♪♪
We're about to do something
that we've never done before,
And will never do again --
visit a homestead
From our homestead.
Matt: amen.
Oh, my gosh,
we're on "e," for reals.
Where?
Oh, my word.
She's right.
Pull in to
the gas station.
Do not tell anybody.
We're getting gas
to go 5 miles.
[ Laughter ]
Holy moly.
Narrator: this season on
"homestead rescue"...
Something epic is
about to happen here.
...12 homesteads
in crisis.
Woman: I almost lost my life.
I'm scared.
It was so much work to get here.
I didn't want to leave.
I don't know what else to do,
and I feel like less of a man.
I promised her
I'd have this cabin for her.
I want to have
a real homestead.
Like, I want to try
to be self-sufficient,
And we can't do that.
Narrator:
the raneys take on their
most terrifying rescues ever.
Never, in a million years, could
we have been prepared for this.
A house built out
of 30,000 tires.
This is the most dangerous thing
I've ever seen.
Guys, come on.
You're kidding me.
Matt: going in.
The key is to stay calm.
Narrator:
bigger stakes...
Misty: ah!
Stop. Stop.
Narrator:
...the biggest builds
The raney way --
And bringing them
from horror...
To hope.
Matt:
this is a semiautomatic.
We're definitely gonna have
to condition these animals
To respect these homesteaders,
and where they live.
-Whoo-hoo!
-Timber!
-Whoa!
-Clear!
Ingenuity and action
will bring results.
Our lives
have changed 100%.
Marty: that's what we do --
help people with their futures.
Narrator:
and on this episode...
Marty: there are inspectors
that would condemn this cabin.
Is this hot?
Is this hot?
Sometimes, it feels like my dad
lives in this match box.
Next to the bed,
live, hot wires.
Misty: this is
the spruce beetle.
Look at where they enter in
through the bark.
That, combined with this --
that is scary.
We're gonna try
to create hydroelectric.
-Oh, man.
-Whoa.
But we could fail.
It's never been built before
in this river.
Pull.
Get it?
I would absolutely spend more
time out here if it was safer.
Misty: you're rescuing
this homestead,
But it's this family rescue
that's happening.
Matt: we'll run some water
through here.
Hopefully,
we'll strike gold.
-Let's find some power.
-Go.
Marty:
get back to safety!
If we win,
we're gonna win big.
Our wheel is going
pretty slow.
And if we lose,
we're gonna lose bigger.
Matt:
look at that.
--Captions by vitac --
www.vitac.com
Captions paid for by
discovery communications
The number-one problem
right now, for alaskans, is...?
The beetle k*ll
spruce-tree infestation.
Misty:
look at all of them.
It's scary.
Narrator:
it's late spring,
And the raneys are in
a wilderness region
Of anchorage, alaska --
An area dotted with mines
Dug during the klondike
gold rush of 1898.
For the past two weeks,
Wildfires have blazed
across the state,
Fueled by dead trees
k*lled by the devastating
Spruce bark beetle.
And one homestead could be
ground zero
For the next big blaze.
Hi. I'm kevin tubbs, and I
don't drive by a garage sale
Without buying all
the fire extinguishers.
Mackenzie:
it's not safe, you know?
At any time, any of this
could just combust.
Raneys,
we need your help.
-Real nice.
-Hey, there, dog.
A log home on the little su.
Does it get better than that?
Hello.
Ah-ha. Nice to meet you.
Marty raney.
Kevin: mr. Marty raney,
what a pleasure to meet you.
Welcome to our property.
Mackenzie. Nice to meet you.
It's beautiful. It's stunning.
This is awesome. You guys have
lived here for how long?
About three years, now.
Dang. So, this is like
dream come true?
Once I saw the property
for the first time,
It was a given
I wouldn't leave it.
How's the dream going
so far?
Well, we trudge forward,
'cause we're alaskans,
And it's hard to keep us down.
-Yeah.
But we also know
when we're outgunned.
I'm in over my head.
This is a homestead
I've been trying to rescue alone
For the past few years.
My dad is an innovator.
Kevin: I'm an inventor, and I've
been working on unusual parts
And products for,
oh, about 30 years, now.
I've never seen him
without a project, or seven.
Narrator: after a divorce
three years ago,
Inventor kevin tubbs
had a life-changing revelation.
I decided
my life was backwards.
My dad used to say,
"if you live in alaska,
And you can't see a mountain
or a river, why are you here?"
I think he's right.
Narrator:
then, kevin found paradise --
A 40-acre property on the banks
of the little susitna river,
Perfect for him
and his two kids.
I have my son, larsen,
and my daughter, mackenzie.
I'm an on-call
firefighter.
I'm 24 now, and, you know,
just graduated college.
So, this is the homestead.
When I first told my kids
that I wanted them to come
Take a look at this place,
I think there was a little bit
of apprehension, initially.
It's off-the-grid.
We've got the generators
up here, making power.
Mackenzie: my dad is
a very smart man,
But he is completely
in over his head, here.
Narrator:
kevin's inventing and tinkering
skills have fallen short
With his diy power system.
Kevin: the main battery
tipped off the skid,
And we think it's shorted
out one of the plates.
I am constantly worried
That he's gonna start
the next forest fire out here.
My dad and I
are very close.
We're practically
best friends.
And I feel like I'm gonna
get the call any day
That, like, it just, you know,
it just went up. Whoosh.
Narrator: the safety issues
have forced mackenzie and larsen
To give their dad
an ultimatum --
"Make the homestead safe,
Or they will no longer
spend time there."
Kevin: when I got divorced,
being away from my kids
Was the hardest thing
I ever endured.
And to be able to
bring them back...
Is big.
Big.
♪♪
♪♪
Marty: now, let's talk about
this electrical.
Explain to me
what I'm looking at, here.
Well, this is
the electric company.
That is a forklift charger.
Okay.
So, it takes
the ac current,
And uses it
to charge these batteries.
So, I use those
to power the house.
Hmm.
That's interesting.
I saw a rat's nest of wires,
jumper cables, generators --
Everything, frankly,
in disarray.
Is this hot?
You know, I have never
run a test on it.
Is this hot?
I don't honestly know
if it is or not.
What's this?
Well, it's just
a dead circuit.
How do you know?
It's not connected to anything.
What about that?
Same deal. It's just hanging.
It's like it never got --
What about this?
It never got hooked up
to anything.
What about this one, bud?
That one is a mystery.
Could be hot?
It could be.
Okay. It is a hazard.
It is dangerous.
Hot wire.
See that?
No wire nuts.
No tape.
That is actually
live, hot wires.
That's why kevin has not one,
but two, kids
That feel
this cabin is a threat.
They're afraid
to live here.
Now I see
why I'm here.
Okay.
And it makes me --
I like challenges,
and I believe we have one.
There are inspectors
that would walk through,
And see what I did today,
and condemn this cabin.
I just wanted to kind of
take a look around.
It seems like pretty much
every spruce tree is dead.
Yeah.
Narrator: near the river,
misty and mackenzie
Zero in on another looming
hazard on the homestead.
I guarantee you this is
the spruce beetle, right?
This happens
all over alaska.
Mackenzie:
yes. Yes, yes, yes.
Look at where they enter in
through the bark.
Right?
-You can see the holes.
You have these little
spruce beetles
That are native
to alaska.
They're a quarter
of an inch in size.
And they burrow
through the bark.
But it happens so quick.
I pretty much knew,
driving to this homestead,
They were gonna
have beetle k*ll.
It's a huge fire hazard
That can't just be
swept under the rug.
I'm really hopeful that we're
able to make it just safe,
Because it's not
right now.
