-[Marty] Go,
get out of the way. Go!
-[Becca] Oh, my God!
[Misty] I have no idea
how we're gonna grow anything.
It's not sanitary.
Just basically
a cesspool of funk.
Becca?
-Yo.
-[Marty] You ready?
This is a hard homestead
you're up against.
[Marty exclaiming]
That goat's alive
because of you.
Sometimes, you need
a little helping hand,
but you can do it.
You can make
your dreams happen.
Georgia's been around
a long time, kids.
In fact, it was one
of the 13 colonies.
Look at these
old remnants of farms.
Somebody's cleared
these lands,
developed these fields,
homesteaders from long ago.
[Matt] Cool. Very cool.
But wait.
The devil went
down here one time.
-[laughs]
-[Misty groans]
[narrator] The Raneys
are en route to a homestead
100 miles east of Atlanta,
in the dense forests
of East Georgia,
a subtropical region
prone to powerful rainstorms
and deadly floods.
This wild part of Georgia
is covered in dense stands
of timber
that have been used to build
generations of homesteads.
It is from this
hard clay earth
that a young couple
are attempting to grow
their own homesteading dream.
I'm Becca,
and this is my fiancé, Tyler.
[Tyler] I'm
a national guardsman
and a full-time
law enforcement officer.
[Becca] We're
homesteading together.
When I bought this farm,
it wasn't really a farm,
it was more like a run-down
building in the woods.
At first, it was a huge mess,
just from being overgrown.
My dream is being able
to sustain a dairy business,
so I have put in fences,
and got goats,
and it's just sort of evolved
to this major undertaking.
[Tyler] I am the heavy lifter
on the homestead.
But sometimes,
I have to leave for training
with my guard unit.
But our good friend Savannah
has been a tremendous help
with the animals.
Savannah's been living
with us, as well.
We kind of built a good bit
of our foundation together.
We're pretty new at farming.
There are some challenges.
We've gotten mired
in the mud, quite literally.
We go through
torrential downpouring
for weeks and weeks,
even months at a time.
The landscape is kind of
an issue with the moisture.
We live in a bowl.
And we're in
a valley, essentially.
[Tyler] The mud makes it
incredibly difficult
for the goats.
Poor hoof health for them,
they can get abscesses
and infections in their feet,
uh, which can lead to
them getting sick and dying.
[Becca] Additionally,
it's a great breeding ground
for parasites.
They're more susceptible
to getting pneumonia.
Between that
and the parasite loads,
we have lost
a few, unfortunately.
None of the structures
that I have right now,
can I keep anything dry,
and... [sighs] You know,
I've cried so many tears
over trying to fix it
and I just can't seem
to make a dent.
[narrator] Already struggling
to keep the homestead afloat
with the help of
Tyler and Savannah,
Becca's perilous situation
is about to get much worse.
[Becca] Savannah,
she bought a new house
and she's moved away.
And Tyler is going
to be deploying...
Well, we don't know where yet.
[Tyler] Yeah, so I'll be gone
most of 2023 and 2024,
most likely.
[Becca] Losing my support
system, I'm scared.
I just honestly couldn't
manage this by myself
the way that it is.
Raneys, we...
We really need your help.
How's it going?
You got a lot of animals!
[Becca] Oh, just a couple.
Are you the homesteader?
-Yes, sir. I'm Becca.
-[Marty] What's your name?
-Becca?
-Yes, sir.
-David Paul.
-[Marty] You're the dad?
I'm the dad!
Nice to meet you.
Who's this little sidekick?
-I'm Savannah.
-[Marty] Savannah,
nice to meet you.
What's your stake
in this place?
[Savannah] I'm
the main supporter.
I am actually
currently moving away.
[Becca] We have Tyler, too.
-[Marty] Where's he at?
-Well, he's at sn*per training
right now.
So he'll be here tomorrow.
And then, he'll be going away
for a longer period of time
when he deploys,
and then, she's starting
her new life with moving
and everything,
so, I'm kinda ending up
a little bit alone.
Growing up, I always
just felt homesteading
is something that
I was born to do.
It's in my blood.
If I fail to do it,
I'll not have
a calling anymore.
When I found this place,
I just saw so much potential.
I saw a place I could hunt.
I saw a place
I could raise animals.
Just seeing this
diamond in the rough
really got me excited.
Sometimes, I do wanna give up.
I'm always fighting
so many problems.
We're totally just in over
our heads at this point.
We fight with this mud,
just basically
a cesspool of funk.
Our structures are makeshift.
I made a chicken coop
out of these old dog kennels.
Predators can get in there
and k*ll my birds.
We've found dead ones.
I've totally given up
on gardening.
We don't have enough sunlight.
There's too much mud.
And then everywhere else
is just nasty clay
and we can't grow
anything in that.
With everything
that's been happening,
I'm out of solutions.
And now I feel like
with Savannah leaving,
and then, Tyler leaving to be
deployed for 12 months...
It's definitely like
a huge weight on my shoulders.
I just don't know what
I'm gonna do without 'em.
I've been afraid
I'm gonna lose my goats,
my homestead, my dream.
I don't know what I would do.
I don't wanna think about it.
[Marty] How about, uh,
you give me a tour?
-You got five acres, right?
-[Becca] Yes, sir.
[Marty] Is there, like,
grazing or a field
or something?
[Becca] It's not really
a grazing situation right now.
This is what they've made
of their hay pile.
Hay storage is a struggle
of any kind here.
Like, it just sitting
on the ground,
it absorbs a lot of moisture,
and that causes it to mold.
This homestead
is wet everywhere.
Is that healthy
for an animal? No.
That's contamination.
-The goat just peed
just now in front of me.
-Yep.
[Marty] I'll tell you
straight up,
that's not sanitary.
-[exclaims]
-[Becca chuckles]
-Just got bit by a goat.
-[Becca] Oh, no, my God!
[Marty] That's okay.
-[Becca] I'm so sorry.
-[Marty] No, you're fine.
So what is the dream
for this homestead?
[Becca] I want to be able
to sell enough goats' milk
to be able to have, like,
a self-sustaining cycle.
The thing holding us up
is our milking area.
-[Marty] Could you
show it to me?
-[Becca] Yeah.
Right this way.
Um, excuse me, buddy.
-[door rumbling]
-[Becca grunts] Come on in.
-[Marty] Hey, guys, watch out.
-[Becca] All right.
Welcome to the milk bus.
-[Marty] Uh, it's leaning--
-[Becca] It's sinking
into the mud,
like everything else here.
[Marty] You got some,
uh, automated equipment.
This is out of
an old cow dairy
down the street, actually.
So, fixed that up.
I don't know what I would do
if I didn't have that.
Okay. So, where do
all these goats sleep?
I'm happy to show you.
Let's head out the door.
-I'm gonna see, what,
-[Becca] Yes, sir.
[Marty chuckles] Yeah.
-Okay, so...
-Yes, sir.
Is this your barn?
[Becca] If you want
to call it that, sure.
This was an old
hunting cabin on the property.
This is our hay storage.
-But can we go inside?
-Yeah, um, just...
Last night, I had
put a goat in here
and unfortunately,
he's passed away.
-I brought him in here
to try and get him warm.
-What?
-Last night?
-Last night.
I try my best, like,
I've been blanketing him,
and I put him
under a heat lamp,
but with all of our shelters
not being very good,
I guess it just wasn't enough.
[Marty] What are you
thinking the cause was?
Potentially silent pneumonia
because, I mean,
our weather's been going
from, like, 65 degrees,
it's, like, in the 20s.
He was acting
really sick last night,
so I brought him in here,
and then, this morning,
he was dead.
[Marty] This is really sad.
Be more than happy
to help you, uh...
Get him out of here.
-Thank you. Thank you.
-[Marty] Sure. No worries.
I've been on this homestead
for... ten minutes,
and this is telltale.
[sighs]
So... When it comes
to a garden, is this it?
Yeah, she hasn't been able
to expand more than that
because of the...
-Just all the...
-[Misty] All the struggles?
[David Paul]
Struggles and hindrances.
She had tomatoes growing,
but the drainage is so bad,
you get root rot, you know?
It's not working.
It rains a lot here.
It rains here a whole lot.
The ground is just
red, thick clay.
There's no drainage.
-Yeah.
-One of the things
that I see on this property,
it's heavily treed.
And there's not a ton of sun.
When it comes to
an actual garden,
I think the clay combined
with the shade is...
Problematic.
What do you think about her
being out here by herself?
Well... You know,
she needs help.
My wife and I adopted Rebecca
when she was one day old.
We love her very much.
We're just proud of her
for having this homestead.
It's her calling.
It's just, uh,
it's a lot to do.
It needs a lot of work.
