The Prairie Homestead

Homesteading | Self Sufficient Living | Living off the Land

Jill Winger

60 Comments | |    Last Updated: March 17, 2018

Snakes and Tornadoes… Who Needs Reality TV When You Live on a Homestead?

(First off, to answer the question in the title, I don't think anyone EVER really needs reality TV, but especially not when you live on a homestead. ;)) Each week, I generally try to post clever DIY tips, tasty recipes, or tips for farm life. But today, I'm deviating ever-so-slightly from my usual content. I've had several requests to write up a "day in my life" style of post. and although this past Saturday was far from a regular ...Continue Reading

181 Comments | |    Last Updated: June 1, 2020

10 Best Homemade Air Freshener Recipes

Why bother with homemade air fresheners? Why not just visit the air freshener aisle at the grocery store, you ask?? I used to wonder the same thing... And there was a period of time when I was like a little kid in a candy store when I'd visit the air freshener aisle at the grocery store. I'd rub my hands together in delight as I perused the hundreds of brightly-colored packages begging for me to place them in my cart. The scents ...Continue Reading

159 Comments | |    Last Updated: December 27, 2023

Dear Homesteading Critic… (an open letter)

Note: Homesteading is a pretty neutral topic in my opinion. I mean, other than the drama that surrounds food freedom issues (like the sale of raw milk), most people are pretty supportive of the concept, even if they don't want to do it themselves. I've noticed recently that a handful of folks seem to be taking "offense" to the recent increase of interest in modern homesteading lifestyles, and I can't help but scratch my head. This ...Continue Reading

121 Comments | |    Last Updated: May 16, 2020

Best Tips for Growing Tomatoes

I've gathered together a list of the best tips for growing tomatoes. In this article, you'll find tips for growing tomatoes from seed, how to transplant them into your garden, how to prevent diseases, tips for saving tomato seeds, and more.   Tomatoes are an anomaly... Some years they're one of the easiest things to grow, and you have juicy red fruit coming out of your ears. And then there's those other years that leave ...Continue Reading

37 Comments | |    Last Updated: March 11, 2019

DIY After-Sun Spray Recipe

I am the queen of the farmer's tan. I've never purposely tanned in my entire life, but I do tend to get quite brown since I work outside so much during the summer. (Ok, my ARMS get quite brown... Everything else is bright white.) You know how it goes... You're immersed in a fascinating homestead project, and you end up becoming so enamored with it, you forget to cover up or at least put on some natural sunscreen. And then you end up ...Continue Reading

64 Comments | |    Last Updated: April 10, 2019

How to Make Mozzarella Cheese- (Part Two: Let’s Do It!)

We're making mozzarella today- are ya ready? I'm assuming you've read Part One where we discuss all the preliminary stuff, (like ingredients and equipment), so let's dive in! *A Note to All Aspiring Cheesemakers* I want to give fair warning before we start. Cheesemaking is fun, but it is also finicky sometimes. So, you can't get discouraged if this is your first batch and it doesn't turn out... It's a learning process! The first few ...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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