Old-Fashioned on Purpose: A Homesteading Manifesto—Rediscovering Simplicity and Meaning Through the Lost Arts of the Past such as Gardening, Canning and More

by Jill Winger

"In a world where so many of us are craving a life of simplicity and meaning, Old-Fashioned on Purpose gives you the roadmap to rediscovering what really matters." —Hal Elrod, bestselling author of The Miracle Morning  

With a foreword from singer, songwriter, and New York Times bestselling author Rory Feek

Creator of The Prairie Homestead blog and the Old-Fashioned On Purpose podcast Jill Winger reveals that the secrets to finding happiness today is by turning to the lost arts of the past
 
When the pandemic hit in 2020, flour and vegetable seeds flew off the shelves. But homesteader and entrepreneur Jill Winger believes these longings for sourdough bread and fresh veggies are more than a trend. 
 
As our society races toward progress, we’ve left something important behind. We are more connected  than ever before, yet we’re still feeling unfulfilled. In Old-Fashioned on Purpose, Winger shows how simplifying our lives and adopting retro skills such as gardening and handiwork can be the key to creating the happy and healthy life we’re yearning for. Inside these pages, readers will learn:
 
How to find joy in the kitchen (even if you hate to cook) Proven strategies for growing your own groceries The surprising stress-relievers that can be found in your backyard How to craft a more grounded routine and save money in the process Clever tips and creative DIYs to help you embark on your old-fashioned journey

 
You don’t have to live on a farm to cultivate a simpler life. This inspiring and practical book offers a powerful new sense of purpose, with plenty of tomatoes, chickens, and bread making along the way.
 

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Self Help, Agriculture, Audiobook, Gardening, Family

401 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 26, 2023

Reviews

[Dani (lovesbooksandtea) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was...ok. I think I was expecting more of a how-to with actual guides and advice but mostly what I got was a bunch of stories that should inspire me to move to a farm. There's talk about pickling and how easy it is but no actual instructions, there's mention of getting goats and chickens but that's def not for me. Then there's all this talk about growing vegetables in the garden and all the benefits of that but other than a few tips there's no actionable insight. This reads more like a memoir and that's just not what I was in it for.

[Erin Branscom · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been reading Jill’s blog for years and enjoyed her cookbook as well. Over the years I’ve changed up so much of our family’s habits by implementing gardening and home cooking. Not only is this book inspiring and motivating, it’s great tips and ideas.

[Sarah Weyandt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spoke to my soul on how to be intentional in a modern society. I love how she had action steps, stories and how-tos all in one book! Great job. One of my favorite reads this year!! I won’t own animals anytime soon, but I believe our culture has lost something major. I intend to bring the outdoors back as something cool for my family.

[Sherri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Winger challenges us to remember and cultivate former ways while embracing modernity. All things from gardening, children, keeping home, creating, active relaxation, community, and not letting negative ideas hold you back whether they are internal or external, plus more. So many nuggets of truth.

[Margaret · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not what I thought that it was going to be like. Too generic for my taste with a few interesting moments but not enough for me to say that I enjoyed it. The author narrates her own book but her voice is not a good match, seemed too much like she was trying to get through the book to get the job done.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it.

[Kimber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved her cookbook first and that led me to this gem. Again, Jill is SO incredibly balanced as she presents her topic. The life that she and her husband and family lead in small town Wyoming sounds like something of my dreams, yet the reality is, I live in a neighborhood in a big city not in the prairie lands- so all of this could feel very unattainable BUT it doesn’t.
She knows that her audience will fall on every part of the “farming/homesteading/living-old-fashioned” spectrum. Some people will be all in, and others just wanting to get their feet wet. Some want to be all in but it’s a journey. She meets everyone where they are at.

She doesn’t bash technology (she needs it to run her business!) or refuse to buy anything from the store but she beautifully shows us tangible and intangible benefits of looking back- back to the past and how things were done in a vastly different time and how they still have relevance and great value today. No matter your context. If you live in a one room apartment or in suburbia or on 5 acres or 1500 acres, she gives ideas of ways to get started! And celebrates even the smallest step! She ends each chapter with quick reminders of possible next steps that related to that chapter.

Balanced and very practical!!

