The Prairie Homestead

Homesteading | Self Sufficient Living | Living off the Land

Jill Winger

155 Comments | |    Last Updated: March 17, 2018

Will the REAL Cinnamon Please Stand Up?

Cinnamon rolls, gingerbread cookies, pumpkin pies, and spiced tea. As soon as I feel that hint of autumn crispness in the air, I shove the cinnamon and nutmeg to the front of my spice drawer and prepare myself for a season of warm, spicy treats. I especially adore cinnamon since it's a great way to add an extra touch of sweetness to a recipe without having to add any additional sugar. The Prairie Kids love it on their homemade ...Continue Reading

38 Comments | |    Last Updated: October 26, 2026

Winter Chicken Care: Ways to Prepare Your Coop & Flock

Winter Chicken Care: How to Prepare Your Chickens and Coop for Cold Weather Wyoming winters can be cold, snowy, and windy... it is not a season you want to catch you off guard and unprepared.  This means breaking out the tank heaters and hay bales for our larger livestock. But what about the chickens? A chicken coop can have its own list of different winter preparations and today I have invited Amy from the Vomiting Chicken Blog ...Continue Reading

26 Comments | |    Last Updated: June 13, 2023

Homemade Cheese Sauce Recipe

I know there are a lot of folks these days who strive for a dairy-free & grain-free diet. And I understand that. But if you are one of those folks--you may want to look away... Because today I'm talkin' about the most glorious cheese sauce recipe you ever did see... not only does it have cheese in it, but it has milk and butter too. Yeah, pretty much a dairy explosion. In your mouth. The average American makes ...Continue Reading

42 Comments | |    Last Updated: September 28, 2022

Do I Have to Have a Rooster?

If you are new to the idea of keeping chickens, then you may be wondering what purpose a rooster serves--other than waking you up at 5 am by crowing underneath your window in the mornings. *ahem* The question I most often hear from those who are yet to be initiated into the chicken-keeping lifestyle is, "Do I need a rooster in order to get eggs?" The short answer? Nope, you don't have to have a rooster to enjoy those lovely ...Continue Reading

53 Comments | |    Last Updated: March 11, 2019

DIY Flock Block Substitute

Today's post is by Colleen of Five Little Homesteaders. Her blog is a treasure-trove of homesteading info, so be sure to click over there when you are done reading this post! Colleen also generously allowed me to include this recipe in my Natural Homestead ebook as well. Raising chickens is one of my favorite parts of homesteading. I never could have imagined the different personalities that each of my "ladies" would have and how ...Continue Reading

17 Comments | |    Last Updated: April 4, 2022

It’s Here!! My NEW eBook– Natural Homestead!

It's done. Finished. Completed. Wrapped up. Buttoned up. Concluded. Published. And I can hardly believe it. This might just be the biggest project I have ever embarked on in my entire life. Yes, even bigger than building a half mile of fence or pulling those 1.2 million staples from the tumble-down pens on our property. But oh my goodness, what a learning experience it has been! I know many of you have been just as excited as I am ...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.
Read My Story