicine cabinet. Get the full blog post at https://melissaknorris.com/168 as well as the link to the FREE 4 part herbal video series to take you even deeper.

8 medicinal plants you need to add to your garden this year, not only are these some of my favorite power house medicines on the homestead, but they're beautiful to grow just for appearances. Learn their medicinal properties, best growing practices, and how we use them in our natural medicine cabinet. Grab resources, links, and full blog post at https://melissaknorris.com/167

Learn why sourdough is so amazing for your health and how to get started with making your own sourdough starter. Grab my FREE 4 part sourdough video series walking you through each step, start to finish, of making a sourdough starter, including using gluten-free grains, fresh ground wheat, ancient grains, and regular flour from the store. Hurry, it's only up for a short time, grab the link here https://melissaknorris.com/sourdough/

Use these 8 easy tips on how to meal plan from scratch healthy whole food meals for your family with less stress and time. Tips for putting your pantry staples to use for you. Sample meal plan and items from our homestead kitchen and my favorite time saving tips when it comes to getting food on the table. Visit the show notes here for the meal planning bundle and my upcoming free sourdough series https://melissaknorris.com/165

Learn how to use these 14 tips to plan out your homestead for your most productive and STRESS FREE homestead year. When it comes to gardening, livestock, fruit trees, preserving, cooking from scratch, and being able to afford our homestead, planning now will help things run smoothly and ensure you don't miss an important step. Plus, planning really does help you save money and time. Snag the free download planning chart, links and resources here https://melissaknorris.com/164

Learn my 3 tips for decluttering during the holidays done up homestead style so your house is organized and simplified before the busyness of growing and gardening season. The guidelines and tips I use so you don't have bags of things piling up for a some day use while still being frugal and reusing things when decluttering your home and closet. Use these tips now to help you plan out your holiday shopping, decorating, and clean up time come the first of the year. Get my exact plan and tips for a simplified and clutter free homestead and grab the full blog post and links at https://melissaknorris.com/163

These 12 baking substitutions will save you time and money and are something every homestead kitchen needs to know. Learn how to easily swap out common baking and cooking ingredients with other items in your pantry without sacrificing results. Never forsake a recipe or run to the store because you're out of an ingredient with these easy baking hacks. Grab the full article at https://melissaknorris.com/162

Learn how to choose the best flour for baking in this home baker's flour guide, the properties in regards to baking with all-purpose flour, bread and cake flour. Plus how to choose the best wheat berries and grains when making fresh ground flour at home. The difference between hard and soft wheat, red and white wheat, ancient grains Spelt and Einkorn and how each performs, so you can chose the right flour every time in your kitchen and homestead. For resources and full blog post go to https://melissaknorris.com/161

Learn these 5 secrets to creating a stress free handmade Christmas, including my free templates and downloads to help you customize your strategy and handmade gifts, including eliminating two of the biggest stress components, time and money. Grab the templates, downloads, and resources at https://melissaknorris.com/160 so you have the best handmade and homestead Christmas season yet.

Learn the biggest mistakes we've made over our decades of homesteading and how you can avoid them on your own journey. Learn not only the tactical and practical steps to avoid these costly mistakes in raising your own food and in your garden, but also the critical mindset mistakes so you can do this homesteading and self-sufficiency. For full show notes and resources go to https://melissaknorris.com/159

Learn how to grow more food by using these easy 5 fall gardening tips now to improve soil, put the garden to rest, and create a custom plan for you and your family by evaluating this year's crop and garden for next year's. Know what to look for, what to take notes on, and what to do now. Grab the links and blog post at https://melissaknorris.com/158

Use these 8 tips for seasonal living as we move into fall to help you save time and efficiently preserve the harvest customized to you and your family's needs. Learn how to put the harvest to use in your natural medicine cabinet so you have remedies on hand as we move into cold and flu season. Today's episode is brought to you by the Pioneering Today Academy. For links & resources go to https://melissaknorris.com/157

Learn the best care and cleaning tips of your cast iron to keep that seasoning non-stick. Our favorite and must have tools for cooking with cast iron over an open fire, what you need and what's just nice to have. Plus, how to use a tripod for cooking over a wood fire with your cast iron Dutch oven and safety tips. Learn why baking with your cast iron Dutch oven outdoors is a skill everyone should learn and how to get started. For resources, links and tons of photos go to melissaknorris.com/156 Plus, check out our new e-course inside the Pioneering Today Academy Cast Iron & Dutch Oven Outdoor Cooking! 

