Pioneering Today Podcast - Homesteading in a Modern World

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/