I will be the first to admit it. I used to have a love-hate relationship with baking soda scrubs. On one hand, I appreciate a non-toxic home. On the other hand, I grew tired of chasing the chalky film that often followed my cleaning. Once I understood the simple chemistry at play and the fallacy beh...

Last summer, while driving across the country, we stopped at Lehman's Hardware. If you’ve ever been there, you know exactly what it does to you. As a homesteader, you feel right at home. And then there’s the soda wall. Hundreds of bottles in all shapes, colors, and labels. It pulled at something ...

Every once in a while, a question starts showing up again and again in our inbox.

Recently, several readers wrote after reading a book titled The Biblio Diet, asking about what the authors call “the healing leaves.” The question usually sounds something like this:

Can I make tea from the leaves...

When we flew to Bulgaria to adopt our oldest daughter, rose oil was everywhere. Bulgaria is well known for its rose production, and that reputation was impossible to miss, even in the international airport. The scent filled gift shops, hallways, and luggage, so strong that it drowned out nearly ever...

Violet leaf is one of those plants that’s easy to overlook because it grows so commonly and without much attention. While the flowers tend to draw the eye, it’s the leaves that have traditionally been used for external herbal preparations meant to calm and support the skin. In the rhythm of a slow-l...

Rhubarb is one of the first truly fresh foods to appear after winter. Long before berries or tender greens are ready, their bright stalks push up through cold soil, offering a sharp, clean flavor that feels well-suited to the season.

Rhubarb isn't just for pie! Its natural tartness and bright flavo...

I don’t usually think about decorating for Easter until Holy Saturday. The weeks leading up to Easter are kept fairly simple in our home, and we try to let that quietness remain until the day actually arrives.

When Easter does come, we celebrate it slowly. Rather than marking it for a single day, w...

Down on our farm, spring gatherings tend to revolve around the table more than the calendar. Easter, Mother’s Day, and early garden days all seem to call for food that feels a little more complete without becoming complicated. I usually find myself in the kitchen with a mixing bowl and some fresh he...

Red clover was one of the first herbs I ever blended with, long before herbalism became part of my everyday homemaking. It showed up in an early women’s tea I created, and later, when we moved to our farm, I began noticing it growing all over the property each spring. Once you recognize red clover, ...

By early February, spring simmer pots start to come out in our house.

Winter has usually overstayed its welcome by then. The house is beginning to feel stagnant, and everyone is experiencing some level of cabin fever. Here in rainy northwest Oregon, people often spend more time indoors than outdoor...