Struggle to find the time to get homemade and wholesome meals on the table? Use these 12 time saving tips for homemade meals with real food using the best of batch and freeze cooking to make the most of your time. Plus, get our freezer & batch cooking recipe sampler for FREE with step by step instructions on how to prepare them on your batch cooking day and the cooking instructions from frozen as well as fresh (because sometimes it's so good one simply cannot wait). Use these tips with your home canned food and as you continue to preserve up the harvest for your winter meals. Grab all the resources mentioned at https://melissaknorris.com/155 

Learn the 3 main things to consider when purchasing a homestead property. Even if you're already on  your forever homestead, there's some important clues to look for that may be signaling you it's time for a change or you need to do things differently. Plus, learn some major things to consider if you're planning on purchasing a homestead or looking to move to a new piece of land. Get the resources and full blog post for this episode at https://melissaknorris.com/154

How do you now if a canning recipe is safe and what do you do when someone isn't following canning safety? How can you make sure your canning recipe is up to date? Learn what you need to know about canning safety and recipes and how to handle those who aren't practicing up to date safe practices. Get the full blog post and resource links at https://melissaknorris.com/153

In this episode learn the 6 tips to help you create a successful homestead business so you set yourself up for growth and with a strong foundation. This is Part 2 of the Making Money Homesteading Series and goes into practical but important steps to take to get your homestead business going without getting into debt and for long term growth and sustainability, including the things you should do, but also, mistakes to avoid. Grab the show notes and links at the website at https://melissaknorris.com/152

Learn how to make money homesteading with 12 ways to earn a homestead income and real cash from your farm, even if you only own a small amount of land. Melissa share's real ways they've used to earn income from their homestead as well as how family and friends take their skills and land to earn them money and how you can too. For resources and links go to https://melissaknorris.com/151

When summer heat blasts and you still need to get the harvest in without air conditioning or a pool, how do you keep a body cool? Here's how to stay cool in summer naturally without electricity using old-fashioned methods and tricks. Grab the resources and the full written post here https://melissaknorris.com/150

Learn how to decide which method of home food preservation is best for your crops based on the time and storage you have, pro's and con's of each, and two homesteaders favorite recipes and methods, plus safety tips to make sure the method you're using is the best and safest for your family. For the free recipe and full blog post go to https://melissaknorris.com/149

How to keep your house cool in summer without electricity, especially during the hot months when you need to have your canner and stove going. I share 8 old-fashioned pioneer tips that still work and don't require electricity as well as a few modern ways that are worth it to help keep the homestead cool. Explore outdoor cooking & canning options, get links, resources and full articles at https://melissaknorris.com/148

Feel pressed for time but you don't want any food to go to waste? Then put these 8 tips to come up with your customized preserving plan for a year's worth of food, including our FREE preserving plan charts you can use year after year to put your plan into place to make sure you have the items most important to your family preserved for the year. Learn which foods can be saved to preserve until later (and why I actually prefer this route) and how to determine which ones you need to get on pronto, and my work around for day jobs and not being able to do everything all in one stretch. Grab the show notes, links and resources at https://melissaknorris.com/147

Get these tips to help you save time, increase the health of your plants- healthier plants equal larger harvests, and cut back on disease. Learn my best tips for your tomatoes and my 4 tips to save time and how to deal with the plague of almost every gardener, weeds. For the resources, links and full blog post go to https://melissaknorris.com/146

Fermentation for health benefits and food preservation. Learn how the process of fermentation changes food for increased health benefits. What you need to know about storing your fermented foods, when fermented foods have gone bad, the best recipes and foods to start with and tips for getting your family and kids to enjoy and eat fermented foods. Get the resources, links and full blog post at https://melissaknorris.com/145

Everything you need to know about keeping a family milk cow, how to avoid milking twice a day, how much milk you'll get, how to use up all the milk and more. Join myself and Jill, one of the presenters in this year's 2018  Modern Homesteading Summit, make sure you go to the blog post here to snag the link to sign up for the Summit and get all the links at https://melissaknorris.com/144

Learn how one family is using solar power to live off grid in a one room cabin without running water or a refrigerator, just like the pioneer families of old, and what tips you can glean from them when it comes to food preservation and creating your dream homestead. Full blog post at https://melissaknorris.com/143

Learn how to use these edible & medicinal weeds growing in your backyard. How to harvest, prepare and use them in multiple dishes to lower your food bill (+ recipes) plus how to use these common weeds for natural medicine treatments. You'll never look at these "weeds" again, instead turn them into delicious meals and treats. For recipe links, resources and show notes go to https://melissaknorris.com/142

