The Prairie Homestead

Homesteading | Self Sufficient Living | Living off the Land

Jill Winger

66 Comments | |    Last Updated: June 13, 2023

Homemade Ricotta Cheese Recipe

I love simple recipes that make me feel like a rockstar... And homemade ricotta cheese definitely fits the bill. Ricotta is one of the easiest cheeses to make, but it can transform a ho-hum recipe into something special--plus I always feel a extra fancy when I use it. Oh, and making  lasagna with homemade mozzarella AND homemade ricotta cheese? It takes the dish to a whole new level folks... If you are serving it to dinner ...Continue Reading

18 Comments | |    Last Updated: March 17, 2018

How and Why to Start Your Hydroponic Garden

  Today I am thrilled to have Chris Wimmer of Healthy Smart Living guest posting for me today! Chris is a urban homesteader who uses hydroponics to make the best use out of his small spaces. I think you'll enjoy learning from his post as much as I have! This is my homestead and it provides me exactly 440 square feet of outdoor space. I truly feel blessed to have that much space as I live in downtown Chicago. However, it’s also a ...Continue Reading

93 Comments | |    Last Updated: April 1, 2014

15 Creative Uses for Coffee Grounds

I have a fascination... ... with finding ways to save common everyday "cast-offs" from ending up in the trash. So far, I've compiled some big ol' lists of ways to put your eggshells, leftover whey, and sour raw milk to good use, and I've been thinking about coffee grounds for a while now... Even though we don't drink a ton of coffee here on the homestead, we still end up with plenty of extra grounds, and I always hate tossing ...Continue Reading

92 Comments | |    Last Updated: September 26, 2016

DIY Essential Oil Reed Diffuser

My candle collection is no more... Well, I still have a few candles hanging around. (Like the DIY Tallow Candles I made last week...), but the massive collection of artificially-scented candles in every imaginable size and shape? They're gone. They've actually been gone for a while now. Ever since I started my love affair with essential oils, I've gradually lost my tolerance for artificial fragrances. And I've replaced it with ...Continue Reading

58 Comments | |    Last Updated: March 17, 2018

Are Chickens Supposed to be Vegetarians?

The labels always seem so proud... You know, the ones that boldly declare that the eggs sitting cozily inside their carton are from chickens fed an "all-natural vegetarian" diet. At first glance, that sounds pretty good, right? I mean, it's always good to pay attention to labels--especially with all the "iffy" stuff that takes place in food production these days. But when I stroll down the egg aisle at my local health food store, ...Continue Reading

117 Comments | |    Last Updated: August 31, 2018

How to Make Tallow Candles

Before we get started, I want to set the record straight... These candles don't have to be *just* for emergencies. They could also be: "I-want-to-try-my-hand-at-making-candles" candles. Or... "I'm totally curious about tallow" candles. Or... "I-can't-resist-anything-that-comes-in-a-mason-jar" candles. But they make especially nice emergency or survival candles since they are fairly inexpensive and you can make a bunch ...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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