Never thought this day
would ever happen.
For the very first time,
no misty and no matt.
I have not been able
to figure out how to grow food
on the side of the mountain.
We lost eight pigs last year
to coyotes.
If we can't be
self-sufficient,
then we have to leave here.
Our first winter here,
we froze.
I've thought about
throwing in the towel
so many times.
I need to help.
We've reached out
To former homesteads
that we have visited.
They changed our lives.
We'll help change another.
I had to learn everything
from marty raney.
We reached out
to my friends from hgtv,
ken and anita.
We're just here to help you
in any way we can.
Watch out. Braces!
This life can be tough.
I mean, are you ready
for that?
I will be.
- What do
you guys think?
- Oh, my god.
It's a life changer.
-Ashlynn, will you marry me?
Alright, so here I am
in tennessee.
It's incredibly peaceful.
And quiet.
I've got
two sidekicks normally.
I've been demoted
to the back seat.
- When are we
going to be there?
-I want ice cream.
This is
truly different.
There's no matt. He just had
a newborn baby girl, ruby.
And there's no misty
because she's sick.
I'm on my way to a homestead
for the very first time alone.
And if there's anyone
on planet earth that knows
how much work it takes
To help these people
in a short period of time,
it's me.
Marty is en route
to a remote mountain homestead
Nestled along
the northwestern ridge
of the great smoky mountains,
A region named
for the blue-tinted mist
That mingles through the peaks
and valleys of a range
Covering nearly
800 square miles.
Frigid temperatures
during winters marked by
heavy snowfall are common.
And a variety of aggressive
predators throughout
Create a challenge
for any homesteader.
Amidst it all,
with their dreams
Going up in smoke
is the bradshaw family.
-I'm timmy bradshaw.
-And I'm amber bradshaw.
And we live here off grid
in the mountains
Of east tennessee
for three years now.
Three years ago...
It took us 20 years
to build our last house.
So, to do a new off grid home
in two months is insane.
The bradshaws began
their homestead journey
When they built
their own cabin
On the discovery channel
series, building off the grid.
Alright, now try it out.
A king on his throne.
I love it here.
I love the house.
Buying this property
and coming here is definitely
a dream come true.
Since then,
their dream of living off grid
has turned into a nightmare.
I have not been able
to figure out how to grow food
on the side of the mountain.
And really,
it's because of water.
Our only water source
is a quarter mile
down the mountain.
Trying to figure out
how we can get it up here.
That's tough.
We got a breeder pair of pigs.
They are intended for food.
And then they started
having baby pigs.
We couldn't allot resources
to build them
a permanent structure.
Because of that, we lost eight
last year to coyotes.
It's just...
It's heart-breaking
To work so hard
to have something
And it just be taken away
so... So quickly.
I want to pursue my dream
of living off grid,
But seeing all the struggles
That my family goes through
makes me even question
Whether or not
this is worth it.
We're kind of
alone here.
So raneys, we just want
to ask you to come and help us
For not just us,
but for our children
and our future grandchildren.
-Where am I at?
To the bradshaw homestead.
-How are you?
- Is it...
What's your name?
Amber.
Tim.
-I'm gavin. Nice to meet you.
-Gavin.
-This is our son.
-So...
You're alone.
Normally, I get out
and misty and matt get out.
-That makes me nervous.
-Why?
Because we know
that three hands
are better than one.
How much property is here?
- On this homestead,
we have roughly 47 acres.
And, to be honest,
I'm a little scared.
I did not grow up this way.
I have never lived off grid.
My life before timmy,
it was a little rough.
I was a single mom
and gavin was just a year old.
I was by myself
and I lived out of my van
and worked three jobs.
I promised myself
if I ever had the ability
to change that, I would.
Fast forward several years,
my husband out of the blue,
he goes,
"I think we should pursue
your homesteading dream."
We literally packed
a moving truck, started
driving in the mountains.
I would say,
this property found us.
We didn't find it.
And then reality hit.
It's harder.
The seasons are intense.
The ground is not forgiving.
Our produce didn't grow.
I had no idea the terrain
here was so rough.
Our first winter
here, we froze.
The water inside
that we had stored froze.
Our dish soap froze.
Every morning when we woke up,
you could see our breath.
We had two fireplaces going
and we couldn't even
feel our fingers.
Being self-sufficient
on our homestead means
everything does.
Because if we can't be
self-sufficient here,
then we have to leave here.
On the homestead,
there are no days off.
I'm the only help my dad has
with all the physical labor
we have to do around here.
We don't really have
that extra manpower
to provide for the homestead.
Pretty much, all the weight
is on my shoulders right now.
We're an aging
homestead family
And I see it wearing on him
and that concerns me.
Because we rely so heavily
on timmy. I mean, we can't
make it here without him.
You start thinking
about the days ahead
And you realize you can't
keep going like this.
Our whole goal is to not just
succeed as a homestead,
but to thrive.
And we don't want...
We don't want to give up.
I'm looking at
a very strong, amazing home
That you guys built
on your own.
How do you heat this place?
-Everything that we do
up here is wood fire.
-What do you mean everything?
-Cook, heat. Everything.
-Our water. Heat our water.
Well how... I mean,
-Are you cooking
on a wood stove?
- Yeah.
In the winter, um, we didn't
understand the importance
of firewood storage
And how quickly
it gets cold here.
Well, let's talk about this.
You heat with wood
and cook with wood.
- And our water.
-And you heat your water
with wood.
-Mmm-hmm.
-Based on that,
How much wood do you have
to go into the winter with?
-What?
- The little bit under
that tarp right there.
Tell me why that...
That wood pile is so small?
That's last year's leftovers.
Now, you understand that
winter is like a month away?
-Yeah.
- Okay.
Next, walk me through this.
What am I looking at
there in that box?
It's my attempt at gardening.
-Okay.
-Timmy built that out of
recycled material.
What did you try
to grow there?
Everything. We tried
to grow tomatoes, cucumbers.
-Uh-huh.
-Potatoes.
It didn't succeed
because a, I didn't have
a water source.
And b, our chickens, um,
enjoyed any bounty
that we might have had.
You would think with 47 acres
That I'd be able to grow
all the food that we could
ever consume in a lifetime.
But in reality, it is
unless I learn
how to harvest water
And grow on the side
of the mountain,
I have not been able
to successfully grow food.
We never wanted to just go
and reside in the mountains.
We wanted to go
and live off the land.
So our children would never
have to worry
about their future
If we can teach them
the same skills.
-You like this guy, don't you?
He's my first born, you know.
Me and him have been
through so much.
Uh-oh. Um, we were homeless
for a while.
And we have a chance.
He never has to worry
about losing his home.
We lived out of a van
before I met this guy.
There's been plenty of sadness
for this family,
But there is one thing
that every family needs
And they have it in spades.
And that's heart.
How serious
are you guys
about raising pigs?
- We're in it.
We can't go back.
-We need it here.
It's just another part
of helping us
be sustainable here
And having animals here
that you can harvest
when you need them.
Raising pigs can be
a beneficial source of food
and income for any homestead.
But the up-front cost
between 500 and $2,000
per breeding age sow
Creates a high
barrier of entry.
However, once established,
hogs raised in confinement
Produce an average
of 24 piglets per year,
Making for a sustainable
source of protein,
Waste disposal,
compost and revenue.
What was the peak population
of pigs on this homestead?
- Twelve.
- What are we down to?
- Five.
-Okay.
-This last litter,
only one survived out of four.
- Okay.
-From the mud.
- Sometimes the pigs
get smushed down
In the mud because
the other pigs sit on them.
-It's sad.
- And, uh,
we lost eight
To predators
the litter before that.
This is definitely remote
and is prime
for all of the predators.
We created
a buffet for wildlife.
This is a homestead
that has lost animals.
Whatever the count is exactly
it's too many.
So we do have our work
cut out for us
to save the bacon.
Where's the water
for these guys?
