Pioneering Today Podcast - Homesteading in a Modern World

Have you ever wondered which plants are actually mentioned in the Bible and what significance they held in biblical times?
In this episode, we're taking a closer look at 16 healing plants of the Bible, including familiar names like frankincense, myrrh, hyssop, aloe, mustard, and cinnamon. We'll explore where these plants appear in Scripture, what they symbolized, and the traditional ways they were used throughout history for healing, cleansing, worship, and daily life.
We'll also discuss the four ways healing is described in the Bible and why understanding the role of plants as one of God's "means" can give us a deeper appreciation for both Scripture and creation.
In this episode, you'll learn:
The four biblical ways healing occurs

Why hyssop became a symbol of cleansing and purification

The surprising medicinal remedy used for King Hezekiah

How herbs were valuable enough to be tithed in biblical times

The traditional uses of frankincense, myrrh, aloe, saffron, wormwood, and more

Common themes among biblical plants, including digestive support, respiratory health, wound care, and worship

Whether you're interested in biblical history, herbalism, homesteading, or simply understanding God's Word more deeply, this episode offers a fascinating look at the plants woven throughout Scripture.
Resources Mentioned:
Healing Plants of the Bible Reference Guide

Free Herbal Energetics Download

This episode is sponsored by Earthley.
Earthley creates herbal remedies and wellness products designed to support your family's health naturally. Melissa highlights Earthley's Vitality Oil, a blend featuring black seed oil, hemp seed oil, anise seed, and rosemary to support immune health, liver function, energy, and natural detox pathways.
Visit Earthley and use coupon code PIONEER10 to save 10% on your order (excluding sale items).

Why are so many people being drawn to homesteading right now?
In today's episode, I'm sharing a more personal reflection on what I've witnessed during my 15+ years teaching homesteading and traditional skills. While many people initially come to homesteading for healthier food, self-sufficiency, or preparedness, I've noticed something deeper happening beneath the surface.
Again and again, people tell me they feel called by God to this lifestyle.
In this episode, I share my own story of how God called me into teaching traditional skills, why I believe more people are returning to gardening, food preservation, and self-reliance, and how stewardship, community, and faith all play a role in the modern homesteading movement.
In this episode, we'll discuss:
• Why homesteading continues to grow
• The deeper reasons people are drawn to traditional skills
• Stewardship, preparedness, and biblical wisdom
• Why community matters more than isolation
• The story behind our local Cowboy Church
• How faith and homesteading often intersect
• Upcoming events and opportunities to gather together
Whether you're new to homesteading or have been living this lifestyle for years, I hope this conversation encourages you to thoughtfully consider what is drawing you to these skills and how they can serve your family, community, and faith.
Resources & Links:
🌱 Modern Homesteading Conference: https://modernhomesteading.com
🌱 Heritage Revival Women's Conference: https://heritagerevivalevents.com
🌱 How my mom fed our family on $100 a month podcast episode: https://melissaknorris.com/504 
🌱 Grab all the details and any other links mentioned in the blog post here: https://melissaknorris.com/513
Verse of the Week: 2 Timothy 1:9

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.
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