Melissa K. Norris

Pioneering Today-How to Plant and Grow Potatoes

Melissa Norris — Fri, 24 May 2013 08:48:53 +0000

One of my favorite things about the pioneer lifestyle is growing our own food. But with recent biotech and GMO’s sneaking into our food, it’s not just about being frugal or the added health benefits (you did know home grown vegetables and fruits have more nutrients, right?), it’s about protecting our families.

Until recently, there were no GMO potatoes on the market, but now the FDA is assessing a GMO potato bred by J.R. Simplot Co.

If you haven’t grown potatoes, now might be the perfect time to start. Many of you know I’m a firm believer in growing heirloom plants, and the potato is no exception. We grow an heirloom potato called Purple Majesty. It has 10 times more anti-oxidants than a regular potato and the kids love the color. Lavender mashed potatoes anyone?

There’s a few things you need to know when growing potatoes.

1. Only plant seed potatoes. Potatoes you’ve purchased in the grocery store are not suitable for seed potatoes because they haven’t been harvested that way. They also may have been sprayed with chemicals to keep them from sprouting on the shelf. Seed potatoes are chosen for their resistance to disease. Ever heard of the potato famine? Starting with disease free potatoes is key.

2. Choose well draining soil acidic soil, that’s been fertilized. Potatoes are heavy feeders. You don’t want them to rot in the ground or develop a fungus. Never plant where you had tomatoes the previous year. Always rotate your potatoes each year.

3. Potatoes prefer cooler weather, and can be put in the ground as early as 2 weeks before your last frost date. They’ll tolerate some heat, but if temps stay in the 90′s or above for prolonged periods of time, they may die. Our summers are extremely mild in the Pacific Northwest, so I don’t suffer from this. We plant ours the first to mid part of May.

4. Dig a trench about 4 inches deep. Place your cut potato with the eye facing upwards. Space 12 inches apart and cover with 2 inches of soil. After potatoes have sprouted, you’ll need to mound soil around them. We have lots of slugs here, so I don’t use mulch, just good old dirt.

5. Know when to mound your potato plants. Potatoes are produced from the tubers, and if left exposed to light, they’ll turn green and poisonous. (Yes, this is true.) Mounding also helps inhibit blight. Mound the soil up once the foliage has reached about 8 inches high with a hoe. It’s better to not mound the soil too steep, so it won’t wash away in the rain. Mound up until only 2 inches of leaves are left showing.

6. Additional mounding of dirt should be done once you have new growth of about 4-6 inches. This will be repeated 3 to 4 times throughout the growing season.

If you don’t have the garden space for potatoes, they make an excellent container crop. You simply fill with more dirt instead of mounding each time. I’ve seen pictures of people using large plastic laundry baskets.

What’s your favorite kind of potato? Did you know new potatoes are just potatoes harvested before they’re mature?

Hearing the terms heirloom and GMO (genetically modified) lately? My FREE e-book, Heirloom Gardening Guide-Plant to Save Money, explains what these terms mean, how to protect your family, the benefits of heirloom plants, and how to get started. Click here to get your free copy.

Nourishing Pin it Party #5-Pork with Lemon Asparagus & Kumquats

Melissa Norris — Wed, 22 May 2013 08:00:08 +0000

Asparagus is one of my favorite vegetables. My daughter would suck the asparagus before she had teeth to chew it and it’s still a family favorite around here. In fact, I’m going to be trying my hand at marinating and pickling some jars this spring. Yum!

So I’m proud to showcase my favorite pin from last week’s party from Lisa at Allergy-Free Vintage Cookery. She had me at vintage! For the recipe, for the pin.

Middle Eastern Roast Pork with Lemon Asparagus from Lisa at Allergy-Free Vintage Cookery.com

Our second featured pin from the party is from Nature Had It First and is Lacto Fermented Ginger Ale. In other words, homemade-good-for-you soda pop! Here’s the recipe and here’s the pin.

Now onto this week’s party.

Here’s how it works. Using the linky tool listed below (if you’re reading this via email or RSS, click through to www.melissaknorris.com) link up your best “pin”.

Note: To find the “pin” url, go to your Pinterest board, click on the pin (not all the way through to your website) and copy and paste the web address in your bar. It will look like this http://pinterest.com/pin/5699937001178883/

The cool part, we’ll pick the 3 Best Pins and feature them on our group board Sunday evening. http://pinterest.com/eatnourishing/the-nourishing-pin-it-party/ Be sure to follow so you can see when you’re featured.

