Welcome to the very first episode of Old Fashioned On Purpose! My name is Jill Winger, and on today's episode I'm thrilled to share with you my very unlikely foray into homesteading. You'll hear why growing up as city kids didn't prevent my husband and I from achieving our goal of owning milk cows, cultivating our own gardens, building our own farm, and so much more. If you've ever had any interest in ...Continue Reading
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Natural Weed Control for Your Garden
It’s no secret. I’m not a gardening diva. And heaven knows I’ve had my share of ridiculous gardening mistakes, like that time I killed my whole garden with poisoned hay mulch. Even so, I stick with it every year. Every January, I order my heirloom seeds and dream of that idyllic garden that weeds itself and never looks messy. (Are you laughing yet? ?) And then, by June, the weeds are working hard to destroy the dream. In fact, the ...Continue Reading
Preparing Our Raised Beds for Spring Planting
I FEEL SO BEHIND. Except I'm not. At least not yet. Wyoming is horribly deceiving this time of year. We've been getting lots of 70+ degree days the last week or two, and I've been spending all day outside piddling out in the garden and getting sunburns, which is quite heavenly after a long winter. My perennials are slowly awakening. The lilacs and ash trees are budding. And the prairie land all around is gradually turning a ...Continue Reading
What We Learned by Having Our Garden Soil Tested
My brain is bursting with the possibilities of SPRING on the homestead. The birds have started chirping, there's the faintest green tint to the prairie when you look out across the wide open space, and the air smells alive and fresh after many months of BLAH. Are we done with snow storms? No way. But we're getting closer. I repotted the tomatoes and peppers this week, and they're happily growing under their lights in the basement. ...Continue Reading
Growing Potatoes: The Definitive Guide
I've never met a potato I didn't like. I'd eat them for every meal if I could, and I usually have to force myself to think of alternative side dishes, because in my world, potatoes go with everything. (This may have to do with the fact I grew up in Idaho? I can't help myself.) Therefore, it's only logical they'd be one of my most-favorite things to grow in the garden. I get all-sorts of giddy when I'm pulling pounds and pounds of ...Continue Reading