Modern Monticello
Curated Collections
Curated Collections
A specific chunk of the site, without buying full access. Every set below opens up to show exactly what's in it before you buy.
Cookbook
Candy & Confections
16 candy and fudge recipes — brittle, divinity, turtles, pralines, and eight fudge variants — in one bundle.
▸What's included (16)
- Tommyknocker Chews
- Peanut Brittle
- Divinity
- Fudge
- Turtles
- Pralines
- Haystacks
- Strawberry Fudge
- Mango Fudge
- Coffee Fudge
- Caramel Fudge
- Coconut Fudge
- Rose Fudge
- Splintercat Crunch Balls
- Peanut Butter Fudge
- Pistachio Fudge
Cookies & Bars
10 cookie and bar recipes — from oatmeal cookies to no-bake bars and candied pecans.
▸What's included (10)
- Fresh Apple Oatmeal Cookies
- Amish Peanut Butter Cookies
- Buttery Pecan Snowball Cookies
- Jackalope Peanut Butter Cup Bars
- Old-Fashioned Cowboy Cookies
- Mamaw Sal's Sugar Cookies
- Milwaukee Public Schools Peanut Butter Bars
- No Bake Cookies
- Melt Away Bars
- Cathy's Candied Pecans
Cakes & Frosting
11 cake recipes plus the cooked frosting method — from a basic white cake to Black Forest Gateaux.
▸What's included (11)
- Basic White Cake
- Basic Chocolate Cake
- Neighborhood Coffee Cake
- Black Forest Gateaux
- Marshmallow Cloud Cheesecake
- Basic Vanilla Mug Cake
- Victoria Sponge
- Chocolate Moist Cake
- Sock It To Me Cake
- Gingerbread (Germany)
- Cooked Frosting (Ermine Frosting)
Pies & Custards
7 pie and custard-style desserts — pumpkin, pecan, chocolate, coconut cream, sugar cream, bread pudding, and a no-bake cheesecake mousse.
▸What's included (7)
- Homemade Pumpkin Pie
- Mamaw Sal's Cast Iron Skillet Pecan Pie
- Old-Fashioned Chocolate Pie
- Mamaw Sal's Coconut Cream Pie
- Hoosier Sugar Cream Pie
- Mamaw Sal's Old-Fashioned Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce
- No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Mousse
Fair & Carnival Treats
8 fried and fair-style treats — funnel cakes, beignet squares, pop tarts, popcorn balls, and apple fritters.
▸What's included (8)
- Homestead Toaster Tarts
- Alabama Firecrackers
- Homemade Gummies
- State Fair Funnel Cakes
- Glazed Buttermilk Beignet Squares
- Cinnamon Sugar Biscuit Bites
- Old-Time Popcorn Balls
- Baked Apple Fritters
Doughs & Breads
All 20 dough and bread recipes — pizza dough, naan, tortillas, egg noodles, cinnamon rolls, scones, quick breads, and Auntie Anne's-style pretzels.
▸What's included (20)
- Bread in a Bag
- Homemade Cinnamon Bread
- Bread Dough
- Pizza Dough
- Pasta Dough
- Pie Dough
- Cinnamon Roll Dough
- Flour Tortilla
- Pita Bread
- Garlic Naan Bread
- Cheese Stuffed Naan Bread
- Homemade Egg Noodles
- Lotty's Crispy Bread Rolls
- Scones with Jam & Cream
- Lemon Loaf
- Orange Loaf
- Zucchini Baked Bread
- Old-Fashioned Monkey Bread (Mamaw Sal's Way)
- Old-Time Cornbread (No Sugar)
- Trailhead Pretzels
Canning & Pickling
All 12 canning and pickling recipes — from classic dill pickles to kimchi and horseradish.
▸What's included (12)
- Dill Pickles
- Spicy Jalapeno Pickles
- Bread & Butter Pickles
- Pickled Red Onions
- Garlic Dill Pickles
- Spicy Kimchi
- Sweet Pickle Relish
- Indian Mango Pickle
- Pickled Green Beans
- Horseradish Pickles
- Pickled Carrots
- Pickled Beets
Soda Fountain
All 8 homemade soda syrups and fountain drinks.
