[Marty Raney]
This property has
seen flooding of...
biblical proportions.
We just need help.
[Alexis Tenhagen]
In March, we had
the worst flood
we've ever had here.
[Daniel Tenhagen]
It was too deep to get
to the chicken coop.
Most of them
drowned in the flood.
[Marty] It looks
real sketchy.
You're not gonna make it.
-[Marty] Now or never.
-[Matt Raney] Let's do it.
One. Two. Three!
Whoo! It might be
possible to salvage,
without getting k*lled.
[Marty] Whoo!
[Marty] Go...
[Misty Bilodeau]
I would love to build
a floating greenhouse.
If you're gonna homestead
on 100 acres...
I can't find the words.
...it's gonna take
some sacrifice.
We can move forward now.
It's going to take some work.
Okay, kids.
Welcome to...
I'll give you a clue.
Horses,
bourbon, moonshine...
-Kentucky.
-Kentucky.
You got it!
It snowed this morning
here in Kentucky.
It's freezing.
I need another
bottle of bourbon.
[all laughing]
[narrator]
The Raneys are two miles
outside of
Willow Shoals, Kentucky,
a remote ghost town,
situated along
the western edge
of the Appalachian Mountains.
At the turn of the century,
the area was one of
the biggest drivers
of U.S. coal production,
powering much of
the Industrial Revolution.
But recently,
historic rainfall
has led to three
100-year floods,
in the past
three years alone,
devastating residential
and farming communities.
Trying to keep their
heads above water
are the Tenhagens.
Hi, I'm Jessie Tenhagen,
and this is
my husband, Daniel.
[Daniel] We have
a 100-acre homestead
here in the mountains
of Eastern Kentucky.
It was once its
own town down here,
now it's just
a single property.
[Jessie]
Our homestead,
it's right on
the Kentucky River.
Initially,
flooding on the river
was fairly rare,
maybe once or twice a year.
And now,
it's happening
five to six
times a year.
[Alexis]
In March 2021,
it flooded...
terribly, so bad,
like the worst flood
we've ever had here.
[Daniel] We wanted to
try to get our kids out.
When we came back we found
that the entire garden,
and the animal pens
were in the water.
We were really in
a lot more danger
than we had
originally realized.
[Jessie] Everything
just kind of fell apart.
[Daniel]
We came here
with big plans.
and thought we were
ready to take on anything.
But right now,
everything is on hold.
until we can figure out
a way to move forward
without putting our animals
and our future at risk
to flooding.
[Jessie]
It's just devastating.
I mean, we've already
been through so much,
it's overwhelming to imagine
losing it all again.
Raneys, we need your help.
[Misty] Oh, is this
their driveway?
-Dude, this is insane.
-Are you guys
kidding me right now?
How do you get
anything in here?
Look at this overhang.
You guys, we're
driving through a cave.
-[Marty] Wow.
-[Misty] Oh, my.
-[Matt]
Kinda serious.
-[Misty] This is the craziest
homestead driveway
I've ever been on.
[Marty] Yeah. This is
a concern, actually.
[Marty] Oh.
Hello.
-[Jessie] Hello.
-Hey.
Marty Raney.
-Dan Tenhagen.
-Dan?
-Yup.
-And what's your name?
-Jessie.
-[Marty] Jessie.
-Dan and Jessie?
-[Jessie] Yes.
-Angela.
-Angela, how are you?
I'm Dan's sister.
-Okay. And...
-Hi.
Alexis, I'm his daughter.
-Oh, wow.
All family.
-Yeah.
Nice. Well, here's our family.
Who can work on
this homestead
while we're here?
Everyone that's here.
-[Daniel] Yeah.
-[Marty] I know,
but for how long?
[Daniel]
Well, Alexis is here
for three days.
She's heading
back to college,
-[Jessie] Yeah.
-And the rest
of us are here.
You're here for
the whole time?
I have a very
understanding boss.
[chuckles]
Why did you guys
call us here?
[sniffles]
We just need help.
We, uh...
We've tried to
get things going.
We've tried to make progress,
and we were just
finally building steam,
and the floods have...
wiped all that
progress out.
We are overwhelmed.
[softly chuckles]
[Daniel] I met my wife,
Jessie, 10 years ago.
We got married
shortly thereafter.
We have four children,
two of them have already
gone off to college.
Before homesteading,
I worked as
a veterinary technician.
I've loved animals from
the moment I could walk.
[chuckles]
Twelve years ago I had
gastric bypass surgery.
I lost over 300 pounds.
So I want to try to
maintain a healthy diet.
[Jessie]
We wanted to be healthy.
We wanted to
raise our children up...
kinda knowing where
their food comes from.
How to grow it,
how to harvest it.
That was everything
that we hoped for.
[narrator]
In 2016,
the Tenhagens relocated
from the desert of
Southern California,
to the mountains
of Eastern Kentucky,
settling on a 100-acre parcel
along the Kentucky River,
with a unique selling point.
Our homestead
actually started off
in the late 1800s
as a lumber town.
All that remains
of it now is our home,
the barn,
and what used to be
the general store
and train depot
for that town.
Just seemed to
have the perfect feel,
the perfect magic.