Look around you.
It's no small chore
to remedy this kind of problem.
In the same breath,
it has to be addressed,
Because it is such a liability.
It's so incredibly dangerous.
To even think that
my dad is here
When it's in this condition
all the time
Is just, like,
a terrifying concept to me.
Dude, it's dangerous.
I love hearing mackenzie
talk about her dad,
'Cause there is so much
worry and love there.
He knows that he's got this
massive electrical problem
That has to be fixed.
But that, combined with this --
I mean, that is scary.
Kevin: so, you want to see
the reason I moved here?
Yes. I do.
Narrator: on the other end
of the homestead, kevin, marty,
And matt investigate
the most valuable resource
On the 65-foot-wide
little susitna river.
So, the first time
I came to the property,
I walked right down
this trail,
And there were
four great big kings
Sitting in
this little pool.
So, I knew,
when I saw those fish,
I wasn't leaving
this property.
So, you're upstream
from me.
Do you know where I'm at?
Not exactly.
If you ever stop
and look at the river there,
It's turbulent.
It's insane.
If I had
this kind of water,
I would probably be entertaining
something in the way of hydro.
Hydropower will allow kevin
to sleep at night.
Why?
His cabin will be much safer.
We'll get away from batteries,
jumper cables,
A squirrel's nest of wires
going every direction.
I will say this --
I don't know of one
hydroelectric system
On the little susitna.
And I think
it's 110 miles long.
Sure, sure.
Let me ask you
this question.
I'm looking at the topography
of this river,
And it looks
perfect for gold.
Narrator: 8 miles upriver
from the tubbs' homestead
Is the world-famous
independence mine.
In half a century
of operation,
It produced 140,000 ounces
of gold,
Worth an estimated $210 million
at today's prices.
You know that there is gold
in this river.
Matt: our number-one mission
this year
Is to not just
help homesteaders,
But make themselves
efficient in a way
Where they can actually
make money on the homestead.
For kevin, finding gold
on this riverbank could be huge.
Nobody I know --
Not the previous owners
or the neighbors --
Work the channel
where the logical,
Concentrated gold would be,
if there was any.
It makes you wonder.
Yes. Let's do it.
Let's find out.
Marty: fair enough.
The raneys
have just seven days,
With a small build team,
to save the tubbs' homestead
Before they leave for
the next family in dire need.
Quite frankly, this guy
needs everything rebuilt,
When it comes
to the electrical.
I get why the daughter
may not want to come out here.
What do you think
about hydroelectric?
I think it's a good idea.
I think you should do it.
Hydropower, with new wires
going into the cabin,
Would really reduce
the fire hazard.
And I'm actually
getting really excited.
I mean, if we find
some serious gold here,
We could take this thing
to the next level.
Let's go talk to him.
Narrator:
marty will bring in licensed
help to rewire kevin's cabin
While he builds
a hydroelectric wheel
To pull power
from the river,
Eliminating the need
for his dangerous generator
And battery setup.
Misty will clear dead spruce
to form a 30-foot perimeter,
And create a fire break.
The space will be filled
with a rock garden,
Including seven
fire-resistant planters.
And matt will determine
if there's enough gold
Deposited near the riverbed
To develop a steady
income stream for kevin.
You went for a little walk
with misty, right?
Mackenzie:
it was wonderful.
And I went on a walk
with your dad.
And I see what
you're worried about.
There is a little
electrical issue here.
I am going to have a licensed
electrician come in here.
When he gets done,
this place will be safe.
And we're gonna try
to create hydroelectric.
Amazing.
Whoa.
The hesitation in my voice right
now is, we've got seven days.
Misty: this is an incredible
amount of work.
The tree-clearing
is gonna be dangerous.
And look at me.
We could fail.
I highly suggest
you go to bed early.
Fair enough?
Alright.
This log cabin is in threat
from the outside and the inside.
Pick one,
because one of those
Is gonna burn
that place down.
Narrator: 3 miles
from fishhook alaska,
The raneys are rescuing
the homestead of fellow alaskan,
Kevin tubbs.
The whole thing is just gonna
spontaneously combust.
Narrator: kevin's deadly
electrical setup...
Misty:
look at those trees.
...combined with
decaying spruce trees
Are primed to start
the region's next big blaze.
Kevin: it's a wonderful place
for my family to grow.
So, we could really use
some help.
Narrator:
marty's ultimate plan --
To use the river
for safe hydroelectric power.
And look at me.
We could fail.
Narrator: but the first order
of business...
I say we start with
the closest beetle-k*lled trees
To the house.
Before the sun sets,
this place will be a lot safer.
Narrator: ...is to fell
more than 25 dead trees.
Let's hit it.
Timber!
Marty: when we show up
at a homestead,
And see a cabin
surrounded by beetle-k*lled
Spruce trees,
we have to do something.
Because this family could die
in a forest fire.
Dad!
What's wrong?
I got a problem tree.
The wind picked up,
and pinched my saw,
'Cause the tree wanted to fall
on me instead of away from me.
You can fall this tree,
make it hit the one
Where the chainsaw
is pinched at the bottom,
And both of them go down.
Marty: firm grip on
that rope, please.
Pull!
Pull!
Get it?
Good girl.
You alright?
Misty:
remember, you said "pull"?
Go check, and see
if you saved your saw.
It's still running?
We recovered the saw.
Look it over.
Look it over, please.
Not only are you
a good logger,
But you're, like,
really good at dominoes.
It works great.
Good job.
So, my dad came to my rescue.
He forgot his cape.
But I do have my underwear
on the outside of my pants.
Do not bend down.
[ Both laugh ]
Narrator:
down at the river...
Dave: come over here,
and I'll show you
How this works here, okay?
...matt has brought in
a local prospector,
Dave cline, to test if kevin
has any gold on his property.
It looks like a hopper.
Yeah, it's a hopper.
Exactly. Yeah.
Matt: my buddy dave has brought
his sluice box.
And basically, we're just
gonna take material
From the river bank,
throw it in the hopper,
And that water that's
pumping through there
Is what puts all the heavy stuff
into the ripples, right there,
At the beginning
of that sluice.
And this is the carpeting.
And this also acts as a catch.
Wash it really good,
back and forth, in this water,
And try to get
that gold to fall out of it.
Then, we have a lot of
heavy concentrates
That we now need to gold pan,
and sift through.
That's where you can
find the gold.
Dave: wow. A lot of fine gold.
Look at all that.
Look at that.
[ Laughs ]
Dude.
Okay.
We have gold.
And seeing dave's expensive,
professional sluice
Is giving me some ideas
that could really benefit
Kevin and his family.
I'm excited.
This is cool.
One man's pollution
is another man's solution.
Narrator:
the next morning, marty and matt
scavenge components
At a local junkyard to construct
their hydroelectric wheel.
Marty: hydropower,
water wheels,
Don't grow on trees
here in alaska.
There's a very good chance
we're going to repurpose,
Recycle, up-cycle,
whatever we can find,
And create a one-of-a-kind
hydro-generator.
Hold on.
Hold on right here.
See these
wooden spools?
Matt: holy smokes.
We got a little
ant colony.
That's not good.
This is all dry rot.
Bingo. Look at it.
That thing says
"stern wheeler" all over it.
Stick this on the back of
a barge, and head up the yukon.
Flip it up.
This is it.
Is it straight?
It looks
pretty straight.
It's not really wobbling
on either side.
This thing is epic.
Let's throw it in the truck.
This is money.
Here we go.
Narrator:
back at the homestead,
Marty, matt, and kevin begin
to construct the hydro wheel.
