Old Fashioned On Purpose

You know your soil is bad when even the weeds refuse to grow. That's the situation in my new yard, and I'm determined to turn this dusty, barren patch of Wyoming prairie into something beautiful and productive without spending a fortune or planting a traditional lawn.

In this episode, I'm sharing what I've learned about soil health (including some thoughts & lessons I've learned about manure), why I'm rethinking conventional landscaping, and how I'm using sheet mulching techniques to rebuild my soil from the ground up. 

Podcast Episode Highlights:

• Background on my current yard and garden
• Details on my soil and what I've learned about manure over the years
• My thoughts on lawns
• My thoughts on native landscaping
• My plans & details with sheet mulching
• Final thoughts

Resources Mentioned in This Podcast Episode:

Learn more about Azure Standard and their non-GMO, wholesome food options (especially bulk food) here: https://www.azurestandard.com/?a_aid=ANnu0O8ySU

–> Join Azure Standard for FREE and enjoy 15% off your first order of $100 or more. Simply use promo code OLDFASHIONED15 at checkout.

Pictures and blog details on my dust bowl yard can be found here: https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2026/10/sheet-mulching-with-cardboard-wood-chips.html

Previous Podcast Episodes & Blog Articles on my Garden and Life:

• Can I Save My Horrible Garden Soil? My Conversation with a Soil Scientist (podcast episode)
• The Worst Garden of My Entire Life (blog article with image of Jill’s current soil test and more details on her current garden struggles)
• Data Centers & Dead Soil: What Are We Willing to Sacrifice for Progress? (podcast episode)
• How to Feed Your Soil a Whole Food Diet (podcast episode)
• How Fall in Love with Your Soil (podcast episode)

OTHER HELPFUL RESOURCES FOR YOUR HOMESTEAD:

• Sign up for weekly musings from my homestead: https://jillwinger.substack.com/
• Get my free homesteading tutorials & recipes here: www.theprairiehomestead.com
• Jill on Instagram: @jill.winger
• Jill on Facebook: http://facebook.com/theprairiehomestead
• Apply to be a guest on the Old-Fashioned on Purpose podcast: https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/podcast-guest-application

Did you enjoy listening to this episode? Please drop a comment below or leave a review to let us know. This can help other folks learn about this podcast and we also really appreciate the feedback! 

I don't drink alcohol, and over the years, I've noticed that choosing not to drink alcohol often makes me seem like a bit of a countercultural weirdo in social situations.

In this episode, I'm sharing my personal history with alcohol, why I don't drink, and some of my observations about just how deeply drinking is woven into our culture. This isn't an anti-alcohol lecture, but rather a conversation about social expectations, questioning what's considered normal, and being willing to go against the grain. 

Podcast Episode Highlights:

• Why this topic fits with the Old-Fashioned theme
• I'm not demonizing drinking alcohol
• My history with alcohol
• What my life is like with it right now
• Looking at how much alcohol is connected to life
• The social dynamic about ME not drinking alcohol
• The bigger questions based on this topic and beyond
• Final thoughts

Resources Mentioned in This Podcast Episode:

Find my NEW Cookbook here: https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/the-old-fashioned-on-purpose-cookbook

If you have my new cookbook and LOVE it, please tag me on social media (Instagram: @jill.winger)

Find my 2027 Old-Fashioned on Purpose Planner here: http://www.prairieplanner.com/

Previous Podcast Episodes & Blog Articles on my Life and Personality:

• The Biggest & Hardest Transition of My Life (podcast episode)
• The Real Story Behind My New Cookbook: Easter Eggs & the Elephant in the Room (podcast episode)
• A Reintroduction, of Sorts (blog article)
• The Gift of Not Belonging (blog article)
• The Cage Was Never Locked (blog article)

OTHER HELPFUL RESOURCES FOR YOUR HOMESTEAD:

• Sign up for weekly musings from my homestead: https://jillwinger.substack.com/
• Get my free homesteading tutorials & recipes here: www.theprairiehomestead.com
• Jill on Instagram: @jill.winger
• Jill on Facebook: http://facebook.com/theprairiehomestead
• Apply to be a guest on the Old-Fashioned on Purpose podcast: https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/podcast-guest-application

Did you enjoy listening to this episode? Please drop a comment below or leave a review to let us know. This can help other folks learn about this podcast and we also really appreciate the feedback! 

