Jessa MatthewsFeb 25, 2021advice, DIY, DIY medicinals, education, health, homesteading, lifestyle
Jessa joined the homestead in 2018, becoming official family in January 2019 when she married Pioneer Son. Jessa has been a delightful addition. Her quick wit keeps us all laughing and her willingness to dig in and help with any type of project has allowed her to...
Lisa MatthewsJan 2, 2021advice, balance, blessing, blessings, butchering, chicks, DIY, education, family, garden, garlic, growing food, homesteading, lifestyle, make-it-Monday, meat source
Our ancestors, some of which were the original pioneers who pushed westward into unknown lands, recognized the benefit of community and working together. Even though the original pioneers were self sufficient and independent, they understood that together more could...
Lisa MatthewsNov 15, 2020advice, blessing, family, homesteading, lifestyle
A t the same time we were preparing for Papa to leave our lives, we were sent two new family members to join us. Jessa and Kastin joined our family in mid 2019. While they were family from the start, they “officially” joined the family in January, when...
Lisa MatthewsNov 11, 2020family, family, health, homesteading, lifestyle, stress
When life is filled with change, we must change with life. Some of those life changes are easier to adapt to than others. Some have a stronger impact that others. Some are completely life altering. The year 2020 is over 75% complete and still throwing out surprise...
Lisa MatthewsSep 3, 2018advice, balance, education, homesteading, lifestyle, time management
Overwhelm is debilitating. Let me repeat that, OVERWHELM IS DEBILITATING! What does that mean? Well, it means different things to different people, but according to Merriam-Webster, overwhelm means “1 : upset, overthrow. 2 a : to cover over completely :...
Lisa MatthewsJun 16, 2018cooking, DIY, DIY medicinals, fermenting, garlic, growing food, health, herbs, honey, preservation, seasoning
I have not delved much into the fermented foods world. My only experience has been some sauerkraut and kombucha, other than a bit of cheese making….until now. I’ve become intrigued with home made medicinals and remedies and my interest and knowledge has...
Lisa MatthewsJun 5, 2018canning, dairy, DIY, milking, preservation, pressure canning
Now, before the attacks start, and the canning police come in with guns blazing, let me make a couple of things perfectly clear before I go any further with this post! I have been canning for well over 30 years, and I am FULLY AWARE, that what I am about to post is...
Lisa MatthewsMay 31, 2018cooking, dehydrating, garden, garlic, growing food, herbs, pantry staples, plants, preservation, seasoning
Wow! I don’t know about the rest of the country, but here in Southwest Missouri, we have totally skipped Spring! We went from cold, snow and ice to 80-90 degree temps in about 2 weeks, literally! While I’m still trying to get all the garden planted,...
Lisa MatthewsJan 12, 2018baking, bread, cooking, DIY, education, homesteading, pantry staples
Baking your own bread is sometimes viewed at the top of the list of homesteading cooking tasks. When one masters the art of bread making, the feeling of accomplishment is high. There is an art to it, there is a finesse, and some of the steps are best mastered with...
Lisa MatthewsOct 24, 2017advice, balance, family, health, homesteading, lifestyle, stress, time management
Many homesteaders choose the lifestyle, in part, to leave the chaos of the modern world behind. I admire that philosophy, but after more than 50 years of living a country life, with some periods more “homesteady” than others, I also chuckle. It may be a...
