Helping Families Learn Homesteading and Self-Sufficient Living
If you are tired of trying to produce biscuits with the perfect flaky, butter layers, then look no further than this homemade biscuits from scratch recipe. This recipe is far from dense or flat. The soft, buttery layers in these biscuits will have your family …
There is a very wonderful movement happening in the world today where many folks are reclaiming their roots and diving into the world of homestead skills. After all, what could compare to the “slow and simple” life that is often portrayed by the homestead community. …
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There is something deeply empowering about knowing you can care for your family with your own two hands. Creating your own herbal first aid balm is an act of preparation, intention, and self-reliance. It’s slow living in its most practical form. In a world full of synthetic quick fixes, learning to make a nourishing, plant-powered DIY salve recipe feels a little bit like reclaiming something we were always meant to know.
Today, I’m sharing my family’s go-to homemade Neosporin alternative—an herbal balm crafted with calendula, comfrey, yarrow, and vitamin E oil. This simple yet powerful recipe has become a staple in our home apothecary.
If you’ve ever felt called toward herbalism, natural living, or simply reducing the number of questionable ingredients in your medicine cabinet, this one’s for you.
Before we dive into the how, let’s talk about the why.
Many conventional over-the-counter antibiotic ointments contain ingredients like petroleum derivatives, synthetic preservatives, and antibiotics that can contribute to skin sensitivities or antibiotic resistance. While they certainly have their place, many minor cuts, scrapes, burns, and insect bites can be supported beautifully with herbs that have been used for generations.
Creating your own natural first aid salve allows you to:
Just like I’ve shared in our adventures about slowing down and reconnecting with nature, herbalism is another pathway back to intentional living. (If you’re new here, you might also enjoy my posts on outdoor family rhythms and seasonal living for more inspiration on bringing nature into everyday life.)
According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, many plant-based remedies have long histories of traditional use, and interest in botanical medicine continues to grow as families seek complementary wellness approaches. While herbs are not a substitute for medical care when needed, they can absolutely play a supportive role in minor skin care.
This balm combines four simple yet powerful ingredients. Each one brings its own gifts to the jar.
Calendula officinalis—also known as pot marigold—is a staple in herbal skin care.
Qualities & Actions:
Calendula is gentle enough for children yet effective enough for everything from scraped knees to chapped winter skin. It helps stimulate the skin’s natural healing process and supports healthy tissue regeneration.
In many herbal traditions, calendula is considered one of the best herbs for first aid salves because it reduces redness, calms irritation, and promotes clean healing.
Symphytum officinale has a long history of use for skin and bone support.
Qualities & Actions:
Comfrey is sometimes called “knitbone” because of its traditional use in supporting healing. The allantoin it contains encourages new cell growth, making it incredibly helpful in a DIY herbal salve designed for minor cuts and scrapes.
Important note: Comfrey should not be used on deep puncture wounds because it can speed surface healing before deeper tissue has fully healed.
Achillea millefolium is a powerful wildflower that often grows right along trails and meadows.
Qualities & Actions:
Yarrow is wonderful for fresh scrapes because it helps slow minor bleeding and reduces the risk of infection. Historically, it was used on battlefields to treat wounds.
Yarrow grows abundantly in the land that surrounds Fairbanks. It can also grow easily in a garden, so there has never been a reason for me to buy it. Yarrow, along with many other healing plants, grow in the Boreal forest that make up Alaska and other places. If you’re curious to identify and use some of these plants for your own herbal journey, check out my article 20 Medicinal Plants Found in a Boreal Forest.
Vitamin E isn’t an herb, but it plays an important role in this balm.
Benefits:
Vitamin E oil helps prevent oxidation in your infused oil and gives the salve additional skin-nourishing benefits.
Before you can create your balm, you need to infuse your herbs into oil. This is where the magic begins.
(Always use dried herbs to prevent mold.)
This is my favorite method when time allows. There’s no need to measure out specifics with these 3 dried herbs. I just keep a consistent 1:1:1 ratio and have found great success.
If you’d like your DIY salve recipe ready sooner, you can use gentle heat.
Low and slow is key—you don’t want to fry your herbs. You can also use a slow cooker for this method. Follow the steps above and keep your slow cooker to warm or low, for up to 24 hours.
Now comes the transformation.
To test consistency, place a small spoonful in the freezer for 1 minute.
This herbal first aid balm is ideal for:
Clean the wound first. Apply a thin layer of balm. Cover if needed.
Avoid deep wounds or serious burns—seek medical care when appropriate.