A cookbook takes years to create—and a lot can change between the first recipe test and the day you finally hold the finished book in your hands.

In this episode, I’m taking you behind the scenes for my NEW cookbook, The Old-Fashioned on Purpose Cookbook, from the Easter eggs and meaningful photos, to the story behind the cover and the role the Soda Fountain played in it all. I’m also addressing the elephant in the room: why there are photos in this book that reflect a chapter of my life that has since ended. This book captures a moment in time, but more than any book I’ve written before, it feels unmistakably like me—and I want to tell you why.

Podcast Episode Highlights:

• The long process/journey of creating a new book
• My life is always changing
• Fun Easter Eggs in this cookbook
• Why these photos are so special to me
• The Soda Fountain and my cover photo
• Why this book is ME
• The Elephant in the room (aka divorce)
• My thoughts on endings 
• Final thoughts

Resources Mentioned in This Podcast Episode:

Find my NEW Cookbook here: https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/the-old-fashioned-on-purpose-cookbook

Check out the Youtube version (with visual aids) here: https://youtu.be/F87xSeJW_fs

Learn more about my Soda Fountain dinners here: https://www.chugwatersodafountain.com/

Find my first cookbook here: http://homesteadcookbook.com/

Check out my nonfiction deep-thought book here: http://oldfashionedbook.com/

Previous Podcast Episodes & Blog Articles on my Books:

• I’ve Been Too Chill About This (blog article about Pre-Order specials(!!) for my new cookbook)
• How My Books Actually Happened: Writing, Agents + Book Deals (podcast episode)
• Behind the Scenes of Writing a Homestead Cookbook (podcast episode)
• 5 (Surprising) Lessons I Learned from Writing a Book (podcast episode)

OTHER HELPFUL RESOURCES FOR YOUR HOMESTEAD:

• Sign up for weekly musings from my homestead: https://jillwinger.substack.com/
• Get my free homesteading tutorials & recipes here: www.theprairiehomestead.com
• Jill on Instagram: @jill.winger
• Jill on Facebook: http://facebook.com/theprairiehomestead
• Apply to be a guest on the Old-Fashioned on Purpose podcast: https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/podcast-guest-application

Did you enjoy listening to this episode? Please drop a comment below or leave a review to let us know. This can help other folks learn about this podcast and we also really appreciate the feedback! 

You may have seen the headlines warning about possible food shortages in 2027, but how much should we actually be worried?

In this episode, I’m digging into what’s behind those warnings, some of the very real cracks in our modern food system, and why I think they’re worth paying attention to without spiraling into doom-and-gloom prepping. I’ll share why margin has become my motto lately and give some practical action steps for helping becoming prepared without stress and panic. Because I firmly believe the goal isn’t to predict the future, but about how to become a little less fragile no matter what happens next.

Podcast Episode Highlights:

• Why folks are currently freaking out about possible 2027 food shortages
• Doing a deeper dive about the news headlines & modern farming issues
• Becoming aware of our modern food system flaws & changes
• Why I'm not big into the 'doom and gloom' prepper lifestyle
• Why 'margin' is my current motto
• Questions to ask yourself to prepare yourself without stress
• Action Step #1: don't panic, but pay attention
• Action Step #2: do food storage based on the foods you actually use
• Action Step #3: don't just build the inventory, build the skills
• Final thoughts

Resources Mentioned in This Podcast Episode:

Learn more about Azure Standard and their non-GMO, wholesome food options (especially bulk food) here: https://www.azurestandard.com/?a_aid=ANnu0O8ySU

–> Join Azure Standard for FREE and enjoy 15% off your first order of $100 or more. Simply use promo code OLDFASHIONED15 at checkout.

