The Prairie Homestead

Homesteading | Self Sufficient Living | Living off the Land

Jill Winger

29 Comments | |    Last Updated: June 13, 2023

How to Make Kimchi

"What is that?!" I answered the question no less than 15 times while I had my brightly colored jars of kimchi sitting on the counter fermenting. My answer ("It's spicy Korean sauerkraut...") didn't exactly erase the quizzical look from the faces of the question-askers, but considering most of them are well-acquainted with my weirdness, I doubt anyone lost sleep over it. ;) I'm generally not willing to be very exotic ...Continue Reading

76 Comments | |    Last Updated: March 17, 2018

Rustic Homemade Christmas Decorations

I've been a Scrooge for the past 8 years... I have a good reason, though. Remember how we've lived in basically half a house for the past 8 years? Yup. That's why. We could squeeze into the house decently well during most of the year, but adding a Christmas tree plus all the decorations to the mix was the straw that broke the camel's back. I would hold off on putting up my ONE box of decorations until the last minute, and then take ...Continue Reading

108 Comments | |    Last Updated: December 27, 2023

When She Leaves…

Sometimes during the hustle and bustle of our chaotic homestead life, I catch myself silently watching Prairie Girl. Amidst the zipping up of tiny coats, bracing against the wind, feeding hay, and filling water buckets, I remember… I remember a small girl who would have loved nothing more than to have horses outside her bedroom window. And a wheelbarrow full of manure to push. And eggs to collect. That girl was me. I don’t ...Continue Reading

24 Comments | |    Last Updated: March 17, 2018

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 ...Continue Reading

20 Comments | |    Last Updated: February 19, 2020

Cooking with Essential Oils

This is a post I've REALLY wanted to write for a while, but I've been too afraid... Not because cooking with oils is scary, or even complicated, but rather because I know this can be controversial, and I didn't feel like dealing with haters in the comments section. I'm kind of embarrassed to admit it, but that's the truth. But I've decided to write this post anyway. Why? Because cooking with essential oils is something I really, ...Continue Reading

32 Comments | |    Last Updated: April 30, 2025

Beginner’s Guide to Chicken Coops

Sometimes I'm afraid being in this online homesteading world for the past 6 years has left me with some slightly skewed perceptions. Because I get to have so much contact with so many folks who so closely mirror my own ideals and goals, sometimes it's easy to think that *everyone* is on the same page when it comes to natural foods and homesteading stuff. Therefore, every so often, Prairie Husband bursts my bubble. Our ...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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