▸What's included (8)
- Anti-Stress Moon Drink
- Mexican Hot Chocolate
- Homemade Horchata
- Orange Crush Soda Syrup
- Mountain Dew Soda Syrup
- Country Doc Soda Syrup
- Homemade Hot Apple Cider
- Homemade Sprite Syrup
Sauce & Condiment Bar
All 15 house sauces, dressings, and condiments.
▸What's included (15)
- Tartar Sauce
- Ranch Dressing
- Blue Cheese Dressing
- Honey Mustard
- Chipotle Mayo
- Sriracha Mayo
- Buffalo Sauce
- Garlic Aioli
- Sweet Chili Sauce
- BBQ Sauce
- Alabama White Sauce
- Tzatziki Sauce
- Fire Tower Cheese Sauce for Vegetables
- Homemade Ketchup
- Alfredo Sauce
Family Originals Keepsake
All 8 real Lambert family recipes, kept together as one keepsake collection.
▸What's included (8)
- Hanky Pankies
- Classic Deviled Eggs
- 101-Year-Old Pound Cake
- Crock Pot Pinto Beans & Ham
- Appalachian Fried Cabbage
- Potato Gravy (Lambert Homestead)
- Chow Chow
- Kraut & Weenies
Homemade Cheese Making
All 6 homemade cheese recipes, from paneer to mascarpone.
▸What's included (6)
- Paneer
- Mozzarella
- Ricotta
- Cream Cheese
- Mascarpone
- Feta Cheese
Plantings
Kitchen Herb Garden Starter
9 core culinary herb growing guides — basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, mint, chives, cilantro, parsley, and tulsi (holy basil).
▸What's included (9)
- Basil
- Oregano
- Thyme
- Rosemary
- Mint
- Chives
- Cilantro
- Parsley
- Tulsi (Holy Basil)
Berry Patch Starter
9 bramble/bush-berry perennial growing guides — blueberry, honeyberry, raspberry, blackberries, strawberry, alpine strawberries, red currant, gooseberry, and dwarf blueberry.
▸What's included (9)
- Blueberry
- Honeyberry
- Raspberry
- Blackberries
- Strawberry
- Alpine Strawberries
- Red Currant
- Gooseberry
- Dwarf Blueberry
Backyard Fruit Trees
7 fruit and nut tree growing guides — pawpaw, columnar apple, dwarf apple trees, Nanking cherry, service berry, persimmon, and American hazelnut.
▸What's included (7)
- Pawpaw
- Columnar Apple
- Dwarf Apple Trees
- Nanking Cherry
- Service Berry
- Persimmon
- Hazelnut (American)
Root Cellar Vegetables
9 root vegetable growing guides — potato, carrots, Parisian carrots, beets, turnips, radishes, sweet potatoes, Jerusalem artichoke, and skirret.
▸What's included (9)
- Potato
- Carrots
- Parisian Carrots
- Beets
- Turnips
- Radishes
- Sweet Potatoes
- Jerusalem Artichoke
- Skirret
Squash & Melon Patch
13 squash, melon, and gourd growing guides — zucchini, crookneck, pattypan, butternut, delicata, acorn squash, pumpkin, watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, cucumber, Armenian cucumber, and luffa.
▸What's included (13)
- Zucchini
- Crookneck (Yellow Crookneck Squash)
- Pattypan
- Butternut Squash
- Delicata Squash
- Acorn Squash
- Pumpkin
- Watermelon
- Cantaloupe
- Honeydew
- Cucumber
- Armenian Cucumber
- Luffa
Pruning & Propagation Masterclass
13 real technique cards, not species guides — pruning by fruit type, cloning blueberries, rooting grocery-store pits, cutting habits that keep herbs producing, and more.
▸What's included (13)
- Blackberry Tip Layering
- Pruning Blueberries — The March Window
- Pruning Berry Bushes by Type
- Fruit Bushes That Produce in Year 1
- Crops That Benefit From Pruning
- Match Pruning Style to Fruiting Wood Type
- Kitchen-Counter Fixes for 6 Garden Pests
- Pruning Peppers to Extend Harvest
- Seeds That Benefit From Soaking Before Planting
- Cloning Blueberries From Softwood Cuttings
- Grocery-Store Pits That Root in Water
- Trees and Shrubs You Can Root From Cuttings
- Better Cutting Habits for Kitchen Herbs
Alliums
5 allium growing guides — garlic, onion, walking onion, green onions/scallions, and ramps.