Stored in a cool, dark place, your balm should last 6–12 months. Vitamin E helps extend its life, but always discard if it smells rancid.
One of my favorite parts of making this balm is involving my children.
They help:
When you involve your children, it becomes more than a recipe—it becomes knowledge passed down.
Just like we teach our children how to read and navigate math, teaching them how to care for a scraped knee with herbs builds confidence and connection.
I am a huge believer in teaching kids these “old world” skills. It fosters confidence and also teaches them valuable skills that could be extremely beneficial as they grow up. I’ve written an article that goes over 5 more primitive skills that you might be interested in teaching your own children.
Making your own natural first aid salve isn’t about rejecting modern medicine. There is definitely a place in this world for modern medicine and I am grateful that it is there when we need it. But there are alternatives that can be looked at first, which will contain significantly less toxins, chemicals, and price tags.
Making your own herbal products IS about:
When you open your medicine cabinet and see a jar you made yourself, one infused over weeks and crafted with care, you feel it.
It’s the same feeling as baking bread from scratch or growing your own food. It brings a sense of contentment, accomplishment, and an overall satisfaction that can’t be bought.
Learning how to make this DIY herbal first aid balm is a simple but powerful step toward natural living.
You don’t need to be an expert herbalist.
There’s no need for fancy tools.
You just need curiosity and a willingness to begin.
Start with one jar, an herbal infusion, and a small shift towards self-reliance.
Before long, your home apothecary will begin to grow, as will your confidence.
If you try this salve recipe, I’d love to hear how it turns out. And if you’re looking for more ways to build intentional rhythms into your home, be sure to explore more of my Borealis Mom guides on seasonal living, outdoor family life, and simple homesteading skills.
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When you live in Alaska or another extremely cold, remote climate, emergency preparedness isn’t about panic — it’s about peace of mind. Winter storms, extended power outages, supply disruptions, and delayed emergency response are not hypothetical here. They are part of life. That’s why having a 72-hour emergency kit is one of the simplest and most effective ways to protect your family when things don’t go as planned.
This guide walks you through exactly what to include in a family-friendly 72-hour emergency kit, with special consideration for cold weather, rural living, and northern winters. Whether you’re just starting or refining your preparedness plan, this is a calm place to begin.
Emergency agencies recommend being prepared to care for yourself for at least 72 hours after a disaster. In places like Alaska, that timeline can easily stretch longer.
Snowstorms can ground flights. Roads can become impassable. Power restoration may take days — not hours. Emergency responders may not reach remote homes immediately.
A 72-hour kit gives your family:
For off grid/homesteading families, this kit is especially important. Living rural usually means you are last for restored services in the event of a power outage or other event. After snow storms, there is usually a priority level for snow removal on roads. The further from town that you are, the lower the priority. Having what you need in the event that you cant get to the store for a few days/weeks is essential for comfort and even survival.
Off-Grid Life: 5 Survival Essentials You Need to Thrive
Preparedness is not about expecting the worst — it’s about reducing stress when the unexpected happens.
A 72-hour emergency kit contains the essential supplies your household needs to survive for three days without outside help.
This includes:
Think of it as a short-term safety net, not a survival fantasy. This kit is meant to be realistic, reachable, and maintainable for busy families.
In extreme cold regions, emergencies tend to cascade:
In Alaska, many families have experienced:
A 72-hour kit bridges the gap between “everything is fine” and “help has arrived.”
Water is the most overlooked — and most vital — part of any emergency kit.
In cold climates, dehydration still happens — especially indoors with dry air and increased caloric needs.
In the case of extended outages, knowing how to purify water you can collect can be an essential skill. Here’s an article on a few backup methods to purify water if you happen to run out of your stored water supply.
Include:
The Food and Water Needed For a 72-Hour Kit
Your emergency kit food should be:
Cold weather increases calorie needs, so emergency food matters more in winter.
Avoid foods that require refrigeration, long cook times, or excessive water.
Cold increases appetite and energy needs. Choose foods that feel comforting and sustaining, not just efficient.
In extreme cold, staying warm is survival.
Never use outdoor grills or generators indoors.
Emergencies are stressful — small tools make a big difference.
No two families are the same — and preparedness must reflect that.
Preparedness isn’t just physical. Familiar foods, routines, and comforts help children stay calm during uncertainty.
Emergency preparedness doesn’t need to happen all at once.
Start with:
Then add:
Preparedness is a practice, not a finish line.
