Pioneering Today With Melissa K. Norris

Picking the best location for a vegetable garden, herbs, or fruit trees depends on your growing climate and land. I walk you through the steps I take when putting in any new plants, beds, or moving ones that haven't been thriving so you can choose the best position for your garden with the 4 basic microclimates every yard has and how to identify microzones easily in the winter months. Resources at https://melissaknorris.com/235 Get the Family Garden Plan for step-by-step planning, growing and harvesting a year's worth of food http://familygardenplan.com 

Breeding chickens naturally using selective breeding for eggs and chicks, either to build up your own flock or to create a homestead income from your chickens. What you need to know about heritage breeds, picking a breeder, where to get started with your flock, and how to create your breeding plan, either for your own flock or business, with best tips for pricing, shipping and more! Get links here https://melissaknorris.com/234 The Pioneering Today Academy only opens for new members a few times a year, get on the waitlist for exclusive goodies https://melissaknorris.com/waitlist 

Crop rotation is one of the easiest ways to make a big difference in your garden's health and decreasing disease, but people often get confused on how to implement it. I walk you through the 4 main vegetable families so you can easily use crop rotation either yearly or seasonal, based on your garden space and crops. Resources for today's episode https://melissaknorris.com/234 Get on the waitlist for the Pioneering Today Academy https://melissaknorris.com/waitlist

Learn how to get started with no till gardening (including the pro's to this method) with Jo Lamp'l. Why you should consider no till gardening methods for healthier soil, including less weeds, and easy tips to transition existing beds to this method. Plus, excellent tips on growing tomatoes in containers successfully including some fun new varieties and how to use these tips for other container plants. Resources and links https://melissaknorris.com/232 Your step-by-step tutorial to raising a year's worth of food The Family Garden Plan http://familygardenplan.com 

I share how we plan our homestead year based on what we need to produce from the homestead and how that works into the calendar year. How we evaluate what and how much to raise for meat and adding in or adjusting infrastructure to make sure that happens, including how we phase things when budget and time is an issue. Links and resources at https://melissaknorris.com/231 my step-by-step plan and guide for raising a year's worth of vegetables & fruit in The Family Garden Plan http://familygardenplan.com

Just how many fruit and berry plants do you need to grow a year's worth per person in your family? I break down how many fruit and berry plants we have per person, how to choose which options are best for you based on your climate and space, and average yield amounts. Get the chart and info in the blog post at https://melisskanorris.com/230 and snag your copy + bonuses of The Family Garden Plan http://familygardenplan.com to grow a year's worth of food for you family

The exact list of heirloom varieties I grow in our garden each year. These are my tried and true must-have every year. I also share how much of each variety I plant to take us through an entire year. Get The Family Garden Plan for all the resources and charts to help you grow a year's worth of food here http://familygardenplan.com/ for the written list visit the blog post at https://melissaknorris.com/229

Find out where I buy heirloom seeds and why you should be using some heirloom seeds in your garden if you're not. I also break down the difference in heirloom, hybrid and what GMO means for backyard gardeners as I still see a lot of WRONG info on what GMO seeds actually are. Grab my favorite sources and get your garden planning going with me! Resources & links at https://melissaknorris.com/28 Grow your best garden ever this year with less work and higher yield with the Family Garden Plan http://familygardenplan.com

Learn how to read seed packet information to help you pick the best varieties for your garden. What you must know about days to harvest and germination, spacing, and descriptions that turn in to your secret weapon to growing more food for your family in the same amount of space! For links and resources go to https://melissaknorris.com/227 get signed up for the free worksheets and charts in the garden planning challenge https://melissaknorris.com/mybestgarden

The biggest garden planning mistakes & how to avoid them. Common advice is to start planning your garden with where you're going to put your plants but that is NOT where your gardening should start. I walk you through how to plan your garden strategically based on 20+ years of gardening and raising a year's worth of food for my family based on said garden. Get link/resources for today's episode at https://melissaknorris.com/226 Join my FREE 5 Day Best Garden Plan Challenge here https://melissaknorris.com/mybestgarden 

Get the top takeaways from this year's vegetable garden so you can make next year's garden better and increase the harvest based on this year's experience. I walk you through my biggest takeaways, what I won't be planting again, what I'll be doing more of, and my disease prevention plan. Get links and resources at https://melissaknorris.com/225 Order your copy of The Family Garden Plan and claim bonuses at http://familygardenplan.com  to help you grow more food organically.