Good man.
Yeah, so, I like it.
I like it.
I've been sitting here thinking
about this micro-hydro system
For years,
and it sort of embarrasses me
That I haven't tried
a whack at this myself.
Club.
Marty:
kevin is a very smart man.
He makes money
from his patents.
Iq off the charts.
But kevin's a dreamer.
I'm a doer.
That may be the perfect recipe
for hydropower.
Alright, buddy.
The last one.
Narrator: a year ago,
marty built a hydro wheel
For the rutherford homestead
in tennessee.
But this one could be
twice as challenging.
To avoid legal issues
With the alaska department
of natural resources,
We need to come up with
a water wheel that is portable.
It goes in, and it can come out,
and float on its own.
It is not attached
to the bank
With concrete wood beams
or anything.
It's completely
independent.
What do you think?
-I love them.
Narrator: marty's hack?
Using two external fuel tanks
He bought from a local
airplane enthusiast.
It'll definitely
hold the wheel.
There's an old adage,
talk is cheap.
We're in.
And out here,
it means nothing.
But what will happen out here
is ingenuity and action.
And hopefully,
those two will bring results.
Everything's really gonna
come down to this gearbox.
Is it going to work,
or not?
Narrator: the gearbox is a key
component to generating power.
The force of the river water
will push the paddles,
Rotating the shaft and gearbox
at the center of the wheel.
The gearbox will multiply
one rotation of the wheel
Into 24 rotations
of the generator
That creates electricity.
Marty: easy. Easy.
Gentle. Gentle.
So, I spent the last two days
trying to find parts
For a homemade
water wheel,
Leaving me one day
to finish this thing.
Let her in.
Ah! Why?
I'm good.
Are you missing
a finger?
No. I'm don't joke
when my finger gets pinched,
But thanks for playing.
♪♪
When it comes to this mulch --
which is bark --
This needs to go.
Mackenzie: right.
Misty: all the trees
are down.
Now, we have to focus
on the brush
And all of this vegetation,
create a massive firebreak,
And turn his cabin into
this fire-resistant fortress.
This is fuel
for the fire.
And look how close
it is to the house.
My dad wants this homestead
to be the place
That we will exist for the rest
of our family's generations,
So, I'm really hopeful that
we're able to make this place
Safer for my dad to live,
and hopefully for me, as well.
Narrator:
coming up, marty gets a helping
hand from his better half.
What are you doing here?
And he takes the hydro wheel
for a spin.
Marty: if we win,
we're gonna win big.
And if we lose,
we're gonna lose bigger.
Whoa!
Narrator: the raneys
have just three more days
To save kevin tubbs'
alaska homestead
From igniting
the next big wildfire.
Is this hot?
Narrator: so far,
they've knocked down
two dozen dead trees...
Timber!
...and created
a 30-foot firebreak.
This is fuel
for the fire.
Narrator: now, marty has a plan
that could bring golden income
To the tubbs family.
Matt: this is basically the
width of our old-school sluice
That we're going to build.
Terrific.
Seeing dave's sluice really
has inspired me to go big,
And build one of these things
raney-style.
Totally perfect,
on my last board, there.
Feeling the luck.
Maybe some gold luck
is coming our way.
I'm making this sluice
out of a lot of this spruce
That we're getting
from the homestead.
It's gonna be spraying
water out, high pressure,
So everything that we
dump into this thing
Is actually gonna
get cleaned.
I love it.
Matt: I've found
a wheel barrow.
I got some old rebar,
a grate from the kitchen.
And I'm gonna
get that all together,
And build something
that can really sift through
Thousands of pounds
of material an hour.
♪♪
This is just a test.
Here you go.
Yeah, let it rip.
Kevin: tell me when.
Surf's up.
The water is spraying
every which way,
Except for
the sluice box,
And right now,
this thing doesn't work.
I only have
a couple more days left,
And I never built
anything like this.
Marty:
hey. How'd it go?
I got to do one
last modification.
Hey, slow down.
Can you hear that?
That's the real gold out here.
You're already rich.
I count my blessings
every day.
Narrator: the next morning,
misty and mckenzie start work
On seven fire-retardant
rock gardens
That will line
the perimeter of the cabin.
But today, she has called in
some familiar help.
Now, this is
a thing of beauty.
Misty: this is what happens
when you whine to your mom
About how bad
tomorrow is gonna be --
She shows up in the morning,
all chipper.
We grab any family member
that's available.
Today, it's my mom.
She is, like,
the ultimate raney.
So, with her help today,
mackenzie's help,
Like, hopefully,
we get somewhere.
Don't we have a homestead
that's behind?
Oh, my homestead's all fixed,
and ready, and done.
Okay.
Misty: she solved all the
problems when you were away.
Okay. So, you guys just go --
no, put that down.
You guys just go
take a lunch break.
Molly can do all this work
by herself before the sunsets.
-I believe it.
-That's true.
No.
But this time of year,
it doesn't set
For another two months.
Kevin: hey, bubba.
Larsen: yeah?
How big is this fire
you're on?
It's big, huh?
He's fighting a real large fire
down in kenai, right now.
And I bet there are
a lot of people in kenai
Right now
that wish they had, you know,
A defensible perimeter
around their property.
You're gonna love this.
I think we probably knocked down
You're gonna love it.
Just be safe out there.
I love you so much.
It just proves
that it happens.
It happens in the valley.
It happens around the valley.
And it's gonna just be
a matter of time
Before it happens in our little
section of the valley,
With all this dead spruce.
Marty: okay, buddy.
Look at this.
Narrator:
across the homestead,
Marty shows kevin
the new wiring system
That a local electrician
installed in the cabin.
Kevin: holy cow.
Marty:
so, what you're looking at
are four 6-volt batteries.
What's 4 times 6?
There you go. This is
your inverter controller.
All in one.
Kevin's inverter system
is going to keep
A 24-volt battery bank
charged 24/7.
What do you see different
over here?
Well, they look like they're
finally connected to some power.
We got it back
in the wall.
Oh, that's great.
We'll put a switch on it.
We're hoping that,
when you throw that switch,
The power is going to come from
the wheels who sit in a river.
Narrator:
but will it work?
♪♪
Marty: okay.
Moment of truth.
With two days remaining,
it's time to put
Marty's hydro wheel
to the test.
Clear.
We have to get the generator out
into that river significantly.
How do you do that?
You're not allowed to put
anything in the river.
You cut down the beetle-k*ll
on the homesteader's property,
And push it out
to the distance you need,
And pinch it
between two logs.
So, once the load of the raft is
on the log, it's there forever.
Whoa, whoa, whoa. Slow down.
Slow please. Very good.
And if we win,
we're gonna win big.
And if we lose,
we're gonna lose bigger.
You're good, guys.
Get the cable to it, please.
Look out.
It's a little rocky.
-It's too swift.
-Whoa!
Get away, then.
-It's too swift.
-Get back to safety.
Whoa!
Narrator: in alaska,
the raneys have just two days
To save the tubbs family
from a deadly power system...
Marty: okay.
Moment of truth.
...by switching their cabin
over to hydroelectric.
But if the hydro wheel
fails to launch
In the little susitna river,
and generate power,
The tubbs will be forced
to resort to
Their dangerous system
of jerry-rigged generators.
Don't get near the wheel!
Misty:
it's too swift!
Get away, then!
Get back to safety!
We've got to get
to those rapids!
Oh!
Matt:
holy crap.
The hydro wheel is in
the little susitna river.
It's passed
its first two tests.
It floats.
The pontoons
actually work.
And secondly, the cantilevered
log is holding it
In the most powerful
section of the river.
