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Using sound judgment to be more self-reliant.

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Subscribe to Common Sense Home!

Join over 25,000 like-minded people who are working to be more self-reliant! Just use the “subscribe” box below to sign up.

Note – If you can't see a subscription box and would like to subscribe, leave a comment below and I will manually enter your information, or email me at laurie at commonsensehome dot com.

We’ll cover topics such as:

  • Gardening
  • Food Storage
  • Preparedness
  • Natural Health
  • Herbalism
  • Wildcrafting (Using wild plants for food and medicine)
  • Home Remedies and Natural Health
  • “Getting Started” with Homesteading Basics, such as chickens
  • Green Home Building and Remodeling
  • Book and Product Reviews
  • Recipes and much more

With your subscription, you'll also get access to my e-book, “Common Sense Homesteading 101:  7 Steps to Become More Self-Reliant Now”, a Bread Baking Troubleshooting Guide, Gardening Journal Templates and other useful information.

Watch for the download link in your confirmation email and on the successful subscription page.

Homesteading-101 ebook 3D

What Readers are Saying about Common Sense Home

“I love the free guides. They are such a big help for me. All of the ones I have down loaded I have saved in my I-books. My husband and I have been slowly working on homesteading for the past four years and are planning a big move during this year. All of the information you share is awesome and I love it!!”

…

“We have subscribed, and we stayed subscribed, simply because we love you. We love what you write, and we love the pictures you share. This is very simple!”

…

“I know that you asked for specifics with this news letter. I’m sorry but I just can’t provide you with any. I just absolutely love everything about your news letter. It doesn’t matter what you write or provide. Just reading it brings back so many memories growing up. My mother was born in the year 1900 and she went through allot during the years leading up to my birth (1950) and my younger sister (1953) (there was also 8 older siblings who were married and had children of their own by the time I came along.

When I was 20 months old, my father passed and at 25 months, my younger sister came on board. My mother lived her whole life on a farm and did everything from scratch until it was time for me to come along. My fathers failing health made it impossible to continue working the farm so my parents rented out the land and moved to the city. That did not stop my mother to continue her farm ways. She passed on allot of her knowledge of how to make a dollar stretch and how to cook from scratch and so much more. Sadly, she passed at age 87 but not without passing on so much knowledge to me.

I just love your news letters and no matter how much you want to change or add to it, I will continue to view, read, etc. – especially the recipes and your stories of your family (love the duckies too).

Please keep up the fantastic work that you do; no matter what you do. Enjoy all of it and thank you so much for sharing.”

Who Runs This Site?

This site is not run by a bunch of marketing people who are posting about self-reliance and preparedness because it's become trendy. This is the way my family and I live every day, messes and all.

I (Laurie Neverman, shown in the photo below) started writing back in 2008, and it grew into what you see today. Along the way I roped in friends and family to help out, including my husband, August, my brother, Richard, and a couple of good friends, Amber and Deb.

Click here to learn more about us.

Thanks so much for joining us,

Laurie

Laurie Neverman

What We Do with Your Email When You Subscribe

We send out a weekly newsletter sharing a peek into our lives and seasonal content, and sometimes emails during the week. Some of the emails will contain sales links (we do need to pay the bills), but you are never obligated to buy and the newsletter is free.

We never sell or share your information. You can unsubscribe at any time. There is an unsubscribe link at the bottom of every email. Please do not mark the emails as spam.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Heather Potter says

    My Mom did a lot of preserving and growing her own food while I was growing up and know it’s instilled in me. More and more I am getting into growing my own medicinal plants. It is always good to get ideas from others who are doing the same.

    Thanks Heather

    Reply

    • Laurie Neverman says

      Welcome! I was raised with gardening and preserving, too, so it’s great to be able to share that with my boys, and to connect with others. It might not be mainstream yet, but maybe some day. 🙂

      Reply

      • Alex says

        The BEST cherries I EVER had were the really sour cherries we used to jar back when I was a kid. Unfortunately the tree stopped producing at some point and was replaced but it’s just not as good any more.

        Thanks for the reminder! I think I need to buy a cherry tree!

        Reply

          • Nina says

            What kind of cherry trees and where do you buy them. We live in southeast Minnesota and have been starting to plant fruit trees and we are trying to become more self sufficient. so I love your site and I cAn learn so much you are so close to me. I think we will try to see solar this October. Would be so great.

