In this flavor-packed conversation, we dive deep into the vibrant world of peppers—from seed to harvest, kitchen to apothecary. Timed perfectly for late-winter seed starting, this episode walks you through everything you need to know to successfully grow thriving pepper plants, including seed-starting tips, heat and light requirements, transplanting, and maximizing yields in the garden.

But the journey doesn’t stop at the harvest. You’ll explore how peppers transform in the kitchen—fresh, dried, fermented, or smoked—and how heat levels (thanks to capsaicin) influence both flavor and culinary creativity. We share our personal experiences crafting unique hot sauces and spice blends straight from the garden.

Finally, discover the powerful medicinal side of peppers, including their role in circulation, digestion, and topical pain relief, along with simple ways to incorporate them into your home apothecary.

Whether you love sweet bells or fiery super-hots, this episode is your complete guide to growing, using, and benefiting from one of the most versatile plants in the garden. 🌶️

Dive further with more information:

Planning your garden in 3 Simple Steps (featuring info about seed starting equipment): previous podcast episode: https://seedsandweedspodcast.com/planning-your-garden-in-three-simple-steps/

Seed Starting Tips & Tricks on Youtube: https://youtu.be/pEvbvYLrPa0?si=ZQByYqYKPjktINx4

Tabasco Seed Story on YouTube: https://youtu.be/EJQM_U2v5Zs?si=Wtg8Fh2WZZ-sQSdR

Shop Pepper Seeds in the Small House Seed Collection: https://www.smallhousefarm.com/product-category/seeds/peppers/

Shop Small House Salves made with Capsicum: https://www.smallhousefarm.com/product-category/herbal-body-care/salves/

✨ Join our Patreon community for exclusive content, seasonal herb boxes, and more! ​www.patreon.com/smallhousefarm

Connect with us!
IG: @small_house_farm
FB: @smallhousefarm

Learn more about the plants in your yard and garden! Join our Patreon community to discover our Plant of the Month and learn how to work with herbs in the kitchen, garden, and apothecary! 

https://www.patreon.com/c/smallhousefarm

Support for the Seeds and Weeds Podcast comes from Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company. Baker Creek offers America’s largest selection of heirloom and open-pollinated seed varieties from around the world – and right here at home. For more than 25 years, saving, sharing, and celebrating heirloom seeds has been their mission and their passion. Find out more at rareseeds.com.

Support the show

Unlock the secrets to a low-maintenance, high-yield garden. Gardening expert and author Charlie Nardozzi shares how his book The Continuous Vegetable Garden helps growers maximize harvests while reducing time and effort. 

From perennial vegetables and self-seeding crops to succession planting, overwintering, and season extension, this episode delivers practical, approachable techniques to help gardeners enjoy fresh food from early spring through late fall—no matter their garden size or experience level.

Learn more about Charlie and order his book: 

https://www.gardeningwithcharlie.com/

Sign up for Charlie's gardening webinar:

https://www.gardeningwithcharlie.com/webinars/the-continuous-vegetable-garden-webinar/

Order The Continuous Vegetable Garden from Amazon:

https://amzn.to/4qj15SG

Learn more about the plants in your yard and garden! Join our Patreon community to discover our Plant of the Month and learn how to work with herbs in the kitchen, garden, and apothecary! 

https://www.patreon.com/c/smallhousefarm

Support for the Seeds and Weeds Podcast comes from Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company. Baker Creek offers America’s largest selection of heirloom and open-pollinated seed varieties from around the world – and right here at home. For more than 25 years, saving, sharing, and celebrating heirloom seeds has been their mission and their passion. Find out more at rareseeds.com.

Support the show

In this first episode of Season 4, we dive into the art and science of herbal extracts—simple, powerful ways to turn the plants you grow, forage, or purchase into food, medicine, and everyday remedies. Explore how the dormant season is the perfect time to slow down, take stock, and work with herbs in the kitchen and apothecary.

This episode breaks down four essential extraction methods—water, fat, alcohol, and vinegar—explaining what each one extracts best and how to use them in real life. From teas, syrups, jellies, and broths to infused oils, salves, tinctures, fire cider, and oxymels, you’ll learn how to pull flavor, color, minerals, and medicinal benefits from plants using accessible, at-home techniques.

