The Hamill Homestead

03/20/2026

Springtime on the Homestead

03/03/2026

David Stelzer joins the 2026 Modern Homesteading Conference bringing a perspective that connects soil, health, and faith.

As Founder & CEO of Azure Standard and a leader in regenerative agriculture and food freedom, David brings decades of experience reforming the modern food system.

His sessions include:
🌱 Rooted Wellness: How Healthy Soil Grows a Healthy You
🙏 Faith Over Fear: Rooted Decisions in Uncertain Times
He’ll also be joining a panel alongside Nathan Stelzer and Michelle Stelzer, moderated by Pete Strayer
🌾 Heirloom Seeds: Saving Tradition, Building Resilience
Because resilience starts at the root — in the soil, in the seed, and in the decisions we make for our families.

Gather with us, June 26-27, 2026 in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

03/02/2026

Soup Season on the Homestead.
It's still soup season, and this has become one of our favorites. After slow roasting a chicken in a small amount of water, all of the drippings in the pan were saved which gave this soup its incredible flavor. This was a home grown meal with special thanks to Triple Five Farm for the chicken feed and processing help. See them for feed if you raise your own or if you want farm raised birds that give the best stock around.

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

3-4 cups diced cooked chicken
4 Tablespoons butter
1 large diced onion
2 cups diced celery
2 cups sliced carrots
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 Tablespoons flour
6 cups chicken broth
4 cups seasoned gelatinous chicken stock
1 cup wild rice
1 cup long grain rice
2 cups cream
Salt and Pepper to taste
Sauté carrots, celery and onion in some butter until tender. Add the garlic and remaining butter. When melted, stir in flour to coat all vegetables. Add chicken broth and the stock, which was left over from roasting a whole chicken that was seasoned with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and add rice. Reduce to a simmer until rice is tender. Add cream if desired.

02/09/2026

Joel Salatin brings decades of real-life experience to the homesteading world.

Through his work at Polyface Farms, he has helped shape how thousands of homesteaders approach land stewardship, regenerative systems, and working with nature instead of against it.

At the Modern Homesteading Conference, Joel will also be leading Cowboy Church on Sunday, June 28, a time of encouragement and fellowship, included with all tickets.

This is learning from someone who has truly lived it.

👉🎟️ https://modernhomesteading.com/buy-early-bird-tickets-2026/

02/09/2026

Looking forward to the 2026 Modern Homesteading Conference.

🐝A lot of people are drawn to bees, but aren’t sure where to begin.🐝

Learning from someone who lives this work every day makes all the difference.

Kaylee Richardson of The Honeystead will be joining us in 2026 to share:

• The Beekeeper’s Apothecary — turning honey and hive products into healing traditions
• Lessons from the Hive — real-world beekeeping for everyday homesteaders

She’ll also be joining one of our Live Q&A panels, offering space for real questions and practical conversation.

01/11/2026

A beautiful frosty day on The Homestead.

01/01/2026

The last of the last day of 2025 on the Homestead.
From a donkey who opens car doors to a pig who enjoys bonfires it's been riveting.

12/24/2025

Christmas Cookies from the Homestead

Gingerbread Men
Since these cookies involve the extra step of rolling and cutting dough, I wanted a recipe that came together quickly, rolled easily, and contrasted enough with the crunchy and spicy gingersnap cookies. This recipe fits that bill to perfection.
12 Tablespoons melted butter
¾ cup strong molasses
2 Tablespoons milk
3 cups flour
¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
1 Tablespoon ginger
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon cloves
½ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon baking soda
Combine all ingredients and mix until dough comes together. Chill. Roll fairly thick and cut out (no flour necessary). Bake 350°F for 10 minutes. Let cool and decorate—1 cup powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons milk, 2 teaspoons vanilla,1 Tablespoon corn syrup—Beat together and pipe onto cookies; use as glue to attach gumdrop buttons.