They drink out of
the creek that runs
through their pen here.
-Uh, out--
-is there water
running over there?
- It's dry right now.
- Dry right now,
but to supplement that,
We give them some
of the water from our well
when we're not using it.
-Where's the well?
- Just across the road.
Let's head
down there, please.
Here is
our well house right here.
-How deep is this well?
-It's 125 feet deep.
It has a casing
with a pump at the bottom.
And we use 40, 50,
out of it.
We haul the water
up the hill
from this point.
I can't even imagine
how much time I've spent
The last three years
hauling water,
But it is pretty much
an every other day trip.
And you got to get it
up the mountain.
Your water's a long
ways from the laundry,
bathing, pigs.
So let's, uh,
get something to drink
And then we'll have
a meeting up top about
what we can and can't do here.
- Okay.
-Fair enough?
Why... Tell me about that.
Why would you
be nervous, darling?
It's, I guess,
more anxious
than anything else
When you realize that
you need so much done.
You know, we clearly
need a lot. We need food.
We need water.
We need structure.
And to put that need
into somebody else's hands,
it's hard.
This is a pretty solid team
that I'm looking at.
Your talk's cheap,
but just looking at that house
And the short time
it was built
And how stalwart
and strong it looks.
That's... That's good news.
So, we have a lot
of positives here.
So, it's not like we don't
have our challenges,
But we definitely have
a good foundation.
So I've walked
around the homestead.
I've seen
significant challenges.
But what I need to do
is frankly call my kids.
Have them weigh in
like they've always done
on every homestead.
And put in
their two cents or more.
- Woah.
- Hello?
- How's the baby?
Oh, she's wonderful.
Just soaking it up,
taking care of the baby.
You know, not sleeping much,
but it's all a labor of love.
Extremely mountainous.
They need a greenhouse
and a garden.
Some pigs have been
picked off by predators.
We need to build
a farrowing pen
and relocate them.
Find a flat spot.
-Wow.
-On top of that,
These guys aren't prepared
for winter season.
I really do wish that
I could be there to help.
So I've got an idea.
It's a little bit crazy.
I've reached out
to other homesteaders
That we've helped out
in the past.
And we'll see what happens.
Stay tuned.
-If I can help at all,
don't hesitate to call.
-I like it.
- Alright,
see you later. Bye.
Marty's ambitious
solo rescue will focus on
three big problems.
First, a total overhaul
of the bradshaw's
growing space,
Featuring both level gardens
in the mountainous terrain
And a new greenhouse
to feed the family year-round.
Second, he'll engineer
a pig farrowing pen
Designed specifically to aid
in the breeding
and maintaining
Of pig livestock
for generations to come.
And finally, with cold weather
around the corner
And every minute being spent
on other builds,
Marty must figure out
how to supply the bradshaws
With a winter's worth
of firewood
in under a week.
Marty has just seven days
with a small build crew
To take this mountain
homestead to new heights.
Guys, so good news is
in just three years,
It's impressive
what you've done.
Bad news is we don't have
a lot of manpower or people.
-Your life has had
it's ups and downs.
-Goodness, yeah.
But now you've moved up
to the top of the mountain
with a good guy
And an amazing son.
That said,
get a good night's rest.
The work starts
first thing in the morning.
So this is one
of the only flat areas
that we have around here.
-Mmm-hmm.
-And it's the only area
that's far enough away
From our chickens that
we think that they would
allow us to grow food.
Why does it have to be
far away from the chickens?
They took over the last
little garden that we had.
I'm a little anxious
on this homestead.
You would think on 47 acres
there'd be plenty of options
to put in a garden.
Wrong. This is tennessee.
It's the smoky mountains.
And every bit of this property
is like this.
First, we're going to need
to level the garden.
So, grab a stick and mark it
so clint knows where to dig.
For marty to be here
is a blessing
for the bradshaws.
The homestead is not
exactly the potential
that it could be.
And with marty's help,
it could definitely be there.
- You hear that?
Excavator.
The terrain is steep.
Let's start with this side
of the line.
So we had to literally
break out the excavator
And scratch a flat,
little postage stamp
And start to prepare
the garden.
Here's, uh, where
they've chosen
to build the garden.
As you can see,
it's in the shade.
To be honest with you guys,
all those large trees
should be cut.
-To give this sunlight.
-Yeah, that's great.
Jump in the ex.
So, here we go.
Now that we've scratched out
the footprint, cut a few trees
And have a plan
for the garden,
It's time to think about
step two in self-sufficiency
when it comes to food.
They need a greenhouse.
How would you feel
about having a greenhouse
be right here,
Right out of
your cabin. But...
So, what I'm proposing
is we can leave
the solar panels there
And we can have this footprint
to the right for a greenhouse.
That's all I need to hear.
I'll jump down and show me
where you want it.
I think that would make
all of us happy.
To address
the bradshaw's
gardening needs,
Marty will first build up
and level an open space
next to the bradshaw's cabin,
Clearing trees
to take advantage
of their direct sunlight.
Second, they will build
a log structure greenhouse
With easy access
next to the cabin
Using felled trees
from the homestead.
Finally, marty will use
the remaining logs
as much needed firewood
Necessary for the bradshaws
to cook, heat and survive
the coming winter.
Okay, young lady.
Alright, here you go.
- What are you
going to do?
You got to work and talk now.
The party's over.
- I'm loosing
my grip.
-Sorry.
- Very good.
I've worked alone
a million times
in my life happily.
But there's no way we're going
to get the work done
Here on this homestead
without help.
I go kind of into crazy mode
when I get behind
on the schedule,
And I know the scope of work
that needs to happen
to really help you guys.
We visited some homesteaders,
we asked them to come here
and help you guys.
Here you go. I'm going to
cut some wood.
You know what to do.
If you want
to meet those folks,
they're right behind you.
- Oh, wow. Hey.
-How are you?
-Amber.
-Nice to meet you.
-Christian. How are you?
-Tim.
My name is christian robinson.
This is my wife, keesa.
When the raneys called
and said, "hey, we need
some help."
We were like, "alright.
We'll come out and help."
Five months ago,
the raneys rescued
The robinson's tennessee
homestead ten miles away.
The raneys have given us
a hand-up.
- I brought you
a little gift.
-Oh, my gosh. There's fish.
So we can really make this
homestead something
That can feed us
and take care of us.
They changed our lives.
We'll help change another.
-These guys did
the same thing you did.
-They were looking for
a place frankly to get away.
-Mmm-hmm.
And start a new life
in the mountains.
-You still where
you want to be?
- Oh, absolutely.
-For life.
- Wonderful.
We'll never leave.
These guys, are you ready
for this, have no wood
for the winter.
And first thing
I thought of was you
and your sidekick over there.
-So, 'cause you guys
are workers
And you have great attitudes
and you love this lifestyle.
It feels great
to help another family.
I think it's a good
opportunity for us
To help someone
when we were helped
so generously.
And I hope that we can
help these homesteaders
Build a better place
for themselves.
Uh, if you can help these guys
buck some firewood.
-Absolutely.
-We're happy to help.
We're homesteaders too.
We know what it's like.
I couldn't believe that
they would just come here
To help people that
they don't even know.
Appreciate, um, you all taking
the time to come out
and be a part of this,
And... And help us
get through the winter.
-Absolutely.
- I mean,
I'm blown away.
I thought we were here
alone, you know?
You're not. We're here.
With getting you
ahead of the game,
It might be a good idea
to create a small pile
and a larger pile.
- That would
be wonderful.
-Okay.
Usually, what I like doing
is I like doing all of the,
like, big stuff first,
And then going through it
and figuring out which ones
Would be the best
for kindling.
Yeah, that...
That sounds great, man.
-Okay.
- Alright.
Any time you'd have a neighbor
put their life on hold
to reach out and help you,
It's a feeling that, you know,
there are people out there
That are living the same life
and they now how tough it is.
