2016 Homestead Gift Guide

Maybe someday I can be like Oprah…

…and have a “Jill’s Favorite Things” event every year where I give away truckloads of awesomeness.

“A free home freeze dryer for EVERYONE!! Weeeeeeee!!”

But as much as I love y’all, I’m afraid that’s not a possibility at the moment. So a super-awesome homestead gift guide will have to suffice.

I hand-picked each and every item in this guide, and they were specifically chosen because I personally use them and love them and think they would provide massive value to any homesteader’s life. Plus, most of these (with a few exceptions) are small, family-run companies, which makes it even better.

So use this guide as you buy for others, send it to family members as a subtle hint, or even splurge a little for yourself. Happy shopping!

The 2016 Homestead Gift Guide

Churncraft Home Butter Churn

Seriously. What better gift for a homesteader than a butter churn? This is a highly efficient, hand-powered device that allows users to make rich, creamy butter that just tastes better. The design is considered a ‘modern classic’ because it bring a modern touch and improvement to a time-tested old-fashioned common kitchen item. It’s the perfect way to embrace the farm-to-table movement at home! Learn how to make butter better with a Churncraft butter churn.

Jill’s Notes: In the past, I have used my food processor to make butter, which works (most of the time), but definitely disconnects you from the charm of the process.  I see our Churncraft machine becoming a family heirloom at our house. I can’t think of a more elegant homestead tool.

Price: $240

Coupon Code: Use PRAIRIEREADER to get $10 off your order.

Visit the Churncraft Website

Chugwater Chili Mix

 

Chugwater Chili is a Wyoming legend. Founded in 1986, it began when five local farm and ranch families purchased the Wyoming State Championship Chili Recipe and created a blossoming-enterprise to boost the tiny rural community of Chugwater, Wyoming. Their signature chili mix is renowned across the entire country, and they also make amazing gift baskets if you’re looking to give the gift of award-winning chili at home.

Jill’s Notes: I am SO proud to be including Chugwater Chili in our Gift Guide this year. This is as local as it can possibly get for me and I personally know the owners of this company. I have made my fair share of chili during our Wyoming winters and find myself reaching for my Chugwater Chili mix more than anything else. I know how to season chili myself, but what can I say? It just tastes better with this mix. (And it contains zero gluten or MSG, of course.)

Price: The signature chili mix ranges from $3.49 (for small packet) to $31.95 (for a 1-lb tub).

Coupon Code: Get 10% off gift baskets by using PPXMAS2016 at checkout. (expires 12/31/2016)

Visit the Chugwater Chili Website

Fermentools

Fermenting vegetables is the healthiest method of food preservation. Make your own probiotic rich sauerkraut, kimchi, or pickles the way the homesteaders did, without electricity! Fermentools allows you to turn your standard wide mouth mason jars into your very own fermenting crock, saving you both space and money. The lids are heavy duty stainless steel with heavy glass weights that will literally last a lifetime! Give the gift of health that may be passed down to your children some day.

Jill’s Notes: Whether it’s sauerkraut, fermented ketchup, or old-fashioned pickles, if I’m fermenting, I use Fermentools airlocks. I love that they can convert any mason jar to a “fermenting crock” and you can do LARGE batches easily this way.

Price: The starter kit is $21.29, but I recommend getting the 6-pack ($72.90) because I never, never just ferment one jar at a time.

Visit the Fermentools Website

Sew Grown Essential Oil Cases

Essential oil cases are everywhere, but nothing I’ve found compares to Sew Grown. The cases are padded and reinforced, so they protect essential oil bottles from becoming  damaged.  They are also designed in a way that if oil spills inside the case, it will not penetrate to the outside fabric and ruin the clutch. The fabric prints even have a story– each one is a vintage design that dates back as far as the 1800s. Plus, the wooden tag serves a purpose– it acts as an essential oil diffuser for your favorite scents.

