Old Fashioned On Purpose

What do you do when everything goes as you hoped, or perhaps even better than you hoped?  While it’s great to be able to produce our own food on the homestead, sometimes we find ourselves with a perishable bounty that needs to be dealt with.  On today’s episode, I explain how I’m dealing with an excess of eggs.  While selling some is always an option, listen to find out how I use this abundance in...

Seemingly in the blink of an eye, the world became homeschoolers.  For some of you listening, it’s business as usual.  For others?  Full time panic mode has ensued.  Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or a rookie doing this for the first time, I’m here to offer some guidance that anyone can use regardless of experience.  I explore some of the most common issues people have when it comes to homescho...

To say the world is full of uncertainty is a bit of an understatement at the moment.  We’re living in some uncharted waters as a country and as humans in general.  I for one can say my mind has been spinning over the past couple weeks.  Even with the craziness in the world, the events of the past few weeks has reassured me the choice we made to begin the homesteading journey.  Not only are we in a...

Have you ever tried to save a piece of cast iron and found yourself in way too deep?  This was my story just last week.  After staring at a skillet in my kitchen for years, I finally decided to do something about it.  After testing several  different solutions, most unsuccessfully, I stumbled upon something that finally worked!  Listen today to find out how coconut oil, lard, or flaxseed oil might...

Contrary to popular belief, I wasn’t born into the homestead life.  If you go back and listen to some of my first episodes you can get the full story on how Christian and I caught the homestead bug.  In the end, learning how to homestead has been nothing more than an insatiable desire to learn and taking massive imperfect action everyday.  Listen today as I dig into some of my favorite places to g...

While we’d all love an open, sunny spot to plant our garden, the reality of it is some things are beyond our control.  Rest assured, a shady spot doesn’t always mean a death sentence.  On today’s episode, I explain how it's possible to grow a garden even without ideal sunlight.    Links from show:  >>Blog Post: https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2020/02/vegetables-that-grow-in-the-shad...

Have you ever jumped head first into starting seeds and quickly find yourself overwhelmed?  Trust me, when I first started expanding my garden I was right there with you.  The truth is that this will always be the case unless you build a system for planting seeds.  Well my friends, with the days getting longer and the air outside feeling a bit different, it’s finally time to start the seeds.  Toda...

While I love to cook, at times it can become a drag.  With everything we have going on with the kids, our various businesses, and the responsibilities of running a homestead, at times I end to fallback on the tried-and-true recipes that my family has loved throughout the years.  While this might be easy and efficient, things tend to get stale over time.  On today’s episode I’m here to share some o...

It’s no secret by now.  If you’ve been listening at all to the podcast lately, you’d know that I’ve got gardening on my mind.  I’ve said i many times before but I’ll say it once again; gardening is likely a close second on my “what I love about homesteading list”, trailing only the animals.  Wha’s the best news out of all this win it comes to gardening?  It’s far easier than you think.  Listen to...

Between late frosts in the spring, early frosts in the fall, blizzards in the middle of May, and everything in between, Wyoming is one of the most difficult climates you’ll find to grow a garden.  So I do I combat this every year?  I focus on understanding the frost cycle and only grow what will thrive in our zone.  I start seeds inside to capitalize on prime growing season.  Learn why you should...

Believe it or not, many of the best ways to use up leftover sourdough starter have nothing to do with baking bread.  If you’ve ever wondered what to do with your leftover sourdough starter, then this is the episode you’ve been waiting for.  Join me on today’s show where you’ll learn my top 5 favorite discard recipes, including pancakes, waffles, and biscuits.  So slow your roll, don’t ditch that d...

I’m not going to lie.  This episode is likely to ruffle some feathers.  However, this is a topic that’s been weighing on my mind for quite some time.  On various videos or social media posts, I’ve received a number of questions about how Christian and I have been able to afford our homestead.  Many assume we come from a wealthy background, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.  I’m here to...

