01x01 - Abandoned and Alone

[bunniefuu]

Wow, it looks
like we're getting

farther and farther up
into the mountains, eh?

It never ceases to amaze me
how far off-grid people will go.

So remote, if you're not
all set for the winter

and you get snowed in,

you could be
in real trouble.

This is prime
mountain lion territory.

That's a predator
that sends shivers up my spine.

Man, I guarantee you we have
some eyes on us right now.

They're out here.

- Whoo!
- Aah!

I'm sorry, misty.

Marty raney's been building
homesteads for 40 years.

He spent his life passing on
his homesteading skills.

I was raised off-grid.

I've built a life
and a family

in the toughest place
on earth --

Alaska.

And I've taught my kids
everything I know.

Daughter misty has raised
and slaughtered animals

and grown her own food
since she was a child.

A homestead needs to be
nurtured every day.

You get out what you put in.

Son Matt spent 12 years

as a guide and hunter
in Alaska.

I have the utmost respect
for wildlife.

Hunting is a privilege
and a necessity.

In the last decade,

2 million Americans
have moved off grid.

There's no road.
There's no grid.

There's no nothing.

But the wilderness
is a tough place to survive.

Oh, my god!

This year, tens of thousands
of homesteads will fail.

We're not gonna make it
another month.

We'll start burning
the furniture to keep warm

if we have to.

We're struggling
to stay alive.

We really the raney's
to come and help us.

For those brave enough
to embark on this lifestyle,

we're here to help them
overcome the challenges

and fulfill that dream.

My résumé,

I'll show it
to you right now.

Marty, misty, and Matt raney

are responding to
a homesteader's call for help.

They've left their base
in Alaska

and traveled
2 1/2 thousand miles

to the wolf creek mountains
of central Montana.

The big sky state
is home to 160,000 elk

and fertile forests.

But of the 8,000 families
who thrive off grid here,

one is on the edge
of failure,

running out of food and money

and surrounded by predators.

Marty and his family
have 10 days in Montana

before moving
on to their next project.

So turning this homestead around
will be a big job,

even for them.

If you could define my life
with one word, it's hard work.

But it's the only life
I've ever known,

and it's the way
I raised my kids.

Is that the cabin?
- I don't know what that is.

Hello!

Is somebody in there?

Hello!

Here, look, there's a trailer.
Let's go that way.

It looks like
an abandoned trailer.

Hello!

It's like a ghost town.
Like, only buildings are here.

That's promising --
a chainsaw.

Yeah.

Hello!

How're you doing?
- All right.

- I'm Mike.
- Marty raney.

How are ya?
- Marty.

- Misty!
- Misty.

- Nice to meet you.
- Matt.

Matt. Okay.

I like your chainsaw.
Super pro?

Actually, it's a promac 55.
It's an old '52 model.

Yeah. That's a mean chainsaw.

Hey, listen. This guy
gets high marks from me.

50 feet away I see him
with an old-school chainsaw.

Many years ago, in Alaska,

that was the state-of-the-art
saw in the day.

So hey, yeah.
I like this guy already.

After you.

This is my wife, Beth.

- Hi, Beth.
- This is Marty.

- Hello, Marty.
- That's Matt.

When we walked up,
it looked like a ghost town.

- Yeah.
- It does.

Yeah, it is a little bit.

Mike and Beth ettinger
moved here six months ago.

More that we like
about Montana

is the peace,
you know, it's quiet.

You don't hear sirens
all day long.

We planned for this
for 15 years now.

When their four children
flew the nest,

Mike and Beth
sold everything,

including their house
in Pennsylvania.

They paid $30,000
for 11 acres of mountain land

with five abandoned cabins.

Back in Pennsylvania, we used
to have a really nice garden

producing
a lot of our food.

We had our goats
and our chickens.

We canned 3,500 jars
of food a year.

Meat, vegetables, whatever.

I was able to go hunting.

But we've never been
off grid before.

Didn't expect it to be
quite this hard.

It's a lot of work.

If I don't do this
every single day,

me and Beth
aren't gonna survive,

because
we'll freeze to death.

We have sold everything.

And I don't have
a nice house in town

to go back to.

This is it.

We don't have a garden here.

I don't have a greenhouse.

And if we had to survive
off of this land,

we would starve.

The ettingers
are out of time and money.