She knows what she's doing,
but it's a lot
to keep up with.
Are you at all concerned
for her as a father?
I am, but yet,
I'm a praying man.
I believe the Lord'll
take care of her.
There's a ton of possibility,
but coming up with a plan
and then getting to work
is the best thing
we can do right now.
[rooster crows]
[Savannah] These are
our chicken coops here.
-[Matt] They're like
dog kennels.
-[Savannah] They are.
[Matt] How many chickens?
[Savannah] Roughly about 20.
Are you getting any eggs?
Uh, a few here and there.
Um, but we have had
a lot of trouble
with predators and stuff
getting in and eating them.
-Really?
-Our most recent loss
is in the chicken coop here,
so we know something
definitely made it in.
I think it's behind
the blue barrel.
[Matt] It's a pretty
gruesome sight.
This looked
like something smaller.
This could be a raccoon.
It smells God-awful.
I've seen enough.
Circumstances are...
are... Unfortunate.
We have kind of a triangle,
so we all can take
pressure off each other
to keep the homestead running.
But now that we're having
to go different directions
in life,
we're losing the team.
-This property,
Becca bought it.
-[Savannah] Mmm-hmm.
[Matt] You moved with Becca.
From what I've heard so far,
it sounds like Becca's
going to be doing a lot
of this work on her own.
And when you take off
and Tyler takes off,
it's just gonna be
heaped up more and more.
Are you, like,
slaughtering animals
on the homestead?
Yes, we do. We actually
have a spot over here.
I'll follow you.
[pigs grunting]
So, right over here,
we have this winch system
to lift up the animals
at the moment, so...
-Pretty much primarily
what we do here is the hogs.
-[Matt] Okay.
They're doing all
their processing of
that animal right here.
Hanging off of this tree.
-Yes.
-But what about cutting stuff
into, like, steaks?
So that process is usually,
it's still done, like,
relatively, like, out here.
If you don't really have
a proper processing area,
it's not as sanitary
or productive.
[chickens clucking]
I've got some bad news.
-A goat died last night.
-[Misty] Oh, no!
[Marty] I walked in there
and it was just laying there.
There isn't proper housing.
The feed is getting
damp or moldy.
And look around here.
I mean, I'm not sure
that's what we would call
a chicken coop.
I'm not sure this is
what we would call a barn.
I don't see any pens up there
where the pigs are.
There's a housing shortage
on this homestead.
You found a dead goat?
There's a dead chicken.
-Right now?
-Yeah.
They butcher and process
their pigs outside.
-Mmm.
-So, not having a place
where you can get under a roof
and process meat
is not sanitary.
When it comes to
growing anything,
she has no garden.
This homestead is this
soggy, red clay muck.
And they can't grow anything
because there's no sun.
For Becca just to be
doing this all on her own,
I mean,
this is the impossible.
[narrator] To take advantage
of the ample annual rainfall,
and give the homestead
a self-sufficient source
of food,
Misty must find
a way to garden
in this dark clay soil forest.
To make processing animals
more efficient and sanitary,
Matt must find a way to
bring the process out of
the muck and mire
that plagues this property.
And to save the lifeblood of
this homestead, the livestock,
Marty must find a way
to bring warm, dry shelter
to the over 75 animals
that currently call it home.
It's real simple,
this homestead
truly is in peril.
So it's all about
how can we help these animals
and help basically
one homesteader
take care of it all.
[narrator] The Raneys
have just seven days
and a small build crew
to try and pull this homestead
out of the mud.
So, we've all had a chance
to put our heads together
and come up with a plan
that helps, principally, you.
As daunting as
this homestead is,
we're gonna start working
in the morning,
we're gonna start
fixing problems
one at a time.
And the fixes
are gonna be big.
-It's gonna be complete chaos.
Are you ready for it?
-Ready.
David, we will do our best
to do whatever we can
to help your daughter.
Yeah... [tearfully] You know
I love my daughter, so,
I'm just glad
she's gonna get some help.
Aw, Dad, no.
[muffled] I love you.
See you in the morning.
-[Marty] Hey, who's that guy?
-[Becca laughs]
[narrator] On
the Lamar-Easter homestead
in Eastern Georgia...
-This is Tyler. [laughs]
-We've heard a lot
about him.
...Becca's fiancé Tyler
returns from training
with the National Guard.
-Hello!
-Hi.
I was away, uh,
with a drill with
my guard unit training,
and, uh, I'm glad to be back.
-How are you doing?
-[Tyler] Good, Mr. Raney,
how are you doing?
Yeah, don't call me
"Mister," Tyler.
[Misty] We heard
through the grapevine
that you're just
a little bit worried about
Becca being out here
all by herself
a lot of the time.
Yeah, it's...
It's a little concerning.
Well, it seems like
we have our work crew.
But there is a person
that's missing, right?
-[Becca] Yeah.
-[Matt] Savannah's gone.
I mean, she is
moving this week
the whole time we're here.
So I would really like you
to step in place and pick up
the slack.
-I will be here,
hopefully the whole time.
-That's amazing.
We got a lot of work to do.
I'm ready to get started.
-All right.
-On that note, it really is
a pleasure to meet you.
-Pleasure to meet you, Marty.
-I gotta get to work.
Thank you.
[goats bleating]
[Misty] Dad, I need help.
[narrator] At the center
of the homestead...
I need a bunch of
these trees to go,
because if you're gonna have
a sure shot at a garden,
-there's too much shade.
-[Becca] Yeah.
...Misty and Becca
enlist Marty's help
in kickstarting
the new garden.
[Misty] This is
what I'm thinking.
We need to clear enough trees
to get us...
An open sky.
-You can't even see
the sky right now.
-[Becca] Right.
[Misty] When
we take a tree down,
it's not just for the garden.
It's to eliminate the mud.
And I think you can dry
the homestead out with
every tree you take down.
-[Becca] Right. Yeah.
-It'll help.
It'll help. So, I'm thinking
we can start with the pines
-because they're a danger
to your house.
-[Becca] Yes.
These trees are 120 feet tall.
And then we clear
these trees kinda in here.
In high winds, it's not safe
to have 'em this close
to your house.
So that alone is enough
to take 'em down.
[Marty] I'll get
some chainsaws.
The good news is,
my dad, he's been logging
since he was 15, 16 years old.
Hey, Clint. Well, I guess
the main thing is, is...
Don't let me hit that house.
Just make quick work of it.
One, two, three, four...
Five, six, seven, eight.
Just bam, bam, bam, bam.
Right in the row.
Welcome to Georgia.
This is timber country.
Just keep clear
from that area.
It's gonna go domino
right in that...
-Right in that direction.
-And it's gonna
come down quick.
For centuries, men and women
felled trees with their hands,
using hand tools.
-Okay, ready?
-Yeah.
All right, let's start
with that one.
Just do our thing.
Crosscut saw. [mimics sawing]
This oak,
as you can clearly see,
is looming over the house.
Or an axe. [mimics chopping]
Today, on this homestead,
I used a chainsaw.
Vroom.
[chainsaw whirring]
I used an excavator. Boom.
[wood creaking]
Matt, get out
of the way, that might
barber-chair.
I needed all of that
to get all of these dangerous
trees on the ground...
[chainsaw whirring]
Oh, it's going.
...without hitting a house...
[Becca] Look alive. Great!
Whoo!
...a fence...
...or a shed.
[chainsaw whirring]
[Becca] Farewell.
You will not be missed.
-[Marty] It's off! It's off!
-[Clint exclaiming]
-[all yelling]
-[Becca] Oh, my God.
And guess what?
One out of three ain't bad.
-Becca!
-Oh, hey, look, the fence
is still usable. Mostly.
I like your attitude.
-[laughing]
-But this is definitely not
what I wanted to happen.
[Becca] Marty felt so bad
and I feel bad
that he feels bad,
because I know, like,
we'll fix it together.
But, anyway, I'm sorry.
-That's called collateral
damage. Sorry.
-Collateral damage.
-[Marty] Think it's all
gonna work out.
-[Becca] Gonna be worth it.
[goats bleating,
chickens clucking]
[Matt] I cleared out
a little space...
[narrator] At the edge
of the homestead...
I am thinking about
putting a foundation
for a processing station
right here.
...Matt enlists Tyler's help
to create a sanitary space
to process the couple's
livestock into meat.
[Matt] You need a place
that is out of the elements,
something with all
the stuff you need
to make it really easy,
not just for you,
but also for Becca.
[Tyler] I think that would be
great. We've made do with
what we had,
but lot of room for
improvement with that.
Becca and Tyler are
using their livestock for food
and they're processing
all the meat right here
on the property.
But they've put
the bare minimum into
their processing station.