Jill’s Notes: Sew Grown is a family-owned business, and I am proud to personally know the owners. They are amazing people with a dedication to extreme quality. I love the vintage fabrics, as well as the fact each bag is made in America by someone with a disability. I get compliments every time I pull my Sew Grown case out of my bag.

Price: The cases range from $23.95 for a keychain case, up to $48.95 for the large case that holds 12 bottles.

Visit the Sew Grown Website

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds

Baker Creek carries one of the largest selections of seeds from the 19th century, including many Asian and European varieties. The company has become a tool to promote and preserve our agricultural and culinary heritage. Our company and seeds have been featured in The New York Times, The Associated Press, Oprah Magazine, Martha Stewart, The Wall Street Journal, and many others. Their catalogs now distribute to over 700,000 gardeners nationally.

Jill’s Notes: I get asked no less than 50 times per year about where I buy my heirloom seeds. I’ve used Baker Creek for the last 5 years, and absolutely love them. The variety is outstanding, and they are all organic and non-GMO, of course. I can’t think of any homesteader who wouldn’t love a gift certificate.

Price: I would recommend a gift certificate, as it gives maximum flexibility. These range from $10-$200.

Visit the Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds Website

doTERRA Essential Oils

If you or a loved one is wanting to get into essential oils, there is no better option than doTERRA. These are the highest quality oils, ethically-sourced around the globe and guaranteed to be pure. Put together a gift basket of starter oils, or create a themed-kit combining a selection of oils and essential-oil infused products.

 Jill’s Notes: It’s no secret that I love doTERRA, so it’s only logical to include them here. I frequently use essential oils as gifts, and everyone is always thrilled to receive them. I recommend starting with a wholesale account (yes, even if you’re just buying gifts) as it automatically gives you a 25% discount. And then you get to use the discount the rest of the year for yourself. (Merry Christmas to you!)

Price: There’s a huge range here. You can start with a wholesale member kit (these range from $150-$500) and then break apart the kit to make multiple gifts, or just purchase individual oils. (These range from $10-$90 each)

More info? Feel free to email me (jill(at)theprairiehomestead(dot)com if you need help deciding on options, or just comment below.

Click here for doTERRA essential oils

 Permaculture Chickens Film

Have chickens? Want chickens? Need chickens? Considering chickens? Regardless of your answer, you need this  film. It’s so much more than a mere documentary. I’ve rarely seen anything so packed-full of actionable, useful information. In this 2.5 hour film, you’ll learn about creative feeding programs, how to lessen your workload by using chickens in the garden, appropriate housing options, how to humanely butcher, how to breed chickens, how to hatch chicks with a mother hen, and a TON more. You’ll hear sustainable chicken experts (like Joel Salatin) share their own ideas, and without question, you will feel completely inspired when it’s done.

 Jill’s Notes: I absolutely love anything that Justin creates– he has ideas and concepts not commonly seen elsewhere, and I always glean a new bit of info when I watch his videos. He’s even made a couple appearances here on the blog in the past– he’s the real deal.

Price: $49 for the digital download + bonuses. $97 for the physical DVD plus bonuses.

Click here to get the Permaculture Chickens Film

 Harvest Right Home Freeze Dryer

You can read more about what I think about the Harvest Right Freeze Dryer in this post. The main aspects of the Harvest Right Home Freeze Dryer that piqued my interest were:

• It is the ONLY freeze dryer on the market designed for home use. All other units are for commercial use, are ginormous, and cost tens of thousands of dollars.
• Freeze dried food tastes better and lasts MUCH longer than canned, frozen, or dehydrated food.
• You can easily freeze dry small quantities or portions– even things like leftover meals can be preserved, which has the potential to reduce a lot of food waste.
• If freeze-dried food is a part of your emergency preparedness plan, in the long run you’ll save a whole bunch by doing it yourself, versus buying freeze-fried food.

Read More: My Harvest Right Home Freeze Dryer Review

Price Point: $2500-$3000, depending on sales/coupons. I realize this is NOT a gift for everyone, but it could be a wonderful option if multiple families wanted to go in together, etc.

Visit the Harvest Right Website