The Prairie Homestead

Homesteading | Self Sufficient Living | Living off the Land

Jill Winger

346 Comments | |    Last Updated: December 7, 2016

30+ Things to Do with Eggshells

To the majority of people, eggshells are simply trash. But to homesteader, eggshells are a surprisingly useful resource. You know what they say... "Waste not, want not." I personally get a big kick out of finding uses for things people normally throw away. So, I've put together a list of 9 Things You Can Do with Eggshells around your own homestead. (Holy Moly! My list started out with a measly 9 ideas, but after all of ...Continue Reading

66 Comments | |    Last Updated: June 30, 2023

Chokecherry Jelly Recipe

You know what I realized this past week? I. Love. Canning. No, really. Not just the "Yay, I get to pull homemade food out of the pantry in the winter" aspect, but I love the whole process-- from sterilizing the jars to that satisfying sound of lids sealing at the end. It feels so empowering to be able to preserve wholesome food for later. But that could be because I'm kind of a food nerd.... Anyway. I was recently able to ...Continue Reading

37 Comments | |    Last Updated: April 26, 2016

Quick & Easy Crayon Remover

Before becoming a parent, I would have seen the title to this post and yawned... Now that I am a parent, I consider it life-saving information. Several months ago, Prairie Baby (I really need to start calling her something else since we'll have another baby in the house in a few months!) discovered the joy of crayons. And not only are they joyful on paper, but also on walls, doors, molding, furniture.... You get the ...Continue Reading

123 Comments | |    Last Updated: September 12, 2023

Simple Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

Ice cream is usually considered to be junk food. And yes, if you are buying the stuff in the carton at the grocery store, then it definitely falls into the category of something we shouldn't eat very often. Many store-bought ice creams contain all sorts of fillers and chemicals-- not to mention low-quality, skim milk. However. If you make homemade ice cream with quality ingredients, it almost turns into a 'healthy ...Continue Reading

7 Comments | |    Last Updated: March 17, 2018

How to Make Granola in Your Slow Cooker

I love granola. But I hate making it since I'm incredibly talented at burning it. I'm really good at running outside while it's cooking to "quickly" grab something, and then I find myself still outside 2 hours later having completely forgotten to check on my now blackened pan of oats... So, when I stumbled upon the idea of making granola in my slow cooker, I was intrigued. Yes, it IS still possible to burn it using this ...Continue Reading

104 Comments | |    Last Updated: October 30, 2016

When Life Gives You Weeds, Eat ‘Em (Or, What to do with Lamb’s Quarters)

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a post bemoaning my crazy weed problem this year... I posted a few pictures of my garden which is buried under an abnormally thick, healthy, layer of weeds. Anyway, a bunch of you offered many helpful suggestions in the comments and also by email. (Yes, I definitely plan to use mulch next year, by the way...) Several of you also mentioned that, judging by this photo, you thought some of my weeds ...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