My dad, Misty, we've all
kind of been thinking, like,
how is Becca gonna be able
to raise all this livestock,
process the meat,
and milk all the goats?
We really have to make sure
-that she can handle
the workload.
-Yeah.
I think it would be
really cool to pour
a concrete pad.
Something that is
easy to clean,
like a shop floor.
I think it's great.
I have no, uh,
prior experience homesteading.
Becca and I,
when we first
started dating,
that's my first time
getting my feet wet.
As I've fallen
in love with her
and know that...
how much she desires this,
um, it's become
a part of me, too,
uh, and I really want
to see it succeed
so we're both happy.
We wanna do as much
as we possibly can
-to help Becca.
-[Tyler] Yeah.
[Matt] So then when
you do come back
from your deployment,
I would love it
if you came back
and you saw Becca thriving.
[Tyler] I think
the hardest thing
for me being on the homestead
is, uh, just that feeling that
I'm kinda falling short.
And the thought of me
leaving for 12 months
and not being here
to help her, um...
Uh, kinda increases
that feeling.
We just need to get
all the work done
to make sure that
the infrastructure's here
so that Becca can thrive
while you're away
and then once you're done,
coming back and you'll be
around here a lot more,
-it'll just be
that much better.
-[Tyler] Yeah.
I'm really hoping that
while the Raneys are here,
that I'll be able to pick up
some of the tricks
of the trade
and, uh, and be able
to learn how to use
what we have currently,
uh, to defeat these problems.
If we're gonna build
a concrete form,
we're gonna need
some tools, some materials,
and I need to get
the skid steer over here
to flatten this out.
-You ready?
-[Tyler] Yes, sir.
Sounds good.
[pigs grunting]
[Marty] Okay, couple things.
On day one, we looked
around your homestead.
I was greeted with
a dead goat.
These animals might have
the worst-looking homes
I've ever seen on a homestead.
Not trying to
make you feel bad.
-Yeah. We got problems.
-[Marty] Right?
What I think you need...
Is some kind of a barn.
I really could use a barn.
What if we...
Incorporated that tree
right behind you
-and that tree right there?
-Mmm-hmm.
And maybe that one
right over there?
Like, while they're
still standing?
Yeah.
Is it safe?
Do I look like
a dangerous guy?[chuckles]
The ground's wet.
This is a very moist
piece of property.
And there's not a lot
of dry space
to get away from the mud.
These animals all have
wet feet.
And wet feed leads to...
Sickness.
[narrator] Wet,
humid conditions
like those in the subtropic
forests of Georgia
can be a breeding ground
not just for bacteria,
but for a wide variety
of parasites
from intestinal worms
to liver flukes,
some of which can even
be transmitted to humans.
In addition, these conditions
can quickly lead
to hoof rot in goats
and sheep,
a costly contagious disease
that can lead to lameness
and death.
[Marty] We'll cut
that one off.
As soon as we have
these two logs about
the same elevation,
then we'll put one
across the top.
So, if I'm gonna
cut trees down
to allow more sun to
come into this property
and dry it out,
what am I gonna do
with those stumps?
Okay, that tree's gonna go
right here.
[Becca laughing] Okay.
-Right off through there.
You ready?
-[Becca] Okay.
Let's do it.
Cut 'em down low
or cut 'em off high.
And they'll serve as
a foundation for a barn.
[narrator]
To give the goat herd
a safe sanctuary
from the homestead's
persistently wet,
muddy conditions,
Marty will construct
a one-of-a-kind raised barn
built atop the stumps
of some of the homestead's
massive cedar trees.
Those same trees will serve
as a sturdy foundation
to keep the herd's new home
high and dry.
[Marty] That's good, right?
Just thinking about my goats
having this barn that Marty
is gonna build,
I am, like, beyond words,
just so grateful
and so happy about it.
Phew!
I know that my goats,
they deserve better,
and I know that I've tried
to build them a barn
and failed.
-[Marty exclaims]
-[Becca] On it!
Take this. Don't get hurt.
[Becca] So Marty building them
nice high and dry shelter,
that just makes me feel
all warm and fuzzy inside.
[chainsaw whirring]
-[applauding]
-[Marty] Let's build a barn!
That was exciting.
[Marty] I don't wanna
get k*lled.
Whoo, whoo, whoo!
Don't hit the ladder!
Get it over on...
Get it on the middle!
Get it on there!
[Misty] So that was
kind of a big morning.
[narrator] Over at
the freshly-cut clearing...
[Misty] You've missed
some things.
-I know. Wow!
-[all laughing]
...Misty, Becca,
and her father David Paul
prepare to take advantage
of the newly-created exposure
to the southern sun.
We took some trees down
and you can actually see
the sun for the first time.
-Yes.
-[Misty] But this is
a hard homestead.
When it comes
to growing food,
you're up against it.
This homestead
has terrible soil.
It's solid clay.
Because of the flooding
and the moisture,
you have a drainage issue.
And now, there's not
the right nutrients.
So in order for us
to deal with this clay soil
and the amount of moisture,
and also, to get out
of this mud,
I would love to do
a raised bed,
a raised garden.
I would like to
use these stumps
to get you off the ground.
For me, it's so important
when you only have a week
for the problem to be
a part of the solution.
The general idea
would be to have
a garden that is
actually raised off
of these stumps.
We've cut down all these trees
because we needed to open
this homestead up for sun.
And as soon as we did that,
we had stumps that
could be used as
foundation posts.
I think it's so interesting
that you can repurpose
the stumps.
-[Misty] Yeah.
-And not just, like, you know,
throw 'em in a burn pile.
And it was all just here.
It was just a matter of
figuring out what the plan
was gonna be.
So we're gonna get to work.
I know my dad needs your help,
-so you can go help him
and we're gonna start.
-[Becca] Yes. Okay, cool.
Sounds good to me.
-All righty. Sounds great.
-Okay.
Okay. I know Rebecca
would love very much
to have a garden
on this land.
I know she could
take care of herself.
Be more self-sustaining
if, well,
she could grow peas and corn
and vegetables she likes.
So we can just
throw this up here.
[David Paul] It could
really be helpful to her.
We'll throw a level on here
and try and get them as level
as we can.
I believe this is
a crucial time that
Rebecca needs some help,
and I believe the Raneys
are the very perfect party
to come in here
and help with this.
Right about like there.
Their experience
and their wisdom in this
and their willingness
to help her with this land
and it's crucial.
It's needed now.
Yoo-hoo!
Okay, we're gonna mark this,
try and get it level.
And, yeah!
-Full steam ahead.
-All righty.
[goats bleating]
[Matt] This is the foundation.
You gotta start somewhere.
And nothing really beats
a concrete foundation.
-We are making
a 17-foot diameter...
-[Tyler] Okay.
...circle slab
that can be able to hold
the structure we're gonna
build here.
This processing station really
starts with the foundation.
It's just a nice, smooth slab.
Thing with concrete,
it is 90% preparation.
We've been trying to make sure
that we have a nice circle
that we can put
our form boards on.
So the only thing
we really have to do now
is put in the actual boards
that are going to form
our concrete
and turn this thing into
the circular foundation
that we want it to be.
Gotcha.
The thing that's really good
about a concrete slab is
it lasts forever.
Now, help me...
help me stretch these out.
It's waterproof.
It's scratchproof.
It's pretty much
everything-proof.
Stick it out.
Push it real good.
Tyler didn't grow up
pouring concrete like me.
Hold on. Hold on, hold on.
But I'm seeing him
really take a shine to this.
I'm seeing him
really pick up on
all the little tricks.
He's picking up on it quick.
-It looks pretty good, eh?
-Yeah!
We've got our form in.
Here comes the truck!
All that is really good news
for me,
and also for Becca.
[Tyler] Working with Matt
is great.
He's been teaching me a lot
about putting forms down
and how to make sure
that project ends the way
you want it to.
Just doing all the preparation
for pouring the concrete...
[Matt] Scrape that mud,
pull it back.
See this? That's too much.
[Tyler] I love digging
in the dirt and everything,
so I'm loving it.
I know Misty and Marty
are working on some pretty
large-scale projects as well,
from what it looked like.
All right, we need
some mud over here.
I can't even imagine
what the end result's
gonna be.
[Matt] It feels
pretty firm already.
Maybe we won't be
here till midnight.
But I'm ready to keep rolling
and knocking anything out
we can
in the time we have.
How much do we have left?
[man] Right at the end.
This it, right here.
[Matt] We got enough,
you guys.
[goat bleating]
[Marty] Okay, kid.
-You good?
-Pretty level.
We leveled that log
and then...
Clint, you wanna use
the tongs on this?
We'll just get it centered.
Let's hit it.
Here's the cool thing
about this barn.