That means the raneys will need
to source as many materials

as possible
from the homestead.

I'm kind of a man of action.

You mind if you
and I take a walk

and look around this place?

That's fine.

At the bottom
of Mike and Beth's land

are four empty cabins.

- What's going on here?
- It's abandoned.

Abandoned by who?

Previous owners.

What about your building
on top of the hill?

That one
was abandoned, too.

It's kind of
mysterious to me.

It is to us, too.

What happened here?

Something doesn't make sense.

A typical homestead needs around
40,000 square feet of crops

to feed a family of two
each year.

This area
that we're standing on

is where you want
to put a garden?

Um, yes.

We're completely
surrounded by trees.

Correct.

And it's completely
not flat.

Correct.

This isn't the ideal place
for your garden.

Okay.

There's two things
I know about gardens --

you need to be in the sun,

and you need to have
flat ground.

We're on the side
of a mountain covered in trees.

Montana boasts over
15 different species of game.

But in addition
to having no crops,

Mike and Beth haven't been
hunting for meat yet.

Matt's worried
they aren't tapping into

another valuable
food source.

There's some fresh scat
right here.

I mean,
this could actually be elk.

I mean, it's a good sign
for hunting,

but it's a bad sign
for predators.

Wow. This would be
a really good pen for livestock.

How come there's no animals
in here?

Well, I have five goats.

You have goats.
Where are they?

They are up
at a neighbor's.

If I had goats,

they would be with me
from day one.

It's pretty wild
to have livestock

and not have them
on your homestead.

Yes.

They have no livestock here
and no garden

and everything that they have
is from a grocery store.

We need a food source here,
and it's gonna be goats.

And I'm just looking
at the structure,

and this could pretty easily
be turned

into some type
of livestock pen.

It's really not big enough
for what I need.

I'm getting the feeling that
she wants this goat mansion.

It's not about that
on a homestead.

It's about making do
with what you have

and getting it done quickly,
because guess what?

If they don't have food
right now, they will not last.

How far is it
to town that way?

Uh, 42 mile.

Well, how often
do you drive this road?

- Every day.
- What?

Why are you driving
to town every day?

Because right now
we have no food source

and we get our water there.

- You get what there?
- We get our water there,

because we have no water
on our property right now.

This property
has no water?

Has no water, no.

Water.

That's it.

I think we've just
solved the problem,

why all these people came, tried
and failed on this homestead.

No water.

A typical homestead

needs a minimum
of 50 gallons of water a day

to support its crops,
livestock, and people.

Relying on food and water bought
from a store miles away

is not off-grid living.

How much you hauling now?

- 20.
- 20 gallons a day?

- Yes.
- Every day?

Every day.

When this very road
gets four feet of snow,

these people are cut off.

That means
no food and no water.

It could actually
be life and death.

This doesn't look good.

Matt has also made
a frightening discovery.

Look at these scratches.

It's almost like a big cat,
like a mountain lion,

just came by
to sharpen its claws.

To see a sign like this
so close to the homestead,

it really worries me.

None of us can imagine

how terrifying
it would be to be attacked.

I've always been worried that
if a mountain lion came at me,

whether or not I'd be
quick enough to react.

How far away are you
from being an empty building?

It could be next month.

Next week.

And that's why I'm --
I'm asking for your help.

I wanna help that guy.

That's how I feel right now.

I want to get started
right this second.

I just don't know --
I don't know where to start.

Matt's setting up
the raney base camp...

Hey, Matt!

...when Marty
and misty return.

We have a big problem
on our hands.

Like what?

Like mountain lions.
I mean, they're --

where?

On the homestead.

Beth has these outlandish,

big plans and dreams.

For what?

Garden...

Goat mansion...

Her house --
everything.

And I think
she's a dreamer.

She wants a big house?

A two-acre garden?

In Alaska,
expression for that --

champagne taste,

beer budget.

Listen.
This property has no water.

You knew
that they didn't have water?

I didn't know!
He told me!

I couldn't believe it!

I mean, that makes sense
of why nobody made it.

They're not gonna
be able to garden,

and they're not gonna
be able to have livestock.

I'm actually surprised
that they're still here.

This is a biggie.

We have to create a water source
for this homestead

or we might as well just
get in the truck and leave.

Without water
and a food source,

these guys won't last
more than one month.