It provided us
with that backdrop
that would allow
us to be successful.
I think our first error
was we just
weren't prepared
to make the goats
anything other than pets.
[Jessie]
I've spent my life
trying to save animals
and butchering them
is a little different.
The animals aren't
really being used
for their purpose.
[Alexis] The garden
needs to be fixed.
The birds, the livestock,
are in with the garden.
So the livestock is
feeding off of the plants,
and the plants
are supposed to be
feeding our family.
[Daniel] Choosing what
seemed to be a flat,
cleared location
for the garden,
and for the animals
close to our home,
but we didn't
realize at the time
that that area
was also...
in the floodplain.
We could not
have anticipated,
uh, what happened
in March of 2021.
The river rose
well out of its banks.
It actually
surrounded the house.
[Daniel]
The entire garden
and the animal pens
were in the water.
It was terrifying.
It was too deep for us
to get to the chicken coop
to open the door
to pull them out.
Most of them
drowned in the flood.
I think more than anything,
it felt like a big
emotional setback.
To realize that
all of our work
and the progress we'd made,
had just been wiped out.
[Jessie]
This homestead
means everything.
It's a way of life that I want
to instill in our children.
[Daniel]
If we don't get help
I can't...
see this homestead
being successful.
[rooster crowing]
[Marty]
So how high did
the water get? Show me.
-About up to here.
-No.
No.
I'm speechless.
I mean...
[sharply exhales]
I...
I'm just so
drawn to this place
that I can't imagine
not staying here.
What's the attraction here?
I get that it's beautiful
and quaint, but...
The history of it.
Um, this used to be
an entire town.
You bought a town?
-We bought a town.
-What was the name of it?
Willow Shoals, Kentucky.
Really? Is it, like,
on a register still?
It's on the maps.
-Yeah, I get it.
That is historical.
-Yeah.
I mean, is their
any remnants?
I mean, really the biggest
remnants that we have
you'll see that
old barn up there,
it's definitely
from the period.
-You wanna show it to me?
-Absolutely.
[Marty] This family
has recently survived
the biggest flood
I've ever seen.
Wow. That is
a cool building.
However,
there are buildings
on this property
that have survived
for over 100 years.
-[Daniel] So this is...
-[Marty] So what's
the history of this thing?
[Daniel]
So, I'm told this
was built in the late 1800s
to house the mules for
the lumber company here.
Well, one thing
that I'm seeing
right this second,
is that I'm standing
on high ground.
-[Daniel] Yes.
-[Marty] No flood...
is ever gonna reach, uh,
this elevation.
The first homesteaders
on this property
built this barn in
the right location.
But it's unusable.
And I'm not moving
a huge house with
a concrete foundation
up here to
the safer ground.
That's not happening.
This question is
what do I do?
-[Daniel] Let's go.
-[Marty] After you.
[Misty] All right, you guys.
I want to look
at any gardens
that are on the homestead.
Wow. There's
a lot of animals.
-[Angela] Yeah.
-[Alexis] Yeah, a lot.
[turkeys gobbling]
[Misty] Okay.
So I'm looking at things
-that are growing
right here.
-[Alexis] Mmm-hmm.
But that's pretty much it,
-and then everything else
looks like it's kinda...
-Right.
-...been, like, overtaken
by some type of fowl.
-Yeah.
[turkeys gobbling]
It's hard to keep livestock
in a garden, in the same pen.
-Yeah.
-[Angela] Right.
[Misty] Jessie has
this amazing farm,
a lot of animals,
and they're just...
mixed in with
a fenced in garden area.
And right now
all of the animals
are eating the garden,
or trampling it,
or digging it up.
And... the plants,
they have
pretty much
zero chance of survival.
So what happened to
the garden during the flood?
We had actually
gotten a lot of stuff
in the ground that time.
And so it felt like
we were getting somewhere.
And then the flood came
and it pretty much wiped
-everything out that was here.
-[Misty] Yeah.
-So it was kinda...
it was pretty devastating.
-It was really disheartening.
Yeah. Since then
have you seen this river
come up and down?
-Does it fluctuate?
-[Alexis] Oh, yeah.
There's a creek
that runs right over here,
so when the river comes up,
the creek can't
flow into the river.
So it floods back this way.
It's a mess.
Everything that I see
when it comes to this garden,
is pretty concerning.
-And the flooding is
a huge concern because...
-Mmm-hmm.
...ultimately, if we do
anything here
and it ends up
washing away,
-you know, in a year...
-Like, what was it all for?
-...yeah, why'd we even come?
-Right.
[Misty] This is gonna be
an overwhelming problem
to solve.
It's complicated when
you choose to homestead
in a floodplain because...
it's an almost
impossible force
to control.
Thank you so much
for showing me around.
-[Angela] No problem.
-[Alexis] Thank you.
[turkeys gobbling]
[pig snorting]
Okay, so...
all of your livestock
is in these two pens,
-and all these
little structures?
-[Jessie] Yes.
All right. What's
going on in this pen?
[Jessie chuckles] Okay.
So we've got seven goats
and one sheep.
This is kinda of
the last of the herd.
-[Matt] Mmm-hmm.
