Old-Fashioned on Purpose: Cultivating a Slower, More Joyful Life

Wonderful read! Insightful and full of applicable and doable advice!

I pre ordered this book for my Kindle. I suspected this would be a good book based on listening to the Old Fashioned on Purpose podcast, and reading Jill Winger's blog, and I was not disappointed. Jill Winger is a gifted writer and communicator, and her book was a pleasure to read. I believe her message (that there are important ideas about that past that we shouldn't discard) is important in our current age. Winger does a great job articulating this message. Plus, her book is full of handy ideas with step-by-step instructions. My favorite idea is about dehydrating vegetables, crushing them into a powder, and storing the powder in mason jars - I will be trying this!I plan to buy a copy of this book in paper because I want to be able to easily refer back to Winger's ideas and suggestions. The paper copy of Old Fashioned on Purpose will find a happy home on my bookshelf next to my books by Shannon Hayes and Rhonda Hetzel!

Old-Fashioned On Purpose: Cultivating a Slower, More Joyful Life is not about living on a farm or existing without electricity. Heaven forbid! The author, Jill Winger, readily admits that she's happy to have heat and electricity and running water. Rather, this book is about what we’ve lost by no longer being able to create and build and grow what we need. It’s about regaining satisfaction from creating and building and growing, about thinking for ourselves, about healing our planet and our communities. Winger is not a preacher. She is an explorer, encouraging herself and others to think and search for the most meaningful life we can have, no matter whether it's on 40 acres or in a 500-square-foot apartment.Winger does not sit in judgment. She advocates for everyone to find what works for them and, more importantly, to enjoy the exploration. Winger writes on p. 136 "Give yourself grace, focus on one thing at a time, and soak in the beauty of the process." Interspersed through the book are projects to do just that – to try something new, to feel the satisfaction of working with your hands, to know that you are capable of providing for yourself, and to realize why it’s important to have those experiences.Mostly, this book is about defining what it is YOU want, not what you're being told you SHOULD want. A hard task to take on. Sometimes the facts Winger brings to light can be discouraging. Winger confirms many of my concerns (although said a lot more eloquently than I can). Am I alone in wondering why we're not talking about how a more synthetic lifestyle will damage our planet exponentially more than we ever have?Well done, Jill Winger, for this wonderfully thoughtful, kind, forgiving, and joyous book. I'm with you - I want to "champion a shift from synthetic, to real; from artificial, to alive; from sedated, to aware; from consumer, to producer; and from mindless, to meaningful."

I was not sure I would like this book when I picked it up at the library, but I quickly realized I had underestimated it and ended up loving it so much I bought a copy. This book is wonderful and Jill is a great writer. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It gave me great ideas to pursue in the future, made me feel hopeful, and really yearn for a more simple life. If ever, Jill comes Portland, Oregon, she is invited to my house for stone soup and sourdough bread! Seriously Jill, keep writing, you got skills.

I am a straight up Jill Winger fan girl. I love how raw and simple she keeps her lessons and how relatable she is. She is one of the few "influencers" in homesteading that doesn't come from money, and had to learn everything and earn everything from the bottom and work her way up. I learned of her book from the podcast, and I'm so glad I bought it. It is full of good lessons and the overall theme is inspiring. I particularly like how she ended most chapters with "actionables" - a list of easy things you can do to move towards a slower, more fulfilling life. 10/10 recommend !

I just received the book and excited to begin reading it. I have barely cracked into it and was just stating first chapter when a whole clump of pages just separated out of the binding. I am excited to keep reading but bummed that the pages so easily fall out.

Jill has once again given the rallying cry to stop being passively numb and wake up! Homesteading may not be "your jam" (as jill would say) buther book challenges the reader to engage in life; converse with actual people, try something new, or just stop and appreciate the beauty of a tree for heaven's sake! This book was both insightful and thought provoking yet thoroughly enjoyable and as usual dappled with humor. While I have never met her in person I feel as if I know her. We stumbled on her podcast years ago before STARTING our homestead at 60! People comment frequently,"that's (raising chickens, gardening, canning,etc) a lot of work!" I always respond (as Jill so eloquently concluded in her book)"Yes, but it's good work!" Thanks for the encouragement to carry on AND try more new things Jill!

I checked this out from the library and halfway through knew it was a book I wanted to own! Very engaging read.

This is the second book of Jill’s I have bought. Arrived quickly and in perfect condition. Loaded with information. A great read for those of us looking to get back to our homesteading roots. Don’t forget to grab your bonuses from her website after you get the book!

We are currently at the beginning of our homestead journey - and this book has brought on many self revelations that I hadn't even thought about. If your looking to live a more simple life and do not know where to start, I would recommend this book as a read - she speaks about things that are real, and makes you think about what your response would be.

I'm enjoying this book and although I'm only half way thru it I have learned some very useful ideas. I do not own a farm or have a large piece of property, the ideas presented are completely doable for someone living in the town.

JILL IS YOUR GO TO FOR HOMESTEADING AND YET SHE DOES COMPLIMENT MODERN AND OLD AS THEY DO STILL WORK IN HARMONY THESE DAYS. GREAT BOOK TO INVEST IN.

Book cover was ripped as soon as I open the package. It’s a good book and a great read!