The Prairie Homestead

Homesteading | Self Sufficient Living | Living off the Land

Jill Winger

31 Comments | |    Last Updated: June 13, 2023

Snow Ice Cream Recipe

Lately, my Facebook feed has been filled with people bemoaning the fact it's winter... The cold... the wind... having to bundle up before going outside... people just aren't happy. But can I tell you a secret? I actually love winter. The longer I homestead, the more I appreciate the cycles of nature, and savor the shifts. Welcoming new life in the spring, working hard in the summer, harvesting in the fall, and hibernating in ...Continue Reading

160 Comments | |    Last Updated: March 4, 2020

Best Winter Chore Clothes for Homesteaders

Rosy red cheeks, lightly falling snowflakes, and mugs of homemade hot chocolate... When most people think of winter, I imagine those are some of the first things to come to mind. Me? Well, let's just say the visions dancing through my head tend to lean towards boots caked in slushy manure, a mudroom with mountains of coats and gloves, and perpetual brown puddles on the tile floor... But that's just life when you live in a climate ...Continue Reading

69 Comments | |    Last Updated: December 27, 2023

7 Reasons to Start Homesteading Today

So, you say you're still on the fence about homesteading? I get it. I really do. Attempting to make the switch from buying all your food at the grocery store without a second thought, to someone who suddenly has an insatiable desire to garden and milk goats is quite the transition... Ya know? And then you have the whole "convincing the family/spouse" hurdle... Sometimes it's easy to persuade them their future lies between rows of ...Continue Reading

50 Comments | |    Last Updated: January 22, 2019

Dehydrating Bananas: Easy Tutorial

I'm excited to have a tropical homesteader visiting the blog today-- Kris Bordessa of Attainable Sustainable. I'll have to give this idea a whirl with my store-bought bananas, since growing them on our Wyoming homestead is pretty much out. ;) Here on the Island of Hawaii, we're fortunate to be able to grow our own bananas. I know, right?? But no matter how many bananas my guys can Hoover, it's still difficult to work our way ...Continue Reading

7 Comments | |    Last Updated: March 11, 2019

Coffee Sugar Scrub Recipe

By Stacy Karen, contributing writer Coffee and cocoa are a delightful combination when it comes to a warm beverage. Turns out, it's a great mix for natural body care, too! Body scrubs are a fantastic way to remove dead skin cells and brighten skin, giving it a more youthful and vibrant appearance and a softer smoother feel. Coffee body scrubs are especially invigorating and enjoyable to apply. Most body scrubs are made by ...Continue Reading

43 Comments | |    Last Updated: December 11, 2020

Homemade Peppermint Patties

The chore list of a busy homestead mom: Making sure the animals are fed and watered? Check. Making sure the kids are at least partially clothed? Check. Making sure there is something semi-edible on the table for supper? Check. Making sure the floors are mopped? Probably not... Making homemade candy? Yeah right. I don't have the patience to make homemade candy anyway-- the incessant stirring, the monotonous dipping, and ...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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