✂️ Herb-Cutting 101+ A FREE Intuition Tool 💚

NOTICE: Formerly known as The Steady Homestead, we’ve rebranded to The Homestead Movement! Same great content, just a fresh new name. 😊 

IN TODAY'S EDITION

1. Homestead Tip 🌱

2. Poll Results From Last Thursday 📊

3. All Things Homestead: Mastering the Art of Cutting Herbs for Cooking ✂️

4. Personal Development: A Guide to Strengthening Intuition 💚

5. Today's Top Picks 🛍️

6. Let’s Keep It Reel 🤣

BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

Earth Conscious Life

It’s a beautiful resource full of thoughtful articles, wellness tips, and ways to live more intentionally.

If you’re already swapping out toxins, growing your own food, or making your own skincare… this is the kind of content that feels like a deep exhale. ✨

POLL RESULTS FROM LAST THURSDAY

Do you reuse greywater on your homestead?

⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Yes, with a full system

🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ I do it manually (buckets, hoses, etc.)

🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ I’m planning to set one up

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 I’m interested but unsure how

🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ No, I don’t reuse household water

via @beehiiv polls

Feel free to participate in fun polls in our next newsletters! 😉

Also, follow us on our social media accounts for daily homesteading inspiration and updates.

ALL THINGS HOMESTEAD

Mastering the Art of Cutting Herbs for Cooking ✂️

When you’re running your homestead, having fresh herbs right at your fingertips is one of the best perks. But let’s be real: cutting herbs can be a bit tricky if you're not sure what you’re doing.

And I'm here to help with all that. With the simple steps below, you’ll be adding fresh, flavorful herbs to your dishes in no time.

1. Choose the Right Time to Harvest

You don’t want to cut herbs at just any time. The best time to harvest them is early in the morning, when they’re still full of moisture and aroma. The leaves should be fresh, vibrant, and not wilting. If your herbs are flowering, it’s a sign they’re past their prime for culinary use, so avoid cutting those.

Tip: Wait for a dry day to cut herbs, especially if it’s been rainy. Wet leaves can wilt and turn brown more easily.

2. Use Sharp Scissors or a Knife

Cutting herbs might seem like a simple task, but the tool you use makes all the difference. A sharp pair of scissors or a small, sharp knife is best for snipping herbs cleanly. Avoid using dull tools, as they can bruise the leaves, which leads to a loss of flavor and nutrients.

Why it matters: A clean cut helps prevent the edges from turning brown and keeps your herbs looking fresh longer.

3. Know How Much to Cut

You don’t need to chop down your whole herb plant at once, just take what you need. Always aim to cut just a small portion at a time, leaving the rest to continue growing. For most herbs, it’s a good idea to cut above a set of leaves, leaving a small portion of the stem behind. This allows the plant to continue producing new leaves.

Example: With basil, snip off the top 1-2 inches to encourage bushier growth.

4. Cutting Herbs the Right Way

When it’s time to make the cuts, here’s the approach you’ll want to take. For most herbs, you should be cutting the stems, not just the leaves. This ensures you don’t damage the plant, and you get the most out of your harvest.

• For Leafy Herbs (like basil, parsley, cilantro): Hold the stem between your fingers and make a clean snip just above the set of leaves. This encourages new growth.

• For Woody Herbs (like rosemary, thyme, oregano): Cut the sprigs toward the tip, leaving enough of the woody stem behind for regrowth.

5. Store Herbs Properly After Cutting

Once you’ve cut your herbs, you’ll want to store them properly so they stay fresh. If you’re using them right away, simply rinse them lightly and pat them dry with a paper towel. For herbs that you want to keep for a few days, place them in a jar of water like fresh flowers or wrap them in a damp paper towel and store them in the fridge.

• For long-term storage: You can freeze some herbs, like thyme or rosemary. Just chop them and place them in an ice cube tray, covering them with olive oil. That way, you’ll have ready-to-use herbs whenever you need them.

6. Avoid Over-Cutting Your Herbs

It’s tempting to grab a handful of herbs for every recipe, but remember that over-cutting can damage the plants. Aim to harvest no more than one-third of the plant at a time. This gives it enough time to recover and continue producing fresh leaves for your next harvest.

Tip: If you're unsure, err on the side of caution and only cut a little. It's better to harvest a little and let it grow back than to risk killing the plant by cutting too much.