We have to take action now.

But water is not
the homestead's only problem,

and tonight, the raneys aren't
Mike and Beth's only visitor.

I was sitting here
on the couch,

and something
hit the roof in the back,

and it walked
across the roof

from the other side
of the kitchen,

like over...

Towards this skylight
that's up here.

It's pretty scary.

This season...

Oh, my god!

...six homesteads
on the edge of survival.

We could be k*lled.
That is a reality.

Stay tuned
for an epic sneak peek

of "homestead rescue."

Aah!

In the wolf creek
mountains of Montana,

the raney family
now have just nine days

to turn around
a failing homestead.

Beth and Mike ettinger's land
has no source of food or water.

And with no savings,
they risk losing everything.

And now there's an even more
immediate threat.

So it landed back here,
probably about in this area.

It was a cat of some sort,

and it walked
over to the skylight.

Did it walk on here?

No.
It didn't walk on there.

It stayed right back here
behind it.

Yeah.
The cat definitely had a look

to see what it could see
in that window.

Right.

Matt picks up the cat's tracks.

An animal's been up here.

Like, it's almost like a --

like a pee smell.

It definitely marked
the territory.

I really think it was
a mountain lion.

I'm actually afraid
for Beth and Mike out here

because they're
in real, serious danger

and real trouble.

Come here!
I wanna show you something!

While Matt comes up
with a predator solution,

misty and Marty
must start work.

What's up?

I know we have
a big issue with water.

I know
you're working on that,

but just
as important is food.

They need to be able
to grow food here.

But, like,
check this out!

Like, look at the sun here.
Look at the sun exposure.

And it's flat,
and I'm thinking greenhouse.

What're you thinking?
- I like it,

but do you know
how hard it blows here?

I know.
It's so windy.

So what're we gonna do?

What if we dig maybe a third
of it into the bank here.

We have less wind
to deal with,

and if we get it
into this bank,

we have less greenhouse
to be affected by the cold.

That's true.

By digging deep
into the earth bank,

Marty and misty can build
an underground greenhouse,

providing protection
from the wind and cold

while still utilizing
the 2,600 hours

of sunlight Montana
gets each year.

These people will have
a greenhouse geothermal.

This is the solution.

Southern exposure.

It's a no-brainer.

You know why Rome
wasn't built in a day?

No.

'Cause you weren't there.

You're a sl*ve driver.

With one of Montana's
estimated 2,000 mountain lions

stalking the homestead,

Matt's got an equally urgent job
on his hands.

We got a mountain lion
target to sh**t at,

and I'm gonna show you
the most effective way

to be able to take down
that dangerous predator.

Right here.

Both the lungs are,

and the heart is actually
a little bit lower.

That's the spot

where you wanna sh**t.
- Okay.

Do you have any experience
with a shotgun?

No.
I have no experience

with a shotgun.
- All right.

Well, if you're gonna be able
to ward off a mountain lion

when it comes
into your homestead,

a shotgun
is gonna be your best bet.

This thing's got kick,

so you got to lean forward.
- Okay.

So you wanna
get this thing up,

and then once you have
this sighted in,

only when you're ready
to actually sh**t

should you put your finger
inside the trigger guard.

Okay.

So this is it.

That's not too bad
a spread.

No, that was good.
How'd that feel?

- It kicks a little.
- It's a good shot.

Matt's impressed
by Beth's k*ller instinct.

This is a perfect spread.

This mountain lion
is not coming back.

I know that now,
if there is a mountain lion

that is causing
danger to my family,

I know I could take care
of it with a shotgun.

So that's
a lot of confidence.

The raneys will maximize

what little money
the ettingers have

by sourcing materials
from their land

and making improvements that
ultimately pay for themselves.

An underground greenhouse should
provide food all year round.

Getting rocky!

But they have a bigger
problem than rocks.

So what are we doing
up here?

Oh, man.

My daughter approached me
about a greenhouse out here.

Okay, well, there's a couple

problems with that.
- Okay.

What are they?
- I want our garden

to be down below.
- Down there.

The few trees
can be cut down,

and you get sunlight
from now till --

in the wintertime here
seven hours a day.

Down on that mountainside,
I think it's a little bit more

than a few to clear that place
for enough sun.

