Opening a jar of tomato sauce you put up last summer and turning it into something brand new is one of the most rewarding things you can do in a from scratch kitchen. That is exactly what we are doing today on the homestead. We are making homemade ketchup and barbecue sauce completely from scratch, […]

If I could go back to the beginning of my gardening years and hand myself one piece of advice, it would be this: start a cutting garden. Even a small one. Even just a row along the fence or a few pots near the back door. There is something that happens when you grow your […]

Over the years, we have gone over our list of cleaners that we make at home, and today I’m sharing them all in one place. What we do differently is keep a small batch of core ingredients on hand that can be used to make multiple products. That way, we are not bringing in a […]

Summer on the homestead is full of little blessing the morning sun warming the garden, the scent of fresh cucumbers, and the quiet satisfaction of turning a basket of harvest into something that will last for months. There’s so much joy in pickling: the snap of a cucumber, the tang of dill and garlic, and […]

There’s something about peaches that feels like the last of summer. The scent alone soft, floral, and sweet can stop you in your tracks. Around here, preserving peaches is a seasonal must. The kitchen fills with their fragrance, the counters scatter with pits and peels, and we know we’re bottling up sunshine for the colder […]

Preserving Sweet Corn Two Ways Freezer Recipe and Corn Silk Tinctur There’s something about sitting on the porch with a basket of corn and a bowl at your feet that slows time down just a bit. Maybe it’s the rhythm of pulling back the husk or the way the silk clings to your fingers. For […]

There’s a rhythm to preserving season. The early mornings in the berry patch. The blue-stained hands. The quiet hum of the kitchen as jars fill the counter, the scent of vanilla and spice rising with the summer breeze. On our homestead, blueberries are preserved slowly, intentionally — and always with care to use every bit […]

A warm evening, good ingredients, and the joy of cooking outside There’s something about grilling a pizza outside that feels both playful and grounding. It’s not just about what’s for dinner—it’s the rhythm of the dough rising on the counter while you snip basil from the garden, the heat of the grill as the sun […]

A simple guide to freezing, drying, storing, and savoring one of early summer’s quiet treasures. If you’ve ever come back from the garden (or the market) with a bunch of curly green garlic scapes and thought, what now?—you’re not alone. These tender green stalks show up just once a year, and they have a way […]

Each June, our kitchen counters are covered in berry-stained tea towels and the air is thick with the scent of strawberries just off the vine. When you live in rhythm with the land, preserving the harvest becomes more than just a task—it becomes a ritual, a way of tucking beauty and nourishment away for the […]