brown kraft labels Archives

Learn how to organize your spices using a drawer and some homemade labels.

How To Organize Spices In A Drawer

Are you tired of pulling every spice jar out of your cabinet just to find the jar you actually need? If you’re looking for inspiration…

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

Simple Chili Dog Sauce Recipe for Batch Cooking

This Simple Chili Dog Sauce recipe is one that I keep in my freezer year round. The versatility of it allows me to not only use it on hot dogs and brats, but a multitude of other recipes. Not only does this Simple Chili Dog Sauce works as a recipe starter, but also as a…

Posted in Cooking From Scratch

Healthy Pop Tarts with Einkorn Pie Crust Recipe

Do your kids like to eat Pop Tarts for breakfast? With the amount of sugar per serving, I’m shocked to know that they are considered a breakfast food! That’s why I’m so excited to share my version of Healthy Pop Tarts With Einkorn Pie Crust Recipe that is filled with Honey Sweetened Jam. Not only…

Posted in Caring For the Homestead, Growing Food

Simple DIY Herb Drying Rack (for fresh herbs and flowers)

If you’re looking for a simple DIY herb drying rack for fresh herbs and flowers, you are in the right place! Not only is this DIY herb and flower drying rack decorative, but it’s also a functional way to dry herbs this growing season. This project uses inexpensive materials and takes 30 minutes to put…

Posted in Cooking From Scratch

How to Meal Prep Mashed Potatoes

Fluffy, smooth, buttery mashed potatoes from scratch. Best served piping hot with gravy, or cheese and chives, or maybe even on top of a casserole. Mashed potatoes really lend themselves as a nice vehicle for numerous dishes. But do you know what they are? Time consuming to make from scratch! That’s why I am so…

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, Growing Food

Chamomile: How to Grow and Use

Are you a tea drinker? A gardener? A make-it-yourselfer? Do you like to dabble in home apothecary? Then welcome, friend! Today I am going to teach you how to grow chamomile. Then I will talk about when to harvest it and methods for preserving chamomile. Last, I am going to share how my family uses this…

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

Einkorn Flour Sourdough Pumpkin Donut Recipe

I am so pumped to share my Einkorn Flour Sourdough Pumpkin Donut Recipe with you guys! This no yeast donut recipe comes together quickly, giving you perfectly moist, baked donuts. Not only am I sharing my sourdough donut recipe, but I’m also including my quick maple glaze for donuts. I mean, really, what is a…

Posted in Farming the Homestead

Top 5 Broiler Chicken Breeds For Meat Production

Some might consider the best meat chicken breeds to be a 45 day chicken. Or, one that is fully mature and ready for butchering 45 days after hatching. But others can reasonably argue that the best meat birds come from chickens who are raised slower and are dual purpose. Meaning not only are they wonderful…

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.