-And they should be
pretty good for milk,
and a little bit for meat.
We haven't
really done anything
with them at all though.
[softly chuckles]
They're expensive pets,
as my husband likes to say.
What's preventing you
from milking these goats,
eating these goats?
I'm scared.
I don't want to hurt them.
I'm scared I would just
torment them at the end,
and that's not right.
[Matt] But you
learned along the way
-how to take care
of these animals.
-[Jessie] Mmm-hmm.
[Matt] So moving
to a next step,
maybe we're at that
crossroads right now.
To me, the big headline
on this homestead
-is that massive flood.
-Mmm-hmm.
Did you have any
goats or sheep
get affected by that?
Um, we did.
They we're completely...
their entire pen
was underwater,
it was even up into
their house here.
And we actually had
to cut the fence down
and we carried
them out one by one.
Unfortunately,
we had a mom give birth
that morning to twins,
in the flood waters,
and they didn't make it.
-What.
-Yeah, it was devastating.
-So...
-[Matt] Wow.
Losing all of those animals,
it's not something
that you recover from.
I'm hoping to
rebuild what we lost.
But I do not
want to start that
until we have
a better setup,
and one that won't
possibly put them in danger.
Finding a way
to keep these animals safe,
that's gotta happen
while I'm here.
[turkeys gobbling]
[Marty] You know why
we're standing here?
This is the only high ground
when it's flooding here.
-Wow.
-And that's why
this was built here.
I'll guarantee you.
Why didn't they build that
down by the river?
Ever since that flood
Jessie's really lost...
the momentum she had.
She just can't...
put any more work
into where the livestock
is right now,
because she believes it's
all gonna get washed away
by a flood.
If she's disheartened
by that event still...
-[Misty] Mmm-hmm.
-I get it.
'Cause that's a tough visual.
That's... that's tough.
[Misty] It's brutal.
Everything is
in the floodplain.
Right? So, for me...
I don't want to
build something
that washes away
a year from now.
[Marty] Basically,
since the flood,
everyone on this homestead
has been dormant.
There's really been
no, uh, progress.
So...
let's see if we can, uh,
-get them kickstarted.
What do you think?
-Mmm-hmm.
I think it sounds good.
[narrator] The Raneys
have just seven days,
with the help of
a small build crew,
to shore up the Tenhagens'
vulnerable homestead,
and keep their dreams
from washing away.
I wish I had better news.
Frankly, I have to figure out
how I can help you.
Because when it comes
to that house directly,
I can't protect it
from this...
size, this volume
of flooding.
I've never stood
on a homestead
on day one...
as unhappy as I am right now.
[deeply exhales]
We're going to have to
sleep on this one.
We will see you tomorrow.
Fair enough?
Okay.
[Marty] All right.
You ready to do this?
That is one nasty driveway.
[narrator] Along the banks
of the Kentucky River,
on the Tenhagen family's
100-acre homestead,
Matt and Marty face their
first oversized obstacle.
This is a big excavator.
It might be too big.
[narrator]
Getting heavy machinery,
vital to the rescue,
down the property's narrow,
three-mile access road.
The only one that I know
that can make it to
that homestead for sure
is the skid-steer.
I don't know if this
is gonna make it.
-But we need it.
-Good answer.
[horn honking]
[Matt chuckles] Uh...
She's got a boat, Matt.
What's this all about?
[Matt] I mean,
there's a river but,
that looks like
a nice boat.
-[Misty] Yee-haw!
-Uh...
What are you doing
with a pontoon boat?
[Misty] If it floats
I'm gonna build a structure
on top of that thing.
The question is...
can it fit down that road?
[Marty] The only way we're
gonna fix this homestead
is to create flat ground
up at the high ground.
However,
you're not doing that
with a pick and shovel.
No ex, no fix.
Hey, Pirate,
and Stache.
The road is getting
a lot bumpier
from here on out.
Yeah, I can see
from back here.
it's even getting
crazier ahead.
Looks like we're approaching
those overhanging rocks.
These overhangs
with these cliffs...
make it real tight
the bigger
your equipment gets.
Matt squeezed through,
I squeezed through
and now my dad
just might not fit.
It's gonna be tight.
It's gonna be really tight.
No. You're not quite...
you're not gonna make it.
[Matt on radio]
You have to turn.
This way.
Can I get straight
and get clear?
[Misty] Eh, uh, no.
You got one inch.
What you need to do is
you need to spin the tracks
to keep your cab stationary.
And spin that way
with just the tracks.
And now go slow,
because this move can be
a little tricky sometimes.
Amazing.
You're back in line.
Go straight now,
and we just inch
against this cliff wall.
There we go.
Just go straight.
Just keep coming straight.
It's gonna be so close.
This actually looks
really good, Dad.
Just keep coming straight.
Straight.
You're good.
Just come forward.
You made it.
Very, very good.
Woo! Let's go!
[Marty] Whoo!
Thanks for the help.
Sketchy.
Wow.
[chuckles]
You guys have
the worst driveway
of any homesteads
we've ever visited.
-You win the award.
-[Marty] Worst?
-Or craziest?
-I mean, both?
-[Marty] Could we have
picked a smaller excavator?