          • Laurie Neverman says

            We have some sweet and tart cherries, varieties that are supposed to be hardy to zone 4, purchased from Stark Brothers Nursery. Stark has a widget on their site that will screen trees and plants by zone hardiness.

      • Andrew says

        Hi I am already signed up/subscribed.

        You claim “With your subscription, you’ll also get access to my new e-book, “Common Sense Homesteading 101: 7 Steps to Become More Self-Reliant Now”.

        Do I also get access to the ebook?

        Reply

          • Vickie Pegel says

            I loved your bread presentation and how easy you made it look.

            I am already a subscriber too.

          • Deborah says

            Watched your bread making presentation, really enjoyed it, thank you! Couldn’t find the subscription button in Firefox so tried this page in IE and it did appear. Thought I had subscribed (would love your bread recipe!), but have not received a confirmation email. Nothing in my spam folder either. Thanks so much!

          • Laurie Neverman says

            hmmm… checked the subscriber list, and it’s showing you as “confirmation pending”. I’m suspecting that your email provider may be blocking my email service. Did you add “laurie at commonsensehome dot com” to your safe senders list? Sometimes that helps, sometimes I simply can’t get through.

            All the recipes on the site are listed at https://commonsensehome.com/recipes/, including the sandwich bread I made in the video. (First recipe on the list under “Yeast Breads”.

      • Russell Tucker says

        Dear Laurie
        HI my name is Russell & I am 42 years old, every sense I was a kid I was interested in learning the wild edible plants that grow around our home & property we live in central Illinois, I have bought several books from the net that all say about the same stuff, the berries, wild fruit trees, nut trees, and so on but I cant find the greens that grow here, & good info so that I get the right plant. What I am talking about is like wild mustard, ramps, sour dock & I think I know these plants but want to know for sure I do have the right plants, & what to do to fix them the different ways they can be eaten ? please help Thank You

        Reply

    • Laurie Neverman says

      That is not even a little bit silly. I don’t know what happened, but for some reason the script for the sign up box just vanished from the page html. Very strange. Thanks for asking, and it should be working now.

      Reply

    • Laurie Neverman says

      Sherry – I’ll manually enter your information. Not sure why the subscription box won’t show up for you. As far as I can see, it’s displaying correctly, but maybe it doesn’t work with some browsers or settings.

      Reply

      • Laurie Neverman says

        Just checked, and you are on the subscription list already with the email you entered above. If you’re not receiving emails (which come out 1-2 times per week), they may be getting caught in your spam filter.

        Reply

  15. Robert R Manners says

    Hello Laurie. I just subscribed and I for some reason cannot download the free copy of the book. Can you help? It looks like a ton of great info and would love to read it. Thanks.

    Robert R Manners

    Reply

  16. Kristi says

    Laurie, I’ve subscribed but haven’t received any new emails from you and I would love to download your free copy of your book. I truly love your site and am so glad I got to hear you speak on Self-Reliance Summit this week. Awesome interview Laurie.

    Reply

  17. Shelah Horvitz says

    Hell of a great page with a lot of cool features, but you still have no link to subscribe. You do have a link to a subscribe page off your “Getting Started Homesteading” menu option but that just leads you here, and there’s no place on this page to input your data and fire off a request.

    Please subscribe me. Thanks!

    Shelah

    Reply

  18. Greg Niemiec says

    Not seeing a subscribe box. Please subscribe me. Perhaps time to get another website manager. Using firefox as my browser.

    Reply

    • Laurie Neverman says

      I could get a new website manager – if I had a website manager. As it stands, I manage the website, do the projects and research covered in the posts, take the photos, edit the photos, write the posts, answer the comments and pretty much everything else on the website – all while homeschooling my kids and growing and preserving much of our own food. Over 19,000 people have signed up without a hitch, but for some reason once in a while someone has a browser issue and the form doesn’t display. I appreciate everyone’s patience with the vagaries of website glitches, and their understanding that it is just me manning the place on a day to day basis, not a team of people.

      Reply

  23. Ethel Ebanks says

    I’m currently making a transition from working to doing what I am passionate about. Although I don’t have all the necessary skills to be the Homesteader that I want to be. I will be loyal to this wesite in order to discover more of what I need.

    Reply

  24. Michelle says

    I can not get to the link to down load the free “Common Sense Homesteading 101: 7 Steps to Become more Self-Reliant Now” I have signed for it.

    Reply

    • Laurie Neverman says

      Teresa, you’re already on our email list, so please check your spam folder to see if you’ve been missing emails. I just sent you an email with a link to the download page for the free e-book.