And I think that's got a lot
to do with them coming here
And, you know, wanting to
help us and be a part of this
Because they know
it's a lot of work.
Hi, guys.
Hey, guys.
Oop. That was
the container and your head.
At the bottom
of the hill, amber
and keesa tackle
Some homestead
chores together.
Our hen-to-rooster ratio
is off. I need more hens.
-I might have some for you.
-Really?
I just had... Well, I just had
a couple ladies go broody
And I've got
a new little flock.
Meeting a family that
literally has almost walked
the same path as us...
-We have the quails.
-Okay.
And we got them just to raise
a smaller meat bird
-Because they don't take
as much food.
-Okay.
...with, you know,
a similar dynamic
it's incredible.
Is this thing ready to cut?
This thing is ready to go.
On the other side
of the cabin,
Marty and timmy plan to mill
some of the felled trees
To kickstart the garden
and greenhouse builds.
Going to start making
boards out of it, so we can
close the greenhouse.
On that note,
fire this thing up.
That thing sounds like
a sewing machine.
-It does.
- Whoo.
We'll use
those resources
from the homestead.
We can make timber,
boards, beams
And incorporate them
into everything here
on the homestead.
Look at this.
That's a thing of beauty
right there.
Obviously we're shorthanded.
No misty and no matt.
But there's no shortage
of projects that need
to be done.
We need both lumber
and firewood.
So the idea is to clear
a few trees and mill them...
And then, we can address
the actual building projects.
What happened, buddy?
My starter just broke.
We're in trouble.
This just broke, right?
This is what starts
The amazing motor
that this guy has.
And, uh, until we get
it fixed, you cut...
You're already back?
Cool, I like your style.
I didn't have to go far.
The most important thing
on this property
is the sawmill.
It's necessary to help us
complete these projects.
I think we're going to
have to wind it up
just a little bit more, marty.
It's all you.
Whatever you need to do.
-Alright.
-Okay, we're off
like a herd of turtles.
-Good eye.
There's a lot going on
in a short time.
Things are on
such a tight schedule
And the manpower is limited.
We're still getting wood
to build things.
It's all going
to a good purpose.
Amen, brother.
Good man.
Keep cutting. We'll take
the whole tree.
We'll take the whole tree.
With the robinson
boys, korben and donovan
Taking the lead
on firewood duties,
Over at the cabin...
It's one of those lost arts
that nobody does anymore.
Christian teaches
ashlynn and amber an age-old
homesteading skill
That will help them make
warm clothing
To protect against
tennessee's frigid winter
And potentially become
an income source
for the homestead.
What we're making is yarn
'cause obviously everybody
knows what to do with yarn.
But it's nice to be able to do
what everybody knows,
but nobody knows how to do.
For centuries,
homesteaders have been making
Clothing and bedding
from animals
Like camels, bison, sheep,
goats and even rabbits.
As society progressed,
the loom was invented
To produce the sails
of hulking naval ships
Enabling travel, trade,
even w*r.
You take this very thin
almost thread-like strand
And it comes out
thicker than you expect.
So I get greedy and it breaks.
But practice makes perfect.
I'm passing on what I had
learned about spinning wool
and fibers into yarn.
Amber's been looking to
figure out how to use,
So that should really
be helpful to her.
There's different ways you can
keep your hands close together
to keep the twists out.
That's what spinning is.
Deciding how much twist
to send into what you've got.
But if I held it back here
and let go of my brake hand
and spun it,
- Mmm-hmm.
-Then this whole thing
would twist up.
-So that would be one great
big piece of yarn?
- Right.
It wouldn't be strong.
Between the two hands,
you can untwist it
To create this magical whirl.
I've got nieces and nephews
that are wearing caps
that I spun.
Christian sharing
his knowledge with us
About how to spin yarn
was really helpful
Because this will just take us
one step further
on our homestead.
Being able to spin your own
yarn again is another part
-Of your journey
to self-sufficiency.
-Right.
I had the tools
and wanted to learn.
-Right.
-And here you guys pop up
And you brought this skill
with you, and you're willing
to share it.
And you're sharing it
with future generations.
-Wonderful.
-It is important
to pass those on,
So they're not lost
to antiquity.
No, i... To be honest,
I've never seen yarn
this beautiful in real life.
-Come on.
-No, seriously.
I'm just in awe of everything.
Seriously that's too cool.
This is all new to me,
but I'm like getting
more and more confident
In this way of living.
So, you know, I think
definitely I can do this.
Again, I just want
to thank you. What a gift.
-Absolutely. I'm happy
to share.
-Thank you.
Thank you.
Alright, so what have
you guys decided?
With the greenhouse
build underway
And the robinsons helping
with the homestead's
firewood supply,
Marty turns his attention
to the homestead's
pig situation.
This is our livestock area.
There's semi-flat land.
-There's plenty of forage.
-Okay.
When you come
into this homestead,
At the bottom of the road
that goes up to where
the homesteaders live,
You'll see three pigs
out in the open
without an adequate shelter.
There's no place for feed.
There's no barn.
There's nothing.
And a lot of their pigs
were k*lled by predators.
Our thought is to get
those pigs shelter that
protects them from coyotes,
Next to the house
and all the other animals
for safety.
They need a proper
farrowing pen.
A farrowing pen
is a type of enclosure
Designed to separate a sow
from newborn piglets,
Keeping the mother
from rolling over
And k*lling the babies
while feeding or sleeping.
It'll have doors on this side.
A little ramp for piglets
to get out.
The pigs that we have,
they're a good distance
away from us,
So we can't really
keep an eye on them.
I'm excited that
this placement of it
um, is in an area
Where they're going to
be protected.
To ensure
the safety of the pigs,
Marty will build an 8x16 foot
custom farrowing pen
From recycled lumber
on the bradshaw's property.
He'll incorporate
two wide, covered stalls
Ensuring protection
for the two pregnant sows
And their piglets
at the same time.
Finally, marty will provide
two fenced in areas
For the pigs
to roam around in,
Promoting comfort and space
for years to come.
When marty pulled up
and we didn't see
matt and misty,
And the truck with him,
I have to admit,
my heart dropped.
But, work is really
getting done
And seeing the progress
with the pig pen
and, you know, the shelter.
These pigs will come out here.
There's a mountain here.
Water's gonna happen.
Oh, man.
I'm just a little overwhelmed
right now.
Let's put
some knee braces in there.
On the bradshaw
homestead...
-You're gonna need
a ladder, sir.
- Yup.
Timmy and marty
push to secure a new
farrowing pen
For the family's pigs.
Seeing the progress,
I'm really excited to see
How much could get done
in a short amount of time
in the days that we have left.
All right, shake it
and see if you're making
the building stronger, please.
How's it feel?
-Feels tight.
- Okay, well, we'll put
on a few more
-And then it should
be good to go.
-It could be even tighter.
You got a bunch of crap
on your forehead.
No! I didn't say take it off.
-I'm saying good.
Keep it on there.
Look at this. Okay?
At the cabin,
marty shows
the bradshaw family
Some of the fruits
of the robinson family's
labor.
Being a homesteader
means living off the land
to survive
And we're not doing that.
We showed up here,
virtually had no wood.
-Now your winters are short.
Mine are seven months long.
-Ouch.
-But I'm thinking this
is gonna get you probably...
-... Through most
of the winter.
-This is more firewood
Than we've ever had
since we moved here.
That's all I wanted
to hear.
Every house in america,
whether it's a mansion
or a shack
Is only standing there
because someone had
to cut a tree,
Had to harvest that tree,
but build something out of it,
but look at the results.
Have you visited
these people in winter?
Yes, it got so cold
that the dish soap,
You couldn't even pump out
because it was frozen.
That, ashlynn, should never
happen again.
And now, we got some bad news.
We're gonna lose this family
right now, they're leaving.
I wanna thank you, personally,
for, um, coming out
and just putting your life
Kind of on hold for us.