It's built on trees
this big around.
You gotta get
right to the middle
of that.
It's going up there?
We'll set it on that end,
and then we'll
let it come down,
then I'll cut that side.
There'll be a roof system on
protecting them
from the weather.
We're gonna set it
on that end, right?
Okay, I'm gonna swing over.
[Marty] Whatever,
but I don't wanna get k*lled.
The cross log is
this big around.
Whoo, whoo, whoo!
Gonna hit the ladder!
Think I gotta go that way.
Yeah, feel free!
I'm gonna have to
curl out to get there.
-[Marty] I don't like
getting under logs.
-[Clint] I know. I'm sorry.
[Marty] Get it over on...
Get it on the middle!
Get it on there!
About three feet
will be center-center!
Yep, yep!
How's it look? How's it look?
Looks good, I think.
-Looks pretty level.
-Level and cool?
Or cool and level?
-[Clint chuckles]
-Which one?
-Both.
-We'll take 'em.
Whoo!
Get it nice and charred.
You're looking for black.
I've never seen someone
come alive like David Paul
when I gave him
a flamethrower.
He's super weak in his legs.
See if we can give him
a fighting chance.
[bleats]
[narrator] At the goat barn
build site,
Marty and Becca begin
work on the structure's
raised floor.
All right, so,
I think by tonight,
we should have a deck on here.
[Becca] Okay,
sounds good. [laughing]
So, when we work with logs,
they're round
and they're cut off square.
To make them fit together,
sometimes, we will use a
mortise and tenon connection.
We take one end of a log
and make like a beam,
and then we'll cut out
the other log
so that that beam
or that notch
or that dimensional shape
fits inside the receiver.
That's a mortise
and tenon connection.
[narrator] A Stone Age
technique that dates back
at least 7,000 years,
mortise and tenon joints
allowed for strong,
stable construction
thousands of years before
the invention of metal-working
and nails.
While the first known example
of the joint was in
a Neolithic well
outside of what is today
Leipzig, Germany,
its use can be found
across the globe
and throughout history,
from Ancient Egyptian ships
to traditional
Chinese architecture.
Guide this in
the slot, please.
Yep!
Okay, now, down!
[tool whirring]
Shake that log!
-[Becca] Yup.
-Got those loose?
Throw 'em over the top,
let's do another one.
[pig grunting]
[Misty] I'll grab it.
I'll grab it with the forks.
So there's a massive stack
of cedars that are gonna be
the new base
that goes on top of the stump
for the raised beds.
Okay.
So...
We have cedar. They'll last
until the end of time.
It's moisture, rot-resistant,
pest-resistant,
and they're tough,
so we'll span each stump,
get a nice base,
and then start building
the raised bed.
[chainsaw whirring]
Okay, so, we've got
a little notch cut out.
That way, the log will have
something to lock into
and it won't roll away.
We needed cedar trees
specifically for my build
because it's insect
and rot-resistant.
It lasts forever.
We're gonna friction-fit
in the notches.
And without that,
the whole thing would rot.
[Misty grunting]
Yoo-hoo!
I mean, that's never
going anywhere.
The problem is,
if you just leave it out
in the elements
in these conditions,
even cedar logs will rot
and disintegrate.
So we have to
preserve the wood
and in this case,
to preserve it,
we're gonna burn it.
All right. David Paul,
I got a fun job for you.
[David Paul] Oh, yeah?
[Misty] It's time to
take it to the next level.
Any time you burn wood,
if you char it dark enough,
black enough,
it actually acts as
a natural sealant.
So we're gonna char
anywhere where we cut.
[David Paul] When I started
talking to Misty about these
above-ground gardens
up on the stumps,
uh, just... I was trying
to clarify in my mind
what in the world
she's talking about.
And just squeeze that.
Get it nice and black.
[David Paul] Now,
I'm getting a bigger picture.
I'm seeing what
she's talking about,
and those gardens are
gonna be good.
[Misty] What do you think?
-Of that?
-Fun!
We're just excited about
what's taking place,
and I'm enjoying helping
with everything this week
and what's taking place
in Rebecca's life
'cause, of course,
we love her.
So you're looking for black.
You're even gonna go back
on that notch and get it
nice and charred.
David Paul is just so sweet.
But I've never seen someone
come alive like him
when I gave him
a flamethrower.
I'm a pyromaniac!
That cedar smells
good. [laughs]
[Misty exclaims] Good job!
What do you think?
-It's fun.
-[both laughing]
[Misty] Don't worry.
We have much more to do.
[David Paul] All right.
[Matt] All right.
How does the slab look?
[Tyler] It looks great.
[narrator] At the new
concrete pad...
We got a round slab.
What the heck is gonna
go on this thing?
I've been wondering that
since day one.
...Matt and Tyler
continue work on the new
animal processing station.
Well, now is the time,
my friend.
This homestead needs
a processing plant
that's out of the elements
and sanitary.
-Hey!
-[Rick Miller] How are you?
-[Matt] Rick?
-Yes, sir.
[Matt] And we need to
get this done quick.
I'm only here till
the end of the week
and Tyler is getting deployed
to his National Guard unit.
We gotta get
this place sustainable
and manageable for Becca
once he leaves.
This is Tyler.
-Tyler. Nice to meet you.
-Rick Miller.
Rick, Tyler has been doing
all of his animal processing
and everything
on a tree that we cut down.
And I wanted to give
this homestead something
really special
as a processing station.
That's where you come in here.
-Let's do it.
-All right, let's go.
Outstanding.
[Matt] It's made out
of galvanized steel.
It's easy to clean.
And it's sanitary.
-You got it, sirs?
-[Tyler] Yes, sir.
It's basically a grain silo
with a couple pieces missing.
And Tyler, he's not really
used to doing construction.
Where's the T at?
Oh, it's in my left hand.
You go that way.
But...
Your right hand's the top.
...he's working really well.
-[Matt] There you go.
-[Tyler] Bingo.
We've done concrete.
[Rick] Put this down over
the ladder, but hold it up.
We're doing sheet metal.
We're doing framing
construction with steel.
[Tyler] The mud
and the other challenges here
have been a struggle
since I showed up
on the homestead.
Uh, so, for about
two-and-a-half years,
it's been the same way.
Just trudging along
through everything.
Seeing what progress
we've been able to accomplish
in a matter of a day or two
puts me in a real
great state of mind
that we're gonna accomplish
a lot while they're here.
-[tool pops]
-[Rick] How close is that?
[Matt] Looking good.
I can only imagine it's gonna
put a profound impact
on our farm
and make it a lot better
for life for us there.
[Matt] Okay. Let's cinch
this thing down, eh?
[Tyler] Yeah.
-[Misty] Look who's coming
down the driveway.
-[David Paul] Oh, yeah.
[narrator] On the
Lamar-Easter homestead...
City kids can't wait
for the ice cream truck.
Homesteader kids can't wait
for the sawmill guy.
...as Marty and Misty
welcome the arrival of
a vital piece of equipment...
We can't go any further
until we get some supplies
from you.
We need you.
...Matt and Tyler
continue work on
the processing station.
[Matt] Where should we
hook this up at?
[Rick] Let's hook here
to this hook right here.
And then, I'm just gonna
have a chain dangling,
-and I'll literally just--
-[Rick] Drop it through
the hole
and they're gonna tie it
to the straps on the inside
-and you're gonna lift up.
-Okay.
This homestead has a lot
of livestock. There's a lot
of chores.
And with Tyler
and Savannah leaving
the property,
we have to make sure that
Becca has a homestead
that's as manageable
and as easy to care for
as possible.
[Rick] Pull.
[Matt] The GrainZebo is made
out of galvanized steel.
Hang on.
[Matt] It's easy to clean.
It is the perfect building
to process meat
on this homestead.
[Rick] All right. The straps.
[Matt] Tyler's doing great.
He's got tools in his hands.
[Rick] Want that right through
there. Got it.
He's learning a ton
of new skills
that I definitely think
he's gonna carry on
to the homestead
long after I leave.
All right!
It's really coming together.
-What do you think, Tyler?
-I'm excited. I'm excited.
It's been incredibly difficult
watching Becca struggle
with all these problems
on the homestead.
Just feeling like
I can't help her.
The next step is
we've gotta anchor it down
and then we'll put our bottom
sheets on and you'll have
your GrainZebo.
Outstanding.
Awesome. We're this close.
Let's just keep going.
-Let's get it done.
-Absolutely.
Watching the love of your life
sit there and
struggle and fail,
and struggle and fail,
and struggle and fail,
and not seem to be able to
get a handle on and conquer
these problems,
it's incredibly difficult
to watch.