      Reply

  27. Mary McClellan says

    I would love to subscribe and get your e-book. My husband andI are acively pursuing this lifestyle and I would love to connect with you and others for support and ideas. Using Firefox, thank you.

    Reply

  28. Amy says

    I asked to be subscribed at the end of October, but you never replied to me. This is my second attempt, please sign me up! I love this site. 🙂

    Reply

  30. Chris says

    Have tried to get to the book link several different ways, but have not been able. Confirmed subscription and even subscribed again. Help, please?

    Reply

  33. Cristina Aralda says

    Hej Laurie
    I have also subscribed but it seams that I have the same problem like the others. I cannot see the download link to your book. I am very interested to read it.
    Best regards

    Reply

  34. Misti Fillingame says

    I’ve subscribed, and been reading your posts (love them!!) and I want to read the ebook but I can’t seem to get to it now. Can you help me?

    Reply

  35. Kate says

    Hi Laurie, I love your website and how informative everything is for those of us who are just starting out. I can’t wait to try out another recipe …. but I can’t find that link to your E-book on my sign-up newsletter and would so love to read it . . . where in the welcome e-mail is the link supposed to be? Thanks for all that you do : )

    Reply

    • Laurie Neverman says

      The link is on the Successful Subscription page, but lots of people have been missing it so I just added another link to the welcome email. Check your inbox for a copy of the pdf.

      Welcome!

      Reply

  37. Stephanie says

    Loving this site! Homesteading is a passion burning in my heart, I long for a simple life with my family 🙂 looking forward to this journey. But, I am unable to download the free E book. Could you please send me a copy? Thank you so much.

    Reply

  38. Nita says

    I, like the others, am unable to subscribe to your site because there is no “subscribe box”. I was raised in the country and we gardened and canned vegetables and meats too. Both sets of my grandparents were farmers too. I learned so much from my grandmother and have many of her recipes for special items to bake and preserve. My father was a big hunter and we always had canned venison in the “can cupboard”. Fresh is Best!!! Please subscribe me. Thank you for your assistance. I appreciate it.

    Reply

  39. Alice says

    I have been canning and growing a lot of my own stuff, one allergies, have books on all kinds of stuff we can gather from out side weeds as some would say,but home remedy’s and tea’s I have made from stuff I grow, Still learning, and growing food and herbs, I find it a lot of fun and some thing I get excited about, every year, this new year is growing ginger in a pot, drives my other half a little crazy but …I love it

    Reply

  44. Tim says

    Okay, give up is not an option. I turned off all blocking apps and still confused as to where the subscribe link should be. I am just starting to (re)learn about gardening and would love it if you would add me. I remember foraging through the garden during playtime. A quick carrot or onion would keep me from being hungry until play time was over. Unfortunately, I did not pay enough attention to my parents gardening after I was around seven years old. What I wouldn’t give to know all they knew then. Thanks in advance. Happy Sustainability….. Tim

    Reply

  45. Tim says

    I did find a subscribe area above the “Scrolling” window. I may have been able to subscribe after all. Thanks in advance for checking. TIm

    Reply

  47. Sarah says

    Hi Laurie,

    I would like to subscribe please. Using Firefox and still can’t see a subscription box. Thanks!

    Sarah

    Reply

  50. Thunder Sollock says

    I couldn’t find the subscribe button. I use Foxfire and a add-on called noscript that stops a lot of scripts on sites. It is a security feature and Google (the collector of large amounts of information) is normally blocked along with a lot of social sites. Pain in the backside? A little, but I prize my privacy while being available in the world. I am also known as The Body Whisperer and love what I do in the health arena. I came by you via Marjory Wildcraft’s Home Grown Food Summit, though a pity that I couldn’t view your presentation due to internet connectivity problems. I have sent her an email, but as busy as she is I figure she hasn’t had time to consider it.

    I look forward to exploring your site and I hope that I can still view your homesteading book. I like how you described yourself and really appreciate authentic folks, sharing what they love.
    Blessings,
    ~Thunder, The Body Whisperer

    Reply

    • Laurie Neverman says

      The subscription box is a script, so that would do it. I feel your pain on internet connectivity issues. We’re on a slow country connection, and it took me over an hour to upload the presentation.

      The book is a download in pdf format, and not terribly huge, so hopefully you can access it. If the download doesn’t work, email me at laurie at commonsensehome dot com and I’ll try sending it directly. I entered your information, so you should receive a confirmation email shortly.