All the firewood
that's been split and stacked,
Come winter time,
when we start burning wood,
I'ma being thinking
about y'all every time I put
-A piece on the fireplace.
Seeing the robinsons show up,
it humbled me.
I'm so grateful for 'em,
And I hope I get
the opportunity
to pay it back.
The friendship
with the robinsons
will be a lasting one.
But I think everybody's made
a sacrifice and like you said
when you first walked up,
We're all in this together.
-I just feel like we expanded
our family.
Us, too.
It's nice to have people
that are of similar mindset
so close.
I mean, we're already planning
on doing things in the future
Together as families
to help each other.
And that, you can't put
a price on that.
These were total strangers
a couple of days ago.
And maybe more important
than anything,
you guys become friends.
Neighbors and friends.
It will certainly'll be
a lasting friendship
with the bradshaws.
I'm extremely happy for...
You guys coming
and what's happened here
And I'm sure that it'll only
just get better
between the two families.
What a wonderful start.
-So, yeah, thanks again, sir.
-Thank you.
You're welcome. And you.
Thanks for letting me
challenge you.
And you, thank you
for this second opportunity
To spend time
with your family.
And you, you need
to be on this side
where the workers are.
I had no idea
that the robinsons would come,
But the great state
of tennessee
is the volunteer state
And they didn't let us down.
See ya later.
We gotta get back to work.
- See you guys later.
-Y'all are really leaving? Aw.
-Thank you.
-Good luck, everyone.
-Bye, y'all.
-Thanks, fam.
-Thanks again.
- Thanks robinsons.
- Good morning.
- Good morning.
How we doing?
After four days
of hard work,
Marty gathers the bradshaws
to check in on the homestead
and their progress.
In just four days,
it's impressive
what you've done.
That said, it's your 47 acres,
not mine.
So let's go to you.
How are you doing?
I couldn't
be more excited.
What we want to here
and what we are doing
Is to figure out a working
blueprint to homestead
for generations.
Not just a hobby,
not just for a couple
of years,
But for our son,
you know, when he gets married
and he has children,
And his children's children.
We wanna start
the tradition in our family
of homesteading again
-That'll last for generations.
-The plan has always been
to build my own house
Here on the homestead
big enough for me
and a future family.
Which I'm definitely
thinking about,
Especially with my girlfriend,
ashlynn.
He wants to be a man,
he wants his own house
before he gets married.
- Understood.
- I have my build site.
-I'm trying to
at least get it--
-where's that at?
It's at the top
of the property, uh...
-You wanna show it to me?
- Sure.
I'm really impressed
with gavin.
He has said my dream
is to live in these mountains.
Then he tells me,
in fact, I've picked out
a place to do it higher up.
-Well, you wanted to live
on a mountain top.
We have a 180-degree
panoramic view
of the smoky mountains.
It's paradise.
But, where do you see you,
this piece of land
and ashlynn?
Down the line,
I see us here together
building our house,
Having a family,
having kids together.
Your relationship
is that serious?
- Oh, yeah, yeah,
I have the ring.
-You're kidding me.
Oh, no, but I want to have,
at least, the house
That we're gonna live in
started before I do it.
When we first moved here,
my dad and I built our house
that we live in,
Which was really
an experience.
My dad and I got to, like,
really come together
for the first time.
Everything was done by hand
and it was the toughest thing
that I've ever done.
But it was really fun,
we got to learn how to square
a building for the first time
And learn how to do that
myself.
I am... In a place in my heart
where I feel like I'm ready
to take the next step
And, uh, fulfill my dreams
and build my own house.
Have you ever thought
about exactly where
you would build it?
Actually, yes, back here
I've staked out.
-Walk me over there, please.
-Yeah.
My dad and I came up here
and he helped me clear out
some of the trees.
And I'm wanting to do
a 20x30 cabin right here
in between these four stakes.
It's more like a house
when you start talking
-About homesteading.
I want it to be large enough
for a future family.
You're already planning
a house that will
be big enough
-For kids with you and her?
If she says no,
I have a big house for myself,
you know?
I feel like it's a great spot.
I just don't know how
to get started.
Well, I'll tell you how
to get started.
You gotta dream it first,
you gotta believe
in that dream.
I think I'm standing
next to a guy
That can make everything
you just talked about
happen right here.
I had no idea that there would
be two homesteads
to think about.
Do I have the time to do it?
No, but I think I have to make
the time to help gavin.
-Let's go back to work.
I hear a chainsaw running.
- All right.
- I feel guilty.
If you come down,
what do you--
Yeah, that's good.
Right here.
Panic tower.
On the side
of the bradshaws' cabin,
The assembly of a safe
and secure pigpen
is in full swing.
You came.
So marty's got me, timmy
and even ashlynn working
On the farrowing pen
for the pigs.
Well, I guess I wanna ask you,
I mean, this life
can be tough.
-If you don't believe me,
ask her.
-Yeah.
So, I mean,
are you ready for that?
I will be eventually.
What I like about that answer
is you're not overconfident.
-A lot of people will go,
"yeah, I'm ready."
But I think that's a good,
cautious answer.
I grew up on the grid,
so the homesteading life
is difficult for me,
But I love gavin,
so I'm willing
to be a part of it
And see what comes to be.
You came to work today.
-Yes.
-Okay.
Do me a favor and get me
some more poles this size.
-Bring 'em over here.
-Marty trusted us
with installing the roof
On the farrowing pen.
I got to bring
over some logs.
That was really cool
to get my hands dirty.
That's two, I want 100 more.
-You got it?
-Mmm-hmm. I think so.
Okay, there's your screw
for the roof.
There's the metal
that you had, right?
-And there's your roof.
-Okay.
Don't fall off, see you later.
Can you give me
a little lift here
and just be careful.
It's sharp.
-Push.
- You gotta
give it to me.
Yeah, there you go.
Thank you.
So, do we have the bottom
hanging over?
Yeah, it's, like, this much.
Ashlynn is doing really good
with the homesteading work.
Uh, you need to go up
a little bit.
Up just a hair.
Yeah, you're good.
- A little bit more.
- All right.
I try to help as much
as possible, so definitely
everything has been new.
To me anyway.
It's been fun.
Oh, good.
-That's it.
-Yay.
-That's it.
-Good job.
Three days ago,
the bradshaws' pig livestock
was drowning in mud
And getting picked off
by coyotes.
Now they have a proper
farrowing pen designed
for breeding
And raising pigs
within the proximity
to their cabin,
Protecting them from the wild.
Okay, I want you to look
around right now.
Thank goodness
the robinsons came over.
Later in the day,
marty gathers the bradshaws
for an update.
-They almost cut enough wood
for this winter.
- It was a huge help.
But they're gone
and they're not coming back.
And another
surprise.
So here we go again.
We've actually reached out
to a couple.
They have experience
with gardening and building,
And we need help
when it comes to both.
My friends ken and anita.
Hey, guys.
We're ken and anita corsini
from atlanta, georgia.
We're on a hgtv show
called flip or flop atlanta,
As well as our new show
called flipping showdown.
I think you take this down
and this down,
it'll open it all up.
Let's do this.
On our show,
we're able to take
a distressed property,
Something that is in need.
And turn it into something
beautiful.
And if we can help
a family bring function
to their homestead,
That's wonderful.
We understand land,
we understand animals,
And we understand
what you're trying to do.
Honestly, we're just here
to help you in any way we can.
Whatever way we can support
your dream of living
on this land,
-That's what we wanna do.
- We'd love your help.
- Okay.
-So I think I'll take 'em
on a tour,
Show 'em the greenhouse.
-You guys ready to go?
-Let's do it.
-All right.
-Let's go.
I love gardening, so I knew
that I could bring that set
of skills.
But we also live on 14 acres
with animals, with water,
with a well.
So I felt like we could speak
in on some of the things
that they're trying to do
Here in tennessee
and we were excited
to help out.