-[all chuckling]
-Yes.
-[Misty] That wouldn't
have been right, probably.
Um, we've already
talked about what
I can't do here.
But with that
excavator, that one,
we could create
all the flat space
that you want.
Not down here
where it floods,
but up there
on the high ground.
Are you interested?
-Absolutely.
-Yes.
I know what the
elephant in the room is...
uh, why do you
have a boat?
-[all chuckling]
-Does anybody else
-think that?
-Why do you have a boat?
When it does flood here again
and I build a structure,
and it washes away,
that's gonna be really bad.
If I build it on a boat,
and the boat sinks,
that's gonna be really bad.
So we'll test it to
make sure it floats.
But that's the idea.
Okay, so,
I say, time's a-wasting.
Let's head for
the high ground.
-[Daniel] Absolutely.
-Come on.
[pig snorts]
So, I mean, this is
the coolest, I think,
the coolest building
on the property.
[Daniel] It is.
[Marty] The bad news is,
it's dangerous.
It's falling down.
I mean, look over here.
Sagging timbers, you know?
This looks kinda sketchy too.
I wanna help you
create some high ground.
Let's just say
I took this falling down,
dangerous building...
and all of this disappeared.
-And then look at
the space there would be.
-Mmm-hmm.
My concern with
the shed removed
is that these
collapsed sheds
are the only things
holding the rest of
the center section up.
[Marty] Let's go look at them.
As those huge floodwaters
came down this valley,
it flooded everything
on this property
from the railroad tracks
to the river.
There was no escape.
If we can resurrect
that building,
make it structural,
we might be able
to bring animals here
and certainly make it
a safe haven
for the next biblical flood.
It's interesting,
these things run
all the way up.
-They run all the way through.
-They do.
Through the loft
and up into the upper rafter.
[exhales] So when
you look at 'em,
they're bowed.
I don't think the building
wants to do that.
It's being pulled
by that shed.
If you got the shed off,
it might help it.
You think so?
Those bones look good.
-[Daniel] Okay.
-[Marty] Don't they?
[Daniel] They do.
[Marty] If I took
that shed roof off
and that shed roof off
without getting k*lled,
it might be possible
to... salvage
this main building.
-Would that be cool?
-I'd love that.
[narrator] Marty's plan
to save
the broken, buckling barn
from collapsing on itself
and provide
a high-ground flood haven
for the family
and its animals
will be to first remove
the failed wings
running along the sides.
Then raise and secure
the beams holding
the middle section in place.
And finally, reinforce
the stone foundation
creating a safe
and secure space.
So, let's get started.
You know,
what your wife gonna think?
We're crazy?
-Probably.
-Okay. She's right.
[chuckles] Let's go.
[Misty] Oh, wow.
I think that I could push
the dirt down
to make it
a little less crazy.
[narrator] On the banks
of the Kentucky River...
Matt and Misty,
with the help of Daniel,
Jessie, Angela, and Alexis,
cut a natural ramp to launch
the salvaged pontoon boat
for a buoyancy test.
It gets like silt.
I just don't wanna
be stuck in it.
[narrator] Misty's plan,
strip the pontoon boat
down to the floor.
Then, construct
an eight by 15 foot
greenhouse,
repurposing windows
from a previous
homestead structure.
They can survive
the next massive flood,
that is,
if the boat doesn't sink.
You gotta turn that trailer.
You're doing really good.
Okay. Stop.
[Misty] Oh, yeah.
Do you think
this thing's gonna flow?
-Fingers crossed.
-[Misty] Yeah.
I think Dan and Jessie
have had so many setbacks,
it would just
be really helpful
if they wouldn't have
to feel like
everything that they do
is gonna just be destroyed.
[Marty] Oh, you got
a nice road down here, buddy.
-[Daniel] I love this.
-[Marty] What?
This is cool.
What do I do?
Dad, so we only need
to get it in the water,
and we're gonna
let it sit overnight.
[Misty] We're gonna
leave it overnight
to see if it floats.
Did you say you're gonna
let it sink overnight?
[Misty] Oh, no.
Okay, everybody on the rope
is gotta pull
at the same time.
Okay. Here we go.
One, two, three!
[Misty] It's gonna... Oh.
-[Marty] Whoa.
-[Misty] Whoo!
[Matt] Okay, stop,
stop, stop, stop.
Tie it off.
[Matt] What'd you think?
[Misty] We did it.
It's floating for now.
The question is, is it gonna
float long term.
I say we leave it
in there overnight.
Sounds good.
We're gonna nickname it.
Titanic?
We'll name it
in the morning.
-[Jessie laughing]
-[Marty] The Unsinkable
Molly Brown.
[all laughing]
Okay, so, here we are.
[narrator] With three
major projects
due to begin that morning,
the Tenhagens share
some disturbing news
about Dan's sister Angela.
There's only three of you.
What's going on, please?
Well, my sister
tripped yesterday and fell.
And she was thinking
that she may have just
hurt her shoulder,
but turns out,
she ruptured her spleen.
-What?
-[Marty] Mmm.
They're waiting right now
to figure out
whether they need
to take her in
for surgery today or not.
Doctor said it was
a freak accident.