And in addition, I've realized
over the last couple years
with the supply chain issues
and how quickly
our infrastructure
can fall apart,
how important it is
to not only have, like,
reserves in the freezer,
but have a means to
continually provide
for ourselves.
[Matt] Right there.
[Tyler] I'm shortly leaving
for 12 months.
And I really want to see
the homestead be able to be
in a place
where Rebecca can thrive
out here on her own.
-What do you think
about this thing?
-I think it looks great.
I can't wait to start
making our own food
in here
and everything.
This'll be great.
[Matt] This is the best place
for processing food we've ever
put on a homestead.
I would live in here!
I wanna move
into this place, man.
This thing is really cool,
so congratulations.
And thank you so much, Rick.
Thank you, guys. It was
an honor. Tyler. Enjoy it.
All right, I know you got
a long drive ahead,
so we'll let you get to it,
and, uh, I think
we're done here.
-Let's go.
-All right.
Thanks, guys.
[Becca] Hey, Marty!
Yes, ma'am!
So I got a call this morning.
Friend of mine up the road
has a baby goat that needs
a little bit of a rescue.
Here I am, in over my head
with things to get done
on Becca's homestead.
The clock's ticking.
He kind of can't walk.
But now I have to
stop all work.
Why? Becca's going to
the rescue
of a fellow homesteader.
Why is she callin' you?
[groans]
I always say yes.
-[laughs]
-Okay.
My friend called me
to come rescue her goat.
I've worked
with my herd so much.
I've run across almost,
but I'm sure not quite
every single problem.
-You wanna come?
-Let's go.
-All right, let's do it.
-Clint.
Clint, I'll unhook
these tongs.
[Becca] We're gonna turn.
See those goats?
-Oh, yeah.
-Take a left.
-This their place?
-That's their place.
-Looks nice.
-It is nice.
[Marty]
Well, I think it's cool
that you've got enough
experience as a homesteader
with farm animals,
with goats,
that this lady
that's got a huge farm
reached out to you for help.
I think that says a lot
about you.
You're a goat girl.
In the short time that
I've been on this homestead,
it's quite apparent that Becca
is indeed the goat lady.
[Becca] I guess I am
the goat girl.
Oh, yeah, it's that one.
When the neighborhood goats
on other homesteads get sick,
Becca is the goat-to person.
She's amazing.
[goat bleats]
[Becca] Oh, goodness.
-He's just--
-[bleats]
What?
Are you not doing so good?
Do you need to come
home with me?
Well, he's super-weak
in his legs.
Might be selenium deficiency.
Look at what's happening
to him,
just trying to keep up
with Mom to get food.
He needs to be put
on a bottle
-if he has any sort of chance.
-Oh, yeah.
-So--
-Well, the competition
out here is fierce, too.
[Becca] Yeah, he's got
quite a few to fight off.
So, I'm gonna put him
in the house
and see if we can give him
a fighting chance.
All right, little buddy.
All I can tell you,
little buddy,
is you're in
really good hands.
So, let's go.
Let's roll.
All right. You ready to
actually start
constructing these beds,
David Paul?
-[David Paul] I am.
-Grab this.
[Misty] So the idea is
gonna be--
be these 2x4s
with the 1-by cedar
all the way around.
And that's the general idea.
Just, we'll get everything
screwed down
and then
we'll start filling them.
-Sounds good.
-Sounds good. Here we go.
What's really cool
about David Paul
is you can tell how much
he loves his daughter.
Yeah, nice.
He has been working
so hard.
Okay, one more screw in there.
So, obviously, he wants
good things for Becca.
And we want the same.
So, the bones of the bed
are done.
Now it's time
to start filling it.
See that cedar brush pile?
The first step is gonna be,
those branches
and these brush piles,
kind of creating a web
with branches and sticks.
-Mmm-hmm.
-You just line the bottom
of this bed
with a 1-inch layer so we can
fill the bed with dirt.
All right, yes! Okay.
So, we'll take some of
the bigger stuff
and they're just gonna
be the supports.
Yup.
Which are gonna help
allow for drainage,
hold everything in...
and create a little
web of sticks.
And that'll be the catch for
all the organics on top.
And, as things break down
and decompose,
voila, you've got topsoil.
[David Paul] Très bien!
[chuckles]
-Well, how's our little guy?
-Hey, Marty.
The little dude's
doing really good.
For real? All right.
Wow, he even looks better.
Really perking up, taking
that bottle really good.
You saved him!
Well, he's not
out of the woods yet.
We gotta see
how his legs do.
He's still pretty weak
on that hind end.
-Mmm-hmm.
-So he's struggling kind of
to stand up.
He's better,
but not out of the woods.
Ah, man, come on,
little buddy.
But you know what we're
gonna name him if he lives?
-What?
-Marty.
-[Marty chuckles]
-Of course.
I'm not worthy.
I'm not worthy, little guy.
Come on.
He's even got a little like
white spot on his head,
kind of like your hat.
Oh, gosh.
But he's really--
he's eating really well.
He's going to the bathroom.
Those are really, really
good signs.
And he's definitely stronger
than he was this morning.
I mean, look at that
suck reflex.
This is a great sign.
-Yeah.
-If an animal's that hungry
and getting after it...
Yeah.
-I told you--
-...he knows he needs it.
I'll tell ya, it's been
kind of a hard day,
but this makes it
all worthwhile,
seeing this guy doing better.
It definitely warms your heart
when they improve.
I'll get back to work.
I'm so proud of you.
You rescued a goat.
You saved a goat.
You're not gonna take credit.
I know.
But that goat's alive
because of you.
-Thank you. Thank you!
-Thanks, Marty.
Keep up the good work.
[Matt] There was some trouble
with the little piglets.
Uh, the babies from
one whole litter,
they all got sick and died.
[Matt] I could tell
right away,
these piglets,
they are in danger.
[Marty] What's happening?
[narrator] At the center
of the homestead...
Miracle.
...Misty, Marty and Matt
receive another
much-needed donation
from the local community.
These guys donated
that load of lumber
that I need for the barn.
We decided to build Becca
a barn with a wooden floor.
But it's gotta be made
out of treated lumber.
Hey. Thank you. Thank you.
Why? I want it to be
goat pee
and goat poop resistant.
The word on the street is
you donated this lumber.
Absolutely.
This is indeed an
unexpected miracle,
thanks to your generosity.
We appreciate it so much.
It's got preservatives in it
and it helps protect it
and it gives it longevity.
-Well, I like to give back.
-Thank you.
And it's our honor to do so.
[Marty] Thanks one more time.
-Hector, Hector, Todd,
Thank you.
-It's nice to meet you.
-[Matt] Thank you so much.
-[Todd] Yeah, thank you.
Thank you.
-Appreciate it.
-You're very welcome.
-[Marty] Thank you so much.
-Thank you so much.
Hospitality of the South.
That said,
the Lord helps those
who help themselves.
There ya go.
And so do I.
Thank you so much,
young lady.
Every time I turn around,
Becca's right there...
Thank you.
...pounding a nail,
putting in a screw...
Last one. Whoo.
...cutting a board,
carrying something heavy.
It doesn't matter.
I can clearly see this,
indeed, is her life.
Thank you.
If we can help...
that girl
will be here forever.
How does it look?
[Becca] It looks awesome.
-[Marty] Young lady.
-Yo.
Grab that nail g*n.
-Okay.
-Hit it.
[Misty] All right.
We got the first layer down.
[narrator]
Back at the clearing...
It's these 1-inch sticks
that's gonna kind of
-help retain
everything on top.
-[David Paul] All right.
...Misty and David Paul
continue work
on the elevated garden beds.
What's also gonna
help with that
is the next layer.
-Cardboard!
-Cardboard!
Okay, so I actually brought
a bunch of cardboard with me.
Do you wanna grab some more
and we'll just get
the next layer down?
-Okay.
-Okay.
[Misty] So now that
the bed's constructed,
it's gonna be all about
soil building.
We're just gonna get
a rough little patchwork in
without blocking
your drainage, right?
We're not gonna get
too tight.
So to do that,
I have this idea to do
a lasagna garden.
The next step is leaves.
You ready to do
some yardwork
and rake some leaves?
Oh, yeah!
Basically, it's mimicking
Mother Nature.
When you're out in the forest,
you have things like sticks
and branches and leaves.
We also need some
well-composted manure.
So I'm gonna grab that.
All of this
natural ingredients,
they'll break down
and make topsoil.
Since Becca's moved
to this homestead,
she's been
mucking out her barn
and throwing the manure
over this bank.
So there's
this amazing fertilizer.
In a lasagna garden,
we are trying to mimic
Mother Nature.
And to do that,
you need carbon,
you need nitrogen.
They call 'em
"the brown and the greens."
And you need the right ratio.
It's nice and broken-down.
