Pioneering Today Podcast - Homesteading in a Modern World

What are the best crops for a Pacific Northwest vegetable garden?

In today's episode, I'm sharing the crops and varieties that have truly earned their place in my Pacific Northwest vegetable garden after 26 years of gardening in a cool, short-season climate.

Over the years, I've become much more intentional about what I grow. I want crops that reliably produce, preserve well, and are foods we actually eat throughout the year. Some vegetables continue to thrive season after season, while others simply aren't worth the time, effort, or garden space in our northern climate.

In this episode, I'm walking you through:

• The vegetables I plant every single year

• My favorite tried-and-true varieties

• The crops I've stopped growing and why

• What performs best in cool summer climates

• How I decide what deserves space in my garden

• My rule for experimenting with new varieties

Whether you garden in the Pacific Northwest or another northern growing region, I hope this helps you feel more confident choosing crops that will actually thrive where you live.

Resources & Links:

• 🌱 Full blog post: https://melissaknorris.com/512

• 🌱 Plated by Season Magazine: https://melissaknorris.com/homestead-foundations/

• 🌱 Potato experiment video mentioned in this episode: https://melissaknorris.com/i-left-my-potatoes-in-the-ground-for-5-years-without-replanting/

• Verse of the Week: John 4:10

Every spring, I sit down and plan out our entire food preservation year so harvest season doesn't completely take over my life. After more than 25 years of preserving food, I've learned that the key isn't preserving everything… It's preserving the foods we actually eat in ways that work for our schedule and lifestyle.

In this episode, I'm walking you through exactly how I plan our preserving season, how I avoid overwhelm during peak harvest months, and the practical system I use to decide what's worth preserving and what's not.

If you've ever found yourself drowning in tomatoes in August, staring at jars you never use, or feeling burned out by canning season, this episode is for you. 💛

🍅 Why reactive preserving leads to stress and waste 🫙 How I do a pantry inventory every spring 📓 Why writing down your preserving goals matters 🥒 The foods I preserve most for our family 🌱 How our family's eating habits have changed over the years 🗓️ How I map out preserving season month-by-month ⏰ My "small pocket" method for preserving with a busy schedule 🫐 Which foods freeze beautifully before preserving 🥬 How I decide the best preservation method for each crop 👩‍🌾 Why preserving with community makes everything easier

📘 Grab the bundle from this week's podcast sponsor, Homestead Living. It includes my book, Everything Worth Preserving, Jill Winger's Old Fashioned On Purpose Planner and Carolyn Thomases book, Freeze Drying the Harvest, all for just $89.99 (including FREE shipping!): https://homesteadliving.com/seasonal-food-strategy-subscriber-offer-2026/ 🥒 Pickled Asparagus Recipe: https://melissaknorris.com/best-pickled-asparagus-easy-canning-recipe/ 🍅 Fermented Salsa Recipe: https://melissaknorris.com/fermented-salsa/ 🥒 Garlic Dill Pickles Recipe: https://melissaknorris.com/best-homemade-pickles-recipe/ 🥒 Bread and Butter Pickles Recipe: https://melissaknorris.com/pioneering-today-bread-butter-refrigerator-pickle-recipe/ 🌿 Rhubarb Strawberry Jam Recipe: https://melissaknorris.com/pioneering-today-how-to-make-strawberry-rhubarb-jam/ 🥔 Root Cellaring in the Ground Tutorial: https://melissaknorris.com/how-to-harvest-and-store-potatoes/ 🫘 Leather Britches Green Beans Tutorial: https://melissaknorris.com/leather-britches-green-beans/

📖 Luke 10:5-7 (AMP)

You can grab all the resources and remedies mentioned in this episode here: https://melissaknorris.com/511

Summer means more time outside… and more sunburns, bug bites, bee stings, scrapes, and itchy skin. In today's episode, I'm sharing the herbal remedies for summer that I always keep stocked in our home apothecary before we need them.

These are the natural remedies I personally reach for first when it comes to: 🌿 Sunburn relief 🦟 Mosquito bites & itchy skin 🐝 Bee stings & wasp stings 🩹 Cuts, scrapes & wound healing 💜 Bruises & sore tissue

We're talking about practical herbalism you can actually use in everyday life with simple remedies like lavender, aloe vera, plantain, calendula, yarrow, chamomile, arnica, and more.

