Pioneering Today

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