-I mean, just, she must have
landed just right.
-[Marty] Oh, my gosh.
I'm sorry, you guys.
Are you okay?
-You've been up all night?
-Mmm-hmm.
We've managed to get
a little bit of sleep,
but we're...
we're doing okay.
Fortunately, she went
to the hospital in time
and I think everything's
gonna turn out okay.
So it was bad enough
that Alexis has
to go back to school
in the next two days.
But now to lose Angela,
there's still
a ton of work to do.
So, what do you guys...
I mean, how do you feel?
What do you wanna do
from this moment forward,
frankly?
Yeah, I mean,
I think that's how
a homestead works.
We've gotta press on.
That's a good answer.
On that note, I think
I'm gonna get back to work.
I'm heading for the barn.
[Misty] That's not good, man.
[Marty] Terrible.
Let's go see
if the boat is still floating.
[laughs] Yes. Yes!
Oh, my gosh.
Boat's still floating,
thank goodness.
It doesn't feel heavy.
It's not taking in water.
Yew!
[narrator] Down by the river,
with the pontoon boat
proving to be seaworthy,
Misty, Jessie and Alexis
gather to determine
where to best
land the vessel
to begin its new life
as a homestead structure.
So I have a crazy idea.
Now that we know
the boat floats,
you're in a flood plain.
If I leave you
with a structure
that doesn't float
or isn't high in the air,
the thing's gonna wash away.
This homestead
has its challenges right now.
The garden
in the livestock pen is one.
And they're not growing
a whole lot of food
when they have, like,
the most epic growing season.
So we're gonna change that
starting today.
-Mmm-hmm.
-So, I would love to build
a floating greenhouse.
Never done this before.
But I think
it's a great idea.
So where
is this structure gonna go?
Do we set it
inside the fence?
Outside the fence?
I think outside the fence?
But is it okay
that it's this close
to your house?
Or would you like it
on the other side?
I think if it was
on this side,
if it does flood and rise up,
I'm not sure
I'd be nervous about it
floating that way
-and taking out
fences and stuff.
-[Misty] Okay.
That's super smart.
Let's do that.
[Alexis] We chose over behind
the chicken coop
and the goat pen
just so that
it's not in with the animals,
like, the garden
was previously.
[Misty] So right now
the pontoon boat
is hooked to the skid steer.
I'm gonna pull forward
with the truck
and we're gonna pull the boat
off the back of the trailer.
[Jessie] Goes...
Oh! [chuckles]
Watch out, Alexis.
-[Alexis] There we go.
-[Jessie] Wow.
We're gonna push it into place
with the skid steer.
-We're trying to kiss
the pontoon boat to the fence.
-[Alexis] All right.
-[Misty] Are we good? Okay.
-[Alexis] Yeah,
leave it there.
All right. How'd we do?
Perfect.
Is everybody okay
with the new location?
-Yeah.
-Yeah.
Okay. I love it.
Let's start taking
the boat apart
and build a new greenhouse.
-[Alexis] Whoo!
-All right.
[Daniel] This is fun.
[narrator] Above at the barn,
Marty, Dan and
a small build team
attempt to stabilize
the 140-year-old structure.
[Daniel] Never hand a man
a chainsaw
without gas and oil in it.
[narrator] To become
the floodproof haven
Marty envisions,
he'll have to remove
the sagging side addition
which he believes
is compromising
the entire barn.
[Marty] We've just exposed
the coolest stone foundation
in the world.
And it has not failed.
This side, however...
did. Some of
the rocks came loose.
We can't save this side.
So when we
first bought this place,
I was able to connect
with a woman who lived here
in 1913,
who told me stories
about her father
bringing the mules down
from that barn,
taking them down
to the river for water,
and it was just amazing
to hear that kind of history.
If you don't mind, we'll cut
a couple trees
-that are on the other side
of that wall.
-Mmm-hmm.
I thought from day one
that the barn
was a lost cause.
And to know that we have
a chance of saving it,
and preserving it
and resurrecting it,
is just amazing to me.
-Sounds like a plan.
-Okay. Follow me.
Come out here, please.
[narrator] Marty
will attempt to remove
the front wing of the barn
by attaching a chain
to the bottom beam
of the wall,
with the other end tied
to the excavator.
He'll then harvest
two nearby trees
and use them
as skids beneath the wall,
pulling it down with
the hope it remains intact.
This would be kind of
our landing pad over here
for, uh, the building.
That's the plan.
-Do you sign off on it?
-Absolutely.
If I grab the bottom
of the long wall,
and pull that out...
Okay, stand back, please.
...there is a possibility
you will actually destroy
the main structure.
Hit it!
If we destroy it,
then we're in big trouble
because these homesteaders
won't have a safe place...
when the Kentucky River
reaches flooding
of biblical proportions.
-We got Clint with the trees
we just cut down.
-[Daniel] Okay.
We'll slide 'em in here
-and maybe it'll serve
as a skid.
-Give it some skids.
Yeah, otherwise we're gonna
hang up in these rocks
and pull the wall down
and have more of a mess.
Clint, we put one down here
and one where he is.
Okay, so...