I am a person
who's very much

in control of what is
going on around me,

and, um,

I step in and tend
to take control.

And the reality of it is that
I can't really have a green --

have a garden outside anyway.

We get snow up here
in June and July.

I love Beth's personality.

I love it!

She reminds me
of myself a little bit,

and she's not afraid
to say exactly

what's on her mind
and to resist you.

My dad's Marty raney.

I'm all about resistance
and speaking your mind.

Okay.

You tell 'em
what we were thinking.

This is gonna be
built into the bank...

- Underground greenhouse.
- ...Greenhouse.

- Yeah.
- We're bringing soil in.

We're gonna get your water.

And we're gonna have
a greenhouse

with starters
coming out of it.

That's our goal.

But look at our tools!

We got a bar, a shovel,
and here's our measuring tape.

I mean,
we're just getting started.

Can we carry on?

Um, yeah.

I'm not totally convinced,

but I trust you guys.

- Okay.
- I got a question.

You've got neighbors out here?
- Yes, we do.

Anybody with an excavator,
back hoe, bobcat?

- There is one, yes.
- Yes.

We can talk to him.
Get him down here.

- Like immediately?
- Yes.

Let's go right now.

- Okay.
- Okay.

Mike takes me to his neighbor
10 miles down the road

and guess what?

We scored an excavator,

and that's a game changer.

Started out this morning with
a pick and shovel with misty.

Now I'm driving a
quarter-million-dollar excavator

down the road.

I love it.

Neighborly love,
Montana style.

Which way you wanna go up?

But to get
to the greenhouse site,

Marty must drive
this 20-ton excavator

up a steep, narrow mud track.

This is really tight.

It's gonna get tighter once we
reach the top, I think.

It's narrow. It's soft.
There's trees.

Am I gonna hit any trees?

You got trees right here!
You need to spin around!

Spin around!

Take it slowly!

Watch the tree!
Hey!

Look out!

In Montana, the raneys
are trying to save a homestead

which has no water supply
and no way of growing food.

You're getting way too
close to the trees on the side!

But no work can start

unless Marty gets
this 20-ton excavator

up the homestead's
narrow mud path.

- Am I clear?
- Keep it straight!

You got it!
You got it!

Just pull it in!

Who's up for building
an underground greenhouse?

Yeah.

Marty and Mike are digging
a 16-foot-wide channel

deep into the earth bank

so the greenhouse
will be insulated from the cold.

That bedrock or is that
gonna come out of there?

I think
it's just a big rock.

That'll come out.
- All right.

I've been working with stone
for over 40 years in Alaska.

I think we'd better
start saving these rocks!

Building materials!
Whoo!

And now in Montana, to find
all of these courtside boulders,

it's a godsend.

I got it!

Whoo!

I will be using them
in the greenhouse structurally,

but also these big stones

will serve as thermal mass.

Misty is also sourcing
materials from the homestead.

I'm building
three raised beds,

four feet by nine feet.

If we're gonna do
organic gardening,

it's really important
that it's untreated

and not treated.

Nice if we could just go
to the lumberyard, huh?

The underground greenhouse

should provide produce
in the long-term...

...but Mike and Beth
need a food source now.

This place is just
teeming with wild game.

That's what I was told.
We hunted all our life.

We lived off of wild game.

We were told, you know,
there was elk up top,

but, uh,
I never hunted for elk.

So I don't know anything about
how to hunt this type of game.

You can get a lot of meat
just in that animal alone.

And now you have the ability
to hunt elk with me here.

My family harvests or kills
one big game animal per year.

If you eat meat,

you have to shoulder
that responsibility

and k*ll that animal.

This is the ethical way.

It's the only way.

An adult elk can yield
around 250 pounds of meat,

enough to feed Mike and Beth
for three months.

I just think it's kind
of sad, you know,

that he hasn't been hunting,

and he's just been
at his homestead chopping wood.

So I'm really glad
to be out here with him,

you know, get him
into some real hunting ground.

I don't see him.

But what I'm hoping

is that they'll come down
here to feed, possibly.

Let's keep moving.
- Okay.

Let's go.

But where there's prey...

There are predators.

What does this look like?

Not quite sure.
Mountain lion?

That's exactly right.

These are mountain lion tracks,
and you can tell that

because they're
in a straight line.

Yes.

And that's how they --
that's how they walk.