Learn how use these 14 tips homestead kitchen tips to get your kid's helping in the kitchen for stress free meal times, or as close to stress free as you can get. No matter if your kids are toddlers or teenagers, these basic kitchen skills and meal prep tips will help them (or any adult) make the most of their time in the kitchen providing healthy and whole food recipes for themselves and their family. We even break down age appropriate skills for kids. For links and resources go to https://melissaknorris.com/141

Learn how to overcome challenges in the land and weather you have to grow your own food. Melissa and Laurie Neverman from Common Sense Home share 13 tips for combating extremely cold springs, high winds, excessive rain, and drought conditions so nothing stops you from growing a productive vegetable garden on your homestead, with these easy and very actionable tips you'll be growing your own food no matter what Mother Nature throws at you.  Grab links and resources at the full blog post here https://melissaknorris.com/140

Using chickens in your garden is the perfect way to get the most use out of your livestock and your crops, but there's 13 things you need to know for the safety of your chickens and to ensure you get the fruits and vegetables, and not the chickens, or worse yet, they destroy the plants. For the all the resources and show notes go to https://melissaknorris.com/139

Learn these 12 tips that help you declutter and organize your homestead kitchen. How I've went from getting things in order and then finding it a total mess again within just a few days (or hours) to keeping it tidy. Learn how I took the wisdom from 100 years ago to make it work for the modern homestead kitchen, laundry, and cleaning so we can spend less time cleaning and doing more of those homestead projects we love with our family. Get all the tips and resources for this episode at https://melissaknorris.com/138

Grab my spring cleaning tips & hacks on how to spring clean your homestead (aka house) pioneer style. My favorite homemade cleaning recipes, room guide, and when I do purchase cleaning things from the store, my favorites. Tips and inspiration for having a sparkling house done homestead style. For show notes, recipes, and links go here melissaknorris.com/137

Learn the 5 most common myths in regards to growing a vegetable garden, but especially in regards to raising a years worth of food. I share the exact size of our vegetable garden, how much hands on time we spend in the garden, and how we manage everything in the business of harvest and growing time in the  middle of summer.  Get the resources and links at https://melissaknorris.com/136

Learn how and why it's important to test your soil ph when looking to grow healthy plants that give you the biggest harvest (because that's what healthy plant do). Methods for soil testing, what the tests mean, which plants grow best in acidic and alkaline soil, and how to amend your soil, when you should and what you need to know to keep your soil in tip top shape (aka what mistakes to avoid) when creating the best soil you can for your pasture, garden, fruit trees and bushes. 

For full blog post and notes go to MelissaKNorris.com/135

6 natural ways to test and fertilize your garden soil now, so it's in the best shape it can be for healthier plants and larger harvests. What you need to know about soil amendments and which is best for your soil.

My favorite sources for the best deals on real food and food storage when you're not able to grow it yourself. How I shop without coupons to build our food storage up with real food items we use on a daily basis, when I can't get it from farmers market or local source. Includes full lists of each item and how you can steal my strategies to save you time and money!

Grab the lists and links at Episode #133 Best Real Food & Food Storage Deals from Unlikely Sources

Learn how to incorporate perennial plants for less hands on time food production on your homestead. What you need to know about planting perennials, their yearly care, using them for permaculture, pruning, fertilization, and how to grow them even if you don't have any acreage or yard space of your own. Plus, how to get a jump start on your home orchard and berries even if you're renting or not in your permanent home yet. Also, what you need to know about the first years of your perennial plant's life to set up for a healthy plant and bigger harvests for decades. All in today's episode, for show notes, links and resource visit 

Why you shouldn't wait for the perfect time to start your homesteading dreams and goals. How to work with what you have right now. Even if you're in the city, how to begin homesteading now and how to transition from the city to your homestead. Learn why having a community is so important and how to move past discouragement. 

Everything you need to know about starting seeds at home, when to start them for your area, which seeds to start indoors and which ones you shouldn't. Plus get our FREE seed starting blueprint and chart.

Includes 5 mistakes homesteaders and gardeners make when seed starting and how to avoid them, plus my favorite resources to use with seed starting.

Find out how to get a free packet of my families heirloom Tarheel green pole beans. All of the show notes, resources, and freebies are at Episode #130 on the website here 

Learn how to organize your kitchen once and how that will help you build up your food storage and maximize your time and money. Why an organized kitchen is vital to a well run homestead and the exact steps and criteria to make sure it's working for you and your family, because it's all about customizing things to work for us.