(I listened on audible- the author narrates, but bought a copy as there was alot I wanted to go back and reference. The audible did come with a pdf of some things she referred to throughout the book)

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been following Jill Winger for awhile now and have been fortunate enough to get to see her speak in person a few times as well at Homesteaders of America events. I already owned her cookbook (and had bought it before I was following her online) and love it, so I was excited to hear she had another book coming out. I'm a librarian, so I rarely buy books. But I immediately pre-ordered this one and I very much enjoyed it. Some reviews I read complained that it wasn't enough "how-to" content, but I don't know why they were necessarily expecting that. This is more of an ode to what Winger calls Old-Fashioned on Purpose. Not necessarily giving up all modern conveniences but purposely choosing to live a more "old-fashioned" life in some ways. The book is divided into two sections, in the first section "the case for old-fashioned on purpose" she explains what that means to her and how she and her family started homesteading or living a more "old-fashioned on purpose" lifestyle. The second section "becoming old-fashioned" covers 8 areas of "old-fashioned" ways and how to incorporate those into your life. This section covers cooking, gardening/animals, parenting, and much more. I felt like she did a great job of showing how to make incremental changes. She is definitely NOT telling everyone to go out and buy acreage and cows. In each of the "becoming old-fashioned" sections she gives easy tips for starting to make changes in each area. I think this is a well-rounded book that would be inspirational to anyone from a newbie who wants to cook more from scratch all the way to a more experienced homesteader who wants more inspiration or ideas.

Some quotes I liked:

"In our fervor for convenience and ease, we've accidentally built an artificial existence where we are distanced from nature, our communities, and even ourselves...And while many of these unnatural conditions now feel normal to us, our bodies are rebelling. Modern 'lifestyle diseases' (the term given to noncommunicable ailments like heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes) are skyrocketing, as are rates of depression and mental illness. The 2019 World Happiness Report showed that Americans were deeply unhappy, even before the chaos of the pandemic ensued. Despite lower rates of violent crime and unemployment, we're more miserable than ever." (p. 44-45)

"Over the years, I've found the most joy with the following equation:
Understanding of the past + Using some present advancements = A more balanced future.
This has become my secret formula for creating the most satisfaction around food, health, community, parenting, and so much more." (p. 46)

"It shows that when true challenges become rare, our brains tend to categorize more things as problems. This perfectly explains much of our modern unhappiness. As our lives get easier, we consider smaller, more trivial things to be troublesome. Therefore, it's up to us to build meaningful challenge into our lives, since day-to-day survival no longer requires it." (p. 58)

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve read quite a few books from podcasters-turned-authors recently, and the books are usually condensed summaries of their podcasts. This definitely fit the bill (especially because the author read the audiobooks)! The “motivational speaker” tone used throughout this book was occasionally a bit much for me, but also can be a fun and encouraging boost. I appreciated how accessible this book was to a wide range of readers- you don’t have to own 40 acres and a milk cow to benefit from her ideas. There were lots of practical suggestions that could be applied anywhere from a city apartment to a rural farm. I enjoyed the reminders of how practices like growing food, cooking from scratch, making things by hand, being less wasteful, investing in your community, and encouraging kids to play outside can enrich your life and bring joy.

[Kendra Tucker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yearning for the ways life used to be? Love to garden or dream of homesteading? This is a read for you! I did love the book, Jill’s writing, the realistic suggestions, and mostly the history lessons! However, it left me wanting more.. to hear more about her lifestyle in relation to God. She is clearly a believer, and as a fellow Christian I am disappointed she left this out or so separated from her dreams, goals, and history. She does touch on it here and there but overall she had the chance to share the gospel with a captivated audience.

[Charlie Warren · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5
I loved the book and love everything Jill stands for. At first, the book seemed so similar to her podcast that I worried I wasted money on something I could get for free through the podcast, but her thoughts and ideas are more fully fleshed out here. I definitely feel inspired to make changes in my life. I gave it a 4.5 rather than 5 because of the climate change chapter- it didn’t seem to fit and felt more like pandering. Perhaps it was insisted upon by the editor?

[Esther Weaver · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed Jill's thoughts about the era we find ourselves in and the juxtaposition of using new technology with the way life was lived in the past. And how we all have to forge our own path into the future, what works for me may not work for you! Easy read and is challenging me to try making sour dough starter, arthritis salve, and candles!

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I took entirely too long to read this. I started this book before even knowing I was going to move out of the city. Read differently when I was in the city vs out of the city. Jill makes many good points that I would have underlined if it wasn't a library copy.

[Emily Hough · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book! It was a totally random pick, but it felt like the most perfect read for me at this time in my life. Buying my own copy to reread, mark up, and use as a guide to implementing some of my long-desired homesteading dreams! Because as Jill says, even the smallest step counts. 🌱

[HTP Books]

Personal Growth, Personal Memoirs, House & Home, Green Lifestyle

[Dorine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! More details why in a full review soon.

[RivkaBelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so good - very readable, with practical, real-to-life suggestions for implementing an old-fashioned on purpose life. Most likely purchasing a copy of this one so I can reread and mark it up.

[Kimberly Gordon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really believe the ideas in this book could change our world for so much good.

[Ann Checketts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nothing new for me, but I really liked her style and thoughts.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Soul nourishing and encouraging and just such a great read! I love Jill and her previous content so I'm not even slightly surprised by how much I loved this one too!

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good read!!

[Brandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very inspiring book!

[Stefanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so good, once I finished, I just wanted to start it from the beginning again.

There was so much here that resonated with me, so many new books I want to go out and read, new ideas I want to try, new connections I want to make. I can't say enough good things!

