The Prairie Homestead

Homesteading | Self Sufficient Living | Living off the Land

Jill Winger

5 Comments | |    Last Updated: April 13, 2011

Diatomaceous Earth: A Pesticide Alternative

I've always been passionate about keeping my garden organic. But last year I almost threw in the towel. It was an incredibly "buggy" year and the insects nearly drove me crazy as they attempted to take over our homestead! Thankfully, I've recently discovered an all-natural, safe alternative to conventional pesticides: Diatomaceous earth. Find out what it is and how to use it over at Frugal Granola today.   ...Continue Reading

41 Comments | |    Last Updated: April 12, 2018

Building a Goat Milking Stand

I've noticed that a good number of people come here looking for pictures and ideas for building a goat head catch or milking stand at home. I've included some pictures in my previous Goat 101 posts, but I wanted to devote an entire post to this subject, since it is a simple project you can do at home, often with scrap lumber. First off, is a milking stand really even necessary? For us personally, yes it is. Although I can milk our ...Continue Reading

135 Comments | |    Last Updated: April 27, 2026

How to Make Vanilla Extract

It's funny the things that make you feel like a homesteading rockstar... Like making homemade vanilla extract for example. I've been making homemade vanilla extract for several years now, and it's definitely on my list of "never-buy-again" foods. It's so easy, it practically makes itself. Now that's my kind of recipe. ;) Is it cost effective? If you are comparing it with purchasing real vanilla extract from the store, then ...Continue Reading

40 Comments | |    Last Updated: March 17, 2018

6 Lessons I Learned from Kidding This Year

Kidding is over for the year. Over the course of 5 days, I kidded four does who had a total of 7 baby goats! We had 3 sets of twins and one single. It was a stressful, exhilarating, breathtaking, exhausting, and rewarding week, all rolled into one. Of course, all but one of them went into labor while hubby was gone, so I did everything myself. While packing around an 11 month old baby. Anyway, I've got to say that I'm feeling more ...Continue Reading

90 Comments | |    Last Updated: March 17, 2018

Goat 101: Milking Schedules

No matter how you slice it, having a dairy animal is definitely a commitment. However, for us, the luxury of having raw milk far surpasses any "hassle" the goats might present to us! And truthfully, they really are not much trouble. Our goats are due to kid any day now, and I am gearing to start my milking routine once again. Before you start your daily milking, you need to decide how much milk you will require on a daily basis, ...Continue Reading

43 Comments | |    Last Updated: June 13, 2023

Cheesy Meatloaf Recipe

I just don't get it. Every year for my husband's birthday, I cook up a special supper of his choice. I offer to make anything his heart desires, from steak, to lasagna, to delicate fish filets, he can chose whatever he wants. So imagine my surprise last year when he requested... meatloaf. Actually, not just any meat loaf, he specifically requested this cheesy meatloaf. It's one of his favorite meals, and even though I ...Continue Reading

Nice to Meet You

I’m Jill. I’ve never been very good at following prescribed paths.

For the last 15 years, that instinct has led me through homesteading, entrepreneurship, and creating a life my younger self could have only dreamed of.

These days, I’m less interested in living the perfect "old-fashioned life" and more interested in knowing which ideas are worth carrying forward. The first half of this story was about building a homestead. The next part is about building a life that actually fits.
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