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IrelandThree waterfalls give WILD HOMESTEAD a cabin-site dilemma
James Alofs tours his newly purchased land with Clovis, before Xander Budnick arrives with an excavator.
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I Bought the 100 Acres Next Door with 3 Waterfalls |EP115| Log Cabin Build on Off-Grid Homestead
Video summary
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- 0:00James introduces the new parcel, with three waterfalls and an island downriver from his original homestead.
- 10:14He explains how he and his aunt and uncle divided the larger property.
- 16:55The cabin-site tour begins with the island before moving to the first waterfall.
- 25:39Waterfall Two offers level ground and southern exposure; the third site's access proves more complicated.
- 33:34James asks viewers to choose a favorite waterfall site and considers the difficulty of reaching the river.
- 35:10Xander Budnick arrives with an excavator, and clearing work begins for the tractor and sawmill barn.
Would you put the cabin beside a waterfall, or save that view for a walk? James Alofs has plenty to weigh up as WILD HOMESTEAD resumes weekly episodes: an island, riverside rock, sunny ground and steep approaches that make access a project in itself.
The week's two uploads paired a short announcement with the full tour, "I Bought the 100 Acres Next Door with 3 Waterfalls |EP115| Log Cabin Build on Off-Grid Homestead". The episode has reached nearly 800,000 views. James explains that he and his aunt and uncle split a larger parcel, with his new land sitting downriver from the original homestead.
Clovis accompanies the exploration through old farm clearings, tall pines and mature sugar maples. Waterfall Two catches James's imagination with level ground and open southern exposure for solar power. The third offers a deep swimming pool, but getting there means negotiating steep terrain and a creek.
Viewers have turned the comments into a remarkably practical site-selection discussion. Several favor a sunny ridge over a waterside home, raising questions about constant noise, seasonal river levels and winter shade. Others suggest keeping a small fishing hut or sauna near the falls while building the main house higher up.
The tour ends with help arriving: fellow outdoors creator Xander Budnick brings an excavator. James says Kubota gifted the machine to the channel, and the pair begin clearing for a tractor and sawmill barn.
The new episode is comfortably the channel's busiest video right now, with older bathroom-addition and storm-interrupted builds also adding views. WILD HOMESTEAD gained 4,000 subscribers over the week, a substantial part of its monthly growth, although daily views are below their usual level. For James, the return isn't simply more cabin construction: it starts with choosing where the next cabin should belong.
Published on Trari
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What viewers say
Building main cabin on the ridge sounds awesome to me, river is really cool but, So. Much. Noise. And you don't know how it behaves over a year yet, so I don't think you should make a decision to live next to it until you have lived with it for a year and seen how all three waterfall sites behave.
@zector0See it on YouTubeI say build a simple little fisherman’s hut at each waterfall, and the main house up high with a good view and sunshine. ☀️
@AlistairPopeSee it on YouTubeI binged all 100+ episodes in about a month and as soon as I got caught up they stopped. So excited for new episodes! welcome back James
@RussandBrandySee it on YouTube
7 more comments
I think your aunt and uncle are right, go for a flat spot on high ground with a beautiful view. Waterfalls will be super difficult to get to and so loud in high season.
@beninfield730See it on YouTubePersonally I'd build a fancy, small fishing cabin by that waterfall and a large homestead in a flatter more open location away from the noise and inevitable insects that come off the river.
I grew up on the banks of a large river in West Wales an the noise and danger in winter was incredible.@Lemon_of_DoomSee it on YouTubeSleep by a waterfall in a tent for a few days to make sure you can tolerate the noise. I would build on high ground with a gorgeous view. I’d leave the waterfall as a secret getaway - a special hideout unspoiled by constant exposure. You can put a sauna next to that deep pool with a small porch so you can enjoy the waterfall after you get out of the sauna.
@DanF68See it on YouTubeIf it was up to me I'd choose somewhere peaceful and quiet. Waterfall is nice for the gym perhaps, but not to live nearby, the constant noise would get old really quick I think when you just want to have quiet evening. I mean even in the video you can hear yourself how loud you have to talk over the noise of the river.
@sobokan-u7uSee it on YouTubeFor me, the right build site is the one with the most hours of sunshine in a day. Building an access road is a one time obstacle. Sunshine will warm your home and warm your soul every sunny day for decades to come.
@davecodySee it on YouTubeWater wheel would be cool for power
@burnoutwarehouse2421See it on YouTubeSo good to see you back to doing what you love.
@KillerSmurfySee it on YouTube
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The videos drawing views on WILD HOMESTEAD right now
- Channel
- WILD HOMESTEAD
- Subscribers
- 563,000 ▲ 4,000 this week
- Videos published this week
- 2
- Video published
- October 31, 2026
- Video views so far
- 797,316
- Views on its first day
- 436,133
The numbers
Here is how WILD HOMESTEAD's week looks in views and subscribers.
💡 Test your knowledge
Which waterfall site does James highlight for its open southern exposure?
At Waterfall Two, James points out the southern exposure as an advantage for solar power.