I think this mountain lion's
definitely stalking prey.

I mean
they're out here.

With Matt and Mike
away hunting...

Bump it over, please!

...the neighbor
who lent the excavator

is helping Marty build
the foundation walls

of the underground greenhouse.

I want some on the back!

You got her!

This guy's good.

This guy's a savior, man.

As a master stonemason
of 33 years,

Marty knows
the thermal qualities

these courtside rocks
will bring.

I feel the warmth
of the sun hitting these rocks,

and so this greenhouse will get
the solar passing its heating.

That's a big rock!

It's a stick.
- It's a stick?

Oh, it's a freaking
buffalo tusk.

- It looks fossilized.
- Yeah.

I'm gonna go
with 5,000 years old.

How do I look?

Better!

For that, I'm leaving it
in all day!

Come on!
We got work to do!

Elsewhere,
misty's turned her attention

to getting
another essential food source

onto the homestead.

So I have
a stinking hunch

you're still not very excited
about the goat pen.

The reality of it is
this is still temporary.

- Why?
- Why?

Because
I need a milking area.

Okay.

And there's not enough room
in here for that.

I agree.

But the goats
aren't here now,

and this is gonna
get the goats here now.

And I'm here
to start your dreams,

but I'm not here
to fulfill them.

You,
you're gonna fulfill 'em.

I do get that.

Beth is really hard to please,

and I'm here trying
to get her goats here for her,

and I think this step one
isn't enough for her.

Beth's big plans
don't just stop at goat pens,

as Matt is discovering.

As far as the house,
we want it underground.

- Why?
- To stay warm.

How long before you guys
are living underground?

This is, what, February,

so march, April, may --

end of may.

You guys think you're gonna
be in the ground,

living comfortably,
by may?

- Uh, yes.
- That's the goal?

- That's the goal.
- This is what she wants.

No matter
how unrealistic it is?

No matter how unrealistic.

She looks
into the future more.

She sees the end goal.
Me, I --

I don't care where I live
or what it looks like.

I just live day to day,
just to stay alive.

It seems that Mike's goals
might be too short-sighted,

and Beth's goals
might be too far-reaching,

and maybe they might be holding
each other back

because if they can't accept
those attainable goals,

they're not gonna
make it out here.

With nightfall approaching,

Matt and Mike finally
catch sight of the elk.

- If we can see them...
- They can see us.

Yeah. Exactly.

We're about as close
as we can get right now,

but we can't take a shot.

It's way too far.

You're smaller than me.

I think you have
a better chance.

- All right.
- Put yourself

between
a sage brush and them,

crawl if you have to.
- I'll do that.

All right, man.

I got faith in you, man.

If I don't hear a shot

in the next 10 minutes,
I don't know.

I mean...

It might not be
in the cards tonight.

It looks like he might have
covered at least 100 yards.

So he's gained
a football field.

Man, he's way up there.

I heard a shot.

Straight ahead...

Whoo!

...Marty tackles
the ettingers' food crisis,

but there's a snag...

This greenhouse is useless

until we solve
the water problem.

Dad, I think they're here!

...and the hunters return.

Come on!
Headlights!

At a failing Montana homestead

in desperate need
of water and food,

it's approaching midnight.

Come on!
Headlights!

Headlights!
- They're back?

Come on!
Come on, come on, come on!

So how'd the,
uh, trip go?

Well, it was
a good trip with Mike,

but we didn't get
anything.

It happens.

Mike went out there,

did like a soldier crawl...

...and then through snow,
what, two feet deep?

And he took two shots,
so I --

I think
it was a clean miss.

Listen.

It sounds like an honest day
in the mountains.

Yeah. Been with Matt.
It's great.

Well, then
it was worth it.

It was worth it.

We didn't get an elk,
but I'm really glad

that I got Mike
out there to hunt.

His hunter's instinct
got revived,

and I think I got him back
on the horse.

What I've learned from Matt

is that I'm not providing
right now.

So, you know, every day,

no matter what's going
on in the homestead,

I got to do more hunting.

Matt made me realize
that while we were out.

It's five days
since the raneys arrived,

and Marty's back
to work felling trees

to make the back wall
for the underground greenhouse.

Yeah!

I quit school

and went to work in the woods
at the age of 16.

And I'm talking
the big trees.

