The Prairie Homestead

Homesteading | Self Sufficient Living | Living off the Land

Jill Winger

49 Comments | |    Last Updated: March 17, 2018

Homemade Chick Waterer

When I was meandering through the aisle of the feed store the other day, I almost grabbed one of those plastic chick waterers. I knew we were going to be needing one soon, since the coop is clean and shiny and the chicks are set to arrive in a couple weeks. But of course, my craziness  innovative, frugal mentality won out, and I decided I would challenge myself to create my own chick waterer from materials I had at home. After ...Continue Reading

140 Comments | |    Last Updated: March 17, 2018

How to Clean and Disinfect a Chicken Coop

Forget the shoes... I have a bad habit of impulse buying chickens. Our new chicks are coming in two weeks, and I am determined to be better educated and prepared this time around. We purchased our last flock of hens and brought them home without anything being ready. And while everything worked out fine in the end, this time, I want to avoid the stress and hurry of bringing home chickens and not being fully prepared. For the last ...Continue Reading

103 Comments | |    Last Updated: June 13, 2023

Buttermilk Biscuit Recipe

This Buttermilk Biscuit recipe is one of my favorite from-scratch sides to make for dinner. I love that this Biscuits recipe doesn't require yeast, it comes together in just a few minutes, and is 1000% better than of those "pop n' fresh" biscuits from a can. I include instructions for how to make an alternative for buttermilk using normal milk, too, just in case you're craving homemade biscuits but you're lacking buttermilk right ...Continue Reading

17 Comments | |    Last Updated: April 27, 2016

Outfitting the Homestead Baby

When it comes to baby gear, I am definitely a minimalist. When I was pregnant with our daughter, I was inundated with catalog after catalog of supposed baby "necessities".  Fancy bathtubs with built-in toys, wipe warmers, massive electronic play gyms, vibrating bassinets... Really? Not only is my house too small for all those things, they are outrageously expensive, especially since they will only be used for a short period of ...Continue Reading

2 Comments | |    Last Updated: February 9, 2020

Homestead Barn Hop, First Edition

"Cultivating the Homestead Community" Welcome to the first edition of the Homestead Barn Hop! This hop is hosted by The Prairie Homestead, along with three other fantastic homesteading gals: Amy from Homestead Revival, Kendra from New Life on a Homestead, and Megan from A Blossoming Homestead! We encourage you to stop by every Monday and share your latest homesteading posts with us! From cooking to animals to gardening, ...Continue Reading

89 Comments | |    Last Updated: May 14, 2026

Homemade Beef Stock Recipe

If you've been into real food for any amount of time, ...then you've probably heard lots of people reference homemade beef stock or bone broth (or homemade beef broth). Why People Love Homemade Beef Stock (or Homemade Bone Broth) First off, homemade bone broth is one of the most nourishing things you can make. Homemade beef stock promotes healthier digestion, reduces inflammation, inhibits infection, and promotes ...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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