It doesn't get much better than a from-scratch Christmas dinner menu based on what was raised in the garden. Let's be real, that's how the homesteaders and pioneers of old did it. I share what we're serving this year for Christmas dinner along with recipes. Get ideas for your meals and what crops you might want to consider putting in if you aren't already growing them! Get recipes, links, and resources at https://melissaknorris.com/224 Use The Family Garden Plan to plan out your crops so you'll be serving your holiday menus from your own garden produce http://familygardenplan.com 

Think you can't grow much on just 1/3 of an acre in the middle of the city? We talk about how Greg from Urban Farm U is growing 80 fruit trees, vegetables and herbs on 1/3 acre in the middle of Phoenix and how you can use the same 3 easy steps to become an urban farmer and growing food not only for your family but your community as well. And if you have more space or acreage, you're definitely want to listen in on some of the techniques he uses as well. Grab the links & resources at https://melissaknorirs.com/223 Grow a Year's Worth of Food with The Family Garden Plan & bonuses at http://familygardenplan.com 

Over the past 20 years of homesteading I've compiled my top favorite homestead related gifts I've received as a gift. Some of these are surprisingly small but will give you ideas for either your own gift giving, sharing with your "santa", or perhaps to save up for or be on the lookout for in the upcoming year. Plus get a behind the scenes look at my newest book and what it involved (and why I never want to be a model) For links and resources go to https://melissaknorris.com/222 

Living like it's the 1800's in a modern world, seems like a contradiction doesn't it, but even if you do have electricity and running water, there are some valuable tips to be learned that can help you save money now and if you do decide to go off-grid, help you make the transition. One of my favorite tips in this chat with Jacquie is how to bake pies and bread on top of a wood stove without any special equipment or using coals but she also shares some great ideas and inspiration for your garden. Get resources and links at https://melissaknorris.com/221 Want to raise a year's worth of food for your family without being overwhelmed? Get your copy of The Family Garden Plan and bonuses here http://familygardenplan.com 

A week in the life on the homestead, what it looks like on our homestead in a week, especially when freezing temps and storms are rolling in. How we prep the garden, livestock and house when temps are supposed to be in the low teens with high winds, and how you can use the same checklist. Get links and resources at https://melissaknorris.com/220 and grow a  year's worth of your own food with my new book & get FREE charts here http://familygardenplan.com 

Does homesteading really save money when you take into account the items you need to buy, livestock, supplies, and the time required? Today we dive into this not often talked about subject with Amy Dingham on when you may or may not actually save money homesteading, what to expect, up front costs, evaluating ways to save money (and if they do) in this honest conversation about still an often taboo subject, money. For resources and links go to https://melissaknorris.com/219

Your homesteading skills will not only save you money but they can help you MAKE money. I share how I'm using our homesteading skills during this holiday season to raise money fast for a fundraiser and how you can do the same thing, for yourself or a fundraiser. Snag my recipes in today's blog post at https://melissaknorris.com/218 get my special Holiday Family Bundle right now at 65% to learn how to bake like Ma Ingalls & make your own homemade products https://melissaknorris.com/familybundle

This is my favorite "lazy" way to compost and build up our vegetable garden soil. If you didn't get to cover crops or a traditional compost pile, you're going to love my sheet mulching method. Learn which manures are best and what materials I prefer for the top layer and why it isn't too late to do this. Get links to all the resources at https://melissaknorris.com/217 Increase your harvest and maximize the space you have using organic and natural methods to raise a year's worth of the fruits and vegetables your family enjoys & get all the pre-order bonuses with my new book The Family Garden Plan at http://familygardenplan.com

What you need to know to get the best cuts of meat on your cut and wrap order, what to tell the butcher, and the cuts you MUST ask for that the butcher won't offer unless you do. Learn how to make sure you get the most out of your beef and choose the best cuts for you and your family in Part 2 of our Grass Feed Beef Series! For resources, recipes, and links go to https://melissaknorris.com/216