That's pretty powerful,
right there!
Okay!
Ready here.
Rock and roll.
Here we go!
Plug it in!
All the wires are on!
Let's find some power!
Matt: kevin's inside,
checking to see how much power
Is coming from our hydro wheel
to the inverter.
And we need 7 amps to be able
to charge those batteries,
And make that thing
a sustainable power source.
So, that's what
we're looking for.
Here we go!
Alright. We are plugged in, and
our wheel is going pretty slow.
We're at 3.5 amps,
and we need to get to 7.
♪♪
Hey, dad, it's a gearing issue.
Let's just call it.
♪♪
♪♪
Marty: it's not working.
That thing is dead.
There's a dark cloud
over this homestead,
And that is
a water wheel.
A lot of time
was spent on it
To make it work,
and it doesn't work.
The clock's ticking.
I have less
than 24 hours.
Got to tear it apart.
I'm in a bind.
Stay tuned.
♪♪
Alright. Sweet.
Narrator:
across the homestead,
Matt and kevin
make final adjustments
To the sluice box as they
prepare to test it again.
Matt: I've adjusted my plumbing,
and pointed these nozzles
So they go more directly
into the sluice box.
And hopefully,
this thing's going to work.
We'll run some water
through here.
Hopefully, we'll strike gold.
Alright. Coming in.
♪♪
♪♪
Now, that looks good,
to me, right there.
That looks good to me.
I can already tell
this is working a lot better.
Narrator:
a sluice box works by washing
out the light rocks and dirt,
And collecting the heavies,
like gold.
This leaves a sludge of black
sand, which is then panned.
That was just two scoops
with that excavator,
And now, this is
all we have left.
Well, I see a lot
of black sand.
♪♪
I seen gold in there.
Right here. There.
I'm starting to see it --
starting to see a lot more gold.
I'm really confident
that we built something
That's super cool, that you
can use for many years to come.
Honestly, I think
we have something
That can actually help
this homestead.
Amazing.
Narrator:
one week ago, matt suspected
That kevin might have gold
on his homestead,
Since he was downriver from
the historic independence mine.
Now, with the new
mobile sluice box
Built out of upcycled parts
and lumber from his homestead,
Kevin can find out,
for a cost of just $200.
The kids and I can do
some recreational gold mining
With it, and you never know
what might happen.
I say we run a couple more loads
before we got
To go do anything else.
What do you think?
That's a great idea.
♪♪
-Is this raspberries?
-Yeah.
Mackenzie:
that's awesome.
Misty: this is your new
raspberry patch.
Back at the cabin,
Misty shows mckenzie
the new landscape.
Mackenzie: we cleared
so much out.
Yeah. Your dad's safe for
the first time in his life.
We're clear.
We're clear!
That's huge.
Narrator: six days ago,
the tubbs' log cabin
Was surrounded by dead spruce
trees and flammable shrubs.
Now, a 30 foot firebreak and
Filled with edible
fire-resistant plants
Have turned the fire hazard
into a fire fortress,
All for just 300 bucks.
It's like a huge weight
lifted off my shoulders.
I'm already less worried
about him out here.
And I love this.
This is so great.
Well, thanks so much.
Yeah, no, thank you.
Awwww.
Matt:
check this out.
This is the amount of gold that
we've found while we were here.
Are you kidding?
No. This is the proof
that there's gold,
And that it's worth it.
I am so excited!
We live on the same river!
Do you have the bug?
Oh, yeah. I'm gonna go look
at a dredge tomorrow.
I can't help but notice
we're tinkering, still.
Narrator: while matt and misty
have finished their projects,
Marty is still working
at the end of day seven.
Well, I've tinkered,
and the gearbox doesn't work.
What's not working?
Listen to this.
[ Grinding ]
You can hear it.
It's grinding.
Matt:
it's, like, stuttering.
Oh, I see it.
This thing doesn't work.
And we were supposed to
jump in that truck and leave.
So, we have serious issues.
Well, what are
we gonna do?
Marty: I realize we're scheduled
to leave tomorrow morning
For another homestead,
But please, can you give me
just half of a day?
That means we can
come back here tomorrow,
And it will be
the last chance ever
To see if we can get this
in the water, and test it.
Narrator:
seven days ago,
The raneys discovered the tubbs'
homestead in southern alaska
Was about to go up
in flames.
Marty: hanging wires.
Kevin: not exactly sure
which ones are hot.
After a week of work,
They've created a fire-resistant
perimeter around the cabin...
Misty:
your dad's safe.
...and installed
a new wiring system.
But the hydroelectric wheel
is not generating power.
Hey, dad, it's a gearing issue.
Let's just call it.
Is this gonna be
the first time
That we didn't
finish a project?
Not on my watch.
Please. Can you give me
just half of a day?
Misty: well, okay.
But really,
we can only devote
A half a day to this.
Thank you.
Narrator:
at the crack of dawn...
Marty: push it out!
Do not get in front of it!
...the raneys race to complete
the final modifications
On the hydro wheel, in hopes
of successfully generating
At least 7 amps of power.
Abandon all of
that gearing,
And put what they call
a "link belt" --
An adjustable belt --
And go entirely around
these wooden paddles.
Everything that I've tried
thus far has failed.
But there's two things
I haven't tried --
Extend the paddles to catch more
water and create more power,
And more importantly,
actually putting a belt
Directly on the wheel,
directly to the generator.
Narrator: a direct drive system
takes energy from the wheel,
And immediately turns it
into electricity.
The larger wheel could allow it
to generate more power
Than the gearbox,
but only if it works.
There are no more ideas
after this.
You've got to know
this right now.
All the chips
on red.
Spin the wheel.
I'll give you a ball.
Whatever you need.
All of this
has been abandoned.
You're going in. Just find out
if we got 7 amps.
Let's find out.
I'll be on the walkie.
Alright.
Be a dream come true if this
hydroelectric system works.
Hit it, dad.
♪♪
Now, you're cooking.
♪♪
What's he saying?
4.9. 5.
6. 6.7.
No!
We got 12.
-12.
-No!
Are you being serious?
-Yes.
-Don't mess with me.
What is it?
-We got 13, 14, 15.
Those paddles combined
with this new belt.
That's all you needed.
Kevin:
We figured it out.
We can generate enough power
to power the house.
We have the hydro wheel
in the water, right now,
That's actually
producing power,
And that just
blows my mind.
We did it.
Narrator:
just eight days ago,
Kevin was forced to use
a dangerous rat's nest of wires
And batteries
to generate power.
Now, kevin has a functioning
hydroelectric system
On the little susitna river,
sending all the power he needs
Safely through
a new wiring system
To his log cabin,
for just $1,300.
Kevin: I can't tell you
how thankful I've been
That they went
all-out, here.
It's like
a dream come true.
-Thank you so much.
-You get a double hug.
I think that he can probably
sleep a little more soundly,
Knowing that his electrical
system is a lot more safe
And the area around his home
is a lot more safe.
I mean, what more
could we ask for?
Kevin:
thanks, again.
We're gonna show you guys
the hydroelectric system.
We're up in
dry dock right now,
But this summer, all the power
that the river gives us,
We'll run 24 volts
to charge.
That's awesome.
The raspberry bush is,
like, so thriving.
And larsen is doing
some firefighting training
In oregon right now,
But he gave it his firefighter
seal of approval.
How much gold in the river?
We have pulled out a fine powder
worth about 400 bucks.
We are so thankful.
Thank you so much
for coming out,
And making this place a safe
place to be for our family.
They are homesteaders
without a home.
Ray: so, this is
the initial trailer
We were gonna live in.