And, we’ll feature the 3 Best Pins on our website during next week’s party. I can’t wait to be inspired by all of you! (Remember to subscribe to the blog so you don’t miss any of the fun at the bottom of this post above the comments section)

Extra bonus-I’ll be featuring my favorite of the 3 on my personal website, Facebook page, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Host and Co-hosts:

Melissa K. Norris- Pioneering Today @http://pinterest.com/melissaknorris/

Jami-Eat Nourishing @http://pinterest.com/eatnourishing/

KerrieAnne- Cooking Traditional Foods @http://pinterest.com/cookingtf/

Millie- At Real Food For Less @http://pinterest.com/realfoodforless/

Kristen- Nature Had it First: @http://pinterest.com/naturehadit1st/

Jessica-Delicious Obsessions: @http://pinterest.com/deliciousobsess

Grab Your Badge!

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Disclaimer:By linking up your pin, you’re stating that you own the copyright to the image used and give permission for others to “repin” it to their boards. You also give permission to feature your pin on our website during the next Pin it Party if you’re the chosen featured pin. We will always link back to your website/pinterest board and give credit to the creator/owner of the pin. Pinterest is in no way affiliated or endorsing this party.

Have You Seen God Lately?

Melissa Norris — Mon, 20 May 2013 08:45:10 +0000

Do you ever wish you could reach out and grab hold of God?

I know He’s with me, that He never leaves our sides, but sometimes, I just wish I could reach out and thread my fingers through His.

This past week was a stressful one at my house. Our schedule was packed more than usual, I was preparing to teach for two days at an out of town writer’s conference, and things kept spiraling out of control. Unexpected health issues complicated things even more. The day before I was supposed to leave, my husband found out he was scheduled to be at work, hindering my early morning departure.

By the time I had everything packed, tears filled my eyes, and part of me questioned this calling of being a writer I’ve accepted.

I arrived at the conference, worn out before I’d held my first appointment.

But then, something happened. I shared with others the things I’ve learned so far on this path of authorship. I witnessed faces light up when something I said resonated with them. I saw people helping others they’d never met before. I witnessed prayers whispered in hallways and corners. I watched tears form in the eyes of a writer who received encouragement and support when she never had before.

And I realized something. I’d been focusing so hard on seeing God, that I was missing the signs of Him all around me.

He was in the sweat tears of confirmation, the up raised hands of a room full of worshipers, the joy of learning, the hugs of friendship, and the prayers of His warriors.

If you’re not seeing God, maybe you’re like I was. Stop focusing on one aspect of God, lift up your head so you can witness all of His glory.Tweet this

How has God shown Himself to you? Where do you see Him?

How to Make Healthy Homemade Granola Bars

Melissa Norris — Fri, 17 May 2013 08:32:03 +0000

On our way to a completely real traditional food diet, I’ve been swapping out processed foods with homemade versions. We first started with bread and I’m thrilled to share this recipe for homemade granola bars with you.

I got this recipe from my mother and made a few small tweaks to make it healthier. It’s quick to make and oh so yummy.

Pioneering Today Healthy Chunky Granola Bars

5 cups rolled oats (regular, not quick)

3/4 cup finely chopped pecans

1/3 cup maple syrup

1/3 cup brown sugar (packed)

1/2 cup coconut oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Mix together dry ingredients. Drizzle liquids on top of oats and mix until the oats are covered and moist. With a large spatula, press granola firmly into a 17×11 pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Let cool 1 hour before cutting and removing from pan.

Don’t use another size pan. The ingredients are carefully measured and altering pan size will alter how these turn out. Be sure to press very firmly on the granola mixture, it should be really flat.

Looking to make the switch from processed foods to a healthy real food diet? Win a copy of Real Food Storage-How To’s & Recipes, containing over 80 real food recipes from Cooking Traditional Food.com

What’s your favorite real food recipe for breakfast? What would you like to replace next?

Nourishing Pin it Party #4-115 Real Food Coconut Recipes

Melissa Norris — Wed, 15 May 2013 08:00:05 +0000

Welcome the 4th Nourishing Pin it Party. Each week, I’m sharing my favorite pin in the #1 spot! I started cooking with coconut oil about 2 months ago and I’m loving it. I use it in place of other oils and some butter in my baked goods. So when I came upon this post by Delicious Obsessions at the Pin it party, I couldn’t wait to read them all.

Featured Pin from Delicious Obsessions.com

Because I’m a huge fan of canning, I really enjoyed this second pin from Heather the Homesteading Hippy. I’ve never canned butter, but after learning the shelf life can be 5 years, I might start.

Featured Pin #2 from The Homesteading Hippy

Our third featured Pin is from Pickle Me Too. It’s a Japanese-ish Hot Pot dish. I’m a fan of one pot meals, how about you?