Find details on my new food storage system here: https://jillwinger.substack.com/p/i-lost-my-pantry-freezers-and-garden

Check out my NEW cookbook here: https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/the-old-fashioned-on-purpose-cookbook

Previous Podcast Episodes & Blog Articles on Food Storage & Food Supplies:

• How Running a Restaurant Taught Me to Spend Less on Groceries (podcast episode)
• How I’m Preparing Our Homestead for Supply Chain Hiccups (podcast episode)
• How to Store and Use Bulk Pantry Goods (blog article)
• How to Store a Year’s Worth of Food for Your Family (Without Waste and Overwhelm) (blog article)
• Top Tips For Storing Vegetables Without a Root Cellar (blog article)

OTHER HELPFUL RESOURCES FOR YOUR HOMESTEAD:

• Sign up for weekly musings from my homestead: https://jillwinger.substack.com/
• Get my free homesteading tutorials & recipes here: www.theprairiehomestead.com
• Jill on Instagram: @jill.winger
• Jill on Facebook: http://facebook.com/theprairiehomestead
• Apply to be a guest on the Old-Fashioned on Purpose podcast: https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/podcast-guest-application

Did you enjoy listening to this episode? Please drop a comment below or leave a review to let us know. This can help other folks learn about this podcast and we also really appreciate the feedback! 

After the worst garden season I’ve ever had, I had the pleasure of chatting with soil scientist Dr. Caitlin Youngquist on my podcast to help me figure out what was actually going on beneath the surface.

We dig into my soil test results, tips for adding organic matter to the soil, and whether no-dig or tilling makes sense in a struggling garden. We also talk about soil testing, possible herbicide contamination, and the most common garden soil struggles. If your garden is struggling and you’re not sure what to add—or what to stop adding—this episode will help you think about your soil much more clearly.

Podcast Episode Highlights:

• Common categories of garden struggles
• Looking at Jill's garden soil test results
• Thinking about salts in the soil
• Talking about phosphorous, nitrogen, etc.
• Tips for adding organic matter to the soil
• No-dig method, tilling, etc. and how might change things
• A closer look at compost
• Discussing soil tests
• Talking about herbicides and soil contamination issues
• Final thoughts

Resources Mentioned in This Podcast Episode:

Learn more about Azure Standard and their non-GMO, wholesome food options (especially bulk food) here: https://www.azurestandard.com/?a_aid=ANnu0O8ySU

–> Join Azure Standard for FREE and enjoy 15% off your first order of $100 or more. Simply use promo code OLDFASHIONED15 at checkout.

Dr. Caitlin Youngquist offers a membership based community for Wyoming homesteaders on Patreon. In it, you can dive into topics just like this, with monthly live learning sessions, groups forums, and conversations with experts from around the state. Check out the free resources there that she posted, and consider joining the fall cohort. They kick off with their first live event for the fall cohort on October 12th. Most of what they discuss is relevant for anyone homesteading in the mountain west - not only Wyoming. Learn more here: https://www.patreon.com/cw/DrCaitlin

For those looking for soil testing help, please visit Caitlin Youngquist's site here: https://www.dirtworkswyo.com/category/services. 

For more information about biochar, wool pellets, alkali soils, and soil testing, please visit: https://www.dirtworkswyo.com/blog

She also share videos about soil and compost on YouTube (@DirtWorksWyoming), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/dirtworkswyo/), and TikTok (@dr_caitlin)

Previous Podcast Episodes & Blog Articles on Soil Health:

• Ancient Grains: Your New Best Friend in the Kitchen (previous podcast episode with Dr. Caitlin Youngquist)
• The Worst Garden of My Entire Life (blog article with image of Jill's current soil test and more details on her current garden struggles)
• Data Centers & Dead Soil: What Are We Willing to Sacrifice for Progress? (podcast episode)
• How to Feed Your Soil a Whole Food Diet (podcast episode)
• How Fall in Love with Your Soil (podcast episode)

OTHER HELPFUL RESOURCES FOR YOUR HOMESTEAD:

• Sign up for weekly musings from my homestead: https://jillwinger.substack.com/
• Get my free homesteading tutorials & recipes here: www.theprairiehomestead.com
• Jill on Instagram: @jill.winger
• Jill on Facebook: http://facebook.com/theprairiehomestead
• Apply to be a guest on the Old-Fashioned on Purpose podcast: https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/podcast-guest-application

Did you enjoy listening to this episode? Please drop a comment below or leave a review to let us know. This can help other folks learn about this podcast and we also really appreciate the feedback! 