If you’ve been listening or following me for a while, you’d know that it was horses that actually spurred my initial interest in homesteading.  While most people wouldn’t consider a horse as a traditional ‘homestead’ animal, I’ve found that they hold a very special place in our daily lives.  On today’s episode, I explain how to make sure you’re getting the right type of horse for you and your fami...

Thanks to social media, I might appear to be some type of super woman.  The truth of the matter is, Instagram and Facebook posts never tell the full story no matter how transparent I try to be.  I’m able to “Do It All” because I’ve become extremely efficient with time management and have realized that I simply can’t do it all.  On today’s episode, I explain how things like finding help, saying no,...

Innovation and technology serve us in so many different ways.  Whether it’s making things more convenient, easier, or faster, new tools and techniques allow us to live our lives in different ways.  Needless to say, new isn’t always better.  When it comes to the kitchen, wooden kitchen tools still reign supreme on the Winger homestead.  On today’s episode, I expand on why these phenomenal tools des...

Winter on the homestead has become one of my favorite times of the year.  It’s that special time of year when I can come inside, cozy up next to the fire with a warm drink, and lose myself in good book.  On today’s episode I’m sharing what I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the winter.  I’m also sharing my favorite sources of reading material, including new and used books, audio books, mag...

Personal development has been an essential tool over the years.  Looking back, I realize that some of the assesments I’ve taken have provided the biggest opportunities for growth.  They help point out common personality characteristics and their underlying tendencies.  On today’s episode, I’m proud to present a creation of very own.  See if you identiy with any of these 4 types of Homesteaders.  H...

Do you ever reach the end of the day and wonder where all your time went?  Do you look at your “to-do’s” and wonder how you’ll ever get it all done?  Fitting the homestead lifestyle into the speed of the modern day world can create some serious problems.  When it comes down to it, there’s little we can do to speed up the pace of mother nature.  This means as homesteaders that we need to focus on t...

One of my favorite days of the year has arrived.  The seeds for my garden showed up!  If you’re anything like me, you’re in full-on garden prep mode.  On a recent episode, I discussed my long-term love for heirloom seeds.  On today’s episode, I dive deep into what I have planned for my garden this year.  From broccoli to peppers to spinach and everything in between, I explain why I’m planting each...

Natural health remedies seem to share a certain distinction when it comes to health care.  While that may be the case, we’ve found many different herbs and essential oils to be a key component of maintaining good health.  On today’s episode, I explore the different tactics that I’m utilizing with my family.  This involves everything, including simple habits like getting more sleep and eating less...

Few things that strike greater fear into the heart of a homesteader than the word botulism. If you’re anything like me, you’ve come to have a healthy respect for canning safety due to the potential serious consequences of improper canning.  On today’s episode I detail why recipes that contain dairy, flour, and high levels of fat shouldn’t be canned.  You’ll also learn why canning is the one place...

I don’t know about you, but we are in the dead of winter out here in Wyoming.  Inevitably during this time of year, our chickens just don’t produce the same amount of eggs as they normally do.  While the weather is certainly a factor, the are a number of possible reasons why your chicken isn’t producing.  If you’re ready to figure out how light, age, molting, and so much more have the potential to...

Frugality is something that I’ve always seen as an admirable quality.  As most of you know, this is how I grew up and how Christian and I generally live our lives.  Believe it or not, there are times where frugality can hurt you.  Today I’m going to address two specific warning signs that frugality is getting the best of you.  While I’m not here to preach a right-or-wrong way of doing things, I am...

Have you ever dreamed of starting your own garden but have no idea on where to start?  You are in luck my friends.  Starting a garden can be extremely intimidating for any first timer.  This episode provides a ground-up plan that is so simple anyone can get into the game.  I cover key aspects like checking your gardening zone, what equipment you’ll need, types of seeds, and the benefits of soil te...

For quite some time I was terrified of nitrates.  In all honesty, it was a big source of anxiety for a long time.  This didn’t relent until sometime last year when I started digging deep into the truth behind nitrates.  Come to find out, nitrates aren’t all that bad.  Many are even naturally occurring in our favorite meats.  Today’s episode is dedicated to busting nitrate related myths and reassur...