Have you guys ever seen
a greenhouse like this?
-No.
-No.
I'm thinking that whole thing
is just gonna be these guys.
- There's enough of that,
yeah. Okay.
-These guys and windows.
No dimensional lumber.
You guys can discuss
the design, but do me a favor,
take over the reins
-Of the garden and greenhouse.
- I like that.
We don't have a lot of time
with ken and anita,
So I'm thinking about making
them have ownership
Of the garden spot
and greenhouse.
And I'll be able to focus
on water and, hopefully,
gavin's foundation.
I think the biggest challenge
is just gonna be the fact
that you're using rough logs
That don't have perfect
angles.
Then, trying to put in,
You know, manufactured windows
that do have nice,
perfect right angles.
- The thing is it will
serve its purpose.
- Yeah.
-So why not really, you know,
let's use what's on the land.
-Yup.
So what do you think
layout-wise?
I know that marty had some
pretty cool ideas of doing
the perimeter.
-Yup.
-What do you think?
So here's my thing,
I like the perimeter
But, essentially, that's just
like an indoor raised bed.
- Yeah.
-Right, so you have beds
coming out...
Let's see here.
This is, like, you know...
- Mmm-hmm.
- Like two feet.
- Yup.
-You don't have much space
here in the middle.
Let's figure that out
real fast.
Oh, look,
there's a tape measurer
right there, baby.
Who needs tape measurer,
man, this is...
We're in the wilderness.
-Tape measurers,
that's about two feet.
-That's a homestead
Tape measurer right there,
that's a homestead.
We don't need this.
Marty's really given
us a good framework
for this greenhouse,
So he got it started.
You don't need dimensional
lumber and really pretty,
perfect windows
To grow food, you just don't.
And so, it's...
Okay, let's work
with what we have
And make it as functional
as possible 'cause that's
really more important.
Towards the top
of the mountain,
marty has some news for gavin.
So I looked down that road...
I'm thinking
of all the unfinished jobs.
I shouldn't even
be standing here.
I should be down there
trying to finish
at least one thing.
But you are so cool,
we are gonna help you.
The more that I work
alongside gavin,
the more I like him.
The more I think
he's deserving of everything
that he's dreaming.
Which means I might
have to add one more thing
to my plate.
You might notice
that there's some lumber
that we hauled in today.
Yeah.
If it's okay with you...
... We're going to build
your foundation.
I don't know...
I just don't know what to say.
When marty showed up
on the property
And we laid out the problems
that we were facing...
... I had no expectations
that anything was gonna happen
with my future goals.
And seeing that...
He's taken the time aside
and dedicated it
To helping me, just...
I can't begin to express
how thankful I am.
We'll try to scratch out
the footprint for your home.
And your parking,
your turnaround,
a place for the kids to play.
-And, um... We're gonna
give you that head start
Because of any young person
I've ever met
in a homesteader,
-I believe you, I believe you.
This dream of yours
is gonna happen.
And we're gonna help you
make it happen.
It feels great, like a giant
weight's just been lifted.
-For real.
-I had no idea when I was
gonna get started.
And... Or if I was able
to do it by myself.
Uh, I know I'm putting a lot
on my dad asking him
for help with this.
And you can tell,
trying to do everything
by himself
Is definitely wearing on him.
-You know what he told me?
-What?
"I can't make it here
without gavin."
-That's what he said to me.
When I heard that,
I thought we gotta pull
the trigger.
-Okay.
- So, people need you.
Find me four corners
and I'll meet you back here
in the morning.
- All right.
-See you later.
Thank you.
Okay, guys, I know
we're busy and we got
five different projects
That are all unfinished,
but we need to talk
about this water.
We need to talk
about this well.
2,000 Feet
below the bradshaws' cabin,
Marty, gavin and timmy
inspect the property's
only source of water.
It is supposedly
Do you know how much
water it produces?
Like, how many gallons
per minute?
No, I don't know any of that.
Let's talk about the facts.
-You guys have it hooked up
to this.
- Mmm-hmm.
How many gallons a day
do you take out of this
or per week?
Every other day I haul
about 30 to 40 gallons
of water.
Okay, so you're hauling
about 120 gallons a week
up to the top.
- Mmm-hmm.
- Have you guys ever
contacted the guy
-Who drilled this well?
-No.
-We have no idea who he is.
-Okay.
Let's do
our own investigation here.
First thing is I'm looking
and it looks
like the well casing's full.
-When water's coming out
the top of your well casing...
-Right.
-... It's indicative that this
is a good sign.
-That's a good thing, yeah.
Frankly, right this second,
the only thing that we can do
is confirm
Or establish the depth
of this well.
So let's just see how deep
it really is.
- All right.
-Ready?
-I'm gonna drop this down.
Feed it to me.
- Oh, okay.
Don't be shy, just go.
You know,
water here is precious
And it's the lifeline
to staying here.
I'm able to put it
in containers and bring it
up the mountain.
But we can't keep
going like this.
Okay, see this?
That's how deep
I think your well is,
right there.
89 Feet.
That's what I think.
Okay?
I'm thinking that right now
if it's 90 feet,
They can tap
into about 135 gallons
of water right this second.
That's what's in the pipe.
We're going to, um, pump
some water out of here,
And we're gonna test
the recovery of it.
If you guys don't have
enough storage containers,
we're gonna get some.
So that we can establish
how much water we draw
And then, while we're working
in the next day...
-See how fast it comes
back up.
-A day or two, we'll see
What your recovery is.
More importantly than any
of that, how are you getting
that water from the well site
-Okay, let's go.
To the top, right?
- Yup.
We need the right sized pump
To push water through a 1-inch
line 2,500 feet.
Is it possible?
It has to be.
- Good morning.
- Good morning.
With the work
on the greenhouse underway...
How y'all doing today?
Good. How about yourself?
We're excited.
Ken and anita
identify a pre-existing
garden eyesore.
This, to me,
is underutilized asset,
really.
Especially right here next
to the greenhouse.
So today, my plan is to really
help get this garden going.
And set them up to have
a space for this season
To produce some food
for themselves.
Did you have any plans
for this area already?
We wanted to do a lot
of raised beds
-Just 'cause we like
raised bed gardening.
- Mmm-hmm.
But our main challenge
has been keeping
the animals out.
-So I just kind of gave up
because there were--
-especially the chickens.
- Yeah.
-They really decimated
this whole thing.
I'm sure that we can figure
out a way to keep
the animals out.
- Okay.
-So for now, I say
let's pull these weeds.
We can feed them
to our rabbits.
- Oh, the rabbits.
- The rabbits
like this? Okay perfect.
So let's get our hands dirty.
I'll get the guys
and see if we can find
dirt for this.
-That sound good?
-Wonderful. Great.
-All right, thanks.
Let's go get the buckets.
-All right.
I know how important growing
food is for my family.
I mean, that's been one
of our achilles' heels
since moving here.
So seeing anita
and their expertise
that they're bringing
To help us grow food,
it's great.
Good.
-Is that out?
- That's good.
I wanna see this rabbit,
adventure.
They know
something's going on.
- Wow,
it's so interesting.
- Yeah.
Well 'cause
all they eat's hay.
Oh, don't even try
to escape, don't you think
about it.
Okay, guys.
Later that day,
down by the bradshaws' well,
Marty meets with timmy
and amber about the state
of their dire water issue.
Remember how I've been asking
you what's the history
of this well?
This whole thing?
And do you remember
dropping a tape down there?
-We said, well, forget it,
we'll just get our own intel.
-Right.
We've gotten a lot
of stuff done,
but we still have no water.
So we need to figure it out.
-So this is ken.
- Nice
to meet you, ken.
So when I asked ken,
"could you look up
this piece of property
And could you find out
any history on this well?"
He goes, "okay,
I'll get back with ya."
He did get back with us
and he drove right out here.
And guess what?
He brought the guy
that set this pump.