-Oh, wow.
Faith: in the trailer,
mold developed.
I ended up
in the hospital.
So, I literally
almost lost my wife.
The weather is
so unpredictable.
We're left with
a bunch of water
For days and days
at a time.
There are boars.
Wild pigs running
around out here.
I'm afraid to walk around
in the homestead.
Marty: clear.
I don't give handouts.
I give a hand up.
We have to have a foundation
that's louisiana-proof.
Misty: this is the homestead
where you could have
A cash crop --
a rice patty.
Matt: if faith can't get over
the fear of these wild pigs,
Then, she's not gonna
be able to do anything
On this homestead.
How do we make this homestead,
and this family, safe?
A miracle.
♪♪
Marty: you are driving
through louisiana
For the very first time
in your lives -- as am i.
In the early 1800s,
the united states
Buys this very land
we're driving through,
Opening up the entire west
to homesteading.
Guess who the united states
bought that from?
I'll give you
one guess.
Oh, yeah.
What's his name?
Napoleon.
Yeah. You got it.
I was kind of leaning
towards the pirates.
Narrator: the raneys are headed
Part of the 500,000-acre parcel
Acquired in
the louisiana purchase.
Located on the delta of the
mississippi and red rivers,
The land is lush,
and rich for agriculture.
But it comes at a cost.
[ Thunder crashes ]
The region is pummeled
by hurricanes,
Tornadoes, and floods.
Trying to set roots
amid the storms, the randles.
Ray:
my name is ray randle.
My name is faith randle.
It's been a few
thunderstorms a week.
When it rains, even lightly,
it floods.
That's how deep it is.
We just had a tornado
that touched down last week.
If a tornado hits,
that is just a major concern.
Raneys, we need you guys.
-Hello.
-Hello.
-Hi.
I'm ray.
Nice to meet you, sir.
Joy: I'm joy.
Misty: nice to meet you guys,
it's hot here.
Ray:
this is my wife, faith.
Nice to meet you.
Why are you crying?
Why are you crying?
Hold on a second.
Why are you crying?
What's your name?
We really need your help.
What's your name?
Faith.
Well, have faith,
and hopefully, we can help you.
You guys are doctors,
and our homestead
Has been in a state
of emergency.
The dream was to be off-grid,
and live self sustainably.
Ray: be able to
self-function.
And not just for us,
but you know,
It's something
to give to our kids.
Joy: when mom first told us
about living on a homestead,
And living off grid, my first
reaction was like, "what?"
Narrator: chasing a
self-sufficient lifestyle,
The randles made the move
from atlanta in 2017.
Faith: so, we ended up
moving to this 10 acres.
We had a trailer
on the property.
My mom was already living here,
in the beginning.
The idea was to
create a future
In order to get there,
to the self-sustainability.
At first,
the randles thrived,
Enjoying the simple pleasures
that came with the lifestyle.
The tree is down, y'all.
We realized that this was
a great opportunity
For adventures,
like eating fresh food, or...
Having a treehouse,
Which was one of the things
that was promised to me
When we came here.
-We're doing awesome, man.
-We're doing great.
There we go.
But the strong start
gave way to the realities
Of louisiana's unique
homesteading challenges.
The weather is
so unpredictable.
After the rain stops,
we're left with a bunch of water
For days and days
at a time.
It's very difficult
to grow crops.
The roots
will rot out.
Narrator: and the crops
that weren't washed out...
Oh, my gosh. Look at
all those droppings.
...became fee for the area's
feral hogs.
There are boars, wild pigs
running around out here,
And have been
making tracks all over.
They dig holes
in the ground.
Ray: you see how deep
that goes?
My children cannot play outside
with wild pigs.
Narrator: even as
the floodwaters receded,
The excess moisture
left an even deadlier problem.
In the trailer,
mold developed.
And be amount of mold
that developed,
I ended up getting sick.
Matt: my mommy got sick.
It was really, really bad.
Really serious. Too.
So, I literally
almost lost my wife.
Though faith
recovered physically,
The ruined trailer
and medical debt
Forced the randles
to move in with faith's mother.
We've given up everything,
financially.
Faith: we've given up
everything.
It's quite stressful.
The reality is, you know,
we don't even have a home.
And I kind of feel like
it's my fault.
As a woman, as a mother,
and as a wife,
It makes me feel
like a failure.
I'm sorry.
Faith: so, this is
my mom's area, here.
And our property
is in the back.
Want to see it?
-Yes. We do.
-Please.
They are homesteaders
without a home.
They're steaders.
Ray: so, this is the initial
trailer we were gonna live in.
Marty: oh, wow.
What happened here?
We were trying to renovate it,
get some of the mold out.
But then, we saw it had spread,
and so, just...
You abandoned it.
Mm-hmm.
Had to.
There's only one thing
where I stop cold -- mold.
You can't fix it.
You lose every time with mold.
So, now what?
My wife is getting better.
She's breathing better.
And so, now, I had this plan
in my mind
To try to get money
to get a home,
Have it brought out to us.
Narrator: ray's hope --
to purchase a pre-fab style home
Reliable enough to keep out
the louisiana elements.
But trying to achieve this
has come at a cost.
Ray: I take on four jobs to try
to get the finances right,
So we can
get things working.
There was a span of maybe
four or five months
Where I worked every day.
I didn't have a day off --
Even the holidays.
I couldn't.
-You want to set it right here?
-Yes.
Marty: well, I'm telling you
right now that there's no way
I'm putting a building
on that.
You live in hurricane country.
You live in tornado country.
Would you put a building
on those blocks?
Not the way you just
kicked that over like that.
Not at all.
We have to have a foundation
That's louisiana-proof
for this new home of yours.
I appreciate it.
We've been,
we've been trying
To get back to home,
and it means a lot.
Well, don't thank me yet.
Don't thank me yet.
My job is to make
this homestead safe
For this beautiful,
nice family.
A solid foundation
is a starting point.
The question for me is, what are
we gonna put on top of it?
Narrator:
in the middle of the homestead,
Misty tours the site
of the garden
With 11-year-old matthew
and 15-year-old joy.
Misty:
what am I looking at?
It looks like
I'm just standing in a field.
What's here?
Nothing that's been
producing anything, really.
You have a pretty wild
flood season,
But any kind of planting
or anything you do here
With a garden,
that's gonna be a problem.
That's like taking
some of the nutrients away.
The hog is eating
some of the food, as well.
Like, wild pigs?
Yes.
What?
That sounds really scary.
Yes, ma'am.
Misty: it floods,
and they also have wild boars.
So, those are two things
that are pretty hard to manage
When you're trying
to grow food.
Joy: we had to lay off a lot
of the plans and dreams
That everybody had, just lay it
off, 'cause mom is sick.
Nobody wants to see your mom
hurt or suffer.
This family needs food.
They need to also pay off
faith's medical bills.
If we give them
a cash crop,
It can take care of
both of those needs.
Narrator:
at the edge of the property,
Faith and matt investigate
a nearby game trail,
Where faith says wild boars
have been accessing
The 10-acre property.
Faith: I don't want to be near a
boar because they'll attack you.
And then, it makes it
very difficult to grow anything
Because all of these big holes
in the ground.
Walking just a few yards
on this property with faith,
I mean, there's boar scat,
there is massive craters
Just dug out
from all the rooting.
They've got to come
from somewhere.
I mean, I see
an opening over there.
Go with me now.
Do you want to you go?
-I'm game.
-Come on.
-Sure.
-You're with me.
You're not
doing this alone.
Have you ever
been out here before?
Faith: on purpose, no.
Look at how beat in
this trail is.