It's been sittin' a while.
And there's a bunch of it.
So this'll be the next layer.
For Georgia,
we're gonna do a 2:1.
So two brown layers
to one green.
And we're gonna start
with brown. Branches,
leaves and manure.
Who knew I would be
so excited to come get poop?
And then, one by one, we're
gonna get our layers in there.
[narrator] Also known
as sheet composting,
lasagna gardening is
an organic soil
building technique.
Alternating layers of nitrogen
and carbon-rich materials
are stacked and allowed
to decompose over time.
With the help of worms
and microorganisms,
the mixture will cook down,
turning into rich
nutrient dense soil
inside the raised beds.
We'll get it spread,
just a thin layer,
and we'll move on
to some leaves.
All right! Yoo-hoo!
Scoop and scatter the next
layer of the lasagna garden.
So we have our browns,
the carbon.
Next, we're gonna move to
the green, the nitrogen.
Now we're going
for the next layer,
which is grass clippings.
-Oh!
-So we're gonna
spread this around
'cause we're trying to get
the 2:1 ratio, right?
We'll do grass clippings.
Oh, it smells so good.
Why does grass clippings
smell so good?
Coffee grounds.
Coffee grounds,
high in nitrogen.
So we're just gonna
mix it right in
with the grass clippings.
-I didn't know coffee grounds
could do this.
-Right?
And last thing,
finish off with some straw.
All right, last layer.
A little extra carbon,
-the brown.
-Comin' your way.
So, I don't cook that much...
Now we're just gonna finish
it off with a little water.
...but people say
that my lasagna garden's
the finest they've ever had.
And now you know
the Raney secret
family lasagna recipe.
Are you gonna tell anybody?
I am.
[chuckles] Good!
All the ingredients were here.
They just needed
to be put together.
Lasagna takes a while.
But it's worth the effort.
Good girl.
You're a good girl.
[narrator]
Back by the box-truck-
turned-milking-station,
though there are just two days
left in the rescue
and much to do,
Becca takes
a break from the work
to tend to the needs
of her herd.
Routine is really important,
especially when you're working
with a dairy animal.
They need to be milked
twice a day every day.
And so you have that routine.
You have that structure.
You're a good girl.
You're a good girl.
I really would like to be
able to sell goat milk
off my farm one day.
I mean,
that's really like a...
untapped market around here.
You're a good goat.
I know there's a lot of
potential to
make money doing that.
Currently in the state
that everything is in,
it's just not possible.
When you have
a mud pit for a farm,
how could I even have
the USDA inspector out here
to inspect my facility?
But now that we have
the Raneys,
which is a big relief,
I just am happy that
they're here to help.
That's a good goat.
That's good.
All right, Tyler,
here we are
in the pig pen.
[narrator]
Across the homestead...
The reason
why I'm standing here
is because I heard that,
on this homestead,
there was some trouble with
the little piglets surviving.
...Matt and Tyler confront
the dangerous conditions
in the homestead's pig pen.
Uh, the babies from
one whole litter,
they all got sick and died
from pneumonia.
[Matt] Okay. I'm gonna cut
to the nitty-gritty.
If you take a look at
where they've been
farrowing these piglets,
I could tell right away
they are not something
that you'd wanna use.
What I like about these
is they're kind of
the perfect size.
Mmm-hmm.
But, honestly, I mean,
a lot of it's kind of cracked.
The ground is
a little muddy.
These things are...
they're used.
You know? And they're
kind of breaking down,
and they're definitely
not pig proof.
Having like a proper
farrowing pen
would be way better.
First of all,
they're made of plastic.
They get beat up real easily
by the pigs.
And there ain't no bottom
to 'em.
They're basically
just a roof that goes
straight into the mud.
I think we need something
that has the proper protection
so that these pigs will have
the most chance of success.
We need to give
those little piglets
the best chance of survival
and give them
a proper farrowing pen.
Anybody that wants
to raise pigs from piglets
is gonna have to know
what a farrowing pen is.
It's a very basic design
that separates
the sow from those piglets
so that those little piglets
don't get crushed.
That'd be cool. I think
something more permanent
would help.
[Matt] On top of that, we need
to keep the piglets warm
and up out of the mud
and get 'em into
something more solid.
These are actually a really
good visual representation
of the size of something
that I wanna make.
It could be shorter.
It could be
just about as wide,
just about as long.
Make it a little bit
more closed in
to keep them warm
in the winter.
My family and I, we've built
a lot of farrowing pens
on homesteads.
But we haven't built
a farrowing pen like the one
I'm thinking right now.
Cedar 4x4s.
These are gonna make
our foundation process
so much quicker.
Okay.
You don't have to go big.
You really just need like
a doghouse-sized building
with a tiny dividing wall that
a little piglet can go under
to get away from the mom.
We are building with
freshly-cut lumber.
It'll all shrink
and twist together.
And it's definitely
gonna last.
That's about it.
As long as those piglets
aren't in the mud
and they're not getting
smashed by that sow,
then you have a very
successful farrowing pen.
So we need to dig
some holes.
We'll make
a nice little square
once we know
our little four corners.
And then we'll throw
these posts in there
and we'll start
building a deck.
And it'll go pretty quick.
You'll see that,
by the end of today,
we'll at least have
some rough walls up.
-Are you into it?
-I'm into it.
All right.
Any ideas of
how to get this
all the way up to here?
[Becca] That truck was never
intended to be flown
up in the air.
It's a little scary.
[Marty] There's a tremendous
amount of work left here.
Am I gonna make it?
I have no idea.
Careful!
[Misty]
Before the rain comes...
-[Becca] Yeah.
-...we've gotta do
a big, big clean.
[Becca] Let's do it.
[narrator] There are less than
two days left on the rescue.
[Becca]
Let's get the hay moved.
[Misty] I can help you
move it over.
[narrator] With one of
Georgia's notorious
subtropic rainstorms
forecast to hit
within 48 hours...
[Becca] Perfect.
Just have to be in here
for a little while.
...Misty and Becca move
the homestead's remaining
hay supplies
to the relative shelter of
the old goat barn.
[Becca] It's a little better
but it's still leaky.
And it's the only place
I can put a hay bale
and it not get wrecked.
It is what it is.
I'm so excited for that barn.
It's giving me hay storage.
It's giving me kidding stalls
that are gonna be
easier to clean.
It is giving me
a whole lot more
than I think anybody realizes.
Hey, guys.
You hungry? Let's go.
Everything's about you!
You better know I love you
'cause it's all about you.
Clint, get in here.
We gotta figure out
how to raise this up.
[narrator]
By the new goat barn,
Marty and Becca prepare to
attach the homestead's
one-of-a-kind milking station
to the barn's raised floor.
I found the keys...
in the ignition.
Becca tells me,
"I wanna continue
to use my van
as the milking station."
You mean that van
that's leaning like this
and sitting in
about that much goat poop?
Any ideas of
how to get this
all the way up to here,
let me know.
But I'm gonna start
with logs. Let's go.
The best way that I could
help her is raise the van
to the barn
and make it all one floor,
all level.
Not a small task.
We're gonna raise it.
We're gonna try to get
that under there.
Set it on that pile of crap,
Clint.
Set it on the pile of crap
and we can roll it down.
Down please.
Perfect!
[Becca] I'm fascinated by it
being put on logs.
That truck was never
intended to be flown
up in the air.
It's humongous and heavy.
It's a little hairy.
It's a little scary.
Let it down please.
You got both those logs
under the straight axle.
Money!
So we'll probably
do this, Clint.
We'll just keep shoving shims,
logs, whatever,
in the front, back. Get up.
And then we'll go
through here with our finals.
Through here, where we can
have room to work
and set down, put logs
and cedar, or whatever.
We had to raise it
in the air one tree, one log,
one inch, literally,
at a time.
If you lose this, we're
gonna end up with a van
down by the river.
Okay?
Careful!
And then crib it with
the beams from the sawmill.
[man] That's real close.
[Marty] Done.
Thank you.
That said, there's a
tremendous amount of work left
before we finish the barn.
Am I gonna make it?
I have no idea.
-So I have some ideas
that I need to run by you.
-Sure.
[narrator] Over by
the homestead's
makeshift chicken coops...
[Misty] I hate
these chicken coops.
[Becca] Yeah,
I hate 'em too.
I believe the goats
are gonna be moved
into the new barn.
And the old barn,
where they are right now,
will become available.
I hate when there is
loss of life on a homestead.
And there was a chicken dead
when we showed up.
Chickens are just
so helpless,
and they just really
need the protection.
We literally could just go
from this location
right across the street
to that location.
I think this could be
a one-day chicken coop.
-And I think
that's worth the time...
-Mmm-hmm.
