ZERO2HOMESTEAD Get Friday's tasks
Golden-hour aerial view of a five-acre property: a meadow on a gentle slope, spruce and aspen woods, a creek at the bottom and a gravel road along the fence.

A 52-week plan · US & Canada

Your homestead,
one Friday at a time.

You don't need a farm background, family land or a fortune. You need a plan, and the next small step. Every Friday you get three clear tasks, from your first plan to your first winter on your own land.

Get the 3 tasks every Friday Watch on YouTube

Week 1 airs Friday, January 1, 2027

Where you start

You start where most people start.

The plan never gives you advantages you don't have. These four facts stay fixed for all 52 weeks.

  1. The fund$80k or $100kTwo tracks: low-cost regions, or pricier ones incl. BC & Alberta.
  2. IncomeRegular jobYou keep it. You work the land on weekends until move-in.
  3. HomeRentingNo family land. Once you move in, the rent you no longer pay goes back into the fund.
  4. ExperienceZeroYou'll learn every skill on the way: seeds, chainsaw, canning, hens, wood stove.
Your five acres in late summer: golden meadow, mixed woods, creek and gravel road. The same five acres under snow in winter.
Same land, every episode. It gains one new element each week.

Your land

Five acres. A gentle south slope. 20–40 km from town.

Size
5 acres: open meadow and a stand of trees
Slope
Faces south, so you get sun for the garden and solar and natural drainage. It also means a steeper driveway, erosion and piers for the foundation.
Distance
12–25 miles to groceries, a job, a hardware store and a hospital
Water
Seasonal creek at the bottom, plus a well you drill in Week 25
Access
Road frontage on a gravel road

Driveway → garden → shed → well → cabin → solar → coop → woodpile → snow.

The free roadmap

52 Fridays. Seven seasons. Three tasks a week.

The episodes follow the real calendar. You buy land in spring, plant in May, move in by late summer and face your first winter in November. Printable checklist version →

Season 1The Decision Weeks 1–8 · Jan–Feb
  1. Week01

    Fri, Jan 1 · Pilot

    You Want to Homestead. Here's Your Next 12 Months

    1. Write down your why
    2. Choose your homestead type (self-reliant / hobby / income)
    3. Start your homestead notebook
    $80,000$100,000
  2. Week02

    Fri, Jan 8

    What a Homestead Really Costs (It's Less Than You Think)

    1. List your monthly costs today
    2. Break down the $80,000 plan
    3. Set up a separate emergency fund
    $80,000$100,000
  3. Week03

    Fri, Jan 15

    Keep Your Job or Replace It? Income on a Homestead

    1. Check whether your job can go remote
    2. Set your max commute radius
    3. List 3 possible land-based incomes
    $80,000$100,000
  4. Week04

    Fri, Jan 22

    Your Family Will Have Doubts. Here's the Conversation

    1. Hold a family meeting
    2. Agree who does what
    3. Write your deal-breaker list
    $80,000$100,000
  5. Week05

    Fri, Jan 29

    Kill These Debts Before You Buy Land

    1. List every debt
    2. Check your credit score
    3. Decide: cash vs land loan (and why land loans are different)
    $80,000$100,000
  6. Week06

    Fri, Feb 5

    Canada or the US? Where Your Money Goes Furthest (incl. BC & Alberta)

    1. Compare regions on price, taxes, climate (US South/Midwest vs Ontario/Maritimes vs BC vs Alberta)
    2. Learn your growing zone
    3. Check residency realities
    $80,000$100,000
  7. Week07

    Fri, Feb 12

    Choose Your Region: Climate, Water, Laws

    1. Shortlist 2 regions
    2. Check homestead-friendly rules (zoning, ALR in BC, rainwater, livestock, building codes)
    3. Plan a scouting trip
    $80,000$100,000
  8. Week08

    Fri, Feb 19

    Learn the Skills Now, While You Still Rent

    1. Start seeds on a windowsill
    2. Take one course (first aid / canning / chainsaw)
    3. Join a local homesteading group
    $79,700$99,700
Season 2Finding Your Land Weeks 9–17 · Feb–Apr
  1. Week09