Clint's putting in
the last skid
which is going under
the big beam
which this huge wall
is sitting on
and the roof above it.
But this might help us
get this wall from here
down to there.
And then the roof system
will also collapse
down here where we can
make sense of it all.
It's a sketchy idea,
but it might work. Let's see.
[grunts] It's crazy.
Crazy, crazy.
[Marty] Whoo!
[whistles] Tighten it up!
Okay, what do you think?
Now or never.
-Let's do it. Yeah.
-Really? Okay.
-[Marty] Stand back.
I wouldn't be standing any--
-Yeah, I'm gonna get
a little further.
[Marty] Watch that
big building.
[whistles]
It might just come down
on the log
and that'd be cool.
[Marty] Whoo!
[whistles] Perfect.
Perfect. Look how
I pulled off the tails.
-Beautiful.
-Money. Perfect.
So, in Alaska, we don't have
buildings like this.
This wood, this lumber,
anything over
150 whatever years old,
-commands a pretty good price.
-[Daniel] Yeah.
[Marty] I would
venture to say,
every single board...
every single board
on that wall is salvageable.
I'm very happy.
[Marty] So...
Yeah, that went
exactly how we planned it,
which... is a miracle.
More importantly...
I thought we'd have
a lot more... damage.
And now,
I don't see any damage.
Unbelievable.
So, Misty had
mentioned to me
-that the livestock
were very intermingled...
-Hmm.
...with the garden area
and she told me
that they need to be separate.
[narrator] Over at
the livestock pen,
Matt shares his plan
with Jessie
to upgrade
her animals' accommodations
and keep them safe
from future flooding.
I actually
don't wanna put down
any new foundations
in the ground here.
And that's where
this trailer comes in.
-Ooh.
-[Matt] Battling against
Mother Nature
to keep these animals safe
in a floodplain,
is not something I'm prepared
to even try.
So I wanna make it so that
any time there's a flood,
these animals can get out
of Dodge
and get to high ground.
For livestock,
I think that
we should make it so that
we use a trailer
as a foundation
and then
if the flood's coming in
you can move the livestock
inside of their coop,
-or their barn...
-Mmm-hmm.
...to higher ground
up by the barn.
I love it. That makes
all the difference
in the world.
I mean, I can actually
start building up again,
you know?
I could...
I can consider a future.
I think we just start with
one piece of livestock
at a time.
I love it.
[narrator] To ensure
the animals
will survive future floods,
Matt will build
a 10-by-16 foot
mobile escape pad
using upcycled lumber
from the barn
and mount it on top
of a trailer.
The goats can
be quickly loaded
and moved to high ground
by the barn within minutes.
So how familiar are you
with a nail g*n?
-Not very.
-Well, this one
is battery operated.
It's super simple.
Pull the trigger...
push.
-We gotta nail
this whole floor down...
-Okay.
...tight.
-And I'm gonna go
get more wood.
-Okay.
I mean, I hate
to just be standing here
playing foreman, but...
Jessie's going
to town over there.
I think the more hands on
I can have her
building this structure,
it's just gonna help
the homestead that much more.
[Jessie] I'm out.
It's really stout.
Well, see, I know my goats.
And they will put it
to the test.
So, I gotta make
it sturdy, right? [chuckles]
Absolutely.
Do we wanna put, like,
linoleum on this thing?
-Yes. To be able
to clean it good.
-Yup.
So linoleum's fine.
Anything that would
seal the wood and...
Do you have
anything like that here?
[Jessie] I think so.
I can go look.
[Matt] It'll be waterproof.
Which is
the most important thing.
-What'd you think?
Will they gonna work?
-Oh, yeah.
-[Matt] This will be awesome.
-[Jessie] Yeah.
All right? Cool. Let's start
framing this building.
All right, girls. Come on.
[narrator] At the garden,
Misty, Alexis and Jessie
begin prepping
the pontoon boat
to support
the new greenhouse structure.
We obviously need
to take some things apart.
Things gotta go.
We'll grab tools.
We'll dismantle.
-And then we'll start
the new structure.
-[Alexis] All right.
-[Misty] This is reversed.
-[Alexis] Gotcha.
-So you
are reversing screws out.
-Okay.
-And you kinda gotta push
a little hard.
-Okay.
Get your teeth in place.
You did it. Good job!
Okay, see
if that thing pulls off.
Grizzly bear it.
-Nice. Okay.
-[Alexis] Go.
So the first piece is gone.
Let's try and get
these railings off
and slide 'em this way
and then those will act as,
hopefully, little pony walls
which are little tiny walls
-that can support
bigger walls and a vent.
-All right.
[Misty] Pontoon boats
are amazing.
They are built
out of aluminum,
the aluminum's full of air
and they're basically like
a dock or a bridge
supporting a platform.
So they're perfect
for building off of.
See if it'll pull off?
-Oh...
-[Misty] Muscle it off there.
-Yeah, girls.
-[Alexis] Oh my gosh.
Take it anywhere but here.
-Got it?
-Yeah, I got it.
Misty's definitely gonna be
the right person for this job,
'cause she knows
about all of the stuff.
And she knows,
for the greenhouse,
the best way to set it up
and... and how
to get it going.
