The Prairie Homestead

Homesteading | Self Sufficient Living | Living off the Land

Jill Winger

88 Comments | |    Last Updated: June 30, 2023

Old-Fashioned Peach Butter Recipe

I'm a slow learner sometimes... I've been canning for quite a while now, yet I always seem to inadvertently mop my floors right before starting a new canning project. (And mind you--mopping does NOT happen frequently at my house!) It's like I subconsciously can't help it. This week, it was peach butter. Of all the things you can preserve, peaches are one of the stickiest, and I proceeded to splash that sticky peach puree ...Continue Reading

38 Comments | |    Last Updated: June 30, 2023

How to Can Pickled Beets

I have beets coming out of my ears right now, so this is timely information! If you plan to use a water bath canner to preserve your beets, pickling is an important part of the process. (Otherwise, you'll need to use a pressure canner, since beets are a low-acid food.) I love this tutorial from Annie at Montana Homesteader--especially since it doesn't require a bunch of sugar--beets are plenty sweet on their own! My name is Annie ...Continue Reading

72 Comments | |    Last Updated: April 10, 2019

How to Make Stevia Extract

I have a sweet tooth. There. I said it. As much as I would like to be one of those people who can happily chug black coffee and has no problem passing up dessert, I'm just not. Now, as my real-food journey has progressed, I have gotten much better than I used to be. White sugar is pretty much banned from our house, and I don't even use as many unrefined sweeteners as I used to. Eating a piece of fruit generally satisfies my cravings ...Continue Reading

31 Comments | |    Last Updated: May 7, 2026

9 Tips for Training a Goat on the Milking Stand

If you have dreamed of starting your own dairy program but cows seem a bit too big for your homestead, then milking goats might just be the answer you have been looking for.  Goats are smaller options compared to cows (For more Cow vs Goat Comparisons), but they still require a good amount of training when it comes to milking. There are a few things that can make your time milking a little easier, one of those things is a milk ...Continue Reading

126 Comments | |    Last Updated: June 13, 2023

How to Cook an Old Rooster (or Hen!)

   I realize this post will probably elicit a variety of reactions... Some of you will be thrilled that I'm writing on this topic, since you have old hens or roosters that need a new "job," Some of you will be amused to have a post on this topic showing up in your email inbox... And some of you will probably be horrified that I would ever consider eating one of our chickens. So allow me to explain ...Continue Reading

65 Comments | |    Last Updated: April 10, 2019

How to Whitewash Your Barn and Chicken Coop

Wanna know how you can instantly feel like a homesteading rockstar? Learn how to whitewash something. I say this because: (a) It'll make all your friends give you a weird look (I always enjoy that) (b) It's delightfully old-fashioned (c) It actually does provide some benefits to your barn/coops (besides just making you feel cool) Whenever I think of whitewashing, my mind instantly goes to Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn. But before we ...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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