Pioneering Today Podcast - Homesteading in a Modern World Podcast By Melissa K Norris cover art

Pioneering Today Podcast - Homesteading in a Modern World

Pioneering Today Podcast - Homesteading in a Modern World

By: Melissa K Norris
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Want to get back to the basics of raising your own food, cooking from scratch, preserving the harvest, and knowing how to do it yourself? Join 5th generation homesteader, Melissa K. Norris, on the #3 ranking Home and Garden Podcast, Pioneering Today where we share how to raise, cook and preserve your own food with old-fashioned skill sets and wisdom for a more natural and self-sufficient home, with, or without, the homestead. We cover organic gardening, home food preservation from canning, dehydrating, fermenting, root cellar, and more, traditional cooking skills, organic and natural home and body care recipes, natural health, growing and building your own natural medicine cabinet, foraging, livestock, and everything else you need for modern homesteading.@PioneeringTodayLLC
Episodes
  • How Real Food on a Budget Actually Works (What My Mom Taught Me That No One Talks About) | Ep. 507
    Apr 17 2026

    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

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    35 mins
  • Why Your Food Preservation Isn't Working (And How to Fix It Safely) | Episode 506
    Apr 10 2026

    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

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    33 mins
  • The Food Preservation Mistake That's Keeping Your Pantry Bare (And How to Fix It) | Episode 505
    Apr 3 2026

    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

    Show more Show less
    41 mins
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I have been working my way through the many, many Pioneering Today podcasts so I can learn skills that could come in handy whether out of thriftiness or necessity. Even the podcasts that don't really apply to me like raising my own cattle are great to listen to and learn from. I hope to start making my own medicines soon and preserving some food. Thank you so much Melissa!

Love your concise information

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As a fairly newbie to the homesteading lifestyle I have been binging your podcast and love it! Most, if not all the podcasts can help in one way or another and I'm so glad you added the verse of the week!!! Keep up the great work Melissa and thank you for all you do! - Jessica R #Godgiftedartistry

I love all of it- you're a wealth of information

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