So that if we do have
floodwaters come up,
it'll actually just float.
[Misty] How's it going, girls?
[Alexis] Almost got it.
[Misty] Okay, and pull.
Pull. Pull.
Hard. Yeah. Go, go, go.
-[Alexis] Whoo-hoo!
-[Jessie] There we go.
-[Alexis] Yes.
-Amazing. Good job.
We have the pony walls in.
Look how much
real estate we gained
-off of the structure
by just moving this back.
-Yeah.
And then let's go dig
through that pile
with the random pieces
and see what we come up with
-for walls and the lit.
Sound good?
-[Alexis] Yes.
Okay. Let's go.
-There's one.
-Toss me that board.
-[laughing]
-Good job.
[Jessie] I'm learning.
[narrator] With the dawn
of a new day
on the Tenhagens'
Kentucky homestead,
Matt and Jessie
begin the next step
of the livestock's
new flood escape pad.
So, we're gonna use
old, reclaimed barnwood
to build this structure.
We're gonna make
our structures
as light as possible
by framing everything in
with two-by-two material.
And then structurally tying
all of that together
out of one-by
recycled barn wood.
Here's your studs.
[laughs] Okay.
[Matt] Mark 'em all up.
I'm gonna get some screws.
I think I'm starting
to see Jessie
get her confidence back.
The flood might have
swept it away,
but having her work
with the tools
building her own goat shed,
I'm starting
to see her come alive.
All right. So we got our...
our cross sections.
Holding everything in.
It's very exciting to me.
I feel like
I have learned a lot
and I feel like I have
a lot more to learn.
Direction. Guidance.
[chuckling]
I'll take it all.
[Matt] Here we go.
We got some walls up.
We sure did.
[chuckles] I mean,
it's starting to come
together, isn't it?
Yes, it is.
Look at what you did here.
-I'm learning.
-This is all you.
-Yeah. Yes!
-Does it feel good?
-Let's do some more.
-All right.
All right.
[Marty] Hello!
[narrator] With only
three days remaining
in the rescue,
Marty continues his mission
to breathe new life
into the historic,
but vital barn.
You have no idea
how happy we are
to see you guys.
[Misty] Looks pretty good.
A lot cleaner than they were.
[narrator] Down below,
at the pontoon boat...
Yeah, I can see
through 'em now.
[laughs] Okay, let's go.
[narrator] Misty and Alexis
begin installing windows
in the innovative,
floating greenhouse.
[Misty] Okay,
fingers crossed.
-[Misty] Whoo!
-[Alexis] They match
really well.
They do
and they're lightweight.
I think that Misty's build
is going to help a lot.
I think it's gonna
help my family
be able to extend
the growing season
and to have a more reliable,
growing space,
outside of where
the animals are.
[Misty] Ta-da!
It looks really good.
-The first window's in.
-Yeah.
I'm real pumped
on these windows
because they're
aluminum windows
for our aluminum boat.
[narrator] Before becoming
a fishing and recreation
boat of choice,
with the invention
of the pontoon motorboat
in 1951,
pontoon, or floating bridges,
have been in use for
thousands of years,
due to their ease
of construction
utilizing barrels or boats
to support platforms,
facilitating passage
across small bodies
of water.
The Ganzhou ancient pontoon
bridge in China is a testament
to their lasting durability,
having been built
in the 12th century
and is still
operational today.
I like it, and there's huge
windows, these are
about six feet.
-Mmm-hmm. Yeah.
-There's four of them.
As far as windows
are concerned, we got
it taken care of.
-Do you think your mom's
gonna like this?
-I do.
I think she's gonna love it.
I wish I could stay
and help, but...
I have to leave
to go back to college.
-That's okay, you helped
while you were here.
-Yeah.
-And we still, we could get
a lot done today.
-Mmm-hmm.
So we'll get the rest
of the windows in.
I'm really sad
you're leaving.
I've got lots of ideas
for the inside on how
we try and...
make this as easy
as we can on your mom,
so that the chore of gardening
-isn't so crazy and so hard.
-Yeah.
And the heavy lifting,
you know, hopefully,
will be minimal.
-Love it?
-I love it.
-Should we grab
another window?
-Yeah.
[Misty] Okay.
[gobbling]
[upbeat music playing]
I mean,
look at all this barnwood.
It's crazy!
If this was in Alaska,
we would've already
have used it.
-Mmm.
-'Cause it's amazing lumber.
[narrator] Up at the barn,
Matt and Jessie source
material
for their livestock trailer.
You gotta kind of
watch out for old
barn wood, you know?
-Mmm. Mmm.
-Like, see, I'm literally
just pulling this apart.
But a lot of this looks
really good.
-I mean, how old
are these buildings?
-This is, what, from...
-...1880, I think,
supposed to be.
-Look at it.
-It's still usable today.
-Mmm-hmm.
This is a really highly
sought after lumber,
and there's thousands
of dollars of it...
-Mmm.
-...that are just sitting
on your homestead.
To me this is a lumber
goldmine.
[Jessie] You know,
from the first time
we saw that barn,
my husband and I,
we fell in love with it.
But obviously it wasn't
in the best shape.
