Welcome to the Farm!
A large garden and orchard, chickens, lambs, and a huge Do-It-Yourself farmhouse build keep our hands busy, our tummies filled, and our hearts humbled. Life on our hobby farm is wonderfully messy.
I grew up in Southern Indiana and loved spending my summers picking sweet sun-ripened strawberries straight from our home garden, playing in the creek, and collecting fresh still-warm eggs. My mama taught me how to can, make bread, and to enjoy the simple pleasure that country life brings. Now that I’m married with 5 little ones of my own, we’ve chosen a country life so that we could give our children similar experiences. Bless this Mess is not just about food, we are also a hobby farm blog, we love to share life on our hobby farm and the joys of growing our own food!
Follow Our Farm Journey!
Weekly Farm Update April 10, 2021 – Welcome to Abundant Acres
Welcome to a new series on Bless this Mess all about our newest adventure: starting a farm. Blogging has changed a lot in the last 10 years. I used to…
The Complete Guide to Building A Chicken Coop
As more and more people bring chickens into their backyards, more and more people are learning about the many, many choices they have for chicken coops. This guide will help…
The Best Hummingbird Feeders you’ll Want to Buy
After reading through my top hummingbird feeders below, you’ll want to fill it with hummingbird food, right? Well, you can save money and make your own homemade hummingbird food to attract…
How to Can Tomatoes
Do you know the best way to save tomatoes at the peak of the season?Can them! I’m going to teach you how to can tomatoes so you canhave a taste…
Tomatillo Salsa Recipe for Canning
I love a good batch salsa. Sure, you can buy salsa at the store, but it is so much tastier when you make it at home. Tomatillo Salsa is a…
How to Make Kombucha
Have you been hearing the buzz word, Kombucha, EVERYWHERE lately?! It’s high time that I teach you how to make kombucha at home. Spoiler alert: it’s easier than you think,…
How to Freeze Green Beans
Who knew that one day canning supplies would be so hard to come by! They are out of stock in many grocery stores across the country right now. However, I…
How to Freeze Apricots
Learning how to freeze apricots is a quick and easy method to enjoy fruit all through the winter. Is there anything worse than having a big batch of fruit go…
Homemade Fruit Leather Recipe
Making fruit leather in the oven is a fun and simple way to preserve seasonal fruit and one of your favorite treats to make for traveling, hiking, or school lunches.…
Easy Fermented Pickles
Looking for a great homemade fermented pickle recipe? Look no more! This recipe makes lacto-fermented dill and garlic pickles that last ages and are so full of flavor. New to…
The Best Gift Ideas for Gardeners & Homesteaders
Have a gardening or farming lover on your list? This homesteader gift guide has ideas perfect for anyone who loves to garden and grow their own food! Gift Ideas for…
How to Cook Pumpkin in the Instant Pot
Learn how to cook pumpkin in the Instant Pot with this simple guide that will teach you how to make pumpkin puree at home. Use it in pumpkin pie, soups,…