Cooking From Scratch Archives

Three jars of honey in a pot on the stove that are being liquified.

Crystallized Honey: Uses and How to Liquify

If you are a beekeeper or a honey consumer, chances are, you have encountered granulated or “crystallized” honey. Today, I am going to talk about…

Two jars of apple scrap vinegar with red apples propped on the jars, sitting on a red gingham tablecloth.

Posted in Cooking From Scratch

How to Make Apple Scrap Vinegar

Learn how to make apple scrap vinegar using scraps from your apples. Today we are going to talk about the difference between apple cider vinegar…

Two glass jars containing lemons and vinegar, displayed with a yellow lemon juicer and a blue and pink napkin.

Posted in Caring For the Homestead, Cooking From Scratch

Cleaning Vinegar

In our town, once a year, a man comes from Florida and sells boxes of oranges and grapefruit from his truck. He drives to local…

Posted in Growing Food

Raised Garden Beds: Pros and Cons

Raised bed gardening. The envy of some gardeners, the misery of others. When I first started a vegetable garden, I had a traditional garden in the ground. Secretly though, I coveted raised beds for the delineation, the defined pathways. The paths that wouldn’t need weeding. The raised garden beds that would require less effort and…

Posted in Cooking From Scratch

How to Make Apple Scrap Vinegar

Learn how to make apple scrap vinegar using scraps from your apples. Today we are going to talk about the difference between apple cider vinegar and apple scrap vinegar. After that, I’m going to share my easy recipe for apple scrap vinegar. You will be shocked at how effortless the process is. It will have…

Posted in Farming the Homestead

5 Uses for Raw Wool Fleece On Your Homestead

Raw wool fleece is a topic that isn’t often covered. Consequently, most articles refer to sheep wool uses only after it has been cleaned. Today I am going to talk about raw wool and give you 5 Uses for Raw Wool Fleece On Your Homestead. What Is Raw Wool? So what exactly is raw wool?…

Posted in Cooking From Scratch

Rendering Lard

Join me as I share my technique for how to effortlessly render lard. As a result, the mess is minimal and the results are delicious. And pretty! Afterward, I will share my number one favorite use for lard. I bet it will surprise you!

Posted in Caring For the Homestead

DIY Spring Wreath With Shabby Chic Farmhouse Flair

Do you love wreaths? They are such a simple gesture of cheer. I like to display them on my front door and throughout my home for the seasons and holidays. But the price of a modest wreath generally starts around $25. Keeping this in mind, I knew I would have to create a DIY spring…

Posted in Cooking From Scratch

Einkorn Flour Carrot Cake Recipe

We recently had a birthday in our house. A birthday that required an especially lovely cake made with einkorn flour. But not just any einkorn cake was requested. In particular, the birthday girl requested an einkorn carrot cake. Undoubtedly, I was particularly excited to create this moist and flavor packed einkorn flour carrot cake recipe…

Posted in Cooking From Scratch

Canning Fruit and Jam With Honey

Are you looking for ways to reduce the amount of refined sugar your family consumes? Maybe you keep your own beehives, like me, and are looking for ways to use the gallons of honey you extract each fall by using honey as a sweetener. Today I am going to talk about the benefits of canning…

Posted in Caring For the Homestead

Homemade Wood Butter Recipe

Have you noticed that butcherblock countertops are all the hype right now? Wooden spoons and wooden cooking utensils are making a solid comeback, too. Wooden cutting boards are used as kitchen décor, undoubtedly because of their natural beauty. It takes a lot of restraint to not buy every wooden cutting board and wooden spoon I…

Posted in Cooking From Scratch

Uses For Jam and Jelly

Can I confess something? I have two drawers in my kitchen filled with jam! I call it my ‘sweet drawer’. It’s a source of pride and I love showing it off. Without fail, I open the drawers and the person I am showing it to is always taken aback. They always exclaim, “What do you…

Posted in Caring For the Homestead

DIY Plate Wall With Fabric Decoupage Plates

I have always wanted a plate display wall in my home. The problem is, I can’t ever find decorative plates pretty enough to display. Or the plates are too expensive for my liking. So what’s a person to do? Make a DIY Plate Wall With Fabric Decoupage Plates, of course! I am so excited to…

Meet Tonya From Old Clay Farm!

Welcome to Old Clay Farm, the place where I inspire you to cook from scratch recipes, grow organic food, care for your homestead in a natural way and simplify farming.

I deeply believe that homesteading is not defined by where a person lives, but by the lifestyle choices they make. Modern homesteading means taking charge of your circumstances by creating a better life right where you are.

I am passionate about cooking from scratch recipes, using simple, healthy ingredients. Whether you buy your produce from the store, or grow your own, I'll show you how to cook with it, preserve it and store it. And if you're looking for guidance with cooking and using cuts of meat or butchering practices, I've got you covered.

I share tips, failures and successes on my journey of growing my own food in Northern Michigan. I hope to inspire you to grow something edible- no matter where you live.

Caring for my homestead (and the people on it) in a natural way is very important to me. I share DIY home cleaning recipes, things like how to make lard candles and home décor projects, all in an effort to cultivate a healthy and welcoming home.