This is a game trail.
-Really?
-Yeah.
This is my first time hearing
about a game trail.
You alright?
Should we walk back?
Yep.
Okay. Follow you.
If faith can't get over the fear
of these wild pigs,
Then, she's not going
to be able to do anything
On this homestead.
The raneys have
just seven days
To turn this
homestead around
Before they must move on
to the next family in need.
Guys, this is not
a small project.
Misty: it floods, you have
a hurricane season,
So maybe use the water, instead
of try and fight the water.
This is the homestead where you
could have a rice cash crop.
I like it.
Faith, she's deathly
afraid of the pigs.
So, that has to
be addressed.
I think the best thing
is to confront it.
I think it'd be really cool
to actually hunt the feral pigs.
This is a potential
food source.
But more importantly,
we have to introduce
The home
to the homestead.
These people needed
a place to live.
Yeah.
Not sure how.
We got to go big.
Amen.
Narrator: in order to combat
the randles' flooding problems,
And harness
the excess water,
Misty will dig a series of rice
patties to provide the family
With a cash crop,
And help them pay
faith's medical debt.
To manage the rampant hog
population,
Matt will help faith
conquer her fears,
Giving her
firearms training,
And teaching her how to stalk
and hunt the feral pigs.
Additionally, matt will
put up hog-proof fencing,
So the kids can play
safely in the yard,
As well as make a trap to
passively harvest the animals.
And marty will storm-proof
the homestead,
Building a foundation that can
handle the most extreme
Louisiana weather,
And an underground shelter
for the worst-case scenario.
Marty: you've got a homestead
without a home.
It might take a miracle to get
the word "home" in "homestead,"
But that's our goal.
No more downhill.
Are you ready for it?
-Ready.
-Okay. Let's go.
I don't give handouts.
I give a hand up.
That said, raneys
will be making calls.
This family
could use a little help.
Narrator: in louisiana,
the raneys arrived
To find a family of homesteaders
without a home...
Ray: so, this is the initial
trailer we were gonna live in.
It's full of mold.
Narrator: ...a garden soaked
by relentless rain...
They don't have any food.
They don't have anything.
...and a mother
living in terror.
I'm afraid to walk around
in the homestead.
Narrator:
they have just 6 days to get
the homestead above water,
Or the randles' dream
will be a wash.
With the randles saving
to bring a new home
To the homestead,
Step one is building
a storm-proof foundation.
As we've traveled
across north america
Helping homesteaders,
We've seen the aftermath
of mother nature.
Come on!
Hurry up!
And here in louisiana,
A place that has
tornadoes and hurricanes,
There's no way
that I'm going to skimp
On a foundation
for this family.
So, the first thing we're
gonna do is pour footings.
They're going to be
Narrator: the four continuous
footers will allow a cabin
To flex and torque
Without being blown away
by the area's gale force winds.
And columns will raise it
Clear of any floodwaters.
Marty: you add the weight
of that concrete up,
And it's 32,000 pounds.
Tornadoes, beware if you come
knocking on this homestead.
Work it.
Got to work quick.
And when that mud sets up,
They're just one step closer
to having a home.
Narrator:
across the property...
Matt:
okay. Here we go.
...matt gathers faith
for her first lesson
In confronting the feral hogs
that terrorize the homestead.
Matt:
I brought hogzilla.
You want to go
check it out?
-Okay. It's not moving.
-It's not real.
Faith:
that's good.
Right now, she has
no firearm skills.
And if I can get her out
on a basic hunt,
Where she might actually
pull the trigger...
The safety is on.
There you go.
...that's gonna be
the best thing
I could do
for this homestead.
I think that it'd be
a really good idea
To do some, like,
dry-firing exercises.
Now, just raise it up.
Okay. Cool.
Take the g*n off safety.
Okay. Safety is off.
Now, do a couple deep breaths,
real long, in and out.
While you're breathing, just
slowly pull your finger back.
Alright.
You got a voice
going on, right?
Alright. Alright.
Calm down.
Using this
dry-fire exercise,
I'm getting her comfortable
holding the g*n.
And honestly,
she's passed the test.
Now, I'm gonna get her out
there, take the next step,
See if we can actually see
these feral hogs in the wild,
And see if she'll
pull that trigger.
We're gonna go
on a hunt.
Okay. I'm with that.
Faith:
it'll be my first time.
I think matt is gonna really
push me to my limits
On this boar hunt
that we're going on.
Now, what do we do with them?
You eat them.
Yes.
[ Laughs ]
I'm sorry.
Ooh!
I'm afraid.
♪♪
Narrator:
morning, day three.
-Hi!
-Hi!
-How's it going?
-Wow.
Misty and faith begin
construction on the rice patty.
Misty: we're starting to create
a spot for the rice patties.
So, it's kind of step one.
Narrator: first domesticated
Along the yangtze river,
Floodwaters have long been a
part of the grains' cultivation.
While most plants cannot survive
being submerged in water,
Rice's long chutes
act as air channels
That supply the roots
with the oxygen needed to grow.
Today, louisiana produces
over 3 billion pounds of rice
Each year,
worth over $360 million.
Misty: you have a pretty
wild flood season.
Faith: yes.
Right now, we have
all of this clay,
And it doesn't
absorb any water.
But guess what?
It holds water.
I was definitely looking at the
flooding issue the wrong way.
This is a problem
that we have,
You know, working out
for our good.
Wow.
-What you think?
♪♪
Marty:
one, two, three.
Ray: got you.
Narrator: with his freshly
poured concrete now hardened,
Marty begins the second phase
of his foundation build...
Marty: anything you want
to help with,
Come up, and ask me,
and I'll put you to work.
There's plenty to do.
I need you.
Narrator: ...in the hopes of
teaching ray and his son, matt,
The skills they'll need to get
their home on solid ground.
Pull up.
Good man.
I am excited
to do a lot of work.
Marty: hey, buddy. Grab the
other end of that board
With your dad, please.
Zero waste.
Should we re-use
it somewhere?
-Absolutely.
-Treehouse.
-Okay. What?
-Treehouse.
Matt: once we're
done rebuilding,
Then, we can finally
work on my tree house.
I want, like,
a secret entrance,
And monkey bars
that you grab onto,
And you pull yourself up.
Ray: drop it.
Seeing my son out there,
just hungry for work,
Hungry to actually be a part of
the development of the homestead
And the foundation,
I was impressed with him.
I was pretty proud.
Narrator: joined by ray's
brother-in-law, reginald...
Ray: got to dance with the
shovel a little bit, huh?
...marty gives the randles
a lesson in mortar --
The glue that holds
the foundation's
Columns together.
Marty: the hardest,
most technical thing
About masonry
is this mortar.
-Yes.
-Okay?
So, you've got to have
the right consistency.
Tap that tip down.
It's sticky.
It's sticking upside down.
And that way, when you go over
to your block -- watch, guys.
Point and spread.
So, how tall
does it have to be?
Done! If it's 24,
I'm ripping it out.
You can do it.
I know you can.
The end result should be --
has to be --
A level place
to set a house on.
It's the only way
to build it the right way.
Our homestead is, I describe it
as being on life support.
And we've been here
trying to resuscitate it,
But we haven't had the skills
or the knowledge.
Still learning,
trying to get this done,
But it's got to happen.
Reginald: it's been
a learning experience.
Yeah.
Watch out, man.
Man, he got a
wealth of knowledge.
Mr. Marty raney
is such a great resource.
I'm gonna listen,
And whatever he tells me,
I'm going to do.
Marty: what's that read?
Get down there.
Okay.
What's it supposed to be?