    Fri, Feb 26

    The 5 Things Your Land MUST Have

    1. Legal access
    2. Water
    3. Buildable zoning
    4. write your non-negotiable criteria sheet
    $79,700$99,700
  2. Week10

    Fri, Mar 5

    Where to Find Cheap Land Nobody Else Sees

    1. Set listing alerts (US + Canadian sites)
    2. Check tax-sale / estate / FSBO sources
    3. Call 3 rural agents
    $79,700$99,700
  3. Week11

    Fri, Mar 12

    How to Read a Land Listing (Red Flags Everyone Misses)

    1. Decode "no perc", "seasonal access", "landlocked"
    2. Check satellite + topo maps
    3. Score 5 listings
    $79,700$99,700
  4. Week12

    Fri, Mar 19

    The Zoning Trap That Kills Homestead Dreams

    1. Call the county/municipal planning office
    2. Ask the 5 key questions
    3. Get answers in writing
    $79,700$99,700
  5. Week13

    Fri, Mar 26

    Water: Wells, Rights and Flood Maps

    1. Pull neighbours' well records
    2. Check flood maps
    3. Learn your state/province water rules
    $79,700$99,700
  6. Week14

    Fri, Apr 2

    Your First Land Viewing — Bring This Checklist

    1. Walk the boundaries
    2. Take a soil sample
    3. Test cell signal and road access in bad weather
    $79,500$99,500
  7. Week15

    Fri, Apr 9

    How to Make an Offer on Land (Without Overpaying)

    1. Find comparable sales
    2. Write in contingencies (perc, survey, title, access)
    3. Negotiate
    $79,500$99,500
  8. Week16

    Fri, Apr 16

    Perc Test, Survey, Title: The $2,000 That Saves You $40,000

    1. Order the perc/soil test
    2. Order a survey
    3. Run a title search
    $77,500$97,500
  9. Week17

    Fri, Apr 23

    Closing Day — The Land Is Yours

    1. Final walk-through
    2. Understand closing costs
    3. Record the deed + get insurance
    $41,500$45,000
Season 3First Spring on Your Land Weeks 18–24 · Apr–Jun
  1. Week18

    Fri, Apr 30

    Your First Weekend on Your Land: Do (Almost) Nothing

    1. Watch sun, wind and water
    2. Sketch a base map
    3. Choose a camp spot
    $41,500$45,000
  2. Week19

    Fri, May 7

    Driveway and Access: Getting In Without Getting Stuck

    1. Plan a driveway that climbs the slope gently
    2. Culvert / entrance permit
    3. Gravel + gate
    $39,000$42,500
  3. Week20

    Fri, May 14

    Your Homestead Master Plan

    1. Draw your zones on the slope (cabin mid-slope, garden on the sunny face, woods kept)
    2. Place well (uphill of septic!)
    3. Check setbacks + plan swales
    $39,000$42,500
  4. Week21

    Fri, May 21

    Plant Your First Garden — Before You Even Live There

    1. Build no-dig beds
    2. Plant low-care crops (potatoes, squash, beans)
    3. Protect them from deer
    $38,400$41,900
  5. Week22

    Fri, May 28

    Basecamp: Shed, Tent or Trailer?

    1. Pick weekend shelter
    2. Check camping rules on your land
    3. Set up secure tool storage
    $37,200$40,700
  6. Week23

    Fri, Jun 4

    Clearing Land Without Wrecking It

    1. Decide what to keep
    2. Chainsaw safety basics
    3. Turn brush into a resource
    $36,700$40,200
  7. Week24

    Fri, Jun 11

    Permits: Building, Well, Septic — Apply Now

    1. Submit permit applications
    2. Get 3 quotes per contractor
    3. Build your project timeline
    $35,900$39,400
Season 4Making It Livable Weeks 25–34 · Jun–Aug
  1. Week25

    Fri, Jun 18

    Water First: Drilling Your Well (and Plan B)

    1. Hire a driller
    2. Understand cost per foot
    3. Set up rain catchment as backup
    $27,900$27,900
  2. Week26

    Fri, Jun 25

    Septic or Composting Toilet? What's Legal Where You Live

    1. Compare systems
    2. Check local approval
    3. Install
    $21,400$21,400
  3. Week27

    Fri, Jul 2

    Your Cabin: Build, Kit or Shed Conversion?

