I Bet You've Already Tried The Complicated Version
The big garden. The elaborate systems. The from-scratch-everything phase. The idea that if a little self-reliance is good, more must be better.
So have I.
I spent 15 years building the perfect homestead and teaching hundreds of thousands of people how to cook, grow, make, and do more for themselves.
And I still believe deeply in those skills.
I just don’t believe the most extreme version is always the most sustainable one.
Because if your garden, food system, routines, or ideals require you to run at full tilt all the time, eventually something gives.
These days, I’m much more interested in the version that can actually last: cooking from scratch without making dinner harder, growing some food without burning yourself out, and learning useful skills that support your life instead of consuming it.
I’m here to prove that you can lose the fantasy, keep the skills, and build a life that actually fits you.
Where Would You Like to Start?
I want to make everyday food easier:
>> Get my Mealcraft Method for the easiest suppers
>> Preorder The Old-Fashioned on Purpose Cookbook
I want to be more capable and self-reliant:
>> Expand your old-fashioned skill set
>> My tutorials on growing your own food
I’m in a season of rethinking what fits:
>> Read Prairie Philosophy on Substack
I’m curious about Jill’s story:
Prefer to listen?
The Old-Fashioned on Purpose Podcast is where I talk through all of this in real time:
Food, capability, self-reliance, business, land, and building a life that fits.
Want the Useful Stuff Without the Noise?
Each week, I send one email with the things I’m cooking, learning, fixing, questioning, or using in real life.
Expect practical ideas for making life simpler and more capable, thoughts on what’s worth keeping (and what isn’t), plus occasional recipes, resources, and behind-the-scenes bits I don’t always share elsewhere.
No daily barrage. No manufactured urgency. Just useful things for people who want a life that works better.
One More Thing...
I used to think the goal was BIGGER AND BETTER. The homestead. The systems. The skills. The self-reliant life.
Now I believe the better question is: which parts actually make life better?
That’s what I’m figuring out these days—and what I’m sharing here. If you’re asking some of the same questions, you’re in the right place. I'm so glad you're here.
Peace, Love, and Mason Jars,
