🥄 Make This Simple Vanilla Extract + What If LESS Really Is More?

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 Sunday 📊

3. All Things Homestead: Utimate Guide About Homemade Extracts 🤩

4. Personal Development: Why Less Stuff Makes Life Feel More Full 💌

5. Today's Top Picks 🛍️

6. Let’s Keep It Reel 🤣

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

This May: Ditch the Toxins. Make It Yourself. 🧴🐝

Tired of rubbing mystery ingredients into your skin? This month, we're going back to basics with tallow & beeswax DIYs. Simple, safe, and made right in your kitchen.

You’ll learn to create:

• Nourishing whipped tallow balm

• Natural sunscreen with zinc oxide

• Beeswax vapor rub

• Candles + air fresheners that actually clean your air

No fluff, no overwhelm. Just step-by-step guidance using ingredients you trust.

And if you missed January to April’s challenges?
🌿 They’re still available in the Homestead Hub anytime.

POLL RESULTS FROM LAST SUNDAY

Which home or “cottage” skills are you most drawn to?

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Soap or candle making

🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Natural dyeing or fiber arts

🟨🟨🟨🟨🟨🟨 Sewing/mending

🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Basket weaving, broom making

🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Others (Feel free to specify!)

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

Utimate Guide on Homemade Extracts 🤩

Extracts are expensive. A tiny bottle of real vanilla can cost as much as a whole chicken, and you never really know what’s in the flavored ones from the store. If you’ve been wondering whether there’s a better way, there is. In fact, you only need two ingredients and a little patience.

What You Need for Homemade Extracts:

• Base Alcohol: Vodka is the most common choice because it has a neutral flavor. Brandy, bourbon, or rum also work well for deeper, richer flavors.

• Flavoring Ingredients: Think beyond vanilla! Try almonds, citrus peels, mint, lavender, cinnamon sticks, or even coffee beans.

• Glass Jars or Bottles: Use mason jars or dark glass bottles with tight lids. Dark bottles help preserve the flavor longer.

• Time: Extracts take 6 to 12 weeks to develop fully. The longer they sit, the stronger they get.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Start with clean jars. Wash and dry your jars thoroughly. Any leftover moisture can ruin your extract.

2. Prepare your ingredients. Slice vanilla beans lengthwise. Crack nuts or lightly crush spices. Peel citrus thinly, avoiding the bitter white pith.

3. Fill jars halfway with your ingredients. For vanilla extract, use 4–6 beans per 8 ounces of alcohol. For other extracts, adjust based on the strength of the flavor.

4. Top off with alcohol. Pour alcohol into the jar, completely covering the ingredients. Seal the jar tightly.

5. Store in a cool, dark place. Give the jars a gentle shake every few days. Let them sit for at least 6 weeks before straining.

6. Strain and store. Once the extract is ready, strain out the solids with a fine sieve or cheesecloth. Pour into dark glass bottles for storage.

Flavor Ideas to Try:

• Vanilla: A classic for baking. Use high-quality Madagascar or Tahitian beans if you can.

• Lemon or Orange: Use organic peels only. Great for cookies, glazes, and marinades.

• Almond: Raw, chopped almonds create a sweet, nutty extract. Avoid bitter almonds.

• Mint: Fresh mint leaves make a refreshing extract. Perfect for summer desserts or tea.

• Cinnamon: One or two sticks in a jar of rum or bourbon make a cozy winter flavor.

• Lavender: Culinary lavender buds add a floral note. Lovely in shortbread or syrups.

• Coffee: Whole beans in vodka make a bold extract, great in brownies or ice cream.

Why You’ll Love Making Your Own:

• It saves money.

• It reduces waste.

• You control the quality.

• It makes great gifts.

Things to Watch Out For:

• Don’t rush the process. If you use your extract too soon, it’ll taste weak. Let time do its job.

• Avoid overfilling. Leave a little headspace in the jar to allow for expansion and shaking.

• Label everything. Date and name each extract. After a few weeks, they all start to look the same.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

Why Less Stuff Makes Life Feel More Full 💌

Homesteaders and homemakers carry a lot. Not just laundry or firewood, but responsibility. Here’s how letting go of “extra” can give you a home that works with you, not against you.

1. Less Stress

Studies show clutter raises stress. Clearer spaces help calm the brain.

2. More Space

You don’t need a bigger house, just less stuff filling it. Keep what adds value.

3. More Peaceful

When there’s less visual mess, the whole home feels quieter and more soothing.

4. Easier to Find Things

Skip the digging. Less stuff means less time spent hunting down lost items.

5. Boosts Productivity

Fewer distractions = more energy for things that matter, like baking bread or finishing that quilt.

6. Simpler to Clean

Less to dust, less to wipe, less to put away. You’ll notice chores feel lighter.

7. Ready for Visitors

No panic-cleaning when folks drop by. A decluttered home stays guest-ready.

8. Smaller Homes Work

No need to upsize. When you own less, you use what you have better.

9. Spend Less

You’ll naturally stop buying things you don’t really need. Saves money and time.

10. Focus on Quality

Instead of buying more, choose fewer but better things. Quality lasts longer.

11. Encourages Gratitude

When you stop chasing “more,” you see how much you already have. It changes your mindset.

12. More Time

Less stuff means quicker cleaning, quicker organizing, and more free time for your family or farm.

13. More Freedom

You won’t feel tied to maintaining or organizing everything you own. That’s freedom.

14. Teaches the Kids

Children notice what we value. When we keep only what’s needed, they learn to do the same.

15. Be Present

When you’re not surrounded by clutter, it’s easier to enjoy the moment… whether that’s coffee on the porch or a quiet afternoon sewing.

16. Stop Comparing

You stop trying to “keep up.” Less stuff brings more focus to your own journey, not someone else’s.

17. Give to Others

Donate gently used things to local shelters or families in need. Let your excess be someone else’s blessing.

18. Earth-Friendly

Less buying means less waste. That’s good for the land we live off and the future we leave behind.

19. Intentional Living

Everything you keep earns its place. That shifts how you value your space and your time.

20. Feel Happier

Owning less doesn’t just help your home. It lifts your mood and lightens your load.

How to Start (Even When It Feels Overwhelming)

Start small. One drawer. One shelf. One category.

Give yourself permission to take your time. Set a timer for 15 minutes and just begin. Ask yourself, “Do we use this? Do we love this? Would I buy this again?”

If the answer is no, let it go.

Homemakers and homesteaders don’t need Pinterest-perfect pantries or color-coded closets. What we need are peaceful spaces that support the work we do and the people we care for.

THE STEADY HOME’S GIGGLE CHAMBER

What’s the unofficial May sport on the homestead?

Dodging surprise rain while hauling feed.

TODAY'S TOP PICKS

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. This video totally nails it! 😂

@the.henick.homest

The work never ends 😅 #Meme #MemeCut #countrylife #homestead #garden #gardening #homesteading

2. Nothing funnier than baby goat screams! 😂

@arhoward26

Honestly I’m obsessed with their little screams 😂 #farmlife #homestead #homesteadlife #goats #babygoats #country #countrylife #countryliv... See more

3. You can’t beat the look on these chickens’ faces when they realize you’ve just snagged their eggs! 🐔🥚

@chlofishback

POV: You steal your chickens’ eggs and suddenly it’s you who’s free-range. I raise them, I feed them, I love them… and they still chase me... See more

ENGAGE WITH US

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