    1. Compare 3 options honestly
    2. Choose the shed-shell route
    3. Order it
    $13,400$13,400
  4. Week28

    Fri, Jul 9

    Foundation and Delivery Day

    1. Piers for the slope
    2. Make sure the delivery truck can reach the site
    3. Level and anchor
    $12,700$12,700
  5. Week29

    Fri, Jul 16

    Off-Grid Solar on a Budget

    1. Do a load calculation
    2. Choose a starter system
    3. Hire a pro where code requires
    $8,200$8,200
  6. Week30

    Fri, Jul 23

    Insulate and Finish the Inside — Cheaply

    1. Insulation choices
    2. Find used/reclaimed materials
    3. Use space smartly (loft, fold-down)
    $6,400$6,400
  7. Week31

    Fri, Jul 30

    Water Into the Cabin: Pump, Tank, Simple Plumbing

    1. Pump + pressure tank
    2. Basic sink/shower setup
    3. Greywater rules
    $5,500$5,500
  8. Week32

    Fri, Aug 6

    Your Off-Grid Kitchen

    1. Propane stove setup
    2. Choose an efficient fridge
    3. Build food storage
    $4,800$4,800
  9. Week33

    Fri, Aug 13

    Give Notice: The Week You Stop Renting

    1. Give notice
    2. Downsize ruthlessly
    3. Sort mail, address and internet
    $4,400$4,400
  10. Week34

    Fri, Aug 20

    Moving Day: Your First Night on Your Homestead

    1. Move in
    2. First-night checklist
    3. Safety: smoke + CO detectors, extinguisher
    $4,200$4,200
Season 5Harvest & Animals Weeks 35–42 · Aug–Oct
  1. Week35

    Fri, Aug 27

    Harvest What You Planted in May

    1. Harvest at the right time
    2. Cure squash and potatoes
    3. Record your yields
    $4,200$4,200
  2. Week36

    Fri, Sep 3

    Chickens: Skip the Chicks, Buy Laying Hens

    1. Build a cheap predator-proof coop
    2. Buy 6 point-of-lay hens
    3. Set up the daily routine
    $4,950$4,950
  3. Week37

    Fri, Sep 10

    Preserve Your Harvest: Canning, Drying, Freezing

    1. Water-bath canning basics
    2. Drying and dehydrating
    3. What not to can at home
    $4,700$4,700
  4. Week38

    Fri, Sep 17

    A Root Cellar for (Almost) Nothing

    1. Choose the method (buried bin, cellar corner, trench)
    2. Build it
    3. Store crops correctly
    $4,600$4,600
  5. Week39

    Fri, Sep 24

    Plant Garlic and a Fall Garden

    1. Plant garlic
    2. Sow cold-hardy greens
    3. Cover crops for your soil
    $4,520$4,520
  6. Week40

    Fri, Oct 1

    Firewood: How Much You Really Need

    1. Calculate the cords you need
    2. Buy vs cut
    3. Stack it so it dries
    $5,320$5,320
  7. Week41

    Fri, Oct 8

    Your First Homestead Income Stream

    1. Pick one: eggs, market stall, remote work or a skill
    2. Check local selling rules
    3. Set it up
    $5,170$5,170
  8. Week42

    Fri, Oct 15

    The Year-One Mistakes Everyone Makes (So Far)

    1. Honest review
    2. Your fix list
    3. Budget check
    $5,170$5,170
Season 6Surviving Winter Weeks 43–48 · Oct–Nov
  1. Week43

    Fri, Oct 22

    Install a Wood Stove Safely

    1. Certified stove + clearances
    2. Chimney done right
    3. Inspection + tell your insurer
    $3,370$3,370
  2. Week44