What does progress cost us and how do we decide when the price is too high?

In this episode, I’m thinking about the great Wendell Berry, my recent garden and soil struggles, the rise of data centers, and the way we’ve learned to value land. I’m exploring the tension between exploitation and stewardship, progress and preservation, and the important difference between asking whether we can do something and whether we should. 

Podcast Episode Highlights:

• Pondering progress these days
• Thinking about Wendell Berry and his influence
• What my recent garden woes has made me think more about
• Thinking about the value of land
• Exploitation vs. nurture
• Cycle of life vs. straight line
• Thinking about contradictions, criticisms, and either/or
• Asking questions matters
• CAN we do something vs. SHOULD we do something
• What does progress cost us?
• Final thoughts

Resources Mentioned in This Podcast Episode:

Learn more about Azure Standard and their non-GMO, wholesome food options (especially bulk food) here: https://www.azurestandard.com/?a_aid=ANnu0O8ySU

–> Join Azure Standard for FREE and enjoy 15% off your first order of $100 or more. Simply use promo code OLDFASHIONED15 at checkout.

Check out my Substack essays here: https://jillwinger.substack.com/

Previous Podcast Episodes & Blog Articles on Deep Thoughts on the Land:

• When the Problem Becomes the Solution (podcast episode)
• When the Ground Can No Longer Feed Us (blog article)
• What I’m Doing Differently on Homestead #2 (podcast episode)
• Breaking Out of the Ag Echo Chamber (podcast episode)

OTHER HELPFUL RESOURCES FOR YOUR HOMESTEAD:

• Sign up for weekly musings from my homestead: https://jillwinger.substack.com/
• Get my free homesteading tutorials & recipes here: www.theprairiehomestead.com
• Jill on Instagram: @jill.winger
• Jill on Facebook: http://facebook.com/theprairiehomestead
• Apply to be a guest on the Old-Fashioned on Purpose podcast: https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/podcast-guest-application

Did you enjoy listening to this episode? Please drop a comment below or leave a review to let us know. This can help other folks learn about this podcast and we also really appreciate the feedback! 

When I started my first homestead in 2008, I had plenty of enthusiasm and absolutely no patience. Nearly two decades later, I’m beginning again on a new piece of ground, but this time I’m not starting from scratch; I’m starting from experience.

In this episode, I’m sharing the biggest lessons shaping how I approach my new home and 20 acres, from making slower decisions and resisting the urge to do more, to building for real life instead of the fantasy version of homesteading. We’ll also talk about comparison, asking better questions, and why starting over can look very different when you know yourself better.

Podcast Episode Highlights:

• What I've learned about my life lately 
• Starting over vs. starting from experience
• Point #1: Making slower decisions
• Point #2: More isn't always better
• Point #3: Real life and not fantasy homestead
• Point #4: Don't compare 
• Point #5: Asking different questions
• Final thoughts

Resources Mentioned in This Podcast Episode:

Learn more about Azure Standard and their non-GMO, wholesome food options (especially bulk food) here: https://www.azurestandard.com/?a_aid=ANnu0O8ySU

–> Join Azure Standard for FREE and enjoy 15% off your first order of $100 or more. Simply use promo code OLDFASHIONED15 at checkout.

