The Prairie Homestead

Homesteading | Self Sufficient Living | Living off the Land

Jill Winger

99 Comments | |    Last Updated: April 10, 2019

How to Make Buttermilk

I'm a pretty cultured person... I might not attend any ballets, operas, or art shows, but my little homestead kitchen is packed full of cultured butter, cultured yogurt, and cultured buttermilk. That counts, right? ;) Learning how to make buttermilk is one of the easiest things to do if you are just starting out in the world of home dairy. And real homemade buttermilk is out-of-this world. One word of warning-- once you make your ...Continue Reading

71 Comments | |    Last Updated: September 1, 2018

Our DIY Wood Stove Installation

We've been cold for a while now... ... Our farmhouse came with a propane furnace when we bought it. But even though the house is pretty small, the poor little furnace just couldn't keep up--especially with the 60+ mph winds we get in the winter... We avoided the idea of a wood stove for quite a while. Not because we don't love wood heat (because we do!), but mainly because our living room is tiny, and the thought of giving up a big ...Continue Reading

75 Comments | |    Last Updated: September 26, 2016

15+ Wrapping Paper Alternatives

It only takes a few minutes ... ... for that pile of perfectly wrapped gifts to become a chaotic sea of crumpled wrapping paper on Christmas morning. Even before I had my "crunchy" transformation, hauling garbage bag after garbage bag of wrapping paper out to the dumpster always kinda bugged me. Not to mention the price of the stuff. Have you strolled down the wrapping paper aisle lately? It's expensive! Especially for something ...Continue Reading

152 Comments | |    Last Updated: April 20, 2026

How to Make Butter

Care for some water in your butter? As you know, I have a serious obsession with turning raw milk into all sort of fascinating things. A jar of white liquid turning into a delicious, golden-yellow solid. It's darn close to being miraculous if you ask me. Making homemade butter from scratch is magical, ya'll. I officially ditched margarine several years ago, and it's no longer allowed across the threshold in my home. I'm really glad ...Continue Reading

42 Comments | |    Last Updated: September 4, 2018

21 Homemade Gifts You Can Make with Essential Oils

Homemade gifts don't have to equate to bizarre Christmas sweaters and rock paperweights. Thanks to resources like Pinterest, I've seen some of the coolest DIY gift ideas floating around lately. And personally, I much prefer a thoughtful homemade gift over a hastily purchase store bought one. Don't you? Put your essential oil stash to good use this year and use your collection to create homemade gifts for your family and friends. ...Continue Reading

31 Comments | |    Last Updated: December 27, 2023

Dear Homesteader Who Longs to Leave the City…

Dear City-Dwelling Homesteader, First off, did you notice that I didn't call you a "wanna-be" homesteader? That was on purpose. I firmly believe that someone can be a honest-to-goodness homesteader, even if they live in town--but more on that in a minute. I've read your emails. And your comments. And your Facebook messages. I've heard about your longings for a homestead with land. And how badly you want to experience those ...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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