That's got to come up
a quarter.
Scrape all the mud off.
You're starting it over.
I'll show you a trick.
Sprinkle cement
on that wet mortar,
And it'll really
stiffen up that joint,
And you'll see it
stand way up here.
Then, bring it down
to where it needs to be.
You can tell right away
If somebody's invested
in a homestead or not.
How?
Do they want to learn.
It's not level.
It's centered.
-What is it, sir?
-3/4.
Marty: you're laying
your own foundation.
Excellent work.
Good job.
Narrator:
outside the homestead...
Matt:
this is wilderness.
Ain't nobody else
is gonna be out here but us.
I understand why faith
feels the way she does,
But there's no way
she's gonna succeed
If she feels like
she's being held prisoner
On her own homestead.
But now that
the sun's gone down,
It's gotten
a lot cooler,
And that's what's gonna
bring these pigs out.
-I'm ready.
-Let's do this. Come on.
Faith: let's do it.
Now, it's a good time
to actually put her
In a more real-world
situation -- at dusk.
She's got to be able
to pull that trigger.
Look at all these prints.
They're everywhere.
Look at this.
This is still wet.
At any moment,
a boar is gonna come.
What is gonna be
my reaction?
Am I really
gonna do this?
Am I gonna run?
You know?
Just trying
to stay focused.
I saw movement.
The leaves were moving.
Come on.
Go slow.
I see him.
I see him.
Breathe, and squeeze
that trigger.
So, slowly move
your finger down,
And just breathe.
Okay. There it is.
It's coming right towards us.
Slow.
Pull that trigger slow.
Narrator: three days ago,
the raneys arrived in louisiana
To find the randle
homestead drowning.
Ray: so, this is the initial
trailer we were gonna live in.
You lose every time
with mold.
You abandoned it.
-Had to.
Narrator:
but before they can get
the family's heads above water,
Matt must help faith
through her feral-hog fears.
♪♪
Matt:
how'd it feel?
Pretty intense.
Yeah.
Pretty intense.
Definitely intense.
You're doing good, alright?
Yeah.
I did it. I mean, you know,
I didn't sh**t a boar,
But I was able
to follow through,
And so, I'm pretty proud
of myself.
You want to give a speech
or anything?
I'm gonna keep this outfit
so I can look official.
Don't you mean
so you can go hunting?
That, too.
Let's go.
Still breathing.
Yep.
Narrator:
at the rice patty...
Beautiful organics
to actually grow food.
I'm so excited.
Narrator:
...15,000 gallons of water
are due to arrive at any moment.
I need help.
This is a spillway
That is designed
to have a gate on it.
We'll create a spillway
that allows water
To go up in the reservoir,
and fill up the rice patty.
Marty:
take some block.
Use it as a tracking slide,
if you will,
For a piece
of treated lumber.
Is that what
you had in mind?
Misty: cool. Next.
Yay!
Add water, and it's just
We will plant rice, and boom,
you have a cash crop.
Narrator: as misty fills the
patties capable of diverting
Of potential floodwater,
Marty is bringing in a different
kind of storm preparation.
Even though we have 30,000
pounds of concrete in place,
I'm not so presumptuous
to say,
"We've made a tornado-proof
home for the randles."
We need something
in case the big one comes.
The idea, here, is to up-cycle,
repurpose it as a storm shelter,
And make it a place of refuge
for the next hurricane,
Or the next tornado.
How's it look?
-Keep doing that.
Now, turn your tracks
that way.
There you go.
When mr. Marty raney said,
"do you want a storm shelter?"
It kind of blew me back
because, "oh, yeah.
That's another
level of safety.
Yeah. Let's do that."
Just want to tank you.
Narrator: while marty
has provided the randles
With refuge
from the worst storms,
Today, he plans to address
the family's biggest question --
How to put the "home"
in "homestead."
Alright. Is thing a good memory,
or a bad memory?
-Bad one!
-Bad.
Faith:
bad old memory.
Oh, my gosh!
♪♪
Can we just have a moment of
silence for the moldy trailer?
Over.
[ Laughs ]
So, to tell the whole truth,
I did set the family up a bit.
The randles are in for
a huge surprise.
Rolling down that highway is
a gift headed to this homestead.
[ Horn honks ]
Oh, snap!
I didn't see that!
Joy: oh, my gosh!
When we saw the needs
of the randle family,
We realized there was no time
to build a house.
I started making calls.
This is your new home.
[ Cries ]
After we shared some
of the randles' story,
The company donated
the entire home.
We're right in your backyard,
and we thought, "boy, this is
A great opportunity
to help a good family."
And so, we're thankful that
we've been a part of that.
And I just hope
it brings you a lot of joy.
-You okay, bud?
-I'm good. I'm good.
-Come here, brother.
-Thank you!
Come here.
Thank you so much.
Misty:
the fact that the community
pulled together for this family,
And they're so deserving
after all they've been through,
Their reaction
is incredibly moving.
And I'll never forget this day
as long as I live.
Joy: oh, wow!
Oh, my gosh.
So excited.
So overwhelmed.
Ray: there's a lot of work
left to do,
But just looking at the house,
that's more motivation.
I'm rejuvenated.
Marty: alright.
This is a big day, you know.
Stacey: yes, sir.
Narrator: it's moving day
for the randles,
As marty readies to marry
the new donated cabin
To the storm-sturdy
foundation.
The two forklift mules,
Outfitted with
stabilizing top bars,
Must lift the 7-ton cabin
And move it
onto the foundation.
Marty:
I got to go up!
Can't drop it.
Can't scratch it.
Can't lose it.
You like it?
-Yeah.
Whoa, whoa, whoa!
Please don't drop my house.
With ray at work,
and the kids at school,
Faith is left to help the raneys
oversee the big move.
-So, it's just you!
-It's just me today.
For this most exciting moment,
it's just you.
My excitement level, and the
fear factor's kind of, you know?
I don't know. We're weighing
the scales, here, you know?
This is pretty high up
off the ground,
For them to lift up
that high,
To get it
on top of the blocks.
Misty: that's what they're
gonna do, though.
It's really
nerve-racking.
Oh, do a good a job!
Do a good job!
Misty:
look at that move!
Hey!
Marty: stop! Stop!
Stacey: we can't get a lift
it up high enough.
Guys, the building is leaning.
That ain't right.
Marty: whoa!
The cable just broke,
so he has no way to lift --
Slow down.
Let's look at it.
Why if we just
use the bobcat,
And come behind it?
We can try it.
I'm thinking that we're gonna
have to get creative,
And maybe use a skid-steer
and get back here,
And hopefully,
it can pick it.
The building weighs
Alright. Let's wire
these on there.
There's a cushion,
so we don't...
Can you hold that for me?
Come on over, please.
I'm having some
asthma trouble.
Okay, honey.
Just take a moment.
Can we get the medic?
Misty:
I'm super nervous.
Ray is working,
the kids are at school,
And she's just
here by herself.
And it's super stressful,
And it's not going
according to plan.
[ Coughs ]
Misty: yeah, any time
you've got to shout,
"We need the medic,"
that's not the best day.
We've got some wheezing,
and some other stuff happening.
♪♪
Narrator: in louisiana,
the raneys are fighting
To save the randle family
from going under.
We don't even have a home.
It makes me feel like I failed.
Misty's rice patty has flipped
the homestead's flooding
From a problem
to an asset,
While matt works
to build faith's confidence
To face down
her feral hog fears.
But all the pressure
is on marty.
Stacey: guys, the building
is leaning.
That ain't right.
Who, while trying to put
the "home" in "homestead,"
Has a cabin
hanging in the balance.