Check out my Substack essays here: https://jillwinger.substack.com/

Previous Podcast Episodes & Blog Articles on Life Knowledge:

• Embarrassment is the Cost of Entry (podcast episode)
• The Incredible Gift of Failure (podcast episode)
• It Takes Guts to be Bad at Something (podcast episode)
• When Everything Feels Out of Control, I Do This (blog article)

OTHER HELPFUL RESOURCES FOR YOUR HOMESTEAD:

• Sign up for weekly musings from my homestead: https://jillwinger.substack.com/
• Get my free homesteading tutorials & recipes here: www.theprairiehomestead.com
• Jill on Instagram: @jill.winger
• Jill on Facebook: http://facebook.com/theprairiehomestead
• Apply to be a guest on the Old-Fashioned on Purpose podcast: https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/podcast-guest-application

Did you enjoy listening to this episode? Please drop a comment below or leave a review to let us know. This can help other folks learn about this podcast and we also really appreciate the feedback! 

If you’ve ever wondered how a book goes from a half-formed idea in your head to something sitting on a bookstore shelf, I’m pulling back the curtain on exactly how it happened for me.

In this episode, I’m walking through my experience with agents, book proposals, pitching publishers, advances and royalties, writing, photography, and the surprisingly long road to publication. I’ll also explain the different publishing paths available and what authors actually need to know about marketing once the book is finished. This isn’t an exhaustive guide to publishing—it’s the real story of how my books came together and what I’ve learned along the way.

Podcast Episode Highlights:

• Why I'm talking about my experience on writing and selling books
• Most common types of ways to publish your book
• How you get paid from publishing companies
• The process of turning a book idea into a book
• Details on having an agent
• Details on writing a book proposal
• Pitching to publishers
• The long process to actually getting the book published
• How I do my writing process and photography for the book
• What you need to know about marketing your book
• Final Thoughts

Resources Mentioned in This Podcast Episode:

Learn more about Toups and Co. here: https://toupsandco.com/pages/prairie25

First time buyers can use the code Prairie25 to get you 25% off your first Toups order.

Find my cookbook here: http://homesteadcookbook.com/

Find my Old-Fashioned on Purpose book here: http://oldfashionedbook.com/

If you're interested in joining my small group business coach/mentorship program, email me at: [email protected]

OTHER HELPFUL RESOURCES FOR YOUR HOMESTEAD:

• Sign up for weekly musings from my homestead: https://jillwinger.substack.com/
• Get my free homesteading tutorials & recipes here: www.theprairiehomestead.com
• Jill on Instagram: @jill.winger
• Jill on Facebook: http://facebook.com/theprairiehomestead
• Apply to be a guest on the Old-Fashioned on Purpose podcast: https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/podcast-guest-application

Did you enjoy listening to this episode? Please drop a comment below or leave a review to let us know. This can help other folks learn about this podcast and we also really appreciate the feedback! 

Grocery prices keep climbing, but most of the advice I’ve heard for spending less still seems to boil down to “use coupons” and “don’t grocery shop while you’re hungry.” After years of running a restaurant, I’ve started thinking about my household food economy very differently.

In this episode, I’m sharing the practical strategies I’ve picked up from the restaurant world and how they’ve changed the way I shop, cook, stock my pantry and freezer, and even think about the garden. Because spending less on groceries isn’t about doing everything perfectly. It’s about building a food system that actually works for your life.

Podcast Episode Highlights:

• High grocery prices, lame advice, food economy thoughts, etc.
• Strategy: focus on price per meal
• Strategy: don't forget the waste-adjusted price
• Strategy: buy ingredients, not intentions
• Strategy: build an anti-takeout pantry
• Frugality doesn't need to mean purity
• Strategy: buy in bulk BUT keep these things in mind
• Strategy: be careful about how much you shop
• Learn the 'clean out the fridge' formats
• Stop making everything from scratch
• Careful about using your freezer
• Thinking about the garden for your grocery bill
• Let's talk about protein
• Final thoughts

Resources Mentioned in This Podcast Episode:

Learn more about Toups and Co. here: https://toupsandco.com/pages/prairie25

First time buyers can use the code Prairie25 to get you 25% off your first Toups order.