Thanks to Earthley for sponsoring today's podcast. Grab 10% off your order with coupon code "PIONEER10" (excluding sale items): Earthley.com

RESOURCES MENTIONED: 🌞 Earthley Sun Shield: https://www.earthley.com/products/sun-shield 🦟 Earthley Pest Aside: https://www.earthley.com/products/pest-aside 🩹 Wound Healing Salve: https://melissaknorris.com/homemade-wound-healing-salve-recipe/ 🌿 Lavender Essential Oil (and roller bottles): https://melissaknorris.com/lemon-lavender-peppermint-essential-oils

📖 Verse of the Week: Matthew 13:43

You can grab all the resources and remedies mentioned in this episode here: https://melissaknorris.com/510

If this video helped you, make sure to subscribe and share it with a friend who wants to build a home apothecary and start using homemade herbal remedies.

#HerbalRemedies #NaturalRemedies #HomeApothecary #MelissaKNorris #Herbalism #NaturalFirstAid #Homesteading #HerbalMedicine #SummerHerbs

Are you building a pantry that actually feeds your family, or just collecting random jars and bulk foods?

In this episode, I'm sharing how to build a well-stocked pantry that supports everyday meals, long-term food storage, and from-scratch cooking without overwhelm. We're talking about the foundational pantry staples I prioritize first, how to stock foods your family actually eats, and why a practical pantry should serve you now, not just "someday."

I'm also sharing:

• The 5 foundational pantry categories I always keep stocked

• How to slowly build food storage on a budget

• Why pantry rotation matters

• The difference between emergency food storage and a working pantry

• What to know about storing fats, grains, beans, salt, and preservation basics

• Important canning safety reminders for vinegar and dried beans

• My best tips for creating real meals from pantry staples

Whether you're just starting your pantry journey or looking to make your food storage more practical, this episode will help you build a pantry that truly works for your family.

Thanks to Azure Standard for sponsoring today's podcast. For first-time customers, use coupon code "MELISSA15" for 15% off your first order of $100 or more: https://melissaknorris.com/azure-standard/

Resources Mentioned:

• Fresh Ground Flour Resources

• Sourdough Resources

• Safe Canning Resources

• Pressure Canning Beans

• Home Apothecary & Medicinal Herbs

• Long-Term Food Storage Tips

• Verse of the Week: Job 22:25-28

If this video helped you, make sure to subscribe and share it with a friend who wants to build a healthier pantry and cook more from scratch.

You can grab all the resources mentioned in this episode here: https://melissaknorris.com/509

If you've ever wanted to start a medicinal herb garden but felt overwhelmed by where to begin, this episode is for you.

In today's podcast, I'm walking you through exactly how I plan a medicinal herb garden in a simple, practical way. We're talking about which herbs to grow first, how to choose ones your family will actually use, and how to begin building a home apothecary without needing a ton of space or experience.

I'm also sharing some of my favorite beginner-friendly herbs like lemon balm, chamomile, calendula, and peppermint, along with how I use them in our daily life for things like calming support, digestion, and first aid.

One of the biggest shifts that helped me gain confidence with herbs was understanding why to use a certain herb, not just following a recipe. That's where herbal energetics comes in, and I've created a free herbal energetics chart to help you get started.

You can grab that free chart and find all the resources mentioned in this episode here: https://melissaknorris.com/508

Whether you're planting your first herb or expanding your garden, I hope this episode gives you the clarity and confidence to take that next step.

Because truly, you don't need to grow everything. You just need to start.

Thanks to the sponsor of today's podcast, Earthley Wellness! Use coupon code "PIONEER10" at checkout for 10% off your order: https://earthley.com/

Can you really feed your family on $100 a month?

In this episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on the system my mom used to feed our family well on a very small grocery budget and why it still works today. While the 1980's equivalent to $100/month is now around $300-$400/month, we can achieve this today. This isn't about couponing, deprivation, or living on rice and beans. It's about a simple, intentional way of cooking from scratch, buying in season, and preserving food your family actually eats.

After sharing my mom's story, so many of you asked how it actually worked. In this episode, I break down the exact system behind it so you can begin applying it in your own kitchen right now.

We're talking about how to:

• Lower your grocery bill without sacrificing quality

• Use seasonal food to your advantage

• Build a pantry that supports real meals

• Avoid waste and make every ingredient count

• Start creating a food system that works for your current season of life

I also share what's different today compared to when I was growing up, including time constraints, the loss of generational knowledge, and how to bridge that gap with the tools we have now.

If you've ever felt like feeding your family well on a budget isn't possible, this episode will show you a different way forward.

This is about more than saving money. It's about building a kitchen that nourishes your family, supports your values, and gives you confidence in what's on your table.

Listen now and start building your system today.

For more information and any links mentioned, visit the blog post here: https://melissaknorris.com/507

📌 Don't forget: I'm hosting a FREE 5-Day Seasonal Food Preservation Workshop (April 20–24) where I'll walk you step-by-step through building your own customized plan. 👉 Sign up here: https://melissaknorris.com/five

If you've ever had a jar not seal, a ferment go questionable, or food spoil before you could use it, this episode is for you.