Featured Pin #3 from Picklemetoo.com

Ready for some more nourishing pins?

Here’s how it works. Using the linky tool listed below (if you’re reading this via email or RSS, click through to www.melissaknorris.com) link up your best “pin”.

Extra bonus-I’ll be featuring my favorite of the 3 on my personal website, Facebook page, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Host and Co-hosts:

Melissa K. Norris- Pioneering Today @http://pinterest.com/melissaknorris/

Jami-Eat Nourishing @http://pinterest.com/eatnourishing/

KerrieAnne- Cooking Traditional Foods @http://pinterest.com/cookingtf/

Millie- At Real Food For Less @http://pinterest.com/realfoodforless/

Kristen- Nature Had it First: @http://pinterest.com/naturehadit1st/

Jessica-Delicious Obsessions: @http://pinterest.com/deliciousobsess

Grab Your Badge!

Does Homesteading Bring You Closer to God?

Melissa Norris — Mon, 13 May 2013 08:00:46 +0000

Are you questioning the empty, frenzied paced, and fast food lifestyle taking over our country?

Almost anytime I hear the news these days, there’s a story of senseless death, violence, or crime. I rarely watch it anymore. It saddens me to see these stories and where society seems to want to head.

Compared to many families and main stream society, I realize my family isn’t common. We grow a large vegetable garden, raise our own natural grass fed beef, can, cook and prepare our food as much as possible from scratch, and we firmly believe that Jesus Christ is our risen Lord and Savior.

You might be asking yourself why I listed the things above in the same sentence. I believe that homesteading practices enrich our faith and help bring us closer to God. Note: I do not believe that the act of homesteading itself will bring you closer to God, but it’s helped me to feel His presence more deeply.

I believe our lifestyle influences our faith and it will yours too. How homesteading brings you closer to God.

1. It forces you to slow down. When we rush things, we forget to look and see God’s hand in it. Tweet this There is no way to rush an animals growth (because we use organic practices in our livestock and plants). Your chickens won’t lay eggs before a certain age, your cattle aren’t large enough to butcher or breed before a certain time, and your garden won’t be ready to harvest before a certain number of days. You have to sit back and allow things to go through their natural process.

2. You must have faith. We don’t visibly get to reach out and touch God. When you plant a seed in the ground, you have to have faith that it will sprout and bear food for your family, even when you can’t first touch it.

3. You must listen. You can’t have a relationship or grow closer to someone unless you listen to what they say to you. Just as you learn to discern when your chickens are fussing among themselves or there’s a predator in their midst, you have to learn to hear God when He speaks to you.

4. Spending time in His creation. When you’re surrounded by technology and man made things, you lose a connection with God. When you’re fingers are digging in the dirt and you’re surrounded by the plants He brought forth, you can’t help but begin to see Him in other areas of your life.

5. Memory verses. So many of the parables of the Bible have to do with gardening and cooking. When I’m kneading my bread dough, I remember that a little yeast leavens all the dough. Galatians 5:9 Even a little bit of sin affects the entire body. When I’m preparing our soil for planting, I remember the parable of the sower from Luke 8:6.

There are many reasons to begin your own homesteading journey, and having a huge farm or ranch isn’t necessary. Anyone can be a homesteader and my book, Pioneering Today-Faith and Home the Old Fashioned Way, can do just that.

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and/or believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Giveaway of Real Food Storage-How To’s & Recipes

Melissa Norris — Sat, 11 May 2013 08:33:29 +0000

Are you wanting to make the switch to more real foods in your diet? Trying to kick the processed boxed foods in your house and families diet? Me, too!

I’ve been a lifelong canner, but we made the decision to start replacing all processed foods in our home with real food or from scratch versions. I haven’t bought bread from the store in almost a year and half since replacing it with my version of No Knead 5 Minutes a Day Artisan Bread.

After making that switch I replaced canned cream soups with this easy sauce and replaced boxed cake mixes.

But besides the 104 jars of canned food I’d put up last fall, I didn’t have much in the way of real food storage. When KerryAnn Foster of Cooking Traditional Foods offered me an ecopy of her book, Real Food Storage-How To’s & Recipes, I couldn’t type fast enough to accept her offer. For my readers only: KerryAnn is offering a 20% discount thru 5/31/13 on her book, use the code PIONEERING20 to use the code visit here.

Quite a few things struck me as I was reading through her book. One, she and her family lived for 11 months and 2 weeks off of their real food storage supply when her husband went through an unemployment season and how God had led them into this lifestyle years ago to provide for them. Kind of like Joseph during the famine of Egypt when God provided seven good years with the admission to put up food for the bad years.