In Alaska and other cold regions, resilience is built season by season. A 72-hour emergency kit is one of the simplest ways to care for your family — quietly, intentionally, and without fear.
Good locations:
In places like Alaska, preparedness isn’t extreme — it’s normal.
A 72-hour emergency kit isn’t about fear. It’s about knowing that if the lights go out, the road closes, or the temperature drops, your family is cared for.
Prepared, not afraid.
Calm, not chaotic.
Ready, not rushed.
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Do you ever look up at the night sky and wonder how travelers used to navigate using constellations and planet/star alignments? Maybe you are like me, thinking it seems impossible to learn now. That was my thinking until reading this Stikky Night Skies book by Laurence Holt. It teaches you 6 constellations and even how to navigate at night using the stars in just 2 sections.
Whether you are backpacking overnight in the wilderness or just generally curious about learning navigation to enhance your survival skills, learning to navigate using the stars is an incredibly helpful skill. If ever lost, you can better your chances of finding your way back.
The Stikky method of learning will transform you from a complete beginner to night sky navigator in no time. The foolproof method of learning builds up on concepts as you read through the book. The excellent illustrations help tremendously with pointing out the different stars and planets. You really can’t go wrong.
Let’s dive into the Stikky Night Skies book and show you how easy it can be to learn celestial navigation.
The night sky has always been a source of wonder and fascination for humans. From the ancient civilizations to modern times, people have gazed up at the twinkling stars and wondered about the mysteries of the universe. But as cities and towns continue to grow and light pollution becomes a common issue, our view of the night sky is becoming increasingly limited. Thankfully, there are resources available to guide us through the darkness and help us navigate the vast expanse of the cosmos.
The Stikky method works by giving you small chunks of information at a time. You focus on one star or star group, as the book shows you the simplest method to identify them. Once you master one star group, then you can move on to the next. Because you are mastering one at a time, it places what seems like a complicated skill into manageable portions. Learning to navigate at night has never been easier.
By the end of this book you will know how to identify six constellations, four stars, a planet, a galaxy, and how to navigate at night, just as the front of the book promises.
The illustrations in Holt’s book make it exceptionally easy to learn the concepts. It would hardly be so simple if there weren’t pictures to look at as you go along.
Through the use of Stellarium, the practice illustrations are as real to the night sky as you can get. I also particularly like that they leave room for different scenarios. For instance, in a practice example, you are given a visual of the sky with light pollution, as well as what a country sky would look like. You are also given an example of a Winter and Summer sky, as they’ll look different.
The artwork is excellent and really adds to the value of this book for readers. Great visualizations enhance the learning process and make you fully absorbed in its pages. I think all of the illustrators did a fine job creating this book.
I am very pleased to let you know that Stikky Night Skies carries through on its promise to teach you these skills in an hour. You can literally finish this entire book in an hour. Not only finish, but have a decent grasp on the constellations presented and how to navigate and find North if ever the need arises.
The Stikky method is broken down into two sequences. The method recommends breaking up each sequence and spending about a week in between to practice the skills taught. This definitely gives the reader a greater understanding and level of skill upon completion. But for someone wanting to just read straight through and graze the concepts, it can be done in an hour easily.
As someone with a shorter attention span, I really appreciated this about the Stikky method. Not that I had a lack of focus on this book, the method and illustrations are captivating and I felt myself stuck in reading the whole book straight through.
Learning the constellations and where to find them in the sky leads to finding the North star, Polaris. If you can find and identify this one star, you can find your way. The Stikky method does an exceptional job at this.
By the end of this book you’ll be able to successfully use the Stikky method to locate Polaris and find North. This has been a method of navigation for centuries, possibly more than 2,000 years. It has guided humankind across the ocean and across the world.
With the rise of GPS technology, most outdoor enthusiasts hardly ever think of learning navigation skills. Night navigation is probably at the back of most adventurists minds. But what if that GPS battery dies, or is lost or damaged. How then, will you find your way back home? What about when darkness falls?
Learning to navigate at night is a beneficial skill for any outdoor enthusiast, adventurer, or survivalist to have.
Embark on your own starlit adventure armed with the knowledge and inspiration gained from the exploration of Stikky Night Skies. Unveil the mysteries of the celestial universe, explore the captivating world of stars and constellations, and master the art of land navigation at night.
Take the first step towards unlocking the wonders of the night sky and start your journey today. I can honestly say that this book will transform the way you look at the night sky. It will open your eyes to the beauty above and let the night sky guide you towards endless possibilities.
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