      Reply

  54. dawn says

    I signed up to get weekly publishing but missed out on the free ebook. Is there a way the link could be sent to my email. Thank you

    Reply

  56. Ingrid says

    I would love to become a subscriber…. and also receive the ebook that you offer (thank you!) 🙂 … but I too can’t see a ‘subscribe’ button…. Help, please?
    Thanks, Ingrid

    Reply

  57. Ingrid says

    Trying this again….my post from yesterday obviously never made it.
    I also can’t find the subscribe button and would like to subscribe and also receive the ebook you mention.
    Please add me.
    Thank you. Ingrid

    Reply

    • Laurie Neverman says

      Your confirmation email is on its way. I manually check comments because some spammers still get past the spam filters, and I just didn’t have a chance to check until now.

      Reply

  58. Becki Koch says

    Hi Laurie, I subscribed to your site, but so far have not seen a confirmation email. Very interested in the information you blog and appreciate the time you put into it. Hope you can help get me started. Interested also in the e-book. Thanks much!

    Reply

    • Laurie Neverman says

      Becki, I just checked Aweber (the newsletter service I use), and it shows your status as Pending, with “Confirmation Message sent Today, 12:20am”. Check your spam filter and junk mail folders, as sometimes the emails end up there because they’re not directly from a person.

      Reply

  63. Sara says

    I would love to have the ebook that is free to subscribers. I had already signed up and I can’t figure out how to get it. I saw on another post that it is a PDF…but I can’t find a link (if there is one…lol). Thanks!

    Reply

  64. gail dennehy says

    Using Firefox, so I guess there is still a problem. Please sign me on and send the link for your ebook. If it’s as good as your site, I don’t want to miss it. Thanks.

    Reply

    • Laurie Neverman says

      Are you sure you haven’t received it, because I just checked the email service and it says it was sent on May 30th and that you verified, and you’ve been opening newsletters – unless you’re sharing your account with someone? I’ll email you shortly with more info.

      Reply

  66. Louis says

    I use Firefox. Please sign me on and send the link for your ebook. Thank you so much I am excited about all you say. Blessings and Thanks.

    Reply

  67. Teresa says

    I love your newsletters and have been a member for a short time now and I was wondering if old members can still get your ebook Common Sense Homesteading 101. I would even be willing to pay for it. Thanks so much, Teresa

    Reply

  70. Atiq ur Rehman says

    THANKS
    for your early reply I was just wondering the net to find some agriculture related articles for time pass and came across your wonderful website, I am encouraged by the history shared by you and about your husband. I have the similar story but lacking courage and waiting for the right time and miracle to happen. I am masters in agronomy and after serving in fertilizer company have lost my job in MAY 2015 and still in shock to recover from the disaster.
    Your history gave me courage to write these lines and will provide me the energy to see the world differently.
    Regards,
    Atiq ur Rehman

    Reply

  71. Marilyn Baxter says

    Hi Laurie. I’ve been enjoying the two newsletters I received since I subscribed on May 2. Somehow I must have missed the download directions for “Common Sense Homesteading 101” and would enjoy that as well. Please let me know how to do that. My parents gardened organically fifty years ago, and I have done so off and on since my family was young. Now that I’m retired I live in my parents’ old house with forty acres and want to do more. Thanks, Marilyn

    Reply

  72. Valle Janes says

    There wasn’t a subscribe box. I use Safari but I also have Chrome. Maybe Ill try on Chrome and see if there is a subscribe box. I love your site. Im a total amateur but Im enthusiastic and teachable! 🙂

    Reply

  73. Susie says

    Hi, These days I am home bound due ill health, so I am looking for new things to do here at home; looking to improve health awareness.

    Reply

  76. Barb Herron says

    Hi Laurie- I have been a subscriber and I must admit that I always read it. I feel like I know you from your posts. I have been baking bread for years, more so now that I am retired!! I am on the lookout for the bread pans that you use, bread sometimes burns a little on the bottom. I have always been the “odd one” in the group because I don’t use my dryer-I have maybe 10 times over the last 8 years. I love to hang out clothes, they smell so wonderful especially when it is cold!! Thanks for all the inspiration, yahoo!

    Reply

  78. Armando mike says

    Laurie: I’m already subscribe to your news letter and I saw your presentation on the mother earth homesteading summit on bread baking, so I wondered if I can still get a copy of your “Bread Baking Troubleshooting Guide”. loved the presentation. thanks

    Reply

  79. Kimberlie says

    Alas, I too am one of the buttonless who wish to subscribe! Loved your presentation at the Mother Earth Homesteading Summit! Looking forward to the bread info and ebook link…thanks! Using Firefox, newest version….