Two, she spoke about the benefits of eating and storing whole wheat berries instead of flour. I’d already been wanting to grind my own flour for the health benefits, but this confirmed the necessity of storage. I dug further into researching and shared Why You Should Grind Your Own Flour and Choosing a Mill. (My flour mill arrived yesterday!!)

KerryAnn goes over math equations to figure out how much real food you’ll need to feed your family for a year. Sometimes, cooking from real food can challenge a bit when you’re first starting out. There’s only so many ways to cook beans and rice, right?

Wrong. She has over 200 recipes to get you started. Yep, 200. Because there’s no sense storing your real food if you’re not going to cook and eat it.

And, she’s graciously agreed to giveaway one e-copy to one of my readers. Are you ready? You can enter via the rafflecopter entry form below (If you’re reading this via email, click thru to the website)
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Please go here to read Contest and Giveaway Rules.

Nourishing Pin It Party #3 Featuring Healthy No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

Melissa Norris — Wed, 08 May 2013 08:00:16 +0000

Welcome to the third installment of the Nourishing Pin It Party. I hope you guys are finding awesome new ways to nourish yourself, I know I am. We have three featured pins to share with you this week, and I’ve decided to highlight my favorite of the three as the first pin.

We’ve had an usual stretch of warm weather here lately, so the no bake and chocolate had me! This first pin is from This Mama’s House. Click here for the recipe and here to repin.

Healthy No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies from This Mama’s House

Featured Pin #2 is How to Make Creamy Coconut Yogurt by Delicious Obsessions with No Yogurt Maker! That girl is good, and my strawberry patch should be producing next month. Want to plant strawberries? How to Plant Strawberries and 5 Tips for Berry Success.

Recipe for Creamy Coconut Yogurt and to repin.

How to Make Creamy Coconut Yogurt with No Yogurt Maker from Delicious Obsessions

Featured Pin #3 is from Loving Our Guts and shows you how to make Kraut Juice. Did you know it was good for your guts? She also has a cool new ebook on bone broth, The Elixir of Life. I always learn something new from the Pin it Party. For the recipe and to repin.

How to Make Kraut Juice from Loving Our Guts

Now it’s time to join the party and link your best pins!

Here’s how it works. Using the linky tool listed below (if you’re reading this via email or RSS, click through to www.melissaknorris.com) link up your best “pin”.

Extra bonus-I’ll be featuring my favorite of the 3 on my personal website, Facebook page, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Host and Co-hosts:

Melissa K. Norris- Pioneering Today @http://pinterest.com/melissaknorris/

Jami-Eat Nourishing @http://pinterest.com/eatnourishing/

KerrieAnne- Cooking Traditional Foods @http://pinterest.com/cookingtf/

Millie- At Real Food For Less @http://pinterest.com/realfoodforless/

Kristen- Nature Had it First: @http://pinterest.com/naturehadit1st/

Jessica-Delicious Obsessions: @http://pinterest.com/deliciousobsess

Grab Your Badge!

Does Fasting Help Your Prayers Get Heard?

Melissa Norris — Mon, 06 May 2013 08:00:20 +0000

Most people have prayed at sometime in their life, whether their Christian or not. When a horrific or scary situation arises, our lips utter a plea to our Creator. It’s may even be just one word. Jesus.

The one word of Jesus encompasses all we need. It is the answer to every emotion or situation we will encounter.

While at Bible study last week, we were reading through The Power of a Praying® Woman by Stormie Omartian, one line stood out for me. We were reading through the list of 5 weapons to fight the enemy and the 5th one grabbed me. Praying and fasting.

I’ve seen the Lord work miracles in my life and in those around me. I’ve felt His power, His healing, His forgiveness, and grace. I’ve prayed on my knees, I’ve prayed in bed, I’ve prayed while going about my day, I’ve prayed out loud, I’ve prayed silently, but I’ve never fasted.

Fasting is simply denying yourself of food or drink, to show faith and as a prayer. There are debates on if you have to water fast (where you only have water), a certain amount of time, one meal, or giving up one thing. I’m not about to answer that question.

But the Bible is very clear that we are to fast. Jesus fasted 40 days and 40 nights. The prophets and disciples fasted.

So we fasted, and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer. (NIV) Ezra 8:23

This week, I’m giving up coffee. I’m amazed at how much more water I drink, seem to crave even, when I’m not drinking anything with caffeine or sugar.