Along the way, the conversation is filled with practical tips, seasonal inspiration, and creative ideas for reducing waste, using garden leftovers, and crafting herbal remedies that support stress, sleep, digestion, skin health, and more. Whether you’re brand new to herbalism or deepening your practice, this episode offers approachable guidance and plenty of encouragement to experiment.

If you’ve ever wondered how to get more from the plants in your life—or how to start building your own home apothecary—this episode is a cozy, empowering place to begin. 🌿

✨ Links mentioned in this episode:

Make the Perfect Cup of Herbal Tea https://youtu.be/2q452gOBY3k?si=9XwommsPz5Cgjzpq

Making a Herbal Salve https://youtu.be/Rdq-ccoiBdg?si=-LS-ECsz4o3isv9O

Make Fire Cider https://youtu.be/yUYsSSHdygU?si=4Fwl-aZZDUuOJok8

Shop for Herbal Tinctures: https://www.smallhousefarm.com/herbal-tinctures/

Harvest Spruce Tips with us! https://youtu.be/qT0GRRM7zXY?si=xboRaEFR7JkXEK56

✨ Join our Patreon community for exclusive content, seasonal herb boxes, and more! ​www.patreon.com/smallhousefarm

Connect with us!
IG: @small_house_farm
FB: @smallhousefarm

Learn more about the plants in your yard and garden! Join our Patreon community to discover our Plant of the Month and learn how to work with herbs int he kitchen garden and apothecary! 

https://www.patreon.com/c/smallhousefarm

Support for the Seeds and Weeds Podcast comes from Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company. Baker Creek offers America’s largest selection of heirloom and open-pollinated seed varieties from around the world – and right here at home. For more than 25 years, saving, sharing, and celebrating heirloom seeds has been their mission and their passion. Find out more at rareseeds.com.

Support the show

✨ Celebrate the Season of Rest and Reflection ✨

In this Winter Solstice special of Seeds & Weeds, we slow down, look back, and dream forward. As the longest night of the year arrives, we reflect on a season of growth—both in the garden and beyond—celebrating milestones, lessons learned, and the rhythms that guide a life rooted in the land.

This episode weaves together solstice traditions from around the world, personal highlights from a banner year for the podcast, and an exploration of juniper, the evergreen herb of winter. Discover juniper’s medicinal magic, cozy culinary uses, and how it can support respiratory health, sore muscles, and seasonal rituals—plus a festive juniper mocktail (or cocktail) recipe to toast the returning light.

Thoughtful, grounding, and inspiring, this episode is an invitation to pause, honor the quiet of winter, and plant seeds for the year ahead. 🌲❄️

Seeds & Weeds recap:
Most downloaded episode of season 3 (2025) : All About Lemon Balm + Mulch in the Garden: https://seedsandweedspodcast.com/summer-solstice-2025-special/

We also mention this great episode: Let’s Chat w/ Jere Gettle: https://seedsandweedspodcast.com/jere-gettle-baker-creek/

GoodPods Podcast of the Month in November 2025!

Bevin received the Seed Stewardship Award in January 2025 from the Central Indiana Seed Swap. Make a plan to attend this awesome event in 2026 if you're in the area. More information at https://hcmga.org/central-indiana-seed-swap

2025 was the year for Herbs in Every Season, which was released in March. We celebrated all year with our Patreon community by crafting seasonal boxes built around the book and inspired by its recipes and content. Get your copy here: https://www.smallhousefarm.com/product/herbs-in-every-season/

✨ Join our Patreon community for exclusive content, seasonal herb boxes, and more! ​www.patreon.com/smallhousefarm

Connect with us!
IG: @small_house_farm
FB: @smallhousefarm

Learn more about the plants in your yard and garden! Join our Patreon community to discover our Plant of the Month and learn how to work with herbs int he kitchen garden and apothecary! 

https://www.patreon.com/c/smallhousefarm

Support for the Seeds and Weeds Podcast comes from Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company. Baker Creek offers America’s largest selection of heirloom and open-pollinated seed varieties from around the world – and right here at home. For more than 25 years, saving, sharing, and celebrating heirloom seeds has been their mission and their passion. Find out more at rareseeds.com.

Support the show

From soothing teas to immune-boosting brews, this episode is a winter wellness treasure chest. 

Listeners get an exclusive behind-the-scenes moment as we celebrate submitting a ginormous new manuscript— a major project set to hit bookshelves in July 2027. 