    Fri, Oct 29

    Frozen Pipes Are the #1 Winter Disaster

    1. Insulate and heat-tape lines
    2. Make a drain-down plan
    3. Protect the well head
    $3,070$3,070
  3. Week45

    Fri, Nov 5

    Chickens and Garden in Winter

    1. Keep water from freezing
    2. Light and ventilation in the coop
    3. Protect the garlic bed
    $4,320$4,320
  4. Week46

    Fri, Nov 12

    Power in the Dark Months: Solar in Winter

    1. Clear snow from panels
    2. Battery care in the cold
    3. Backup generator plan
    $3,620$3,620
  5. Week47

    Fri, Nov 19

    Your 3-Month Winter Pantry

    1. Calculate what you need
    2. Stock up smart
    3. Rotate stock
    $3,120$3,120
  6. Week48

    Fri, Nov 26

    Cabin Fever Is Real: Your Winter Mindset

    1. Set a daily routine
    2. Stay connected to neighbours
    3. Plan indoor projects
    $3,120$3,120
Season 7Living It Weeks 49–52 · Dec
  1. Week49

    Fri, Dec 3

    A Day in Your Homestead Life

    1. Morning chores routine
    2. Balance work and homestead
    3. Weekly rhythm
    $4,520$4,520
  2. Week50

    Fri, Dec 10

    Your Year-One Numbers: What It Really Cost

    1. Total every cost
    2. Compare with renting
    3. What you'd do differently
    $4,520$4,520
  3. Week51

    Fri, Dec 17

    Plan Year Two: Animals, Garden, Income

    1. Set year-two goals
    2. Bigger garden plan
    3. Grow your income stream
    $4,520$4,520
  4. Week52

    Fri, Dec 24

    You Did It. From Zero to Homestead.

    1. Look back at Week 1
    2. Your emergency reserve
    3. The invitation: start your own Week 1
    $4,520$4,520

Real numbers

Watch the fund, week by week.

Costs are realistic example figures. Every cost episode gives a low/high range, explains how prices change by region and offers a cheaper Plan B.

Week 1 · The Decision

You Want to Homestead. Here's Your Next 12 Months

    Low track$80,000
    High track$100,000
    Homestead fund over 52 weeks The two tracks start at $80,000 and $100,000, drop sharply at closing day in week 17 and the well in week 25, are equal from week 25 on and end with a reserve of $4,520 at week 52. $0$25k$50k$75k$100kClosing dayWellMove-inWk 1Wk 9Wk 18Wk 25Wk 35Wk 43Wk 49

    Drag to move through the year →

    Year one, line by line (low track)

    Example year-one budget
    Skills, seeds, scouting$500
    Due diligence (perc, survey, title)$2,000
    Land (5 acres) + closing$36,000 (high track $52,500)
    Driveway + gate$2,500
    Garden, basecamp, chainsaw, permits$3,100
    Well$8,000 (high track $11,500)
    Septic / approved toilet system$6,500
    Cabin shell + foundation$8,700
    Solar starter system$4,500
    Interior, plumbing, kitchen$3,400
    Move, internet, safety$600
    Year-one food systems (hens, preserving, cellar, firewood, income)$1,830
    Winter (wood stove, freeze protection, power, pantry)$3,450
    Total spent~$81,080 (high track ~$101,080)
    Saved rent added back (4 months)+$5,600
    Reserve at Week 52$4,520

    Every Friday

    Every episode works on its own, and fits the year.

    1. The hook. What's at stake this week.
    2. Where you are now. Fund, land and progress, recapped in 20 seconds.
    3. This week's 3 tasks. Small enough to finish before next Friday.
    4. The common mistake. What goes wrong, and what it costs.
    5. Budget update. Real costs, with low and high ranges.
    6. This week on every homestead. A seasonal job for wherever you are.
    7. Next Friday. What's coming.
    Point of view: work boots in tall grass, a gloved hand holding a notebook with a property sketch, a gravel road and creek below.

    No "it's easy" promises.

    You'll see the setbacks: frozen pipes, failed perc tests, zoning traps, the well that costs more than planned. Each one comes with a Plan B. We cover the differences between the US and Canada, including BC's Agricultural Land Reserve and water licensing, and Alberta's county bylaws.