-Mark.
-Yes.
Okay, so this morning...
This well couldn't have got
water to your house.
But while you guys
were up there,
Mark pulled that pump
and put a bigger one in.
One that will pump water
to your house.
Mark donated the pump.
-And ken donated
the water line.
And if you look in the back
of that truck over there...
... There's an 1,100-gallon
brand spanking new,
Off the showroom floor
clean, potable tank.
This only happened
because of ken and mark,
your neighbors.
It's a solution to a major
problem that I didn't think
it could be solved.
I've seen my husband struggle
with it daily for three years.
Knowing what it means for him,
that's incredible.
So... Here's our plan.
We'll do a direct line
through the woods. 2,500 Feet.
Guess what?
Your house is 2,000 feet.
It's 2,000 feet to your place.
-Oh, my.
- Honey.
-So we're gonna run
another 500 feet.
- Oh, my god.
We're thinking about putting
that tank at the very top
of your property,
So it can gravity feed
his place, your place.
-Chickens, goats and pigs.
And anything else you want
to bring to this homestead.
With a new pump
installed, the bradshaws
will be able to transfer water
From their well
at the bottom of the mountain
To the 1,100-gallon
potable water tank
installed at the top.
Which will then gravity feed
water to both timmy
and amber's home,
As well as gavin's
future cabin.
- That's the plan.
- Amazing.
So what it would mean, guys,
you would have
I mean, words
just can't express
how important this is
And how much I appreciate
everyone and everything...
... That y'all are doing.
So, just thank you
from the bottom of my heart.
If you want to see
a grown man cry,
Just tell me that I don't have
to haul water, you know,
up the mountain anymore
And you really...
You'll see some tears
because finding out
Just the capacity of the well,
I mean, I was just clueless
at how much water
Was actually down there
so, um, there's very high
hopes
For this homestead here now.
-Thank you so much.
-We're just glad to help.
Okay, uh, meet you on top.
-Sounds good.
-Bring us a water tank.
All right.
It's almost bigger
than it was.
Wow. I don't know how marty
found the time to get
all of this done.
He snuck it right by us.
It's gonna take me a minute
to take this all in.
-I'll put it all back
if you don't help me--
- no, no, no, no.
- See this?
- Yeah.
On a peak
of the smoky mountains...
That's a 300-foot
roll of wire.
Marty and gavin fix
One of the bradshaw
homestead's most glaring
issues.
You got a well
that's producing
perfectly clean water.
You're gonna have 2,500 feet
of brand new line,
perfectly clean,
Going to a brand spanking new
tank up there that'll hold
What do you think?
That's amazing.
-You want clean water?
-Yeah.
-Head for the well.
-All right.
Come back.
All right, so...
-Two on each side.
- Okay.
Nice and neat.
Boom, there you go.
-It's not a two-man show.
-Okay.
-I'm going. Bye.
-All right.
Working with marty,
he seems a little larger
than life
And has a very intimidating
personality.
Did you get it?
Yeah, I feel
like it's pretty snug.
But he wants you to pick up
and learn and do it yourself.
And has been really insightful
on the kind of person he is.
You know what
I like best about this?
What?
Sweat is dripping
off your face.
And it just inspires me
to see that I can probably
do the same in my life.
Okay, this is really
embarrassing,
But I put the two ends here
behind the tailgate.
I'm supposed to know
what I'm doing.
Wait up, gavin!
Pull it!
The way that these are planted
right here, matched up
next to this,
They're gonna get trampled.
They will,
they can't access them.
Back
at the greenhouse site...
My thought is let's, like,
save the plants, right?
That's always my mission
to save the plants.
Ken and anita
meet with the bradshaws
to go over the best way
To salvage their exposed
herb garden.
We can dig these up
and plant 'em.
But do you want something
that has a little bit of herbs
-By the house?
-Right.
Yeah, we're definitely gonna
have to move the herbs.
So you wanna just leave this
and frame it in?
Is that what you're thinking?
-That could be the trick.
-I mean, you could even just
do, like, a 3x3 square.
- Right.
-And another 3x3 square.
-And then have a walkway here
like a t.
- Yeah.
They had a bunch of herbs
that were in decent
enough shape
And they were outside
that raised bed
And it just seemed
like they needed
their own home.
If they're right outside
your front door,
You can kind of keep an eye
on 'em, make sure
they're getting watered,
And then you'll use 'em
'cause they're top of mind.
You know, I can't leave here
and sleep at night knowing
That something is not prepared
and ready for food for them
this season.
You need to give yourself
at least two feet to walk
in between the two though.
-Yeah. Okay.
-At least be able to get
your wheelbarrow through.
-All right, we're gonna
go execute.
-Okay.
Anita mentioned making
two smaller garden beds
On top of the one
that we already have,
So that's gonna pretty much
double my growing space
right outside my front door.
We can probably dig it deeper.
And to be able to have
a working garden
that will feed our family,
I mean,
that's self-sufficiency
right there.
- All right.
- It's actually
fairly level.
-Timmy, we did
a good job, man.
-I'll take it. I'll take it.
- We got that built
pretty good.
Hit it.
There's a lot going on
all over this 47 acres.
I've been on top
of the mountain.
Ken and anita, they've been
at the bottom,
working on the garden.
But they need
a little more help.
How you doing? Good morning.
-How's it going?
-Good.
My name is ray randle.
I'm from greenwood, louisiana.
Mr. Raney called me out,
and let me know that there was
a need for another homestead.
I was really excited.
He not only helped me
to solidify and build
the foundation,
But he also taught me
how to be the foundation.
A lot of the weight
of the foundation falls on me,
And so I spread it and share
it with the other
family members,
But they implemented a lot
of knowledge and skill
on to me.
Paying it forward
is definitely how
Um, my family
and i, we live our lives.
Look at that cut.
Years ago, I helped ray randle
put in his own foundation,
And worked alongside him,
showing him how to do it.
You've got another one
to cut?
You do, right there.
It's so important
to have
A community of homesteaders
because you don't know
everything.
If you have a community,
if you have people that you
can reach out to,
And talk to and get resources
and knowledge and information
from them, it helps.
Wow.
I figured it would've
just been a little over,
but it's so much...
I've got a yard now, you know?
I don't know how marty
found the time to get
all this done.
He snuck it right by us.
It's gonna take me a minute
to take this all in.
- What do you think?
-It's amazing.
Why is it amazing?
We've so much more space
than I thought it was
gonna be up here.
-I'll put it all back
if you don't think...
-No, no, no.
-You think you'll ever have
a garden?
-Yeah.
-You've got room for it.
-I've got room now.
-You think you'll ever have
a greenhouse?
-Yeah.
Got room for it.
I was blown away.
My, I mean, my breath
was taken.
I'm still taking it in.
I mean, there's, it's just
so much work that was done
up there,
And it looks so great.
We're gonna help you get
a foundation.
Meaning, all of the concrete
in the ground, the posts,
Then all the floor joist
and plywood on top, ready
to stand walls.
-Wow.
-Ready?
-Okay.
-Okay. Let's go.
Look at that cut. Look!
Look at it!
I've never cut anything
that close to the line
in my life!
Meet ray randle.
-Nice to meet you, ray.
I'm gavin.
-Hey.
Gavin, nice to meet you, sir.
This is a good day
on your homestead
Because I got an old friend
of mine that I met
on a homestead. His.
I'm originally from the city,
so I had to learn everything.
-Obviously, you've gotten
some practice in.
-Yes, yes.
People talk, right?
About what they can do,
but read it...
-I can see what he can do,
yeah.
-Read it and weep.
-Look at this. Precision.
-Guess who taught me that?
-This man here?
-That's right.
I had to learn everything
off of youtube
and marty raney.
-And so...
-In that order?
-In that order.
-Ooh, that's painful.
- I'm sorry.
- No, it's okay.