From there, it’s all about the herbs: 

Peppermint & Spearmint for digestion, mocktails, and holiday calm
Ginger for warming tea blends and digestive support
Fennel & Thyme for soothing sore throats
Sage & Rosemary for memory, flavor, and festive recipes
Cinnamon for aromatic comfort and anti-inflammatory power
Echinacea for winter immune strength
Garlic — the bold, wellness-boosting staple we swear by
Shiitake Mushrooms for wintertime vitamin D and mood support

Every herb comes with real-life recipes, practical how-tos, and creative ways to incorporate plant medicine into holiday cooking, daily rituals, and family wellness. 

And of course, the episode ends with a fan favorite — Heather’s iconic Fire Cider, a customizable, immune-boosting vinegar infusion beloved by the herbal community. Whether you’re new to fire cider or ready to level up your recipe, this segment gives you everything you need to brew your own powerful winter tonic. 

Shop Herbal Teas (including Choco-Latte): http://smallhousefarm.com/product-category/herbal-wellness

Find more herbal recipes in Bevin's book, Herbs in Every Season: https://www.smallhousefarm.com/product/herbs-in-every-season/

Learn how to grow your own Shiitake mushrooms: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wh6PeZDriNU

Watch Heather's famous Fire Cider video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUYsSSHdygU

Try Small House's Fire Cider: https://www.smallhousefarm.com/product/fire-cider/

✨ Join our Patreon community for exclusive content, seasonal herb boxes, and more! ​www.patreon.com/smallhousefarm

Connect with us!
IG: @small_house_farm
FB: @smallhousefarm

Learn more about the plants in your yard and garden! Join our Patreon community to discover our Plant of the Month and learn how to work with herbs int he kitchen garden and apothecary! 

https://www.patreon.com/c/smallhousefarm

Support for the Seeds and Weeds Podcast comes from Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company. Baker Creek offers America’s largest selection of heirloom and open-pollinated seed varieties from around the world – and right here at home. For more than 25 years, saving, sharing, and celebrating heirloom seeds has been their mission and their passion. Find out more at rareseeds.com.

Support the show

From growing and harvesting to seed saving and cooking, we’re exploring everything you need to know about squash!​ Learn the difference between summer and winter squash, how to cure them for long-term storage, and discover creative ways to use squash in the kitchen—from roasted seeds to pumpkin puree and even edible leaves and flowers! 🍂

Plus, we’re sharing the incredible benefits of nutrient-rich pumpkin seed oil, including its uses in cooking and natural body care products. ​Did you know pumpkin seeds were once used as medicine for parasites? ​ 🐖

🛒 Shop:

Small House Pumpkin Oil,

Lipbalm made with Pumpkin Seed Oil, 

Bevin's book; The Complete Guide to Seed & Nut Oils

📺 Learn how to save your squash seeds on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33L-dYWiG34

Don’t miss this fun and informative episode packed with gardening tips, delicious recipes, and even a few squash-inspired jokes! 🎃

✨ Join our Patreon community for exclusive content, seasonal herb boxes, and more! ​www.patreon.com/smallhousefarm

🎧 Listen now and squash your curiosity!

Connect with us!
IG: @small_house_farm
FB: @smallhousefarm

Learn more about the plants in your yard and garden! Join our Patreon community to discover our Plant of the Month and learn how to work with herbs int he kitchen garden and apothecary! 

https://www.patreon.com/c/smallhousefarm

Support for the Seeds and Weeds Podcast comes from Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company. Baker Creek offers America’s largest selection of heirloom and open-pollinated seed varieties from around the world – and right here at home. For more than 25 years, saving, sharing, and celebrating heirloom seeds has been their mission and their passion. Find out more at rareseeds.com.

