

Pioneering Today Podcast - Homesteading in a Modern World
Melissa K Norris
Pioneering Today is all about getting back to basics, simple living, and self-sufficiency with old-fashioned skills and wisdom in a modern world. With heirloom gardening, canning, preserving the harvest, from scratch cooking, raising your own food, including livestock (backyard chickens, pigs, and cattle), natural medicine, herbs, DIY like soap making along with living a simple self-sufficient life, no matter where you live. Hosted by 5th generation homesteader, Melissa K. Norris, author of The Made-from-Scratch Life. This podcast brings you the conversation from MelissaKNorris.com and The Pioneering Today Academy, with Q&A's, teaching, tutorials, and always giving you practical ways and tips to live the simple and self-sufficient life.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jun 20, 2025 • 51min
Immunity for Polluters: How New Laws Threaten Your Soil & Food Supply
Join me for this podcast with Will Harris from White Oak Pastures and Taylor Henry from Acres USA as we discuss what's going on with fertilizer companies and immunity for their products. For more information and any links mentioned in today's podcast, visit https://melissaknorris.com/472 Grab your tickets to the Modern Homesteading Conference here and use coupon code MKN15 for 15% off: https://modernhomesteading.com/ This podcast is sponsored by Azure Standard. For first-time Azure customers, you can get 15% off your first order of $100 or more by using coupon code "MELISSA15" at checkout: https://melissaknorris.com/azure-standard

Jun 13, 2025 • 30min
Leaving the Homestead: What Every Homesteader Needs to Know Before Stepping Away
So you want to go on vacation or you need to leave town for a few days... but you have a homestead. Feel like you're stuck? Listen to today's podcast with four fellow homesteading moms as we share our tips and tricks for how we prepare to leave our homesteads. Plus, the commonly forgotten tasks! For more information and any links mentioned in today's podcast, visit https://melissaknorris.com/471 Grab your tickets to the Modern Homesteading Conference here and use coupon code MKN15 for 15% off: https://modernhomesteading.com/ Be sure to check out my dehydrating mini course and all my other classes here: https://melissaknorris.com/classes/ This podcast is sponsored by Azure Standard. For first-time Azure customers, you can get 15% off your first order of $100 or more by using coupon code "MELISSA15" at checkout: https://melissaknorris.com/azure-standard

Jun 6, 2025 • 47min
The Hidden Layer of Homestead Security: Why Community May Be Your Best Defense
In this podcast, we're discussing the hidden layers of homestead security and why community may be your best defense. When we talk about defense, many people think about locks, cameras, etc. But what if your greatest security wasn't a thing but a who? For more information and any links mentioned in today's podcast, visit https://melissaknorris.com/470

May 30, 2025 • 50min
Don't Transplant These Crops—Why Direct Seeding Works Better w/ Don Tipping
Join me with Don Tipping from Siskiyou Seeds as we discuss direct sowing methods for seeds. You'll also want to catch his tips on how to keep weeds out of the garden, and his brilliant hack for using a flamethrower without ruining your seedlings. For more information and any links mentioned in today's podcast, visit https://melissaknorris.com/469 Grab your Modern Homesteading Conference tickets here and use code "MKN15" for 15% off at checkout: https://modernhomesteading.com

May 22, 2025 • 50min
Lard for Sunburn & SPF? What They Don't Tell You About Skin Care
Join me with Farrow Skincare's Charles Mayfield as we discuss the benefits of tallow and lard for skincare, especially pre-sun and post-sun skincare. For more information and any links mentioned in today's podcast, visit https://melissaknorris.com/468 Check out Farrow Skincare and get 15% off your purchase with coupon code "Melissa15": https://farrow.life/

May 16, 2025 • 44min
Thinking About Getting a Herding Dog? WATCH THIS FIRST
If you're looking to get a farm dog, you may be wondering which farm dog breeds are best. This can vary based on many factors, from your needs, your property and your time commitment to training the dog. Listen to this podcast interview with Jordyn Kelly from Working Aussies Homestead. For more information and any links mentioned in today's podcast, visit https://melissaknorris.com/467 This podcast is sponsored by Azure Standard. For first-time Azure customers, you can get 15% off your first order of $100 or more by using coupon code "MELISSA15" at checkout: https://melissaknorris.com/azure-standard

May 2, 2025 • 43min
EP #466 Preserve More, Waste Less: Proven Homestead Tips for Long-Lasting Success
Join us for this month's Homestead Kitchen Round Table as we talk about our favorite preservation methods and tips for getting our fresh produce preserved for the year while minimizing the stress. For more information and any links mentioned in today's podcast, visit https://melissaknorris.com/466 Be sure to sign up for the upcoming Homestead Kitchen Crash Course. During this FREE 5-day workshop you'll learn to preserve the harvest, stock the pantry and ditch the grocery store, one jar at a time! https://melissaknorris.com/crash And finally, grab my updated edition of Home and Hand Made with over 100+ recipes and tutorials for filling your home with handmade goodies! https://melissaknorris.com/handmade

Apr 18, 2025 • 1h 8min
EP #465 - Mennonite Traditions for Simple Meals & Stronger Families w/ RuthAnn Zimmerman
We're continuing the conversation of from-scratch cooking today with RuthAnn Zimmerman. Both of us agree that cooking from scratch does not mean you're slaving away in the kitchen all day long, nor does it mean everything you eat has to be made from scratch. Listen to today's podcast on implementing Mennonite traditions to create simple meals and stronger families. For more information and any links mentioned in today's podcast, visit https://melissaknorris.com/465 This podcast is sponsored by Azure Standard. For first-time Azure customers, you can get 15% off your first order of $100 or more by using coupon code "MELISSA15" at checkout: https://melissaknorris.com/azure-standard

Apr 11, 2025 • 26min
How to Get Homemade Meals on the Table When You're Busy - EP #464
Struggling to make healthy, from-scratch meals during a busy week? In this episode of the Homestead Kitchen Round Table, Melissa is joined by Rachel, Michelle, and Sophia to share real-food batch cooking tips, time-saving kitchen strategies, and practical meal-planning ideas for busy families—whether you're cooking for two or ten. Say goodbye to last-minute processed meals and hello to nourishing food made simple. 🔗 Get all the resources mentioned at: https://melissaknorris.com/464 This podcast is sponsored by Azure Standard. For first-time Azure customers, you can get 15% off your first order of $100 or more by using coupon code "MELISSA15" at checkout: https://melissaknorris.com/azure-standard

Mar 28, 2025 • 42min
EP:463 Timing is Everything: The Secret to More Powerful Herbal Remedies
Enjoy this podcast interview with Bevin Cohen as we discuss many medicinal herbs, their uses and the best time to harvest various herbs for the most medicinal properties. Though this post isn't an extensive look at each herb, if you'd like to learn more, be sure to grab a copy of Bevin's book, Herbs in Every Season to learn more! In his book, he shares 48 various herbs you can focus on throughout the seasons to deepen your understanding and usage of herbs for culinary, cosmetic and medicinal purposes. For more information and any links mentioned in today's podcast, visit https://melissaknorris.com/463 Also, grab your tickets to the Modern Homesteading Conference… Bevin and I hope to see you there!