And with all the water I’m consuming I felt God whisper this to me, “You see how much better plain water is, how your body feels nourished, sated. Imagine how your soul will feel when you fill it with me, the Living Water.” Tweet this

I don’t know if giving up coffee is considered a fast by all, but it’s already showing me more of God.

Have you ever fasted? Did you see or hear from God as a result?

Why You Should Grind Your Own Flour & Choosing a Mill

Melissa Norris — Sat, 04 May 2013 08:29:40 +0000

Do you ever wonder about the flour you purchase from the store? While I’ve been baking our own bread for almost a year and a half now, I’ve been using store bought flour. I know our bread is now preservative free, but what about the flour, the main ingredient.

My desire is to be as self-sustainable as possible. I also believe it’s the healthiest way to live. I started researching the benefits of grinding our own whole wheat flour. When you grind a whole wheat berry (it looks like a piece of grain, not a berry), you are grinding the bran and germ into your flour. Because the germ has oil in it, the flour can turn rancid, so it’s removed in commercial flour. But most of your fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants are in the bran and germ.

When you grind it at home, you’re leaving in all the nutrition. It will store for one to two weeks, or you can store the ground flour in the freezer. I borrowed a friend’s electric Blendtec mill to try out for myself this week.

There are two things to consider when choosing a flour mill to use at home. Do you want a manual or electric flour mill?

Manual Flour Mill

From my research, the Wonder Junior Deluxe Hand Grain / Flour Mill by Wondermill is the best manual flour mill according to many customer reviews and users.

Pros

1. No electricity. You won’t be using any electricity or upping your power bill. If the power goes out due to a storm or unforeseen major catastrophe, you can still grind your own flour.

2. Toned arms. Turning the handle creates a toned upper body. I’m a girl who likes to multitask. How about you?

3. Ability to grind oily products. A manual mill allows you to grind oily grains, nuts, and seeds. Homemade peanut or almond butter?

4. Nostalgia. I love vintage and antique things in my home. A hand turned flour mill definitely says homesteading.

Cons

1. Mounting to a solid surface. A manual flour mill must be mounted to a table or counter top.

2. Time. It takes much longer to grind up your flour with a manual mill than an electric one, especially if you need to grind up a large amount at one sitting.

3. Weight. Some manual flour mills weigh up to 20 pounds. Moving around a piece of equipment at that weight may become cumbersome.

Electric Flour Mills

Pros

1. Ease of use. You simple plug it in, pour in your wheat, and flip the switch. No clamping down to anything.

2. Fast. I ground up 6 and 1/2 cups of fresh flour in less than 3 minutes.

3. Adjusting the grind. Adjusting the grind on an electric flour mill is as simple as turning a switch. The grinder I borrowed had 5 different settings for setting the fineness of the grind.

Cons

1. Noisy. It sounds like a vacuum cleaner.

2. Dependency on electricity. It does require a power source.

3. No oily products. You can’t put anything oily through electric grinders. It gums them up and will make them useless.

I’m going to be ordering an electric flour mill. While I love the idea of the manual grinder, I don’t have the counter space or a good spot to clamp it down, nor do I have the time to use it. I need at least 10 to 14 cups of flour every week and time is of the essence. I can grind up extra flour to store in the freezer in case of an emergency. After trying the Blendtec 52-601-FLP Kitchen Mill, White
and reading reviews, I’m leaning towards the L’EQUIP Nutrimill Grain Mill
due to it being quieter, 20 cup capacity, and lifetime warranty.

The initial price of a home flour mill isn’t cheap, but I’m viewing it as an investment. I’ll use it every week and it’s hard to put a price on something that improves the health of your family. Second, I’m guessing it will almost pay for itself in a year. Third, I can store the wheat berries much longer than bags of flour, increasing our food storage. I purchased organic red hard wheat berries for just $.85 a pound at our local co-op. I used 4 and 1/2 cups of wheat berries and got 6 and 1/2 cups of flour.

Which is right for you? Do you use a flour mill? Do you have any recommendations on which flour mill is the best?

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and/or believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Melissa K. Norris

Pioneering Today-How to Plant and Grow Potatoes

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Nourishing Pin it Party #5-Pork with Lemon Asparagus & Kumquats

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Have You Seen God Lately?

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How to Make Healthy Homemade Granola Bars

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Nourishing Pin it Party #4-115 Real Food Coconut Recipes

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Does Homesteading Bring You Closer to God?

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Giveaway of Real Food Storage-How To’s & Recipes

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Nourishing Pin It Party #3 Featuring Healthy No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

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Does Fasting Help Your Prayers Get Heard?

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Why You Should Grind Your Own Flour & Choosing a Mill

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