Support the show

🍂 Celebrate the Season of Transition with Seeds and Weeds! ​ 🌱

In this special Autumn Equinox episode, the Seeds and Weeds podcast dives into the magic of fall! ​ From the crisp air to the golden hues, we embrace the beauty of the season while sharing practical tips and inspiration for gardeners, foragers, and herbalists alike. 🌻

✨ Highlights include:

• A deep dive into the versatile herb sage—its culinary, medicinal, and gardening wonders. ​ Learn how to make sage-infused compound butter, fried sage leaves, and even a cozy apple juice mocktail! ​ 🧄🍎
• Expert garlic-growing tips from special guest Kristin Graves, author of The Garlic Companion. ​ 🧄 Listen to her full episode: https://seedsandweedspodcast.com/all-about-garlic-kristin-graves/
• Fall gardening activities like seed saving, planting autumn crops, and propagating herbs to prepare for next season. ​ 🌱
• The importance of slowing down, reflecting, and connecting with nature during this season of balance. ​ 🌎

Whether you're harvesting, planting, or simply enjoying a cup of tea on the porch, this episode is packed with inspiration to help you make the most of autumn. ​ 🍁

🎧 Tune in now and let’s grow together! Happy Equinox! ​ 🌟

Support the podcast by joining our Patreon for as little as $3/month at www.patreon.com/smallhousefarm

Connect with us!

IG: @small_house_farm
FB: @smallhousefarm

Learn more about the plants in your yard and garden! Join our Patreon community to discover our Plant of the Month and learn how to work with herbs int he kitchen garden and apothecary! 

https://www.patreon.com/c/smallhousefarm

Support for the Seeds and Weeds Podcast comes from Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company. Baker Creek offers America’s largest selection of heirloom and open-pollinated seed varieties from around the world – and right here at home. For more than 25 years, saving, sharing, and celebrating heirloom seeds has been their mission and their passion. Find out more at rareseeds.com.

Support the show

We’re diving into the juicy world of tomatoes—the ultimate summer garden staple. ​ 🍅 From growing tips to recipes, seed-saving techniques, and expert advice, this episode is your one-stop shop for everything tomato.

🎙️ What’s Inside This Episode?

Tomato Varieties Galore: From cherry tomatoes to beefsteaks, indeterminate to determinate, and even wild varieties, we explore the incredible diversity of tomatoes. ​ There’s truly a tomato for everyone! ​

Expert Growing Tips: Erica Kempter from Nature and Nurture Seeds shares her secrets for tackling common challenges like blossom end rot, trellising techniques (hello, Florida weave!), and the best time to harvest for maximum flavor.

Delicious Recipes: Whether it’s a fresh salsa, a hearty marinara, or the North African-inspired Shakshuka, we’ve got mouthwatering ideas to make the most of your harvest. ​

Seed-Saving Made Simple: Learn how to save seeds like a pro, ensuring your favorite varieties thrive year after year. ​

Tomato Stories: From the fascinating history of heirloom varieties like Old Carolina to the joy of discovering accidental hybrids, we celebrate the stories behind the seeds.

🌟 Special Highlights:

A recap of the inspiring Seed Savers Exchange conference. ​
A shoutout to our amazing Patreon community—thank you for making this podcast possible! ​

Sneak peeks into exclusive content, including recipes and resources available to our Patreon members. ​

💡 Why Listen? This episode is packed with practical advice, inspiring stories, and a whole lot of tomato love. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting out, you’ll walk away with tips, tricks, and ideas to elevate your gardening game. ​

🍅 Celebrate Summer, One Tomato at a Time! ​ 🍅

Learn more about Nature & Nurture Seeds and order your favorite tomatoes: https://natureandnurtureseeds.com/

Enjoy our Tomato Tasting videos: https://youtu.be/WyQIFditsqA?si=Tpv3faKsGH4ueOK- 

Check out a Tomato Tour: https://youtu.be/xxMnTkvySD0?si=5rV8_RweN0CD2C9N

Trellis Tomatoes: https://youtu.be/U2sJY6vKYm8?si=z51ulWlUOxecJifl 

Tomato Pruning: https://youtu.be/tVVW2i-Y9HY?si=AI2kUe8SANCjbOkk

Tomato Seed Saving: https://youtu.be/kg4sQJo06y4?si=5fLAZpJPUWnV-WGH

Shop Tomato Seeds: https://www.smallhousefarm.com/seed-collection/

Preserve the Harvest with The Heritage Pantry: https://www.smallhousefarm.com/product/the-heritage-pantry/

Support the podcast by joining our Patreon for as little as $3/month at www.patreon.c

Learn more about the plants in your yard and garden! Join our Patreon community to discover our Plant of the Month and learn how to work with herbs in the kitchen, garden, and apothecary! 

https://www.patreon.com/c/smallhousefarm

Support for the Seeds and Weeds Podcast comes from Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company. Baker Creek offers America’s largest selection of heirloom and open-pollinated seed varieties from around the world – and right here at home. For more than 25 years, saving, sharing, and celebrating heirloom seeds has been their mission and their passion. Find out more at rareseeds.com.

