The homestead journal - recipes, memoirs and lessons

Welcome to the space where I share my homestead discoveries and dreams! Farm life is a beautiful, wild ride—utterly exhausting but full of wonder and reward at every turn. Step into the heart of farm-to-table living with me, where every meal tells a story of freshness and purpose. Here, you'll find time-honored techniques like canning, curing, fermenting, and baking—reviving the lost skills that turn simple ingredients into nourishing, toxin-free food. Let’s get back to real food, made the way it was meant to be.

The Wilson Family The Wilson Family

Rehydrating Sourdough Starter

Rehydrate your sourdough starter with this step by step guide. Follow my day by day instructions as we get your starter bubbly and active ready for your first loaf. Start on Monday and bake your first loaf on Saturday.

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The Wilson Family The Wilson Family

The Truth About Chronic Illness—Why Whole Foods Matter

Chronic illness has become the norm, but it doesn’t have to be. Despite trillions spent on healthcare, disease rates continue to rise—why? The answer lies in what we eat. Processed foods filled with sugar, additives, and unhealthy fats are driving metabolic dysfunction, leading to conditions like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. But the good news? The solution is simple. By shifting to whole, nutrient-dense foods, we can take control of our health and break free from the cycle of chronic illness.

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The Wilson Family The Wilson Family

Sourdough starter - the beginners guide

The journey of sourdough baking starts here! Sourdough starter is a living and active thing - just like having a pet, it requires daily attention and a bit of love but don't let the commitment put you off, learning to sourdough bake opens a gateway of possibilities and is better for your health. Learn about how to make your own starter, how to feed one, how to rehydrate one and what to do when your busy or need to take a break!

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The Wilson Family The Wilson Family

Pork side with crackling

This is a very basic oven roasted pork belly recipe delivers a gorgeous, juicy, melt in your mouth result which when paired with the salty crispy crunchy crackling will quickly become a family favourite!

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The Wilson Family The Wilson Family

Cornish Cross Chickens: Pros, Cons & Raising Tips

Raising Cornish Cross meat birds was an eye-opening experience. While their rapid growth is impressive, their dependence on feed and health challenges made us question their sustainability. From free-ranging struggles to processing pressures, we learned a lot about what it really takes to raise this breed. If you're considering raising your own meat birds, here's what you need to know about Cornish Cross and why they might—or might not—be the right fit for your homestead.

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The Wilson Family The Wilson Family

The British Bap - recipe

The British bap is the ultimate soft, floury bread roll, and its secret ingredient? Lard! Once a staple in post-war baking, lard gives these rolls an unbeatable texture that modern alternatives just can’t match. Whether you enjoy them fresh from the oven with butter or as the perfect sandwich bread, these traditional baps bring back the nostalgia of classic British baking. Easy to make and freezer-friendly, this recipe will have you rethinking everything you thought you knew about bread!

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The Wilson Family The Wilson Family

The Ultimate Natural Sponge – Growing and Using Loofah

Did you know you can grow your own natural sponges? Loofahs aren’t sea creatures—they’re plants! These eco-friendly, long-lasting sponges are perfect for dishwashing and skincare. After three years of using homegrown loofahs, I’ll never go back to synthetic sponges. In this post, I’ll share how to grow them, whether they’re truly antibacterial, and why they’re the ultimate cleaning sponge!

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The Wilson Family The Wilson Family

10 Ways to use Lard

For those of you who have worked out that the ‘fall of lard’ was actually another media and advertising plot to redirect your spending, then read on, because I have been cataloging ALL the ways to use this unsung hero of the fat world, and if you are in the process of restoring this once loved resource back to your kitchen counter top, here are my top 10 ways to use it.

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The Wilson Family The Wilson Family

Pie crust with Lard

The secret to amazing pie crust is fat. The higher the fat content of the dough the flakier the pastry it makes. Grandma knew a thing or two about flaky pastry…it was the lard. Learn how to make pie crust with lard and you will never want pie made any other way!!

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The Wilson Family The Wilson Family

Homemade Mayonnaise with Lard!

The problem with most homemade mayonnaise recipes is that they produce a rather runny result. Since mayonnaise is basically a blend of oil and vinegar emulsified together then it is logical that your home made spread is going to take on the nature of the oil that is used to make it.

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The Wilson Family The Wilson Family

The Truth About Lard: Why Everything You Heard Was Wrong

For decades, we were told that lard was bad for our health, but the truth is far from what big corporations wanted us to believe. The campaign against lard wasn’t just misguided—it was intentional. Backed by marketing dollars and weak science, vegetable oil manufacturers convinced us to ditch a natural, nutrient-rich fat for their highly processed alternatives. Now, with modern research at our fingertips, it’s time to set the record straight….

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The Wilson Family The Wilson Family

Curing Salt: Myths, Facts, and Natural Alternatives

Curing salt is a hot topic in the world of food preservation. With concerns about nitrates and their link to health risks, many are left wondering whether curing salts are safe to use. The truth? Not all curing salts are created equal, and nitrates aren’t necessarily the villains they’ve been made out to be. This guide clears up common misconceptions, explains the differences between curing salt types, and provides practical tips for safe home curing—so you can make informed choices without the fearmongering.

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The Wilson Family The Wilson Family

Pasture raised pork is healthier

A big part of our animal husbandry is down to working “with” the natural nature of the animal rather than against it. Learn how the piggy nature of pigs steered our decisions in how we raise our bacon.

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The Wilson Family The Wilson Family

How to cure your own bacon at home

Want to make your own naturally cured bacon without synthetic nitrates? Salt-curing pork belly is one of the oldest and simplest methods of preserving meat, using nothing but salt to enhance flavor and texture. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the process step by step, covering the correct salt ratio, curing times, and storage tips to ensure a perfectly preserved slab of bacon. Whether you're after crispy fried slices or a dry-aged delicacy, this method is a must-try for traditional food lovers!

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