7. Avoid the Heat

Once you’ve harvested your herbs, try to avoid exposing them to direct sunlight or heat. Heat can cause herbs to lose their flavor quickly, so store them in a cool, shaded area until you're ready to use them.

Tip: If you’re using fresh herbs in cooking, try to add them toward the end of your cooking process to preserve the flavor.

8. Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Cutting too much at once: As mentioned, it’s tempting, but taking too many leaves at once can stunt growth.

• Cutting too close to the base: When you cut too low, you risk damaging the plant and stopping new growth.

• Not using the right tools: Scissors and a sharp knife are your friends. Avoid tearing leaves, which can cause bruising.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

A Guide to Strengthening Intuition 💚

When the world feels loud, the body tired, and decisions pile up, most women don’t need more advice, they need more clarity. Intuition isn’t a mysterious gift. It’s a muscle we all have, but many have lost touch with it from stress, distractions, and constant “doing.”

If you've ever said, “I just don’t know what to do,” this is for you.

Here are seven easy-to-follow habits that help bring your mind back home, so you can actually hear what your gut's been saying all along.

Alone Time

Constant noise from others can drown out your inner voice. When women spend all their energy responding to family, phones, or outside opinions, their thoughts stop sounding like their own.

Spending quiet time alone helps reset the nervous system. Try drinking tea in silence, walking without your phone, or sitting on the porch before the house wakes up. These simple moments reconnect you with yourself.

Breath Awareness

Your breath reflects your mind. When it’s rushed or shallow, your thoughts usually are, too.

Take short pauses throughout the day to notice your breathing. Inhale slowly for four counts, then exhale for four. Do this while kneading dough, folding laundry, or taking a break between chores. This small act helps slow mental chatter so your thoughts stop racing ahead of your instincts.

Body Scans

So many women feel out of touch with their own bodies. Scanning from head to toe helps bring awareness back.

Try lying down or sitting comfortably. Gently notice each part of your body, from your forehead to your toes. Ask, “Where do I feel tension?” or “What feels good today?” Your body often speaks louder than your brain, but only if you learn to listen.

Grounding Practice

When your head feels cloudy or emotions are high, it’s often because you're ungrounded.

Get outside and put your hands in the soil, stand barefoot in the grass, or hug a tree. These aren't just calming, they’re centering. Grounding pulls your energy back into your body and gives your intuition a stable place to speak from.

Destimulation

We live in an overstimulated world. News, texts, and endless scrolling leave your brain no time to rest.

Try carving out blocks of time with zero outside input. No phone. No background noise. Just you and your space. This helps you stop absorbing so much so you can start hearing yourself again. Even 15 minutes makes a difference.

Energy Clearing

Emotions build up like clutter. When left unchecked, they block your ability to sense what’s true for you.

You can clear this energy in gentle ways. Try journaling before bed, taking a warm bath with salt, or opening the windows to let in fresh air. When your energy is clean, your mind is quieter, and that’s when intuition shows up stronger.

Repeat and Trust the Process

Intuition isn’t a one-time fix. It’s something you rebuild over time.

The more you slow down, get quiet, and connect inward, the easier it gets. Even if it feels awkward at first, keep going. You’re not broken, your wisdom just needs a little more space to rise again.

THE STEADY HOME’S GIGGLE CHAMBER

Why did the homesteader take the rake out for dinner?

Because it cleaned up nicely for May planting!

TODAY'S TOP PICKS

This May: Ditch the Toxins. Keep the Nourishment.

Tallow & Beeswax Projects Are Here.

You’ll learn how to craft:

• Whipped tallow butter for deep skin repair

• Sunscreen with zinc oxide (without the junk)

• Candles that don’t pollute your air

• Vapor rubs & air fresheners made from pure ingredients

Simple projects. Big impact. No overwhelm.

LET’S KEEP IT REEL!

I've put together some fantastic farm videos that are sure to make you laugh. Take a look and enjoy the fun!

1. Do you have this kind of bed bug too? 😂

@sl4yla.eq

I think it’s one of the bigger ones 🤔 #calliaghstownequestriancentre

2. Just a little experiment to see how dogs react to baby chicks (spoiler: it’s more adorable than hilarious) 💛

@largefamilyhomestead

Was This A Bad Idea? 😬 We give our dogs chicks to see their reaction! Is this gonna turn out not as we expect? #dog #chicken #funny #reac... See more

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