Find my cookbook here: http://homesteadcookbook.com/

Check out Azure Standard here: https://www.azurestandard.com/?a_aid=ANnu0O8ySU

Learn more about Meal Craft here: https://mealcraftmethod.com/

Previous Podcast Episodes & Blog Articles on Food:

• How I’m Cooking These Days (podcast episode): https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/tph_podcasts/season-18-episode-13-how-im-cooking-these-days
• Why Meal Planning Doesn’t Work for You (and what to do instead!) (podcast episode): https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/tph_podcasts/season-14-episode-21-why-meal-planning-doesnt-work-for-you-and-what-to-do-instead
• How to Find Nourishing Food WITHOUT a Farm (podcast episode): https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/tph_podcasts/season-11-episode-11-how-to-find-nourishing-food-without-a-farm-with-liz-haselmayer
• How to Store a Year’s Worth of Food for Your Family (Without Waste and Overwhelm) (blog article): https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2021/09/how-to-store-a-years-worth-of-food-for-your-family-without-waste-and-overwhelm.html
• How to Store and Use Bulk Pantry Goods (blog article): https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2021/10/how-to-store-and-use-bulk-pantry-goods.html

OTHER HELPFUL RESOURCES FOR YOUR HOMESTEAD:

• Sign up for weekly musings from my homestead: https://jillwinger.substack.com/
• Get my free homesteading tutorials & recipes here: www.theprairiehomestead.com
• Jill on Instagram: @jill.winger
• Jill on Facebook: http://facebook.com/theprairiehomestead
• Apply to be a guest on the Old-Fashioned on Purpose podcast: https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/podcast-guest-application

Did you enjoy listening to this episode? Please drop a comment below or leave a review to let us know. This can help other folks learn about this podcast and we also really appreciate the feedback! 

In this episode, I’m talking with Emilie Toups of Toups & Co. about what actually happens to our skin as we age and why so many mainstream skincare products may not be helping.

We dig into a simple, natural skincare routine that anyone can start doing at home plus how these options compare to mainstream ingredients like retinol. Emilie also shares how to make the switch to natural skincare without getting overwhelmed and what we can do beyond topical products to nourish our skin from the inside out. And of course, we get into the bigger question underneath it all: how do we care for aging skin without making aging itself the enemy?

Podcast Episode Highlights:

• How and why our skin changes over time
• Why aren't mainstream skincare products working?
• What actually works for our skin
• Step #1: Oil cleansing
• Step #2: Gentle serums
• Step #3: Tallow
• Oil cleansing issues to keep in mind
• Natural products vs. retinol
• Addressing the critics of tallow
• Facial toner details
• How to switch from mainstream skincare to natural products without overwhelm
• What to do (besides skincare) to nourish your skin
• Deep thoughts on aging

Resources Mentioned in This Podcast Episode:

Learn more about Toups and Co. here: https://toupsandco.com/pages/prairie25

First time buyers can use the code Prairie25 to get you 25% off your first Toups order.

Previous Podcast Episodes & Blog Articles on Natural Skincare:

• How to Opt-Out of Toxic Mainstream Skincare with Emilie Toups (podcast episode): https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/tph_podcasts/season-7-episode-10-how-to-opt-out-of-toxic-mainstream-skincare
• When the Old Ways Make More Sense (blog article on using tallow on your skin): https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2023/03/when-the-old-ways-make-more-sense.html
• How to Make Tallow Body Butter (blog recipe for making your own tallow skincare): https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2022/04/how-to-make-tallow-body-butter.html

OTHER HELPFUL RESOURCES FOR YOUR HOMESTEAD:

• Sign up for weekly musings from my homestead: https://jillwinger.substack.com/
• Get my free homesteading tutorials & recipes here: www.theprairiehomestead.com
• Jill on Instagram: @jill.winger
• Jill on Facebook: http://facebook.com/theprairiehomestead
• Apply to be a guest on the Old-Fashioned on Purpose podcast: https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/podcast-guest-application

Did you enjoy listening to this episode? Please drop a comment below or leave a review to let us know. This can help other folks learn about this podcast and we also really appreciate the feedback!