These are some tight rings.

This thing's 500 years old.

It's before Lewis and Clark.

Let's go!

So far,
the materials Marty sourced

haven't cost the ettingers
a dime, and neither will these.

It ain't going nowhere!

That's solid!

But Marty's in no mood
to celebrate.

Basically,
this thing is useless

until we solve
the water problem.

It's that simple.

Over at the goat pen,
it seems Beth's back on board.

I come bearing gifts.

Oh, score!

That's some good lumber.

Misty has taught Beth
how to source all the materials

at zero cost

from the homestead's
derelict buildings.

You've had
every single thing

to do this structure.
- Yeah.

Every single thing
has been here.

It's this way,
I guess?

Nice.

Okay, so we have
our structure built, done.

We're gonna hang the door,
do a little roofing,

but we're doing really good.

With the goat shed built

from start to finish
in just three days,

misty goes to check on
how her dad is getting on

with the underground
greenhouse.

So, misty, it'll be
one big, long wall.

- Yeah.
- Leaning.

Okay. I like it.

A lot.
- Right?

This is gonna grow
a lot of food.

Keep in mind, I got to put
a heat sink in there.

Okay,
so you were thinking

heat sink out here.
- Exactly.

With just a few hundred bucks
of materials,

Marty plans to trap the daytime
heat in the greenhouse

to protect its crops
from freezing at night.

Marty will dig
out an insulated pit

18-inches deep

and fill it with small rocks
from the homestead.

During the day, this heat trap
will suck warm air

down from the top
of the greenhouse

into the ground.

This thing'll get cooking
in here

and baking during the day,

but the nights
could get down to zero.

As the greenhouse cools down,

there'll still be
the last remnants of heat

up there.

We're gonna have a little
computer fan in this --

top of this stack.

And our idea
is to capture that heat

and send it down
and warm these rocks,

and then they'll radiate
all night long.

Keep this thing
from freezing.

It will work.

With the underground greenhouse
and goat pen nearing completion,

the raneys are close
to making the homestead

self-sufficient for food.

But that will count for nothing
without one vital ingredient.

Well, Matt and I took us
a little trip to town

this morning,
and we got you a surprise.

Okay.

Look on the back
of the truck there.

What's that?
- Water tank.

Water tank, buddy!

The dilemma on this homestead
has been water.

How do you get it here?

How much you hauling now?

20 per day.

20 gallons a day
you're hauling?

Yes.

Mike's 88-mile
daily trip to haul water

will cost him nearly $19,000
over the next year.

Size matters
when it comes to water.

20 gallons at a time?

1,000 gallons at a time!

Alaska sized!

This $1,000 tank
will save Mike

$14,000 this year alone,

giving him enough
to drill a well in two years.

It's overwhelming
for me and my wife

to even think about having water
without having to carry it.

Let's go!

Down!

The placement
of the tank is crucial.

High up on the bank,
the tank will gravity-feed water

to the cabin
and the underground greenhouse

through pipes buried below
the four-foot frost line.

All right.
Water tank's in the ground.

And now tomorrow
the water truck is coming

with 8,000 pounds of water.

Their life's about to change
for the good.

Hurry up!
I'm thirsty!

You get your fill?

Whoo! I love it!
You don't understand!

Water, water, water!

Telling Mike and Beth we're
gonna get 'em water's one thing.

Seeing 1,000 gallons
of water delivered?

That feels good, man.

I mean, water is life.

The homestead's dead
without it.

Now?

There's hope.

Mike!

Fill your tank, buddy!

I was doubtful
till this morning,

but he promised me water,
and he delivered.

It's a dream coming true.

That's good!

Hey!

Mike!

Grab that.
You know what to do.

Oh, no.
It's not --

it's not working.
Oh!

- Hallelujah!
- Look at that!

Whoo! Don't waste it!
Okay.

So you got water
from the tank,

which is full,
to your house.

How does it feel?
- Great.

It's wonderful.

When the raneys
arrived in Montana 10 days ago,

they found
a homestead paralyzed

by Beth ettinger's
big dreams.

She and husband Mike
had no food source,

no water supply,

and no livestock
on the property.

Goats!
Welcome home!

But with the goat pen
finally finished,

all that's about to change.

We have goats
on the homestead!

Yes, we do.

And they're liking it!

