Sprouting Life Garden

06/01/2026

Family time in the garden. The kids excitedly pick raspberries, snacking on peas and delighted squeals when they see a huge turnip or a tomato plant's growth.

Teaching our children how to grow their own food and the hard work that goes into it without applying chemicals. They know the difference in store bought and freshly picked homegrown flavor.

This is important work and I dreamt for many years of the day it would be our reality. My everything ❤️

05/29/2026

🌼We just wanted to extend a heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone that supported our veggie start sales this year. We are down to the end of our starts, and we were able to sell over 2000 plants thanks to you all, , Sycamore Station and . Not bad for a cheap little 12 x 6 foot greenhouse!

🍅Because our sales were so successful, we were able to donate hundreds of plants to people who needed them through various organizations. We also were able to donate some to our favorite local kitty rescue, , and YOU were the reason we were able to do that.

I hope they are growing nicely and you get all the fresh veggies you could ever need. ❤️❤️❤️ Happy weekend y'all, and come see us at the this weekend! (I'm teaching Sunday morning)

05/27/2026

Come see us this weekend at the !

⏰9am-5pm THIS Saturday and Sunday at the Berglund Center

🌱I'm teaching my beginner gardening course focused on Urban and Small spaces at 9am on Sunday and I'd love to see some friends!

We'll be vending all weekend and have loads of your favorite locally sourced tallow skincare products, the very last of our veggie starts, and some sourdough goodies as well. Lots of awesome vendors and I can't wait to learn about off grid living too! This is our last market until the end of September and we'd love to make it a great one ❤️

05/17/2026

Look at all the great classes at SWVAL - Southwest Virginia Alternative Living Expo! Catch me at 9am on Sunday but we'll be vending all weekend!

📣 We're just two weeks away from opening the doors for the Southwest Virginia Alternative Living Expo 2026! 📣

Over two full days, you’ll be able to:
• Attend classes and demonstrations
• Meet local businesses and organizations
• Tour tiny homes and vehicle conversions
• Ask questions directly to experienced speakers and vendors
• Learn practical skills you can actually use to save money and live a healthier, more intentional life

We can not WAIT to see you there! 😍

05/13/2026

The happy dance when that bedtime turnip snack straight from the garden hits ❤️❤️❤️

This is one of the big reasons I grow so much of our food. I know exactly what went into it, and the kids love picking and eating it.

05/07/2026

A little song for your mater planting 🍅

Hopefully my neighbor didn't hear me singing to my tomatoes.... probably wouldn't surprise them honestly 🤷🏼🤣

05/06/2026

Get that grocery store basil y'all!

I gently separate the roots, plant underneath my tomato plants, and then pinch off the tops when they get about a foot tall to encourage bushy, full plants.

If you have too much basil, you can make pesto and freeze or can. What I like to do is pack whole leaves in bags and freeze, then break off a chunk and toss it in my spaghetti sauce.

05/04/2026

Picking hakurei turnips for dinner. Five minutes from in the soil to slicing thin and putting it on a salad for dinner.

They are quick growers and the greens are edible too. They're mild, crisp, and almost sweet this time of year. The kids even love them raw. You can also roast them, and spring is the best time to enjoy.

Get some hakurei turnip seeds in the ground asap. I didn't think I liked turnips until I got ahold of these guys!

05/01/2026

Can't let April pass by without a post about Limb Difference Awareness Month! Our son was born with a condition called symbrachydactyly on his right hand.

We take a moment every year to recognize the good work does and how much help their page was to us in the early days after his delivery. It affects 1 in 32,000 children, and if we hadn't found that page, we would have felt so much more alone.

As a parent, it's up to you to teach your kids about disabilities. Not only reading books to your child about kids with disabilities, but just normalizing it in everyday life. Finding books and shows where all kinds of kids are shown. Not calling people who are different "weird". Different is just different, and different is okay. (From one of our favorite books, When Charley Met Emma)

04/29/2026

❤️❤️❤️

Session Highlight: Growing Food in Small Spaces

Katie McDaniel and wife Allison are the owners of Sprouting Life Garden in Roanoke, VA. They sell all-natural, local, grass-fed beef tallow skincare products, homegrown garden produce, plant starts, sourdough, and teach gardening classes all around the Roanoke Valley. They have a passion for growing, preserving, and teaching others to do the same.

Katie’s homesteading journey started 10 years ago, and she specializes in urban gardens and maximizing space without spending a ton of money. Their property is in the suburbs of Roanoke County, and only 0.5 acres, but with a little creativity, they grow a large amount of their own food. She is excited to share her love of gardening and tips she’s learned along the way to help you become more self-sufficient.