Food preservation can feel overwhelming, especially with so much conflicting advice out there. In this episode, I'm walking you through the most common mistakes I see with canning, fermenting, dehydrating, and food storage and how to fix them so you can preserve food safely and confidently.

We'll talk about:

• The truth about botulism and food safety

• Why tested recipes matter

• What causes jars to not seal or lose their seal

• How to tell the difference between mold and kahm yeast

• Simple ways to prevent spoilage when dehydrating and storing food

The goal is not perfection. It's confidence. And once you understand what's actually happening, you'll be able to troubleshoot and preserve food with peace of mind.

For more information and any links mentioned, visit the blog post here: https://melissaknorris.com/506

📌 Don't forget: I'm hosting a FREE 5-Day Seasonal Food Preservation Workshop (April 20–24) where I'll walk you step-by-step through building your own customized plan.

👉 Sign up here: https://melissaknorris.com/five

Have you ever bought canning supplies with the best intentions… only to let them sit unused? Or watched beautiful, homegrown food go to waste because you didn't have the time or plan to preserve it?

In this episode, I'm sharing the real reason most people struggle with food preservation—and it's probably not what you think.

It's not a lack of motivation. It's not a lack of skill. It's a systems problem.

Today, I'm walking you through the mindset shift that will change everything when it comes to preserving food for your family. We'll talk about:

• Why reactive preserving leads to overwhelm and failure

• The "August ambush" and how to avoid it

• How to shift from a grocery store mindset to seasonal living

• The simple 3-question system to build a sustainable food preservation plan

• How to finally stock your pantry with confidence (without burnout)

If you've ever felt behind, overwhelmed, or unsure where to start, this episode will help you move forward with clarity and purpose.

📌 Don't forget: I'm hosting a FREE 5-Day Seasonal Food Preservation Workshop (April 20–24) where I'll walk you step-by-step through building your own customized plan. 👉 Sign up here: https://melissaknorris.com/five

For more information and any links mentioned, visit the blog post here: https://melissaknorris.com/505

How did one family eat real, homemade food on just $100 a month?

In this special episode of the Pioneering Today Podcast, I'm joined by my mom as she shares what it was really like feeding our family on a tight grocery budget in the 1980s, plus the simple, from-scratch habits that made it possible.

From cooking everything at home to shopping sales strategically, building a pantry over time, and wasting nothing, these are the exact principles that shaped how I run my kitchen today.

If you're feeling the pressure of rising grocery prices, this episode will show you how to stretch your food budget without sacrificing nutrition or flavor.

In this episode, we cover:

• How we lived on about $20-25/week for groceries
• The pantry staples that made from-scratch cooking possible
• Why convenience foods cost more (in more ways than one)
• How to shop sales and stock up the right way
• Simple meals we ate growing up (and still love today)
• The mindset shift that makes frugal living sustainable

These are timeless, practical strategies you can start using right away in your own kitchen.

👉 Read the accompanying blog post here: https://melissaknorris.com/podcast/how-my-mom-fed-our-family-on-100-a-month/

Spring is a tricky in-between season when it comes to meal planning. You're craving fresh foods, but the garden isn't quite ready yet—and your pantry is still full of winter staples.

In this episode, I'm sharing simple, practical tips for spring meal planning so you can use what you already have, incorporate early seasonal ingredients, and make getting dinner on the table easier.

We'll talk about:

• Cooking with pantry staples and preserved foods

• Easy ways to use up extra eggs

• Simple meal rotations to reduce decision fatigue

• How to transition from winter to spring meals with ease

If you've been feeling stuck in a dinner rut, this episode will help you simplify your cooking and enjoy the shift into a new season.

For more information and any links mentioned, visit the blog post here: https://melissaknorris.com/503

Links Mentioned:

- Plated By Season (Spring Edition starts shipping in April - grab your subscription now to be sure you get your Spring copy!): https://melissaknorris.com/plated

- Creamy Delicata Squash Soup recipe: https://melissaknorris.com/creamy-delicata-squash-soup/

- Bacon Wrapped Asparagus: https://melissaknorris.com/bacon-wrapped-asparagus-easy-appetizer-or-side-dish/

- Carrot Cookie recipe: https://melissaknorris.com/vintage-recipe-carrot-cookies/

Thanks to Azure Standard for sponsoring this podcast. For first-time customers, you can use code "MELISSA15" and get 15% off your first order of $100 or more: https://melissaknorris.com/azure-standard/