-Whoa!
-The cable just broke.
Marty: you alright?
Mm-hmm.
I want to keep going.
Let's do it with
the medic's approval.
Whenever he says
you're ready to come back
In the game, we need you.
You're probably one of our
most inspirational players.
Okay?
Misty: hey, dad?
I don't know if I should
hang back with her --
Get matt over here.
I need somebody to
give me hand signals.
It's gonna get crazy
right now -- real crazy.
That skid-steer
might not pick it.
Marty: now, the possibility
of something going wrong
Is definitely present.
The building is sideways,
a mule broke down,
But other than that,
things are going really good.
Alright guys, channel 10,
get a radio check going, please.
Let's do it then.
-Let's go slow.
Narrator: with the mule broken,
marty must use a skid-steer
To attempt to move
the 14,000 pound cabin.
But without
the stabilizing top bar,
The house could tip to one side,
and fall off, destroying it.
We're ready
if you're ready.
Here we go.
The mule broke, which is
designed with this top bar
To kind of stabilize
this heavy load.
Now, we're left
with a skid-steer.
We don't have
the balancing bar.
And is it
gonna damage it?
Is the building gonna tip over,
and get destroyed?
Matt: need to go up
at least a foot.
Keep going.
Keep going.
Alright. Hold on. Stop.
Go forward, dad. Slow.
Ah!
Stop. Stop.
Stop. Stop.
What's going on?
I want you
to go up an inch.
Right now, you're
sitting on the block.
I'll try.
Up. Lift it up
a little bit.
Go, go, go.
Are you ready
to set it down?
We're coming down now.
You're completely free, dad.
Set it down.
You're completely free.
We're down.
It's down.
We did it.
Good girl. Good girl.
I can't believe it.
Marty: good day?
Great day. Great day.
Guess what?
That will be there forever.
We're gonna anchor it down,
Then we got to start
making it a home.
It's a house now.
♪♪
So, the first thing
you're gonna need to do
Is find me markers,
which are gonna be sticks.
Okay.
Misty: the patties
are almost done.
We have 1000 plants we need
to get in the ground.
Then, we're gonna
get to work.
And you want the plants
to have enough room to grow.
So, break off
a little stick,
Put it right on the
red spot on the tape.
Okay.
Joy: this homestead means
quite a lot to my mom
Because we risked everything
to come out here.
She almost risked her life
to come out here.
And so, I believe there's
a purpose for us being here.
It's really easy. You're lining
up with your markers, right?
And just eyeball it,
And shove the plant
into the soil.
Done.
So, with rice,
it's super important
To keep it super wet --
which is totally awesome.
There's not a lot of places
in this world
Where you can grow rice.
I've grown in extreme conditions
in alaska,
Extreme conditions
in the middle of the desert.
It doesn't matter
where you're at.
The basic needs of the plant
stay the same --
Sun, water, good soil,
fertilizer.
You definitely aren't
growing rice in alaska.
Joy:
I haven't really seen a lot of
things growing in the homestead,
So I'm so excited.
Narrator: six days ago,
punishing rains had washed away
The randles' hope of
a flourishing garden.
Now, with a series
of rice patties,
The homestead's
flood problem
Will nourish
a valuable cash crop,
All at a cost of just $400.
There wasn't much here
but a field
When we first
got here, right?
-Right.
-Look around now.
Does it look like
a homestead?
Joy: yeah!
Narrator: at the edge
of the homestead,
Misty and matt
make the final fixes
To prevent boars
from entering the property.
Matt: is it tight?
That's good.
Right there.
What we're gonna do is run
a single live wire, low,
So, when they
come up here,
They end up sniffing around,
they end up getting shocked,
And it deters them away,
and back into the woods.
Perfect!
Turkey.
[ Gobbles ]
Narrator: the raneys
arrived in louisiana
To find the randles
on a desolate,
Flooded, homestead
under siege by wild hogs.
I'm afraid to walk around
in the homestead.
Narrator:
after a week's work, they dug
a rice patty to manage flooding,
And give them
a cash crop.
Misty: look around now.
Does it look like a homestead?
Yeah!
Narrator: and locked down a new
cabin to a hearty foundation.
-We did it!
-That will be there forever.
Matt: almost done.
Narrator: matt puts the
finishing touches on a boar trap
Built around
the game trail.
The way this trap works,
we have two entrances.
These wires are holding
both of these doors open.
This is a pressure plate.
So, I'm a pig.
I'm coming in.
[ Oinks ]
[ Sniffs ]
Smells good stuff.
And then, boom,
steps on this.
The trap has been set.
Free ham for everybody.
[ Both laugh ]
Bringing home the bacon,
literally.
They thought of things that we
didn't even know that we needed.
You know how
to hunt them.
Yes.
You know how
to harvest them.
Right.
You can protect this
homestead from pigs,
But also, turn
all these feral pigs
Into this
free food source.
Thank you.
What do you think?
I think it's awesome.
One week ago,
Faith was a prisoner
on her own homestead,
Paralyzed by the threat
of the feral hogs.
Now, she's ready to go
on the hunt,
Flipping her fears into
a valuable food source,
All for just $300.
You're the best student
I think I've ever had.
You've got a really awesome
future on this homestead.
Yes! Okay.
I'm gonna set
the trap again.
Yeah, let's
set it again.
Marty:
you know what to do?
-Yes, sir.
-Good man.
Narrator: marty and ray put the
finishing touches on the cabin.
Very nice.
Ray: it was extraordinary
working alongside of mr. Raney.
He showed me
a lot of key skills
That I need
just to really sustain,
And to operate,
on this homestead.
Narrator:
seven days ago, the randles
had an unlivable trailer
And a homestead at the mercy
of the elements.
Now, they have a donated cabin
to call home,
A sturdy foundation
to weather strong storms,
And a shelter to escape
the worst-case scenario,
All to keep them
safe and dry
As they continue
their homestead dreams
For just $1800.
Okay. Climb down there.
We got some more work to do.
Ray: let's get it.
Marty has a surprise
for the youngest randle.
You worked hard every day,
and that is an 11-year-old
That deserves a reward.
Want to go inside?
Matt: yes, sir.
Moment of truth.
I can see my house
from here.
-Your new house?
-Yes, sir.
You're dancing.
Thank you
for my treehouse.
The time has come
to say "goodbye."
Matt: the thing I honestly
can't believe
Is that we're looking at
a homestead right now.
There was nothing here.
Misty:
there was a field.
You saw our future, and you
helped us with, not just today,
But for our future, as well.
For our children,
for our children's children.
You didn't just, like.
Make a homestead,
You started
a new beginning for us.
Marty: it's off to
an amazing start.
You're the most
wonderful family.
Everything that's happened here
you deserved 100%.
-Thank you.
-Thank you.
Faith: look what the lord did.
He brought a host of angels.
We're so thankful.
Thank you, raneys!
Bye, y'all!
Marty:
what did I learn in the last
week or so with the randles?
There was a plan.
Two years ago,
the plan was derailed.
But they never gave up.
My advice to all --
keep the faith.
Since we have established
our presence out here,
I actually enjoy
walking through the woods
With the kids, and exploring,
and letting them play.
Look at how well
the rice has been growing.
It has been amazing finally
having a home on the homestead.
Yeah. We've had a few rough
storms that came through,
But the foundation
has held up really nicely.
We haven't had to use
the storm shelter as of yet,
But it's real nice to have
a peace of mind, you know?
-Thank you!
-Thank you raneys!
-Thank you raneys.
-Lemonade.
Lemonade.
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06x01 - Crisis Calls
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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