April showers sure better bring May flowers this year, as we're having the wettest spring I can remember! With major flooding throughout most of last week, we were lucky not to have many of the basement issues that others experienced, and thankfully, the waters seem to be subsiding this week... I'm busy as can be getting the spring garden planned out and things in order for planting, but since we're at the start of a new month, it's time for your April freebie! This month, I'm sharing a helpful guide for those of you who may have had issues with "detox" programs in the past. Part of the rea ..read more

In honor of the Easter weekend, I wanted to share one of my favorite simple recipes that's perfect for holiday visitors, an appetizer with guests, or simply snacking! This makes a beautiful presentation and it's perfect for spring, although I've also made it with winter radishes as a Thanksgiving appetizer as well. You can use any type of radishes, but my favorite are the beautiful watermelon variety - a huge and gorgeous winter radish that I grow every single fall. In fact, last fall, they did so well that we still had a few left for our Easter feast! But you could always use spring radishe ..read more

After a little break last week (honestly, the weather outside was too nice to stay indoors and write!), I'm back with the final installment in our Holistic Health series. While we often think of things like nutrition, sleep, and exercise when it comes to maintaining good health, the role of social and community engagement is often overlooked. Truly understanding holistic health means recognizing the interconnectivity of physical, mental, and social well-being. Therefore, community support is a vital component of holistic health. According to research, engaging with your community can lead t ..read more

March is here, which means... It's time for your monthly freebie! :-) This month, I'm sharing a quick guide with some helpful tips for improving your gut health. In today's world, we are constantly exposed to chemicals, environmental stressors, and toxins that can take a toll on our gut health. And, as we are learning, the health of your gut and microbiome are closely related to many different facets of overall health. Your gut plays a vital role in health and longevity, and the more we learn about it, the more we realize how important it is to pay attention to this area of our health ins ..read more

It may not feel like it quite yet, but spring is just around the corner! And, if you're a homesteader, that means the season of rest is almost over, and the busy season is about to begin... That's why I wanted to share this quick little recipe with you today. When the hectic pace of spring and summer arrives, it can be difficult to find the time to bake or plan meals. Having this handy muffin mix on hand makes it a snap to whip up a batch of muffins to eat on the go as a quick breakfast or snack. Its easy to tailor the recipe to your preferences, so feel free to substitute gluten-free flour ..read more

This month's featured podcast episode takes a bit of a different slant to talking about our country's healthcare issues... I don't often share a lot of political stuff here, except when I feel something is extremely important to address. In this case, we're talking about the three biggest issues facing our country, and as they discuss on the podcast, so many of these issues go back to one specific root cause: FOOD. That's right: the root of our struggles with social and economic inequality, as well as, of course, our nation's health, is actually related to the foods we consume (or can affor ..read more

While February may feel like a long ways from garden season (at least here in Ohio), in fact, it's just around the corner! Depending on where you live, it may already be time to start planting - or at least planning what to plant... That's why, for this month's freebie, I'm sharing a helpful guide to get you started thinking about this year's growing season! This detailed guidebook from the good folks over at Grow Your Own Vegetables contains step-by-step guidance to growing a thriving vegetable garden, no matter how much growing space you may have available. If you have time, I also recom ..read more

Welcome to the next installment in our Holistic Health series, where we are discussing the myriad aspects of holistic health and sharing tips for a healthier and more balanced life! This week, we're talking about an important aspect of health that I feel often doesn't get enough attention... Although we can't function at our best without proper rest (which, frankly, most of us don't get enough of), I hear relatively little discussion of the importance of sleep in holistic health circles - other than passing mentions about "making sure you get enough." It's almost like sleep is an afterthoug ..read more

I almost didn't post a blog for you this week due to an intense episode of back and hip pain, but I seem to have rebounded in the past 24 hours and am feeling a lot more energetic and motivated today, so you're in luck! :-) And I'm particularly excited to bring you this podcast episode this week, as the topic is near and dear to my heart. If you've been following this blog for a while, you probably know that the gut microbiome is something I find quite fascinating. We are still only exploring the tip of the iceberg when it comes to understanding the immense range of microbiota that makes up ..read more

Welcome back! It's time for your January Freebie, and I've got something a little different for you this month... Osteoporosis is an issue that impacts millions of people (especially women) worldwide, and it can significantly affect quality of life in your later years. Simple falls, sprains, or even just tripping over something around the house can lead to fractures that limit mobility and activity, and reduce health and longevity. The good news is, there are many things you can do to reduce your risk of osteoporosis while you are younger, or slow its progress as you age. And most of these ..read more