▸What's included (5)
- Garlic
- Onion
- Walking Onion (Egyptian Onion)
- Green Onions / Scallions
- Ramps (Wild Leeks)
Cold-Hardy Uncommon Perennials
8 resilient, less-common perennial growing guides — sea buckthorn, beach plum, sea kale, Siberian pea shrub, goji berry, autumn olive, Halls hardy almonds, and hardy kiwi.
▸What's included (8)
- Sea Buckthorn
- Beach Plum
- Sea Kale
- Siberian Pea Shrub
- Goji Berry
- Autumn Olive
- Halls Hardy Almonds
- Hardy Kiwi
Patio & Greenhouse Exotic Fruit
8 container/greenhouse fruit growing guides — Meyer lemon, kumquat, passionfruit, dwarf pomegranate, strawberry guava, pineapple guava, che fruit, and dwarf fig.
▸What's included (8)
- Meyer Lemon
- Kumquat
- Passionfruit
- Dwarf Pomegranate
- Strawberry Guava
- Pineapple Guava
- Che Fruit
- Dwarf Fig (Petite Negri)
Cleaning Supplies
Soap & Bodycare
6 DIY personal-care recipes — soap root, shampoo, shaving product, hand/body wash, whipped body butter, and a zinc oxide skin barrier salve.
▸What's included (6)
- MM Soap Root (Soapwort)
- MM DIY Shampoo
- MM DIY Shaving Product
- MM Castile Hand/Body Wash (Xanthan-Thickened Gel)
- MM Whipped Body Butter
- MM Tallow & Zinc Oxide Skin Barrier Salve
Wood Finish System
6 cards covering the full wood-finish pipeline — strip old silicone polish, refinish hardwood floors, apply and maintain the MM finish, plus two alternate polish/hardwax methods.
▸What's included (6)
- Removing Old Silicone Polish (Prep for MM Wood Polish)
- MM Hardwood Floor Refinish
- MM Hardwood Finish (DIY, post-strip/sand)
- MM Hardwood Finish — Maintenance Guide
- MM Wood Polish
- MM Hardwax Oil
Readiness, Backpack Guide & Herbal Medicine
Bug-Out Gear Kit
9 Readiness gear-list cards — winter BOB, cheap-gear picks, waterproofing methods, heavy lifting, evacuation checklists, and fixed-cabin supplies.
▸What's included (9)
- Winter Bug-Out Bag — Complete Gear List
- 12 Cheap Prepper Items That Outperform Expensive Gear
- 8 Methods to Waterproof Survival Gear
- Budget SHTF Heavy Lifting Kit
- 25 Survival Uses for Plain Cotton Balls
- 10-Minute Evacuation / Emergency Grab Bag Checklist
- Power Outage Kit — Buy It Once, Store Together
- Bug-Out-Bag Checklist (Categorized)
- Deep Woods Cabin — Critical Fixed Infrastructure Supplies
Wild Edibles Field Kit
7 Backpack Guide reference charts — the field-guide overview, foraged-flour sources, nuts & seeds, hazard plants, 2 mushroom hazard/ID charts, and wild soap plants.
▸What's included (7)
- Wild Edible Plants for Survival — Field Guide Overview
- Wild Plants for Foraged Flour — 6-Source Overview
- Wild Edible Nuts & Seeds (Beyond the Flour-Substitute List)
- Hazard Plants — Know These On Sight
- Deadly Wild Mushrooms — Know These On Sight
- Mushrooms Commonly Found on Oak Trees
- Plants You Can Use as Soap
Herbal First-Aid Kit
8 Herbal Medicine cards for topical/first-aid use — burns, salves & balms, safety principles, yarrow, plantain, calendula, echinacea, and a warming cayenne salve.
▸What's included (8)
- Treating First-Degree Burns — Topical Herb Reference
- Herbal Salves & Balms — What They Are and How to Make One
- Herbal Medicine — Safety Principles
- Yarrow — Traditional Use & Preparation
- Plantain — Medicinal Use, Seeds & Tincture
- Calendula — Traditional Use
- Echinacea — Traditional Use & Real Cautions
- Cayenne — Warming Topical Use
Build Blueprints
Compiled concept-stage reference for a specific build — not a substitute for the professional sign-offs each one lists, just everything in one document instead of scattered across the site.