So tim, I'm just trying
to think of that raised bed,
And how we can keep
those chickens out,
and protect that garden.
Over at the chicken
pen, ken and timmy plan
How to keep
their raised beds safe
From free-range livestock.
I see that there's a lot
of wire here.
There's fencing.
We could frame up a top.
And cover it with chicken wire
that you could, like,
lift and close.
This garden,
in my opinion,
Is one of the most important
things about this house.
If they're gonna be
sustainable
With this existing raised bed,
we need to figure out how
to keep animals out of it.
- This is four feet,
so they
- wow.
Do kind of jump over
that sometimes, so...
It would definitely have to be
something closed in.
So if something that was
taller didn't quite do it,
They were still getting
up and over.
Do you have some, like,
existing fencing that we could
just use to cover the garden?
Uh, I think I have some wire
around here that we can use,
That they couldn't
get through.
That we could
still access, so...
-Let's take a peek and see
what you've got in here.
-All right.
Ken has all
of this knowledge,
and it's gonna make
Life so much easier.
- I have some wire
over here.
- Okay.
I mean, that would...
That would definitely keep
them out.
That's plenty of it too.
So it's possible that we
could use this.
You've got pvc?
I've got some pvc.
Some three-quarter, I think
they're ten-foot sticks.
How many?
I have, I think I have enough
to do...
-The garden.
-Would you wanna do a bent?
We could do a flat that you
could even, almost, just lift
and close.
Almost build a pvc frame.
Attach this to it.
And just have it flat.
But then it would be
easy enough
-To move out of the way,
-right.
-And get to what you needed to
and put it right back on top.
-So, yeah.
That... I think that's
a good option too, so...
-I like it.
-You like it?
-I like it.
-Let's go draw it out.
-And let's take inventory
of what we've got.
-Okay.
-We've got the wire.
-Yup.
Let's go, let's go!
The amount of people
that we've had.
It's just been so amazing.
Come, come.
Unfinished projects.
I've never actually
built one of these before.
It doesn't get better
than this.
All right, come here.
What do you think
I'm holding here?
Uh...
A weight of some kind?
With only hours
until the sun sets
On the second to last day
of the rescue,
Marty brings in
a local foundation expert,
To teach gavin
about stabilizing
his future home
On the uneven terrain
of the smoky mountains.
It's basically a concrete
block cast around steel.
And we put four big drive pins
in the ground
that stabilize it,
And keep it from shifting
Or settling at all.
And make it to where we have
a good, stable platform
for you to build off of.
And guess who's gonna put in
his own foundation?
-You.
-I am.
Good answer.
When we build a structure
on a homestead,
It's important to me
That the homesteaders
have ownership.
Find the sweet spot.
Oh, there it goes.
All right.
Get your hands on the lumber
or the logs.
Get a hammer. Drive a nail.
Put in a screw. Use
a chainsaw. Do something.
Today that's happening.
Marty's been
putting me to work,
Uh, really heavy,
On the foundation
of my future house.
It's been really exciting.
We've had a lot of help
with the crew
And the new building style
materials.
-Everybody, you can use
that two-by,
-i'm at the screw here.
But just make sure
it's straight.
Down more. Stop.
The amount of people
that we've had
volunteer their time,
It's just been so amazing.
I'm really grateful
for everything
that they've done.
And I absolutely want to
be able to do that for someone
else in the future.
Let's go, let's go!
Come, come.
At the garden site,
the corsinis help
the bradshaws
Finish planting the herbs
In their new three-by-three
raised garden beds.
My plan is to really help
get this garden going.
And really give them some
of the tools to produce
some food for themselves.
We brought in
some really good mulch
and some compost.
- Hmm-mmm.
- So it's good,
useable soil.
And, hopefully, the animals
will stay out of it.
Because they're not big fans
of the herbs.
-Do you want to put some
of those herbs back into here?
-Yes.
I want to be able to create
a blueprint
That my kids and grandkids
Can follow anita and ken,
helping us grow our own food.
And, uh, you can't say you're
homesteading if you're
not growing what you eat.
It's beau-ti-ful.
What's going on down here?
Well, we've been
working but so have you guys.
What's happening here?
You're already planting.
-Yeah, we cleaned out this bed
that was existing.
- Oh!
- Yup.
- Nice.
-Filled it.
- Oh, the old garden?
And look how much space
you created.
Almost 80 square feet
of garden.
I thank you so much.
You saved things that were,
most likely, gonna go
to waste.
Yeah, this is
really cool.
Just to bond with them.
Understand their heart
for this homestead.
We set some plans
in motion,
And I really, really hope
they can see them through.
It requires a lot.
A lot of sacrifice.
It's just not
for everybody.
- I really want to see
them be successful here.
- Yeah.
Thank you both.
-Seriously, we enjoyed it.
Every second of it.
- Yes.
We appreciate you inviting us.
When I came down to the garden
and the greenhouse
And I saw what they achieved
so far,
I was impressed.
We hit a home run
When ken and anita came
from hgtv to help us.
-Thank you again.
-Thank you so much
for having us.
-We really enjoyed it.
-It was a pleasure
meeting you.
I am learning
that the epitome
of homesteading is
Helping out your neighbor,
and I just, I wanted
to thank them.
I mean they took time away
from their family.
Who does that for people
that you just met?
-Bye, y'all.
-Thanks, guys.
-Bye. Thanks for everything,
guys.
-Thanks a lot. Yeah.
Okay, young man.
It's the final day
of the rescue.
-Where do you want to put
the exterior door?
-Right over here.
-Show me, please.
-All right.
With amber, timmy
and ashlynn taking over
animal-proofing the garden,
Marty puts gavin to the test.
You're gonna build
your own stairs
To your own future,
right now. Can you handle it?
Yeah. Let's do it.
The more I work
alongside gavin,
The more I really like him.
He's got a heart the size
of alaska.
And he's really wanting
to learn everything possible.
When you build
a set of stairs,
there's two words:
-The rise and the tread.
-All right.
When you meet a homesteader
that really wants to learn,
It makes me motivated
and compelled and inspired
to help even more.
Because I know, after I leave,
There's a much better chance
that they'll be successful.
Every set of stairs has
a stringer on each side.
- Get yourself a line
around there, please.
- All right.
Okay.
Now if we were to cut
that out,
-Does it start
to resemble a stair?
-Yeah.
Now, that's one stair.
- Do me a favor.
- Yeah.
- Make me seven stairs.
- All right.
Marty, he wants you to pick up
and learn, and do it yourself.
I've been getting a lot
more hands-on,
Rather than being just, like,
the gopher and assistant.
I think I'm gonna start
cutting these out.
There it goes.
It's been nice getting
my hands dirty.
All right.
Mmm, okay.
I like it.
Okay, now we need
seven treads.
- Here we go.
- All right.
Helping work on it
with my own two hands,
It's really rewarding,
and makes me believe
That we're on the right track
to do this for generations.
I'm one step closer to being
ready to propose to ashlynn.
I'm sure she's gonna say yes.
But... You never know.
Pin it.
You're the proud owner
of a very solid and legal
Set of stairs
to your front door.
-Do you think you could build
a set of stairs without me?
-Yeah.
That is music to my ears.
- All right.
- Let's get out
of here.
Go ahead and grab
a flat and I'll tell you
what we're doing.
All right.
At the garden site,
timmy, ashlynn and amber
gather to finish
The final phase
for the revitalized
raised beds.
Ken came up with this idea
to build this hoop house.
We've got our frame,
and once we get
the chicken wire on,
I mean, they won't be able
to get in there anymore.
We're gonna plant,
but we've got to help timmy
cover this with wire.
-Awesome.
-So that's gonna be fun.
-Did you come to work?
-Yeah, I came to work.
-It's pretty light,
it's just awkward.
-Grab the middle.
Right. Whoo, not too hard.
When we came
to tennessee, we hit
the ground running.
But building our house...
It almost broke us.
Hang on.