    Reply

  80. Mary Duffel says

    I’ve baked bread for years, but learned so much more with the wonderful presentation. I would enjoy seeing more of Laurie, demonstrating additional food preparation skills.
    Thank you very much.
    Mary

    Reply

    • Laurie Neverman says

      Thank you for your kind words, Mary. I hope to make more time to do videos this winter, once our big building project is done and all of the garden (except the greenhouse) is sleeping. We’re tackling building a combination garden shed/coop this fall, and it’s turned into quite the project.

      Reply

  81. Sheila Woody says

    Your very sweet and i appreciate that you are so helpful especially under all the time consuming demands glad to be apart of the crew.

    Reply

  86. Linda says

    Hi Laurie
    I realized just as I was clicking on “Post Comment” that the auto fill feature on my computer filled in my whole name. I would like to edit the subscription to only include my first name for comments on this site.
    Thanks
    Linda

    Reply

    • Laurie Neverman says

      What and how much are you using? You may need to use more, or try something different if a fungal infection doesn’t respond to one type of treatment. (As time goes on, many different microbes are becoming more resistant.) Pau D’arco tea is very good for fungal infections. Calendula salve is also anti-fungal, as are a number of different herbal salves.

      Reply

  89. Joshua Morgan says

    I just started reading your blog post and have found them helpful. But I don’t see a subscription button. I do use Firefox, if that makes a difference. Can you add me? Thanks!

    Reply

  92. Caroline Summer says

    You’re my new go-to-guru for all things planticimal.

    Grateful. Thank you. Oh, one other thing… To make tea is it purely ‘leaves’ or can whole plants go in. And the root?

    I have so many questions. Off to continue my research. Have shared you, of course, to my planty pals. And pals who can’t sleep or have stress or pain. All my contacts then.

    Bravo!

    Reply

    • Laurie Neverman says

      Hi Caroline, and welcome.

      If you’re referring to wild lettuce, typically the leaves are used, but you can also use leaves and stem if you like. If you are drying some for later use, the leaves dry more uniformly.

      Reply

  93. shirley says

    I love making thins from scratch. I love chocolate mint tea and have been looking to purchase chocolate mint tea. I now see that I could make my own.

    Reply

    • Laurie Neverman says

      Hi Patty.

      I just entered your information, so you’ll be receiving a confirmation email shortly.

      I sent out this week’s newsletter just a bit ago, so I’ll send that to you directly so you don’t miss it.

      Reply

  100. John says

    FREE GARDENING JOURNAL TEMPLATES AND OTHER GARDEN RECORD KEEPING TIPS

    I found the article above, but could not find any link in the article to download the templates.

    Can you please provide the link?

    Thanks,

    John

    Reply

    • Laurie Neverman says

      John, the gardening journal templates are a subscriber bonus, like the Homesteading 101 ebook. When someone subscribes, they get sent a link to the download page. If you’d like, I can add you to the newsletter list, or you can use one of the forms on the site to join. I checked and noticed that you are not a subscriber yet.

      Reply

  101. jacque freeland says

    I freeze peaches and the use them to can pie filling. I UNDERSTAND THAT IS NOT A GOOD THING TO DO. i would like to know why. I usually add the frozen peaches to the thick syrup usuing clear gel. I do let the peaches thaw somewhat .

    Reply

    • Laurie Neverman says

      There are a couple of different issues.

      One – if you freeze the peaches first, then can them, I would expect the texture to get quite soft. Many people prefer firmer pieces of peach.

      The second, and more important issue from a food safety perspective, is the potential for uneven heating. If you’re packing half frozen peaches in a hot syrup, you’re likely to have hot and cold spots in the jar. A cold spot in the wrong spot could also cause a jar to shatter.

      Ideally, you want the contents of any any jar to be evenly heated all the way through, held at the proper temp for the proper amount of time.

      As you’ve no doubt discovered because you’re still here to ask the question, acidic fruit with sugar syrup is forgiving. The acid in the fruit inhibits spoilage, as does the sugar in the syrup. (The sugar binds up free water, which bacteria need to grow.)

      Reply

  105. Andrew says

    I did not see a subscription box, but please sign me up for your newsletters, and I would love a copy of your ebook “Common Sense Homesteading”. Thank you

    Reply

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