The Prairie Homestead

Homesteading | Self Sufficient Living | Living off the Land

Jill Winger

48 Comments | |    Last Updated: December 22, 2021

How I (Don’t) Do it All

"I have SO MUCH extra time right now... What will I ever do with it all?" How many of you have ever said that? Hmmm... no one? No one at all? I'm pretty sure that's a thought that's never crossed my mind. Time management is a HOT topic, isn't it? Especially with us homesteader-folk who attempt to balance an old-fashioned lifestyle with all the demands of a modern one. One of my favorite books is Essentialism by ...Continue Reading

30 Comments | |    Last Updated: October 13, 2021

What Homesteading Really Costs…

Homesteading can be deceiving. When you first get into it, it can seem so quaint, innocent, and simple. After all, what can be more romantic and simplistic than building a compost pile, canning your own food, and frolicking with your goat herd out in the pasture? When we bought our property in 2008, no sooner did we sink the first fence post in the pasture did we realize: homesteading is expensive, y'all. We ...Continue Reading

18 Comments | |    Last Updated: March 17, 2018

How to Draw Blood from Cattle

There's something weirdly satisfying about pulling blood... Or maybe it's just me. Actually, it probably IS just me. I guess it all started during my two years as a Vet Tech... I learned to pull blood from a lot of different critters, and got pretty proficient at it, if I do say so myself. My skills have gotten a little rusty, but they still have come in handy the last few years when we've drawn blood to pregnancy test our ...Continue Reading

84 Comments | |    Last Updated: January 7, 2025

How to Can Beef Stew

Freezer tetris. It's a thing, y'all. We have two full-size freezers in the barn, as well as an additional fridge/freezer in the shop. (And a fridge/freezer in the house, of course). And we STILL run out of room... There's a certain element of stress that enters in every time the butcher calls to say the latest animal is ready to be picked up... It's a balancing act of rearranging, organizing, and even giving meat away ...Continue Reading

42 Comments | |    Last Updated: December 27, 2023

When Homesteading Makes You Lonely…

Wide open spaces... Room to breathe... Few neighbors... No barking dogs... Room for the kids to run... Breathtaking views... They are all reasons I love to spout as being my favorite parts of living in the middle of nowhere. And they are all true. In fact, I'd venture to say most of you reading this blog agree with the above as being some of your favorite parts of living rurally, too. And for those of you who have yet to ...Continue Reading

55 Comments | |    Last Updated: March 17, 2018

Homemade Electrolyte Recipe for Chicks

Last week was rough... I went from excitedly running around preparing for our new chick shipment, to staying up late working like a mad woman trying to bring some of the chicks back from death's door. Last week reminded me how quickly things can change on the homestead... And how thin is the veil which separates life from death. All the chicks survived the ride in the mail, which was a pleasant surprise. Everyone looked perky and ...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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