Support the show

Flowers offer us food and medicine in addition to beauty. Let's explore some of our favorite summer flowers and the many ways we can enjoy them in the kitchen and apothecary. 

Some of our favorite summer flowers include Chamomile, Rose and Yarrow. We share some recipes and advice on how to make the most of these summer delights.

We'll also talk about some creative ways to use the bounty of herbs and veggies that are available right now. 

Check out the Mountain Rose Herbs blog that's packed with useful content and recipes: https://blog.mountainroseherbs.com/

If you're able, join us at the Seed Savers Exchange 50th anniversary conference: https://seedsavers.org/events/50th-anniversary-celebration/

Throughout the episode we mention some of our favorite Small House products

 LOTION made with chamomile infusion: https://www.smallhousefarm.com/product/soothing-lotion/

HEALING SALVE made with yarrow: https://www.smallhousefarm.com/product/healing-salve/

Want to learn more about the International Herb Association's Herb of the Year? https://www.iherb.org/

Get your copy of HERBS IN EVERY SEASON https://www.smallhousefarm.com/product/herbs-in-every-season/

Support the podcast by joining our Patreon for as little as $3/month at www.patreon.com/smallhousefarm

Connect with us!

IG: @small_house_farm
FB: @smallhousefarm
YT: @smallhousefarm
www.seedsandweedspodcast.com 

Support the show

Learn more about the plants in your yard and garden! Join our Patreon community to discover our Plant of the Month and learn how to work with herbs int he kitchen garden and apothecary! 

https://www.patreon.com/c/smallhousefarm

Support for the Seeds and Weeds Podcast comes from Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company. Baker Creek offers America’s largest selection of heirloom and open-pollinated seed varieties from around the world – and right here at home. For more than 25 years, saving, sharing, and celebrating heirloom seeds has been their mission and their passion. Find out more at rareseeds.com.

Support the show

Celebrate the Sun in our Summer Solstice Special Episode! 

Herbalist Mary Colvin joins us to talk all about lemon balm; in the kitchen, garden and apothecary - we love this amazing herb! 

We share some recipes for herbal jellies, special stuffing for the Solstice feast, using salt to preserve herbs, and dig into the many medicinal uses for lemon balm. Mary shares info on lemon balm tea, topical uses for infusions and some of her favorite blends for lemon balm teas and tinctures. 

You can learn more about Mary Colvin and her work at https://herbalistmentor.com/

Mary was also a guest on a previous episode of Seeds & Weeds: https://seedsandweedspodcast.com/herbalists-guide-mary-colvin-ancestral-herbology/

The heat of the summer sun means we need to think about mulch for our gardens! We explore various types of mulch including grass clippings, straw, leaves, and landscaping cloth. Mulch is a valuable garden tool that suppresses weeds, retains moisture and keeps the soil cool.

At the top of the episode we talk about summer garden chores such as weeding, watering and trellising our plants. We also share some updates form around Small House Farm and Heather reads an excerpt from Herbs in Every Season.

Find your copy of Herbs In Every Season: https://www.smallhousefarm.com/product/herbs-in-every-season/

Visit the Mountain Rose Herbs website: https://mountainroseherbs.com/

Learn more about the Modern Homesteading Conference: https://modernhomesteading.com/

Support the podcast by joining our Patreon for as little as $3/month at www.patreon.com/smallhousefarm

Connect with us!

IG: @small_house_farm
FB: @smallhousefarm
YT: @smallhousefarm
www.seedsandweedspodcast.com 

Support the show

Learn more about the plants in your yard and garden! Join our Patreon community to discover our Plant of the Month and learn how to work with herbs in the kitchen, garden, and apothecary! 

https://www.patreon.com/c/smallhousefarm

Support for the Seeds and Weeds Podcast comes from Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company. Baker Creek offers America’s largest selection of heirloom and open-pollinated seed varieties from around the world – and right here at home. For more than 25 years, saving, sharing, and celebrating heirloom seeds has been their mission and their passion. Find out more at rareseeds.com.

Support the show