Prepper mom-of-five reveals she saves $12,000 a year by living a completely self-sufficient, off-grid lifestyle that involves growing crops and hunting for her family’s food — even in Michigan’s ‘BRUTE’ winters

A prepper has revealed how she saves $12,000 a year through her self-sufficient off-grid lifestyle, growing her own food and hoarding provisions.

Sarah Thrush grew up raising animals and growing crops, but took on the ultimate challenge when she moved to Escanaba, Michigan in July 2021 – a remote location with a seven-month winter.

She and her family now run their farm ‘like a business’ – raising chickens for eggs and meat, growing vegetables and herbs, hunting and fishing.

The 43-year-old has revealed that she only needs to buy groceries once a month and has now stored enough food for two and a half years.

Sarah lives with husband Clayton, 48, who works as a supervisor, and two of their five children – aged 17 and 19 – on 20 acres of land.

The food the family grows is preserved and stored in two pantries, which could last them for years in an emergency.

The mom-of-five goes to the grocery store just once a month for essentials and said that because she’s mostly self-sufficient, she saves her family $8,000 to $12,000 each year.

Speaking of her lifestyle, Sarah said, ‘I run our farm like a business. I call myself a home economist. We hunt and fish.

“I try to take care of our family without using the grocery store. We live with the manta – we want to use what mother nature gives us.’

Sarah has always been a homesteader, but had to adapt the way she grows her produce to Michigan’s different climate after moving 300 miles from the center of the state.

The family now endures long, harsh winters and often has snow from October to June.

Sarah said, ‘I’ve been fishing since I could walk. But I had to relearn homesteading in a different climate. The winters are incredibly brutal.’

Sarah now wants to help others learn more about homesteading to prevent people from going hungry

The 43-year-old has revealed she only needs to buy groceries once a month and has now stored enough food for two and a half years

She and her family run their farm ‘like a business’ – raising chickens for eggs and meat, growing vegetables and herbs, hunting and fishing

She grows as many crops as possible and uses vegetables from other farmers in the area, such as potatoes and corn.

The enthusiastic prepper has also bought a herd of cows, which are cared for by another farmer, to provide her family with fresh milk.

Sarah carefully plans how much of each vegetable she needs for her family and will barter and trade crops if they have a surplus.

She also gives whatever is left over to her food bank to give back to her community.

Sarah has two pantries and always uses the oldest cans first – she puts her freshest preserves in the back of the pantry.

Sarah has always been a homesteader, but has adapted the way she grows her produce to the different climate where the family now endures long, harsh winters and often snows from October to June

She said, “I try to provide for our family without using the grocery store. We live with the manta – we want to use what mother nature gives us’

In an emergency, Sarah thinks she has enough food to feed four people for 18 months and says if it were rationed it could be up to two and a half years

She said, “One pantry we call our “cantry” for longer-term food. It is mostly canned and freeze-dried food.

‘A can lasts one to three years and freeze-dried food can last up to 25 years. We rotate this food in our daily pantry, so we eat fresh food.”

In an emergency, Sarah believes she has enough food to feed four people for 18 months and says if it were rationed it could go up to two and a half years.

Sarah wants to help others learn more about homesteading to keep people from going hungry.

She said, “My goal is to feed the world. I believe that food is a fundamental human right.’