Jill Winger

We try to store at least a year's supply of food in every possible nook-and-cranny on our homestead (someday, maybe, we'll get more organized about it and have it all in one location...). As a homesteader, I understand the need for self-reliance and food security, and both have a pretty big role in this lifestyle. I also firmly believe that you don't need to be a Homesteader, Emergency Prepper, or Survivalist to take control and store ...Continue Reading

You're pulling in your garden harvest...it's covering every surface of your home...and now you're left with the familiar problem of “what are you supposed to do with all of this fresh produce?” Most of us have not been blessed with a traditional root cellar in our home. If you happen to be someone with a root cellar, I would just like to say that I am exceedingly jealous. Fortunately, for the rest of us without a root cellar, I've ...Continue Reading

Harvest season is right around the corner, and if you're like me, you are often blessed with what seems like a mountain of tomatoes. Every year, I try to think of clever ways to both use and preserve my tomato harvest. There are so many ways you can use and preserve tomatoes (trust me, I know, especially after gathering these 40 + ways to preserve tomatoes). Almost everyone that processes tomatoes choose to go with a good tomato ...Continue Reading

You're going along in your garden weeding, watering and mulching, and then BAM! It happens... harvest time is here, and it tends to come in like a whirlwind of chaos, especially if you're not ready. I've been gardening for over 10 years now, and I STILL deal with some "harvest overwhelm" every late summer and early fall. So I thought I would put together some thoughts on how to get organized and prepared for harvest season, not only to ...Continue Reading

During the spring and summer, our coop is overflowing with freshly laid eggs…so many eggs! As an experienced chicken keeper, I know that our wealth of eggs won’t last forever, and by late-fall, all of our hens' efforts tend to take a hiatus, and it’s like they go into an egg-laying hibernation. Once you have owned chickens for a time, you will become aware of your chickens' laying habits. Not all chickens stop laying in the winter ...Continue Reading