...spent by me
to just go for it.
Okay. Sounds great.
I have to do a chicken coop
in one day.
The only way I'm gonna
be able to do that
is I start repurposing things.
All right. And now you're
looking at a new nesting box.
We have scrap lumber
that are gonna be
the new brooding box
and the new nesting boxes.
I'm just gonna put
little cubbies in here.
The little
we'll stack in a few.
Make a few perches.
Use the other cabinet
as a little brooding box.
We'll get some chicken wire
and the idea is literally
just to slap something
up on that old barn...
and then just
figure out water.
Get the gutter in a position
where we can
catch that rainfall.
And as long as we have
this makeshift downspout
with the little--
water is on the inside.
And with how much it rains
here in Georgia,
she will never have to water
her chickens again.
Once we get this
all framed up,
there's no way a pig's
gonna be able to move
this entire structure.
[narrator] Inside the pig pen,
Matt and Tyler build
an 8'x4' shelter
to protect
the homestead's pigs
and future piglets.
You're literally holding
the foundation in your hands.
But it's also
our main structural support
for the entire building.
So let's just move
right into figuring out
how we're gonna
close this in.
Dump it right there.
Homesteading is not, um,
normally what I would say
is in my wheelhouse.
[Matt] Plumb this, baby.
You know what to do.
[Tyler] I've learned tips
and tricks
on basic carpentry stuff.
-[Matt] Good.
-My confidence
at homesteading
has gone through
the roof.
So we got foundation,
upright posts,
everything's level,
everything's plumb.
This is really starting
to come together, huh?
[Tyler] Yeah.
Just seeing what progress
we've been able to accomplish
on the homestead,
it puts me in
a real great state of mind.
It's now just a little bit
of siding here and there,
slapping some rafters,
a little bit
of interior framing,
and this will be done.
Outstanding.
Yeah, it's looking good.
Building more
hardened structures like this
gives me a peace of mind
that Becca's gonna be okay
when I do have to leave,
that she'll be able to handle
everything by herself.
Done!
Awesome!
All right, let's step back
and look at
how good this thing looks.
We're going from the mud hole
and a pen
that the pigs could
literally move around
like a tortoiseshell
to something that is like
b*mber, clean,
high and dry.
-You like it?
-Yeah, I think it's great.
All the materials,
except for the roof,
was milled lumber
right here from the property.
The fact that we built
such a really cool
useful farrowing pen
for the pigs
that I know is gonna keep
the piglets safe
is something
I am really happy about.
-Yeah.
-Whenever I get done
with a build project,
I'm always like,
"I could live in here."
That might be a little bit
of a tight fit for you or I.
I think you could be
on one side,
I could be
on the other side.
-Neighbors. Yeah.
-Yeah. We could be neighbors.
But we're missing one thing.
Do this.
[snorts]
[Marty] Here we go.
Here we come.
You guys got it?
[narrator]
In the dense forests
of Eastern Georgia,
with less than 24 hours
left in the rescue...
[Marty] You guys ready?
...Marty, Becca
and the build crew
rush to complete
the homestead's new goat barn.
[Marty] Here.
Give me a Skilsaw.
I'm not sure
I ever built a barn
in this short
of a period of time.
Would you hand me
that bucket please?
Well, we've got about
24 hours left.
Chainsaw. Little one,
big one, I don't care.
The good news is
it doesn't matter
if you're falling trees
or building a barn,
you're gonna look over
your shoulder and right there,
my trusty sidekick Becca,
sweating, dirty,
and smiling.
I'm thinking two barn doors.
-Sure.
-Is this wide enough?
I'm just curious about
which way the doors
are gonna swing.
Just like a saloon out of
the Old West. Just like this.
So I'm like probably
too excited about the barn.
All I think about is the barn.
Look at that door. My gosh!
I love it.
We've been just building
this farm from the ground up
and always struggling with
keeping our goats healthy.
I was getting to a point
where I was so stressed out
I lost all my joy farming...
[Marty] Look out please.
...until the Raneys came.
Perfect.
I now I have so many ideas
buzzing around
in my head at night
to like build on what
the Raneys have given me.
Set it down by her boots.
I'm super-excited
to like keep going.
Hey, kids,
let's make another one.
Forty-two and a quarter.
All right. Now that we
have this amazing
structure built...
[Rick] In the new
processing station.
...I wanna build something
that we can cook
a whole pig in.
That sounds good.
[narrator] Matt and Tyler
continue to upgrade the
homestead's infrastructure.
There's a really cool way
to basically build
a roasting box
that's big enough to fit
a whole pig inside,
that has a really interesting
way of heating up the pig
from the top down.
Okay.
I think you'll be definitely
surprised how simple
it is to build this.
And we don't really have
a lot of time to waste.
-So let's just get
right into it.
-Sounds good. Let's do it.
Becca and Tyler
are tying the knot
really soon.
And they are actually
raising a pig
for their wedding reception.
I'm gonna build them
a pig-roasting box.
I'm calling it
the Raney Roaster.
-All right. Let's cut it.
-All right. I'll get the saw.
It's gonna
be perfect and easy.
Four hours tops.
That pig's gonna be ready
for the feast.
All right. We got our bottom,
we got our sides.
-Let's grab it,
and go inside.
-All right.
[Matt] Tyler is a big
strapping young man,
that's learned
a ton of skills.
We got pretty long rolls.
This is heavy duty tin foil.
Just overhang maybe
three inches on the end.
He's built everything
side by side with me.
And I definitely think
that he's learned a thing
or two about construction.
And will apply these new
skills on to the homestead
forevermore.
The entire top of this box
is basically your grill.
We're not just building a top
to keep the heat in.
We're building a top
that will keep the heat in,
but also will be the grill
to heat this entire
roasting box.
And cook all the meat inside.
But once we get the lid done,
you'll be really close
to being able to roast
-anything inside this box.
-Cool. Let's do it.
And then, there's actually
one thing. One more
thing we need to do.
I don't know if you noticed.
But I named this thing.
-[Tyler] The Raney Roast?
-[chuckles] Yeah.
We got the Raney Roast.
Sink it. Perfect.
Awesome. Amazing.
-Does that look good?
-Yeah.
[Matt laughs]
Put the top back on.
Get it in there.
Let's light it up.
One side.
Light it. Heat it up.
What I think is really cool
about this build,
is you could spend
you could buy
one of these at the store.
But, we just built our own.
We just need to light this up.
Get it cooking.
-And then we'll get
a pig in there. You ready?
-Yes, sir. Sounds good.
[Matt] Whoo-hee!
-[both laughs]
-Now that's a Raney roast.
[Misty] Okay. Hold everything.
[narrator] Back the at site
of the raised beds...
The idea is for Becca.
I'm trying not to add
anything to her plate, right.
We want everything
to be easy.
[narrator] Misty and David
Paul have two critical
elements to complete.
That will allow crops
to finally flourish
on the homestead.
[Misty] So, I'll put
a little stopper
on this guy.
We'll get some lines put in.
And they'll feed
each bed at the same time.
And then as soon as you go
to turn on the hose,
everything's getting watered.
Leave it on for ten minutes.
Call it a day.
The lasagna garden is done,
which is amazing.
The problem is irrigation.
So the idea with irrigation
is gonna be super simple.
They actually have
a well in the homestead.
We're just gonna
tap into that.
Dig a bunch of lines.
Put in some drip lines
on each bed.
And with one
flick of the switch
at the hose,
she'll water everything
at the same time,
and then turn it off.
Guess what time
of the day it is.
-Time to plant.
-Time to plant.
What's amazing about
the size of this garden
is the amount of food
that Becca can grow.
Oh, it's just amazing
what's taking place here.
-[Misty] These are collards.
-Collards, yeah.
-Do you like collard greens?
-I love 'em.
You know, it's just
so wide open now.
The sun can get to these
above ground gardens
and ground can be drying
out because of that.
To me,
this is kind of the pay off.
Oh, yeah.
I like doing gardening.
-Watch it grow.
-Right?
This is fruit of the earth.
Becca's gonna really
benefit from this.
And I'm so happy about that.
[Misty] So you think
it's gonna make
a difference with Becca?
Oh, yeah. Absolutely.
-She's had enough struggles.
-That's right.
It's gonna make a lot
of difference in her life.
I tell you.
This was a really busy week.
What was Becca like
as a little girl?
He worked so hard.
-Daddy's girl.
-Daddy's girl? [laughs]
And it was all for her.
So it's so cute
and so sweet.
Daddy's girl.
She says that herself.
You know what?
You could tell. It shows.
-[Marty] We coming together.
Are you happy?
-[Becca] Yeah. It's perfect.
[narrator]
Back at Marty's build site.
