Heart of the Homestead Family

🍑 Fresh peaches only come once a year—and when they do, you don’t want to waste a single one!
In this episode, we’re talking all things peaches: freezing, canning, dehydrating, juicing, and even making peach salsa and fruit leather.
Whether you grow your own or grab them from a local orchard, you’ll get plenty of ideas for preserving this sweet summer fruit so you can enjoy it all year long.
👉 Plus, we share details about an exciting Simmer & Share event coming November 8th—mark your calendar!
 
Check out this episode (and more!) on our YouTube Channel.

It’s harvest season on the homestead, and the tomatoes are rolling in faster than we can keep up! In this episode, we dive deep into everything tomatoes — from heirloom varieties to Romas, indeterminate vs. determinate plants, and how to deal with tomato hornworms.
We also share our favorite ways to use up a bumper crop from freezing whole tomatoes (the easiest method!) to finding creative recipes like tomato jam, ketchup, and even freeze-dried tomato powder!
Whether you grow a garden full of tomatoes or pick them up at a local farm, this episode is packed with practical tips to help you enjoy tomato season without overwhelm.
👉 Don’t miss our upcoming Simmer & Share Event on November 8th, 2025! We’ll be sharing homestead tips, preserving know-how, and connecting with you, our listeners.
Check out Sarah's Butter Chicken Recipe
And the recipe she uses for Shakshuka
Watch this episode on YouTube!

Raspberries are one of the easiest (and tastiest!) fruits to harvest—and there are so many ways to enjoy them 🍓✨
 
In this episode, Sarah and Heidi share how they freeze, preserve, and use raspberries in everything from jams and dressings to quick snacks and even trail treats. You’ll also learn about everbearing varieties, wild black raspberries, and a few tricks for making the most of a seedy harvest.
Plus—we’ve got an exciting event coming up on November 8th: a Simmer & Share all about broth-making, homesteading tips, and connecting with you, our listeners! Stay tuned for details.
Watch this episode on YouTube

Beets — you either love them or hate them, but there’s no denying how versatile they are!
In this episode, we dig into all things beets: from colorful varieties beyond the classic red, to pickling, roasting, salads, smoothies, and even using the greens. We share tips for cooking, preserving, and creative ways to enjoy them (without staining all your clothes red 😉).
Whether you’re beet-obsessed or beet-curious, this episode will inspire you to bring more of this earthy veggie from garden to table.
Don't forget to save the date for November 8th when we will have a "Simmer & Share," details coming soon!
 
Watch this episode on our YouTube Channel

Broccoli is finally in the kitchen—whether you grew it yourself or picked it up locally! 🥦 In this episode, we chat about:
Dealing with pests and cleaning your broccoli (goodbye, hidden worms 👋).
How we eat it fresh, roast it, or toss it into stir-fries and salads.
Easy ways to preserve broccoli: blanching, freezing, and storing for later.
Why you should never toss the stems (hello, soups and purees!).
Creative ways to make broccoli fun for kids—even peanut butter + broccoli!
If you’ve got an abundance of broccoli, this one’s full of tips to enjoy every bit.
 
Watch this episode on our YouTube channel!
 
And don't forget to mark your calendars for our "Simmer & Share" event happening November 8!

Cauliflower season has arrived! In this episode, Sarah and Heidi chat about the ups and downs of growing this sometimes-finicky veggie, why it rarely looks like the ones in the store, and how they process and preserve it for year-round use.
From roasting fresh heads to sneaking puréed cauliflower into sauces, they share their favorite tricks, surprising experiments (hello, cauliflower pizza crust), and honest family reactions. Plus — tips to keep your cauliflower bright and fresh right from the garden.
Got a favorite cauliflower recipe? They’d love to hear it!
 
Watch this episode on YouTube
And...stay tuned for details about our Simmer & Share happening October 8!

Let's be honest - gardening is a lot of work and you have to be passionate about it! Even after 20+ years of gardening, we're still constantly facing new challenges. Today we're diving into one of the biggest ones: those bugs that want to eat your harvest before you do!
We're sharing our tried-and-true natural methods for dealing with the most common garden pests here in Southwestern Ontario (and beyond). No harsh chemicals needed - just practical, real-world solutions that work for small backyard gardens.
🎉 SAVE THE DATE! 🎉
Simmer & Share Event November 8th, 2025 at 10:00am
Join us for broth making, homestead tips, and getting to know each other better! We want to learn about YOU, our listeners. More registration details coming soon - you won't want to miss this!
 
Follow us on social media to stay up to date! @heart_of_the_homestead_family
 
Watch this episode on YouTube

Zucchini season is here and it does not come quietly! One day there’s none, and the next — your kitchen is overflowing. In this episode, Sarah and Heidi chat all things zucchini: the creative ways they cook, can, freeze, dry, and sneak it into meals. From zucchini “pineapple” to quick pickles, crunchy dehydrated snacks, and even zucchini flour — we’ve got your bushel-loads covered!
 
Whether you're a first-time grower or knee-deep in green squash, there’s something in here for every homestead kitchen. 🌱
 
👉 Hit play, and let’s figure out what to do with all. that. zucchini.

Sarah and Heidi are deep in the thick of preservation season madness! July has been all about racing to keep up with the garden's bounty after what felt like endless weeding with nothing to show for it. Between hunting down impossible-to-find supplies like dill seed (seriously, why doesn't Bulk Barn carry it anymore?!) and Sarah's epic table collapse disaster that sent 100+ jars worth of pickles crashing to the floor, it's been quite the adventure. But hey, that's homesteading life - messy, unpredictable, and totally worth it when you finally master skills like whipping up 25 gallons of laundry detergent in just 10 minutes!
The ladies are super excited to announce their November 8th listener meetup in Norfolk County - a free get-together where they'll teach you how to make the most amazing broth while chatting about all things homesteading. Because let's be real, homesteading is way more fun (and way less overwhelming) when you've got a community of like-minded folks to share the ups, downs, and pickle disasters with.
Follow us on social media to catch details and sign up @heart_of_the_homestead_family
And don't forget to check out our YouTube channel!

Blueberry season is here, and we’re loving every sweet, simple minute of it! In this episode, Sarah and Heidi chat about why blueberries are the ultimate low-maintenance fruit—from picking to freezing to baking. Whether you're tossing them in smoothies, baking them into cobblers, or just snacking by the handful, there's no wrong way to enjoy them.
Tune in for tips on storing, dehydrating, and making the most of this summer staple—without turning your kitchen into a sauna. 😉
Don't forget to subscribe to catch all out latest episodes!