Let me get the... Wait!
- Wait, wait!
-Wait!
-Oh!
- He got him!
It was some
of the hardest experiences
We've ever been
through, as a family.
We needed help.
I think everyone has come
together and really made
this happen.
And, now we kinda get
back to a little bit more of
a civilized type of lifestyle.
Wow. You're a natural.
Ashlynn, I'm learning all
these new things about you.
I've got all these projects
in my head that I'm
That was really cool,
to get my hands dirty.
The garden looks so pretty.
And it's so exciting because
it's like the beginning of
something that we truly need.
Okay, so we're
done with this.
A couple of things.
Um... We need
to talk about the progress
of this homestead.
Come on over.
At the bottom
of the hill by the well,
Marty has discovered a problem
That could derail
the bradshaw's success.
If that garden is producing
more food than you can handle,
And when the pigs there are
comfortably having piglets,
Maybe 10 at a time,
What are you guys gonna do
with the surplus food,
And the surplus meat?
There's a huge
chance at failure.
People give up because they
get this idea that growing
their own food is easy
And food storage is easy and--
And it's not.
Uh, we do have
a concern about
being able to put it all up.
Because we just
don't have the... You know,
the means to do that.
We've never been faced
with the issue of a surplus.
Oh, yeah.
Oh, yeah. Don't be a hog.
Save some for your buddy.
Here. Hey.
-Gavin.
-Yes?
Hold that please,
I'll go get some more.
Come on, guys. Want some?
Cass, don't be greedy.
-Here, have a stick.
Watch out, cass.
There's something else
on the menu, boys.
-Goat-get-em.
Yeah, get it.
We've never been faced
with the issue of a surplus.
Mmm. We've never
We thought it'd be very,
very cool if we could
help you guys out
When it came to preserving
the surplus that I'm confident
you're gonna get.
You're gonna need
some type of refrigeration.
So, if you'll grab this tarp,
we'll peel it back.
This is a 7 by 7
walk in freezer.
So, let's peel it back.
It's huge.
-Oh, momma.
So, let's create a place
for this food to be stored.
I never envisioned,
I mean, that something
like this would happen.
It's my job
to make sure my family
has food on the table. And...
I fail sometimes.
A lot.
And, uh, between
the greenhouse
and the storage,
And the ability to grow food,
it means my family will eat.
I'd say in a few hours,
your gonna have
a walk-in cooler.
-Awesome.
-Yay.
And that's pretty cool.
Okay.
With marty's time
on the bradshaw homestead
coming to an end,
He shares with timmy, amber,
ashlynn, and gavin,
What a truly collaborative
effort has achieved.
How's that greenhouse
look from here? You like it?
- Stunning.
- It's mystical.
It's breathtaking
because of decisions
that you guys made.
You picked this location
right next to the solar panels
for obvious reasons.
There's a lot
of sun right here.
Then you agreed to move
some trees, let us
incorporate those trees
Into the structure
of the building.
You had to live with some
step-out-of-your-comfort-zone
type construction.
But how's it look?
Uh, it's amazing.
Uh, it's far farther
than anything I could have
ever imagined.
It has amazed me because
it's not just a greenhouse,
it's a work of art.
Oh, I'm excited. I can't wait
to get in there and dig
my hands in the dirt.
Is that enough floor
for bedding space, right now?
Oh, gosh, yeah. I haven't had
that much growing space
since we moved here.
Amazing.
There are windows
that open in the back.
We can cool this thing down
to hopefully get
Some air movement
in this, uh, greenhouse.
You can comfortably
work in there.
There's lots of space.
This thing is
a little sanctuary.
I'm really looking forward
to being able to have
a start for our plants
And being able to grow
food through the winter.
A week ago,
the bradshaw family
Only had a single garden bed
that was overgrown with weeds.
Today, they have
an artistically
designed greenhouse
Made up of strong, wooden
structures from local trees.
This comes complete
with nearby raised garden beds
with protective coverings.
You not only grow
enough for you, but you grow
enough to help your neighbor.
And that's what homesteading
community is about.
We haven't really been able
to give back to our community
since we moved here
Cause we've been
so inner-focused
just on survival.
That greenhouse means
that we can finally give
back to the community again.
- Okay, guys.
Wanna go for a little hike?
- Yeah.
Towards the top
of the mountain, next to
gavin's future cabin,
Marty gathers the bradshaws
for a final surprise.
Okay.
- Oh.
Oh my, goodness.
This is what
I think you asked for.
What do you guys think?
It's amazing.
So, it's raining. And speaking
of water, follow me, please.
We finally figured it out.
There's a waterline
that's a half a mile long.
It goes from your well
to a tank at the top
of your property.
So, it'll gravity-feed
anything on the property.
-This house--
-yeah.
...all the way down,
right on the garden,
right by your front door,
Behind the greenhouse,
over to the pig pen
And the chicken
and the goat pen.
You don't need electricity.
You don't need a pump.
Hauling water is over
on this homestead.
It's over.
A week ago,
the bradshaw family
had no means
To transport water from
the bottom of the property
to the rest of it.
Today, the family has
a lengthy waterline attached
to a 1,100 gallon tank
That will provide
fresh water to all the major
areas of the homestead.
Marty made
something happen that we
thought was impossible.
- Look at this deck.
- Oh my, gosh.
- Does it feel solid?
- Yeah, it does.
It's-- it's solid.
You've got a solid foundation.
-Got a solid man, too.
- You should
be proud of him.
Cause he worked...
He had full ownership here.
Including the stairs
to get up here.
You have all the makings
of taking this to new heights,
if you will.
One bedroom, two bedroom,
two story. You guys can do it.
Gavin, I'm so proud of you.
This place is beautiful.
Gavin has
gotten a lot done
And I'm so excited
that me and gavin could get
A couple steps closer
To finally getting our house
built on this homestead.
A week ago,
gavin had no permanent shelter
on the homestead.
Now, gavin has a solid,
wooden foundation
On which to build
a future home.
One of the biggest reasons
I wanted help up here cause
I wanted to build
a family here in the future.
And uh, I saw our life--
a life here together
and, you know?
I see a house coming up.
And I see... I see
future kids running
around the yard, playing.
And uh, I just uh, you know...
I don't wanna do this alone
and I know I want
you to be a part of it.
So, ashlynn... Ashlynn rogers,
-Will you marry me?
-Definitely.
Here you go. Let me see it.
Let me see.
Oh.
She said yes!
-Get over there.
-Ah!
I love you.
Our dream as a family is to be
able to have this homestead
last for generations.
And I feel like that we are on
the right track to do so now.
And I'm very excited
and nervous,
But it's gonna be
a great and happy time.
-Does that work?
Oh, ashlynn!
I can't even say
how happy I am.
I wanted gavin
to have a place here.
I was overwhelmed
at the thought of getting
this started because
I'm no spring chicken.
And y'all have come in
and relieved me
Of so much hard work.
It means that
I have my family right here.
Family is everything.
And you guys are rich...
-...in family.
- Yeah.
-On that note,
I'm gonna get in
that truck and leave.
Homesteading is not easy.
And if it were, more people
would be doing it.
All right, guys.
-See ya.
- Till next time.
There's a connection between
the people that live off-grid.
That's why people came
from all across the country
to volunteer.
Collectively...
So happy you came.
Thank you, sir.
That united
front unselfishly
Changed a family of four
for the better forever.
It never gets old.
Changing lives.
Things have been
going well since marty left.
Our burdens have
been lifted a lot.
Our greenhouse
is my favorite feature.
As you can see, I'm already
growing a lot of food.
With the new farrowing area,
I feel that our hogs
are finally safe.
Here we have
gavin's future homestead.
We started building our walls.
I feel a lot more
confident and empowered
to be living here.
We just can't express
our gratitude enough.
We just want to say thank you
from the bottom of our hearts.
Thanks, thank you.
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09x09 - Smoky Mountain Hope
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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