[Marty] Well,
there's a lot more coming.
[narrator] With a powerful
rain storm on the horizon,
Marty and Becca must hurry
to complete the goat barn.
-[Marty] Pretty much this time
tomorrow, we're leaving.
-Yeah.
-There's not even
a roof on this.
-Yeah.
Wanna hear a joke
about a roof?
This thing's 20 feet across.
Um, it's probably
over your head.
-We need the 2x6s.
-On it.
[Marty] All joking aside,
we have to get a roof
on this barn.
Right now,
because a storm's coming.
Let's hit it.
Clint, can you hand
the screws and g*ns and stuff?
-Becca.
-[Becca] Yo.
[Marty] We got a barn
to build in one day.
[Becca]
Best crew on the planet.
-[thunder rumbling]
-[Marty]
We gotta get moving.
[Matt] I did put
a sign on there.
I think really captures
this whole area
for the homestead.
[narrator] It's the final day
of the rescue.
And friend, Savannah,
joins Tyler and Matt,
to see how far
the homestead has come.
A big problem
on this homestead has been,
everything just gets
stuck in the mud.
I knew that we had
to keep the pigs.
And more importantly,
those piglets up,
out of the mud.
I'm ecstatic about it.
My dreams are like,
really coming true.
With Tyler and I, you know,
leaving and kind of going
separate ways,
like, I'm really excited
for everything that's
happened on the property.
To create that efficiency
and productivity,
to really give Becca
peace of mind.
It gives me a peace
of mind as well,
just 'cause I can leave
comfortably
and know that she's set up,
and ready to go.
-They love it.
-[Matt]
Yeah, they like it. Yes.
Let's go take a look
at the GrainZebo
in all its glory.
I am so thankful
for the Raneys and the crew
they've had out here.
There's no way that Becca
and I would have been able
to handle even half of this.
We actually have
a little bit of work to do.
In that cooler behind you,
there is a pig,
that we need to get it put
into this roasting box.
My confidence in homesteading
has gone through the roof.
Before, I was kind of just,
hanging around,
doing my best to kind of,
hold things together.
[Matt] Pig going in.
Heck, I've learned
tips and tricks
on basic carpentry stuff.
I've learned
how to pour concrete.
[Matt] Oh, yeah!
[Tyler] And, just different
stuff you could do
with natural materials
out on our property,
that I did think
was gonna be possible.
[Matt] There.
It just smells good.
[narrator] Seven days ago,
Becca and Tyler
were raising pigs
in inadequate, unsafe housing.
And slaughtering them
in unsanitary conditions.
Now, from birth to bacon,
the pigs have a safe new home.
And the homesteaders
an efficient, clean source
of protein on the homestead.
Are you more comfortable
leaving Becca
on the homestead?
Absolutely.
A huge burden
has been lifted off me.
She's gonna be able
to handle this by herself
while I'm not here.
It seems like our work
here is done.
Good. I appreciate it, man.
I appreciate everything.
[Misty] What do you
think of this weather?
-[David Paul] It's wet.
-[Misty laughs]
Would you wanna be growing
out there in the mud?
-No way.
-Me neither.
-Look at these beds.
-Lookin' at 'em.
Getting a good water.
[Misty] They're not down
in the mud.
They're not in the clay.
-That's right.
-There's no drainage issues.
-You're gardening at ease.
-That's right.
The whole point
of everything I did was,
let's make this as easy
as we can on Becca.
We have all these
irrigation lines in.
All four beds are connected.
Right over there,
she turns the hose on,
she waters the garden, done.
And when you look over here,
that was our one day
chicken coop, right?
And I bet you
a million dollars,
the gutter and the catchment
is filling up.
-[David Paul] Wow.
-But more importantly,
did you look
in the nesting boxes?
There's eggs in there.
-All right.
-Already.
It was like, they were waiting
to just have a place
to lay 'em.
-I think it's gonna dawn
on her a little bit more.
-Yeah.
As time goes on, as she sees,
all that's taking place and...
helping her so much.
[narrator] Seven days ago,
Becca could neither provide
a safe, dry home
for her animals,
or keep plants alive
in wet, over-saturated
heavy clay soil.
Now, raised beds
and an integrated
irrigation system
provide a controlled
growing environment
for her gardens.
And a new warm hatchery
gives Becca's chickens
a safe area to lay eggs.
Providing another
much-needed protein source
for the homestead.
Thanks for hanging in there.
And working so hard.
We switched dads this week.
Becca took my dad
and I took her dad.
And it was such a pleasure
to meet you.
You're such a wonderful guy.
I think all of our hard work
has paid off for Becca.
And I don't worry
about her one bit.
So, I think my work
here is done.
-I agree.
-Let's get out of here.
-Thanks, Misty.
-You're welcome.
[Marty] After you.
-Thank you. Wow.
-You're welcome.
-What do you think
of the ramp?
-Very pretty.
We put all the cleats
on there, so that the goats
can make it up there,
-if it was slippery
or muddy or rainy.
-That's awesome.
See if those doors actually
work and we'll go in the barn.
The Raneys pushed me
forward five, maybe
more years in my build plans.
My barn. I have a barn.
Now I can build on what
they've built for me.
-I have a barn.
-Is that fun?
I love saying that.
Keep it going.
Keep building. Keep...
adding to.
[Becca laughs in awe]
Thank you so much.
-Absorb it.
-Thank you.
I'm flabbergasted.
The Raneys went
above and beyond.
[weeping in joy]
You deserve it, darling.
You deserve it.
You deserve it.
-You hear me?
-Oh, it's so beautiful.
I don't know
if I've ever felt...
such generosity.
How many times a day
do you milk?
Twice a day, everyday.
Well now,
you can open that door.
[laughs] I like that.
It's cute.
-Easy transition.
Walk the plank.
-Yeah.
The goats are gonna adore it.
They hate being wet.
Marty, this is life changing
for me.
-It's good to hear.
-It really is.
[narrator] Just one week ago,
the homestead's goat herd
was housed
in a cramped, leaking barn.
Exposed to parasites, disease,
and the elements.
Today, the goat herd
has a new home.
Raised above the red clay mud.
Dry and sheltered
from Georgia's
relentless rain.
Well, we finally see
what you mean.
When you say my homestead
can get really, really
challenging.
I tried to do my best,
to make it easier on her.
That was my whole goal
for the week.
[Misty] Your dad worked
tirelessly next to me
all for you.
So this guy put
in a lot of hard work.
-He's gonna get plenty
of veggies off that garden.
-All right.
[David Paul] I am so happy
of all those good things
that's taken place this week.
And, I know Becca's
gonna enjoy...
all these things helping her.
And, I'm gonna enjoy
some of that food
out of the garden.
It's been a rollercoaster
of emotions.
It's been crazy.
I've been stressed.
And I love doing this.
And I now love
everybody here.
To me, you guys are amazing.
You changed my life forever.
So thank you so much.
The Raneys came up
with a wonderful solution.
And they've put such
a beautiful spin on it.
It's more than I could
have ever hoped for
or dreamed for.
On that note...
-Thank you, sir.
-Thank you.
Thank you so much
for having us.
[Misty] Thanks for all
your hard work.
We didn't build the biggest
goat barn in Georgia.
But we did build one,
big enough for this homestead.
Forecast is rain...
[Misty] Bye.
-[Marty] Happy homesteading.
-[laughs]
...But the sunshine
here is Becca.
Does anyone have a doubt
that she's just
gonna continue
what she did before
the Raneys came? No.
She's gonna get the job done.
[Becca] What a week.
Hey, guys. Hello.
The goats are so much better.
You can see a lot
of improvement. Everybody's
looking really good.
[Tyler]
Once everything did dry out,
the work load trying
to keep them healthy
has been a lot, lot less.
-So much better.
-Much more manageable.
[Becca] So here's our
collard greens.
I've actually done
a lot of harvest.
-And we got... Real rings now.
-We got real rings.
The wedding went well.
I leave next week
for the deployment.
And I have a much
greater peace of mind
that while I'm gone,
with all these builds,
things like the new barn,
the pig farrowing pen,
that there's gonna be a lot
less stress on Becca.
She's gonna be okay,
and be able
to handle everything.
[Becca]
We've got our chickies.
I just think the next year
is gonna be so much better.
Oh, goodness.
Look at all these eggs.
From the bottom of our hearts,
thank you, everybody.
It really means a lot.
Won't cry.
[laughs]
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11x07 - Land of Fire and Ice
Watch/Buy Amazon
City slickers get schooled by awesome hosts on their last chance to succeed off grid & survive off the land... among wildlife predators & natural disasters
City slickers get schooled by awesome hosts on their last chance to succeed off grid & survive off the land... among wildlife predators & natural disasters