[Emily St. Amant · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciated some of the inspiration to do more producing and to shift away from consumerism. I also appreciated the discussion about community, food production, free play for children, and social media. I’m getting into gardening and bread making and yes I’m interested in trying to break free from corporate control and influence over my life and health. However….

There was a brief mention of Native Americans but not a word about how the setters she glorifies drove the native people off the land with brutality and violence.

There was an attempt to be inclusive of people who live in all sorts of housing types. But land ownership was very much idolized, with not one word about how people of color have been systematically marginalized from accessing home/land ownership.

There was a discussion about the needless slaughter of millions of buffalo but not one word condemning the white men who perpetrated these crimes against nature.

Hard work and self determination were presented as cure alls, with not one word about equitable care and support for the disabled and elderly. The people who aren’t physically able to do manual labor are still just as valuable as those who are. Full f-ing stop.

She also seems to take on the majority of home management and child care and states gender role stereotypes like they are the enduring fact about how all people live and divide labor. There’s some low key internalized misogyny under the surface of this imo.

Basically, this is a privileged white woman’s perspective, chock full of toxic positivity and “pull yourself up from your bootstraps” vibes. Which is unfortunate, because so many things she calls out are problems caused by American capitalism. She comes so close but is still so far. I think that’s the maddening part about people like like the author. They have good intentions and are genuinely trying their best to do right for themselves and their family, but they don’t see their role in upholding the status quo that is doing so much harm. That’s why 3 and not 2 stars, the benefit of the doubt. You can’t be too mad at fish who’ve never heard of water but you also can’t condone keeping one’s head in the sand. *Sigh.*

[hannah ☆ ୨ৎ˚࿔ · Rating 3 out of 5]

“And many of us secretly wonder…what would it be like to break free and write our own life’s story, instead of falling into place as a cog in someone else’s machine?”

If I learned anything from this book, it’s that I’m not a homesteader. 😅 Not that I think I am or claim to be, but you know what I mean. 😉 Jill is a hardcore homesteader who lives in the often unforgiving location of rural Wyoming. In this book she shares her journey into the old school, homesteader life along with chapters on food, animals, parenting, and more. What I liked about this book is the fact that Jill doesn’t romanticize her lifestyle like many social media accounts often do. She is very real and honest about the good, bad, and ugly of living the way she does.

I was definitely drawn to this book because of the title, but I quickly learned that I’m not old fashioned in the same way the lifestyle presented in this book is. I’m old fashioned in the sense that I loved my 90s childhood and want my kids to experience something similar. I think life and relationships were generally better before social media, and most movies made after 2020 are crap. 🤡 But, I buy my food at the grocery store and I live in the suburbs and I’m good with that. 😜

The quote I have at the top of this review does resonate with me. While I might not be running for the hills (literally) to live far from everything, I absolutely think it’s smart for everyone to think for themselves. Jill’s version of breaking free is being a homesteader, but there are so many other ways someone could break free for themselves. I appreciate that this book made me think about that in a different way, even if I have no intention of buying goats anytime soon. 🐐😂

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

“If you want to see something happen (a book club, a revived downtown, a community garden, a weekly card game, a neighborhood barbecue), don’t wait for it to appear—create it. The world has enough spectators already. Be the leader and do the inviting.”

I loved this book, despite the fact that I’m in a very different situation than the author, and don’t expect that to change. I live in a regular neighborhood in the suburbs: no property, no livestock, no large-scale gardening plans—although I love my flower garden and dabble in cherry tomatoes.

And yet, I found much to glean from this book. My favorite chapters were those on home cooking, working with your hands, cultivating community, and raising resilient children—even though mine are grown.

I’ve been in a reading drought—nothing has caught my attention for several weeks, and I have a stack of started-but-set-aside books. I was excited to find a book to dig into.

If you have any interest in being more independent and less entrenched in consumerism, this one’s for you.

[Kandace · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 ☆

I have been a fan of Jill Winger for years. I devoured her blog, podcasts, YouTube videos and cookbook in the months leading up to the move to my own homestead.

In the past few years, I've noticed her content has made a drastic switch. She's become less about the educational and instructional, "What can I help you with?" style content and more about "Let me talk about myself" in all aspects.

There are a few decent tidbits in this book but this is not a helpful and instructional guide for cultivating an old fashioned on purpose lifestyle. If you're more interested in hearing about Jill and her life, this is a good book.

[Kayley Higgins · Rating 5 out of 5]

More compelling than you think!

My gosh. I wanna do alllll the things now but I can't and this is helping me to go slow and figure out my next step.

I've already been working on sourdough, bought more local food like produce and eggs and am working on a plan for the future for becoming more old-fashioned on purpose!!

Thank you Jill for this book!!

[Teresa Panek Ives · Rating 1 out of 5]

Read Part 1. Felt like I was being spoken through, not spoken to. Fell flat. Boring.

[Olivia Koschara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book!