Practical self-reliance

Real homesteading. From a mom who learned the hard way.

Written by Sarah Kate Wilder from her 12-acre Texas homestead. 83 field-tested guides on growing food, raising animals, off-grid living, and emergency preparedness.

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Sarah Kate Wilder, founder of Homestead Fanatic

Pillar guide

25 Essential Homesteading Skills Every Beginner Needs to Master

If you’re just starting out — or just realized how dependent your family is on the systems around you — this is where to begin. Twenty-five concrete skills, with the order I’d learn them in if I were starting over.

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What we cover

21 guides Survival & Prepping

17 guides Off-Grid Living

16 guides Health & Wellness

12 guides Homesteading Tools

10 guides Emergency Food

8 guides Food Preservation

About the author

Meet Sarah Kate.

I’m a mom of three and the voice behind Homestead Fanatic. Five years ago I was a suburban mom in Texas with a Costco membership and zero homesteading skills. Then the 2021 ice storm hit — four days without power, heat, or running water with a newborn. That night changed everything. Today my family lives on 12 acres outside Wimberley, and this site is the resource I wish I’d had when I started.

12 acres 83 articles published 5 years homesteading Mom of 3

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Health hub

The Natural Health Hub.

When my doctor suggested $1,200/month GLP-1 injections after my third baby, I went looking for natural alternatives. What I found turned into the most-read content on this site.

Pillar guide