When Pepper attends a water protest in the dried out city of Las Vegas, violence erupts and gives him a glimpse of where the country is heading. Drought, famine, and civil unrest. Anticipating the worst, Pepper and his longtime girlfriend Olive move to the small valley of Thirst Hollow in the mountains of Virginia to try their hand at homesteading. They fear self reliance may be their only way to survive in a quickly changing and deteriorating world. Homesteading proves difficult and Olive and Pepper struggle to grow enough food to make it through the winter. Their margin of survival is thin and not only hinges on their ability to mitigate climate disasters, but also Pepper's ability to reign in his deep-seated trauma.