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Pioneering Today with Melissa K. Norris

Health & Wellness Podcasts

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.

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.

Location:

United States

Description:

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.

Language:

English

Episodes

Beginner Gardening Secrets You Need To Know - Q & A

4/9/2021
Today I’m answering YOUR questions! I took a poll on Instagram asking what you wanted to know about gardening - any question on any gardening topic. The results were so many! In today’s podcast, I’m answering as many questions as possible, to the best of my ability based on my own experiences and knowledge. For a full list of the questions and answers, shownotes and any links mentioned, visit melissaknorris.com/300.

Duration:00:43:30

Science-Based Companion Planting Strategies for Greater Yield You Need to Use NOW

4/2/2021
Did you know you could add nitrogen and feed the soil by using specific companion plants? Today's episode shares which companion plants can ADD nitrogen to the soil, when to plant them, and what you need to do in order to do it successfully (and avoid having crops take over) all with no-till methods. For more information and shownotes visit melissaknorris.com/299.

Duration:00:37:06

What To Do When Your Family Isn't Onboard with Homesteading (Or Something You're Passionate About)

3/26/2021
Living the pioneer or modern homesteader lifestyle is something that many of us are drawn to, but there are times in a family where only one person is on board. What can be done to encourage the rest of the family to take part in this self-sustainable way of life that gets them excited instead of dreading it? Join me for today’s podcast where I’m helping Stephanie, a member of the Pioneering Today Academy, with just that! For more information and show notes visit melissaknorris.com/298.

Duration:00:35:51

What You Must Know BEFORE Getting Backyard Chickens (Egg-Laying Hens)

3/19/2021
Keeping backyard egg-laying chickens is a wonderful way to offset your food costs. It’s also great to know you’re getting healthy eggs from hens that have been fed non-GMO food and had plenty of access to fresh greens, bugs and worms. But there are some specifics you’ll want to know before bringing your chickens home for the best success. Check out today’s podcast for everything you need to know to raise backyard chickens. For more information and shownotes visit melissaknorris.com/297.

Duration:01:00:12

Use Food Forest Techniques to Grow More in Your Backyard

3/12/2021
Today we’re learning how we can grow MORE food with LESS work by using “food forests”. Daron, the founder of Growing With Nature, a website aimed at allowing our living world to come alive with abundance for people, plants and wildlife, is sharing his knowledge for growing food forests, why they’re important, and how to do it no matter what growing zone you're in or where you are in your gardening journey. Grab all the resources mentioned in today’s episode on the blog:...

Duration:00:43:33

Fermented Dairy: Why You Should Be Doing This Now

3/5/2021
In this episode, we’re talking about fermented dairy, the health benefits, the history and why you should absolutely be consuming fermented dairy on a regular basis. Not just fermented dairy, but HOMEMADE fermented dairy and why it’s so much better for you! Also, sign up for the Pioneering Today Academy waitlist here: melissaknorris.com/PTA. For more information and show notes visit melissaknorris.com/295.

Duration:00:32:05

American Guinea Hogs - Were They Really Worth It?

2/26/2021
This last year we raised American Guinea hogs for the very first time. Today I'm sharing our experience in raising them, how we liked the meat, the pros and cons of raising this breed, what the final price per pound was, and our conclusion on whether we'll raise them again in future years. This is the follow up from my previous podcast episode (episode #282) all about raising American Guinea Hogs. For more information and shownotes visit melissaknorris.com/294.

Duration:00:24:15

How to Balance Time Management and Projects on the Homestead

2/19/2021
Do you struggle with time management and taking on too many projects? There are so many things that we homesteaders want to do but often we overextend ourselves and then get overwhelmed. In today's podcast, I share tips on how to be more organized and focused so you can be more productive and continue to make progress towards greater self-sufficiency. For more information and shownotes visit melissaknorris.com/293.

Duration:00:42:38

How to Grow a Large Scale Garden & Livestock Without Acreage

2/12/2021
In today’s Pioneering Today Podcast I’m interviewing Casey who wants to raise livestock and grow a substantial garden all while living in the suburbs of Utah. Learn how to utilize community gardens or shared property to accomplish your homesteading goals without the actual homestead property. For more information and show notes visit melissaknorris.com/292.

Duration:00:55:50

The Ultimate Seed Starting Guide: Everything You Need to Know For Starting Seeds Indoors

2/5/2021
In today’s Pioneering Today Podcast we’re going to be covering everything you need to know for starting seeds indoors. The supplies needed, when to start them, how to start them, and the mistakes to avoid. Usually, the mistakes I see gardeners making when starting seeds are very simple fixes and we’ll cover them all in today’s episode. For show notes, more seed starting information, free seed starting charts, or to read the podcast transcript, visit melissaknorris.com/291.

Duration:00:45:45

How to Get Everything Done in a Day Without Wasting Time or Getting Distracted

1/29/2021
Learn practical time-management tips on becoming a homesteader and how to get everything done in a day without wasting time or getting distracted with Anne of All Trades. She shares her homesteading journey from Taiwan to Seattle, and now settled in Nashville, TN. Amidst boatloads of helpful practical advice, she shares how the phrase, "don't compare your beginning to someone else's middle" has helped her on her journey. For show notes or to read the podcast transcript, visit...

Duration:01:04:58

How to Create a Gardening Plan for More Harvest and Less Stress

1/22/2021
Shannon, who lives in the Pacific Northwest, is looking for some gardening tips to take her small, raised-bed garden to the next level. She wants to learn how to feed her family well, growing a year's worth of food, but not getting overwhelmed when it comes time to preserve it all. In today’s podcast, I give her my tips for starting seeds, cool and warm weather planting, and an overall great garden season. For more information, or to read the podcast transcript, visit melissaknorris.com/289.

Duration:00:55:30

How to Make a Sourdough Starter From Scratch

1/15/2021
Learn how to make a sourdough starter from scratch, plus the best feeding methods and which flours to use for feeding. Anytime anyone has issues with their sourdough bread, it always comes back to their starter. Make your starter the correct way, right from the beginning, then join me for more tips in my FREE LIVE class on 1/20/2021 here: melissaknorris.com/starter. You’ll also get other free goodies, so I hope to see you there! For the full written instructions visit melissaknorris.com/288.

Duration:00:26:15

From Eating Disorder to Health & My Current Workouts

1/8/2021
This is my story from an eating disorder as a teen to my health today and what my daily workouts consist of now. As a homesteader, there are always movements that require me to be in good physical shape. From building fences, lifting hay bales, and weeding the garden, if I’m not physically fit, I end up in pain from injury or strain. In today’s podcast, I’m sharing my tips on how I’ve learned to keep fitness a daily practice in order to maintain my homesteading lifestyle. For more...

Duration:00:36:07

Decluttering Your Home (Month by Month) with Tracy Lynn

1/1/2021
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.

Duration:00:34:38

Planning Tips that Every Gardener NEEDS to Know Ongoing COVID Realities

12/30/2020
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...

Duration:00:22:52

Dealing with Emotions During the Holidays (Surrounding COVID and 2020 Realities)

12/18/2020
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.

Duration:00:36:30

The BEST Homemade gifts that people actually want to receive!

12/11/2020
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.

Duration:00:37:20

Vegetables You Can Leave in the Garden for Winter

12/4/2020
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.

Duration:00:27:51

Raising American Guinea Hogs with Cathy Payne

11/27/2020
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.

Duration:00:50:00

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