Welcome to the goatel!
- Yes.

Now my goats
are finally here.

How's it feel?

Pretty good, but they're
a little rambunctious.

I'm so happy that the goats
are finally on the homestead.

This is
where they need to be.

Their goats will provide
enough milk, cheese, and meat

to last Mike and Beth
year-round.

And the goats won't be
their only source of food.

- Hey, Marty!
- Yep.

How's things going?

Mike is getting
his first glimpse

at the finished
underground greenhouse.

It's taken Marty six days
to build.

Yeah. I mean,
we've got the heat sink

in right here.
- Okay.

We've got two barrels,
both painted black,

full of water that will be
cooked all day long

and then radiate heat at night
and heat all these rocks.

- Okay.
- Those are your logs.

All these that we used were
either struck by lightning

or k*lled by beetle.
- That's good.

They should last, I would say,
minimum, 1 million years.

And then you can tell me
how long you think this'll last.

- Forever.
- So far you like it?

- Oh, I love it, yeah.
- Okay.

How's it make you feel?

- Great.
- Cool.

I mean, it's just...

Makes you feel good?
Yeah.

It's all right, buddy.

Hey, it's okay.

It's okay, buddy.
Listen to me.

Come here.
Come here!

It's...

When I first met you,
you said, "hey, we, you know,

needed some help
on this homestead,"

And...

- You did it.
- Well, we did it.

So makes me --

it makes me feel good
that we touched you,

not with words,
but with our actions,

and, uh...

Your tears
say volumes to me.

Thanks.

You're quite welcome.

It's our pleasure.

Sorry about that.

It's just
that they don't realize

how much it's appreciated.

Maybe.
I don't know.

But it's more
than I can say.

More than I can say.

All the sweat,

all the sore muscles,

all the long days

pale to insignificance
to that man's tears.

So yeah.
That's my reaction.

With the logs and rocks

naturally sourced
from the homestead

and enough space
to grow 2,000 pounds of crops,

the $1,500 spent on materials

for the roof
and plexiglass

should be recouped
in one good harvest.

Not really what I expected,

but it's
a beautiful greenhouse.

We need to start
with a little lime,

a little peat moss.

We'll be able
to get peas started

and lettuce
and have fresh veggies.

We finally made it.
It was a lot of hard work.

Yes, it was.

And you'll have food
for survival.

It's good.

Well, we've come
to the end of our visit,

and I just wanna thank you guys
for believing in us.

When we first arrived here,

Mike said that
he wouldn't last a month.

But now they've got
a greenhouse,

they've got goats
for meat, milk, and cheese.

And most important,
this homestead now has water.

We're hoping
that we inspired you

to pick up
where we left off.

And we feel confident

that you guys
will survive on this homestead

for the rest of your lives.

Yep.

I asked for help, help came,

and I can't express
how happy I am.

I mean, it's great.

We appreciate it.
- Thank you.

- More than you know.
- We got to go.

Live in the now,
and this homestead will thrive.

- I appreciate that.
- Okay. Thank you!

Yee-haw! Whoo!

Come on, girls.

Since the raneys left,

Mike and Beth have been busy
in the underground greenhouse.

This is pretty amazing
to be able to have strawberries

at this time of year
in Montana.

We are well on our way
to growing all of our food.

Beth has even started
expanding their livestock.

We've been adding
to the homestead,

and we got chickens.

And we should have eggs
in a couple months.

But Mike's been too busy
to go out with the g*n.

I haven't went hunting yet,

but I intend to go hunting
this year.

And hopefully we can fill
the freezer up.

And the predator
threat still remains.

So the cat problem
hasn't gone away,

but I feel
that we can protect ourselves,

and that we'd be safe

if we'd ever
encounter another one.

This season,
six homesteads on the edge...

Oh, my god!

The animals
are tearing everything apart.

The flames are coming!

And I feel
like I'm breaking down.

...six families
battling the wilderness.

Oh, my goodness.

...one family who can save them.

You need the best defense
that you can get.

And to have
just this amount of food

is actually pretty serious.

The next person
that's gonna die here

is you and your wife.

For some, there is salvation.

It's better
than hidden gold!

For others,
there is no way back.

- Jess, I found her!
- That's everything

that we worked for gone.

Hey, it's okay.

It really shows how hard
it is to live here.