The Prairie Homestead

Homesteading | Self Sufficient Living | Living off the Land

Jill Winger

78 Comments | |    Last Updated: March 17, 2018

The Truth about Goats (or Why We Downsized our Herd)

It happened purely by accident. But somehow, I have seemed to develop quite the reputation for being a "goat girl." I supposed the Goat 101 series is somewhat to blame, although I definitely don't claim to be an expert. It's been awesome to see how many people are interested in home dairying. And like I've said many times, goats are a great way to get started. But I have a confession to make: we drastically downsized our goat herd ...Continue Reading

128 Comments | |    Last Updated: December 27, 2023

How We Homestead on One Income (Part Two)

(Read Part One Here) I was completely excited to publish last week's post where I introduced you guys to our frugal homesteading lifestyle. I always enjoy giving my readers a peek into our life, plus I was hoping to be an encouragement to some of those who want to homestead, but aren't quite sure how to get there with their current budget. Little did I know that I would be the one who would be encouraged! As the comments poured ...Continue Reading

73 Comments | |    Last Updated: December 27, 2023

How We Homestead on One Income

First off, I think I need to clarify a few things right off the bat... I struggled a bit in titling this post, because it makes it sound like homesteading has to be an expensive endeavor, and that's not true at all. As I've stated in my Your Custom Homestead eBook, as well as all over this blog, you DO NOT have to move to the country or shell out the big bucks in order to 'homestead.' It can totally be done where you are RIGHT ...Continue Reading

12 Comments | |    Last Updated: March 17, 2018

Five Things You Should Know About Goat’s Milk

(Photo Credit) I'm far from being a goat expert, but with the popularity of the Goat 101 series, I do get a lot of goat-related questions. When my blogging buddy Stacy from Stacy Makes Cents asked me to write up a goaty post for her blogging maternity break, I was thrilled to do so! If you are new to the world of goat milk, or are considering adding them to your homestead in the future, you might appreciate my fact-filled post ...Continue Reading

24 Comments | |    Last Updated: March 17, 2018

How to Use a Pressure Canner – Part 2

As I lifted my brand new pressure canner out of the box, it reminded me of an alien spaceship with all the gadgets on top... Not to mention the big, thick instruction book... *Gulp* Up until that moment, I had never even seen a pressure canner in person-- let alone watch someone use one. Thankfully, after some careful reading, I realized that the whole process wasn't as near as intimidating as I had originally thought. So, ...Continue Reading

94 Comments | |    Last Updated: June 30, 2023

How to Use a Pressure Canner

PRESSURE CANNING. It's the #1 thing that strikes fear into the heart of new homesteaders... Stories of Great Aunt Wanda blowing up her kitchen with a pressure canner abound... which has resulted in a whole lot of us who are slightly petrified at the thought of using a hissing, pressurizing "bomb" to preserve food in our kitchens. And it's understandable-- if used incorrectly, pressure canners can indeed malfunction. And the ...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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