Returning to my roots has been on my heart for a long time. Radiant is defined as sending out light; shining or glowing brightly. My vision for this page is to share my journey through homesteading, homeschooling, farming and faith. I hope my journey can be a shining light to help others find their way back to their roots.

“Go back to your books, to your armchair. Plant your trees, watch them grow. If more people valued home above gold, this world would be a merrier place.”

— Thorin Oakenshield – J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit

  • Dairy Cow vs. Dairy Goats: Which is Right for your Homestead?

    “You don’t have to do it all. Just do what fits your land, your hands, and your heart.” If you’ve ever found yourself daydreaming over a glass of fresh milk about whether to bring home a dairy cow or a… Continue reading

  • Roots of Healing: Rediscovering Herbal Wisdom

    “The Lord hath created medicines out of the earth; and he that is wise will not abhor them.” -Ecclesiasticus 38:4 (KJV Apocrypha) Modern medicine hasn’t really been around that long when compared to the entirety of human history. Medicine has… Continue reading

  • Planted in the Chaos

    “Sometimes when you’re in a dark place, you think you’ve been buried, but you’ve actually been planted.” -Christine Caine It’s been quiet here on the blog for a bit – not for lack of things happening, but because life piled… Continue reading

  • 5 Wild Edibles You Can Forage in Your Backyard

    “No barefooted, tree climbing, frog holding, mud pie baking, cloud spotting, puddle stomping, bird calling, wild foraging, moon gazing, firefly chasing, fort building, creek following, rock hunting moment with Mother Nature is ever wasted. “ ~Nicolette Sowder When most people… Continue reading

  • Dough It Yourself: Make Homemade Sourdough Work For You

    “The best loaves are shaped by hand and heart.” -Traditional Proverb Are you too intimidated by sourdough to give it a go? Trust me, I completely understand. I put it off for a long time because it just seemed like… Continue reading

  • Fresh Milk to Silky Suds: Everything You Need To Know To Get Started Making Goat’s Milk Soap

    “Soap is to the body what laughter is to the soul.” – Yiddish Proverb Let me start by saying that all soap is made with lye. Any “soap” not made with lye at some point is, in truth, a synthetic… Continue reading

  • Making an Impact

    “Life is about making an impact, not making an income.” Kevin Kruse The world tells us to measure success in dollar signs. From the time we are young, we are asked, “What do you want to be when you grow… Continue reading

  • Journey Into the Unknown

     “It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings We all… Continue reading

  • The Seeds That Endure

    “Love leaves a legacy. The way you treated other people, not your wealth or accomplishments, is the most enduring impact you can leave on earth.” ~ Rick Warren When I look back on my childhood, I don’t remember what we… Continue reading

  • Farming the Hard Way

    There are two spiritual dangers in not owning a farm. One is the danger of supposing that breakfast comes from the grocery, and the other that heat comes from the furnace.” Aldo Leopold I recently posted on Facebook about our… Continue reading

Latest Posts

  • The Footprints of the Forager: An Introduction to Plantain

    “Nature is a first-aid kit, and the world is a garden; we need only to look down to find the remedy.” **Before proceeding with this article, please note that these articles in my foraging for food and medicine series are very in depth and therefore can get a bit lengthy. I utilize a type of…

  • Clever Cleavers: Nature’s Velcro

    “Whoever drinks cleaver water for nine weeks shall be so beautiful, everyone will fall in love with them.” — Ancient Welsh Folk Belief **Before proceeding with this article, please note that these articles in my foraging for food and medicine series are very in depth and therefore can get a bit lengthy. I utilize a…

  • The Elusive Morel: The Ultimate Treasure Hunt

    “Hobbits have a passion for mushrooms, surpassing even the greediest likings of Big People.” The Fellowship of the Ring, Tolkien **Before proceeding with this article, please note that these articles in my foraging for food and medicine series are very in depth and therefore can get a bit lengthy. I utilize a type of expanding…

  • Pineapple Weed: The Trampled Tropics

    “Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.” — Confucius **Before proceeding with this article, please note that these articles in my foraging for food and medicine series are very in depth and therefore can get a bit lengthy. I utilize a type of expanding detail feature for some things (particularly all the recipes) to…

  • Purple Dead Nettle: Purple Powerhouse

    “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.” Luke 12:27 **Before proceeding with this article, please note that these articles in my foraging for food and medicine series are very in depth and therefore…

  • Unschooling: Farmstead Style

    If you have been wondering where I’ve been the last three weeks, it is goat kidding season here on the farm which means a chaotic whirlwind of waddling goats finally releasing their long-held hostages in a flurry of grunts, calls, and slimy afterbirth. It often means late nights and early mornings, and sometimes hardly any…

  • Chickweed: The Forager’s Winter Star

    “He who seeks the mind of the Creator in the little things of the earth shall find a wisdom that the world cannot give.” — In the spirit of George Washington Carver **Before proceeding with this article, please note that these articles in my foraging for food and medicine series are very in depth and…

  • Dandelions: Not a Weed – A Forager’s and Homesteader’s Treasure!

    “Why doesn’t constant trampling defeat the dandelion? The key to its strength is its long and sturdy root, which extends deep into the earth. The same principle applies to people. The true victors in life are those who, enduring repeated challenges and setbacks, have sent the roots of their being to such a depth that…

  • The Beautiful Mess and The Potter’s Hands

    “Whether it’s pottery or life, it takes more than one attempt for them to come out right. And all that effort makes the end product more valuable, too.” — Yeon Somin Teaching five-year-olds on a pottery wheel is a sensory-rich experience. The goal isn’t to produce a perfect vessel; it’s about exploration, cause-and-effect, and fine…

  • A Winter Wonderland of Wildlife Tracks

    “The tracks we find in the snow are more than just footprints; they are the signatures of the Creator, proving that even in the deepest winter, His world is vibrantly alive and perfectly sustained.” Winter weather often makes us want to get the necessary outside chores done as quickly as possible in order to cuddle…

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