The Snow Wasset
Einstein absorption fridge, Mythic tier — networked, property-wide units, bigger than the Foreman-tier fridge already bundled in the Greenbrier. Tier ladder, technical basis, required sign-offs, and open items, compiled into one document.
Designed with CAD and math. Not yet built and tested by MM.
The Snawfus Hearth
Double-bell masonry heater, Mythic tier — 10,000+ lb mass, twin-firebox option. Tier ladder, technical basis, the RMH prototype variant, required sign-offs, and open items, compiled into one document.
Designed with CAD and math. Not yet built and tested by MM.
The Uktena
Terraced water catchment cascade, Mythic tier — 15,000+ gal, redundant filtration. Tier ladder, technical basis, required sign-offs, and open items, compiled into one document.
Designed with CAD and math. Not yet built and tested by MM.
The Grafton
3D-printed, panelized cooler liner inside a cedar box — no fluids, no power. Tier ladder, technical specs, required sign-offs, and open items, compiled into one document.
Designed with CAD and math. Not yet built and tested by MM.
The Flatwoods
Low-draw DC washing machine closing the water loop with the Uktena catchment and food-forest greywater reuse. Tier ladder, technical specs, required sign-offs, and open items, compiled into one document.
Designed with CAD and math. Not yet built and tested by MM.
The Nunnehi
Cedar chest clothes dryer run on tapped heat and self-powered thermal fans, no electric dryer motor. Tier ladder, technical specs, required sign-offs, and open items, compiled into one document.
Designed with CAD and math. Not yet built and tested by MM.
The Ogua
Wood-fired, salt-sanitized hot tub with a no-pump thermosiphon loop, plus geopolymer-basin and budget IBC-tote variants. Tier ladder, technical specs, required sign-offs, and open items, compiled into one document.
Designed with CAD and math. Not yet built and tested by MM.
Pantry Brain
Self-hosted Grocy setup for pantry/fridge/root-cellar inventory — barcode scan-in, auto-generated shopping lists, and how it ties into the Recipe KB, Kitchen Hub, and Buddy. Early concept stage, honestly flagged as not yet built.
Closet Brain
Photo-logged wardrobe tracker — wear-count and last-worn tracking, a 'cold closet' view for unworn items, and how sell candidates feed toward Good Finds. No off-the-shelf tool exists for this, so it's a custom-build candidate. Early concept stage, honestly flagged as not yet built.
TV & Gaming Tier System
'Punch above weight' home entertainment — cheap Pi 5/mini-PC retro+Jellyfin boxes on every TV, streamed to from one real gaming rig via Moonlight/Steam Link. Early concept stage, honestly flagged as not yet built.
Smart Mirror
Two-way-mirror MagicMirror² build — calendar/weather/NPR morning display, motion-sensor wake, and the planned voice-accessible Buddy persona layered on top. Early concept stage, honestly flagged as not yet built.
Fire Tower Meshtastic Network
A personal, individually-owned solar-powered Meshtastic repeater tower — no institutional coordination needed — and how individual towers combine into a decentralized regional mesh. Early concept stage, honestly flagged as not yet built.
Cellular Uplink for the Cyberdeck
An LTE HAT for the cyberdeck/Wanderer field build — direct and hotspot modes, IoT SIM options, and a mobile Tailscale exit node independent of WiFi. Early concept stage, honestly flagged as not yet built.
Small-Build Package Deals
The small builds below are already free to browse one at a time on the Builds page — these packages just gather a few related ones into a single document, nothing new unlocked.
Small-Flock Homestead Housing
Chicken Coop, Rabbit Hutch, Quail Hutch, and Beehive & Pollinator System — 4 free Builds pages compiled into one document for planning a small-flock setup.
Passive Cooling & Climate Control
Zeer Pot Cooler, Reflective Roof Coating, Attic Vent Fan, and Earth Tube Cooling System — 4 free Builds pages compiled into one document for beating the heat without grid power.
Homestead Byproduct Skills
Rendered Tallow, Home-Tanned Rawhide, DIY Biochar, and Wax & Wood Shaving Fire Starters — 4 free Builds pages compiled into one waste-nothing skills reference.
Mini Monticello Starter Builds
Cedar Birdhouse, Terracotta Olla, and Cedar Garden Planter — the full Tier 1-3 build-ladder sequence, 3 free Builds pages compiled into one document.