Oatmeal Sandies
This recipe is for a sandies cookie without the nuts. It has become a favorite.
1 cup butter, melted
½ cup powdered sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
2+ Tablespoons water
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 ½ cups flour
1 ½ cups instant oats
Roll and slice about one inch thick. Bake 350º for 20-25 minutes. Ice cookies (I mix eggnog with powdered sugar and sprinkle with nutmeg, but you can also sprinkle with red and green sanding sugar).

Thumbprints
This recipe can be filled with your choice of jelly. This year the crabapple tree was abundant so I used a spiced crabapple jelly. It made for a nice Christmas color as well. Mint jelly is another one of my Christmas favorites.
2/3 cup butter
1/3 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups flour
¾ cup finely chopped walnuts (optional)
Jelly
Cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg yolks, vanilla, and salt; beat well. Gradually add flour, mixing well. Shape dough into ¾ inch balls. Roll in nuts if desired. Place one inch apart on a cookie sheet. Press down center of each with index finger. Fill indentation with a small amount of jelly. Bake in oven at 350 F for 15-17 minutes. Makes about 3 dozen.

Crabapple Jelly
12 cups crabapple juice (I use a steamer-juicer--one of my favorite kitchen gadgets. Just wash the crabapples and put them in whole.)
18 Tablespoons lemon juice
4 cups honey
9 short cinnamon sticks
Boil about one hour. Test on cold spoon. Place a cinnamon stick into each jar. Ladle in jars. Process. Makes about 9 half-pints.

Caramel Corn
1 cup butter
2 cups unpacked brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup light Karo syrup
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 quarts popped popcorn
Pop popcorn. Bring first four ingredients to a rapid boil, stirring constantly. Boil without stirring five minutes. Remove from heat, stir in soda and vanilla. Gradually pour over popcorn, mixing well. Pour into two large baking dishes or a roasting pan. Bake at 250°F for one hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove from oven and stir gently until cool and dry enough to store.

11/27/2025

Happy Thanksgiving from the Homestead!

The centerpiece this year is some lovely persimmons on a Pennsylvania redware platter from Huberhaus Pottery. https://www.facebook.com/huberhauspottery/

My dad remembers a persimmon tree on the farm in Pennsylvania and how the kids would pucker if the fruit wasn't ripe enough. My favorite way to enjoy persimmons is in a pudding. This is how I first made Persimmon Pudding, but I have since made it with any soft fruit including pumpkins and bananas.

Fruit Pudding
1 cup fruit pulp
2 teaspoons baking soda, dissolved
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 scant cup sugar, brown or white, or honey can be used
½ cup oil
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup flour
1-2 cups raisins, dates, or dried fruits
Combine the fruit pulp with the soda and lemon. Let stand while mixing the next four ingredients. Stir in the fruit pulp mixture. Sift in flour and stir to combine. Stir in raisins, and chopped nuts if desired. Place in a deep covered baking dish within another baking dish filled with water.
Bake for about an hour in a warm oven, about 350°F. I like mine just slightly under-done so that it is more pudding-y. A glaze is optional. An orange glaze of 1 cup confectioner’s sugar, ¼ cup butter, 2 tablespoons orange zest, ¼ cup orange juice, and ½ cup sour cream makes a nice glaze for the persimmon version.

11/27/2025

Today on the Homestead--last week's beautiful weather allowed for a saffron harvest from the fall crocus. Today the fragrant styles were incorporated into a festive dessert.

Creamy Saffron Rice
2 cups cooked brown rice
2 cups milk
1 good pinch saffron
1 cardamom pod or cinnamon stick
2 Tablespoons honey
Place the milk in a heavy-bottom kettle. Warm. Grind the saffron with a mortar and pestle and add to the milk. Add cardamom or cinnamon if desired. Add rice and simmer until thickened, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Stir in honey.
Garnish with pomegranates or pistachios if desired.

11/22/2025

This is my go-to salve for everything; an intense moisturizer, draw salve, and healing balm. Even though it is made with pure pine pitch infused in olive oil it is not sticky or greasy; the beeswax makes the perfect carrier and protectant. As an added bonus it is naturally lightly scented.