Pioneering Today Podcast - Homesteading in a Modern World

What are the best crops for a Pacific Northwest vegetable garden?
In today's episode, I'm sharing the crops and varieties that have truly earned their place in my Pacific Northwest vegetable garden after 26 years of gardening in a cool, short-season climate.
Over the years, I've become much more intentional about what I grow. I want crops that reliably produce, preserve well, and are foods we actually eat throughout the year. Some vegetables continue to thrive season after season, while others simply aren't worth the time, effort, or garden space in our northern climate.
In this episode, I'm walking you through:
The vegetables I plant every single year

My favorite tried-and-true varieties

The crops I've stopped growing and why

What performs best in cool summer climates

How I decide what deserves space in my garden

My rule for experimenting with new varieties

Whether you garden in the Pacific Northwest or another northern growing region, I hope this helps you feel more confident choosing crops that will actually thrive where you live.
Resources & Links:


 🌱 Full blog post: https://melissaknorris.com/512  

🌱 Plated by Season Magazine:  https://melissaknorris.com/homestead-foundations/

🌱 Potato experiment video mentioned in this episode: https://melissaknorris.com/i-left-my-potatoes-in-the-ground-for-5-years-without-replanting/ 

Verse of the Week:  John 4:10

Every spring, I sit down and plan out our entire food preservation year so harvest season doesn't completely take over my life. After more than 25 years of preserving food, I've learned that the key isn't preserving everything… It's preserving the foods we actually eat in ways that work for our schedule and lifestyle.
In this episode, I'm walking you through exactly how I plan our preserving season, how I avoid overwhelm during peak harvest months, and the practical system I use to decide what's worth preserving and what's not.
If you've ever found yourself drowning in tomatoes in August, staring at jars you never use, or feeling burned out by canning season, this episode is for you. 💛
In This Episode
🍅 Why reactive preserving leads to stress and waste
🫙 How I do a pantry inventory every spring
📓 Why writing down your preserving goals matters
🥒 The foods I preserve most for our family
🌱 How our family's eating habits have changed over the years
🗓️ How I map out preserving season month-by-month
⏰ My "small pocket" method for preserving with a busy schedule
🫐 Which foods freeze beautifully before preserving
🥬 How I decide the best preservation method for each crop
👩‍🌾 Why preserving with community makes everything easier
Resources Mentioned
📘 Grab the bundle from this week's podcast sponsor, Homestead Living. It includes my book, Everything Worth Preserving, Jill Winger's Old Fashioned On Purpose Planner and Carolyn Thomases book, Freeze Drying the Harvest, all for just $89.99 (including FREE shipping!): https://homesteadliving.com/seasonal-food-strategy-subscriber-offer-2026/
🥒 Pickled Asparagus Recipe: https://melissaknorris.com/best-pickled-asparagus-easy-canning-recipe/
🍅 Fermented Salsa Recipe: https://melissaknorris.com/fermented-salsa/
🥒 Garlic Dill Pickles Recipe: https://melissaknorris.com/best-homemade-pickles-recipe/
🥒 Bread and Butter Pickles Recipe: https://melissaknorris.com/pioneering-today-bread-butter-refrigerator-pickle-recipe/
🌿 Rhubarb Strawberry Jam Recipe: https://melissaknorris.com/pioneering-today-how-to-make-strawberry-rhubarb-jam/
🥔 Root Cellaring in the Ground Tutorial:  https://melissaknorris.com/how-to-harvest-and-store-potatoes/
🫘 Leather Britches Green Beans Tutorial: https://melissaknorris.com/leather-britches-green-beans/ 
Scripture Mentioned
📖 Luke 10:5-7 (AMP)
You can grab all the resources and remedies mentioned in this episode here: https://melissaknorris.com/511

Summer means more time outside… and more sunburns, bug bites, bee stings, scrapes, and itchy skin. In today's episode, I'm sharing the herbal remedies for summer that I always keep stocked in our home apothecary before we need them.
These are the natural remedies I personally reach for first when it comes to:
🌿 Sunburn relief
🦟 Mosquito bites & itchy skin
🐝 Bee stings & wasp stings
🩹 Cuts, scrapes & wound healing
💜 Bruises & sore tissue
We're talking about practical herbalism you can actually use in everyday life with simple remedies like lavender, aloe vera, plantain, calendula, yarrow, chamomile, arnica, and more.
Thanks to Earthley for sponsoring today's podcast. Grab 10% off your order with coupon code "PIONEER10" (excluding sale items): Earthley.com
RESOURCES MENTIONED:
🌞 Earthley Sun Shield: https://www.earthley.com/products/sun-shield
🦟 Earthley Pest Aside: https://www.earthley.com/products/pest-aside
🩹 Wound Healing Salve: https://melissaknorris.com/homemade-wound-healing-salve-recipe/
🌿 Lavender Essential Oil (and roller bottles): https://melissaknorris.com/lemon-lavender-peppermint-essential-oils
📖 Verse of the Week: Matthew 13:43
You can grab all the resources and remedies mentioned in this episode here:
https://melissaknorris.com/510
If this video helped you, make sure to subscribe and share it with a friend who wants to build a home apothecary and start using homemade herbal remedies.
#HerbalRemedies #NaturalRemedies #HomeApothecary #MelissaKNorris #Herbalism #NaturalFirstAid #Homesteading #HerbalMedicine #SummerHerbs

Are you building a pantry that actually feeds your family, or just collecting random jars and bulk foods?
In this episode, I'm sharing how to build a well-stocked pantry that supports everyday meals, long-term food storage, and from-scratch cooking without overwhelm. We're talking about the foundational pantry staples I prioritize first, how to stock foods your family actually eats, and why a practical pantry should serve you now, not just "someday."
I'm also sharing:
The 5 foundational pantry categories I always keep stocked

How to slowly build food storage on a budget

Why pantry rotation matters

The difference between emergency food storage and a working pantry

What to know about storing fats, grains, beans, salt, and preservation basics

Important canning safety reminders for vinegar and dried beans

My best tips for creating real meals from pantry staples

Whether you're just starting your pantry journey or looking to make your food storage more practical, this episode will help you build a pantry that truly works for your family.
Thanks to Azure Standard for sponsoring today's podcast. For first-time customers, use coupon code "MELISSA15" for 15% off your first order of $100 or more: https://melissaknorris.com/azure-standard/
Resources Mentioned:
Fresh Ground Flour Resources

Sourdough Resources

Safe Canning Resources

Pressure Canning Beans

Home Apothecary & Medicinal Herbs

Long-Term Food Storage Tips

Verse of the Week: Job 22:25-28

If this video helped you, make sure to subscribe and share it with a friend who wants to build a healthier pantry and cook more from scratch. 
You can grab all the resources mentioned in this episode here: https://melissaknorris.com/509

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/