The fact that it's still
standing and not only that,
but actually gonna be
put to some use is amazing.
The barn wood's really
coming through. Not only
does it look amazing...
-Yes.
-...but it is the thing
that's going to make
this building structurally
sound.
-So let's keep on going.
-All right.
This one has to go
back to college.
[Matt] This is gonna be,
kind of, a serious blow.
-Hey, college is college.
-[Misty] You'll be missed.
-I may even need
a little hug.
-Yeah.
And thank you
so much. And...
-It was nice to know you
and work with you.
-You too.
-It was great working
with you.
-[Marty] Yeah. Thank you.
Thank you.
-Hey...
-Thanks for helping your
parents and us.
-Thank you.
-Yeah.
I'm teaching you your mom
some skills. She's sweating.
She's working hard.
So, now that she's
leaving, Jessie,
we gotta crank it up.
I think you're gonna
help my family get back
on their feet.
-You know, this is hard work.
-[Misty] Definitely.
-So, thank you
for your hard work.
-[Misty] Yeah.
Family, see you
in the morning?
-Okay.
-All right.
-Thank you. Thank you.
Bye-bye. Thank you.
-Bye.
[Misty whoops]
[crowing]
[Marty] So, right here
we have a vertical
structural post
that is six inches away
from where it needs to be.
[narrator] With less than
72 hours remaining,
up at the barn,
Marty and Dan must devise
a plan to strengthen
the hand cut, 30-foot
structural beams to make it
a safe and sturdy high
ground flood shelter.
We need to figure out a way
to pull this over and cut
those nails off,
and then reconnect those
beams that are tying
the tops together.
[narrator] To restore
the structural integrity
of the 140-year-old barn,
Marty's only hope
for success is to connect
a chain between
the beams on the upper level,
ratcheting them together
until they can be refastened
to the rafters.
Then, he'll raise and secure
the beams from the bottom,
making it a safe place
for the Tenhagens and their
livestock to retreat to.
-[clears throat] Okay, start
ratcheting that, please.
-[squeaking]
Keep going. Keep going.
-Keep going. Whoa, whoa!
-[creaks]
Give it one.
Stop. Okay.
[whirring]
-[Marty] There it comes.
Can you see it?
-[Daniel] Yup, I can see it.
[whirring]
-That's working.
-[Daniel] Good.
That beam's back
where it was in 1880.
All of this extra cross
bracing, the way that
these supports were put in,
these extra ties between
the uprights,
that kind of detail,
that quality in
the construction
is really the only thing
that's kept this barn
standing here
for over 130 years so far.
[Marty grunts] All right.
Now that we got
the tops attached,
we need to address
this big sag.
-And that's not good
because it's rotten.
-[Daniel] Yeah.
But it seems solid up here.
Where it's not in the dirt.
So if we just lift this,
maybe we'll get the loft,
the log,
the broken rafters,
everything at the same time.
-Wanna try it a little bit
at a time?
-Let's do it.
[Marty] Some vertical logs
actually rotted, allowing
the roof to go down,
creating a sag, our job,
jack up the vertical post
with a skid steer.
Re-secure them in vertical
upright spot, that takes
the sag out of the roof.
Let's go, one inch
at a time please.
[intense music playing]
[whistles]
[whistles]
[whistles]
[Marty] Let's go,
one inch at a time,
please.
[whistles]
Let me go look.
Still gotta go up about
four inches at least.
[Daniel] Yeah.
I say we start cutting it
till we get to some
good wood.
-[Daniel] Okay.
-Temporary right now,
make a cut,
we'll get some blocks
under it.
-Okay. let's do it.
-You wanna do it?
[whirring]
[whistles] You see how
rotten that was?
If it goes all the way up even
with a chain on, something
could go wrong here.
So...
Slow!
-[Daniel] I think
that's about it, there.
-[whistles]
Hey, sir.
Come down, cut loose,
back up,
we'll do it right there.
So, these last three
columns have all
dropped down.
We've raised this one up,
but I think we've raised it
as far as we can,
before we move
to the next two and start...
-[whistles]
-...to push them up.
When we get there, we may
have to come back and raise
this one a little further.
You want to go upstairs
and take a look, see how
close we are.
When it comes to homesteading,
sometimes you just
get knocked down.
I think that's where
we found Dan.
I think this one still
probably got another
three inches it needs to go.
Take this one all the way
and then drop back here.
[Daniel] Mmm-hmm.
But day by day, I see him
getting back in the fight.
Now, the question mark is
will he... go the distance?
Go.
Go...
[Daniel] Little more.
-Yep, yep, yep, yep...
-Okay.
-[Daniel] I think we're good.
-Track it off, please.
-First one's done.
Second one...
-[Daniel] Yeah.
-...needs something.
-Needs a four-by...
-You wanna go for it?
-Yeah.
-All right. Let's hit it.
-Let's get it,
All right, so got a little
bad news the last few days.
We've not lost one,
but we've lost two members
of this homesteading family,
which leaves us shorthanded.
Here's what I do know,
Dan's a good worker.
Every day, he's breaking
a sweat on this place,
but we're a long ways
from where we want to be.
As far as the structure goes.
with the pontoon greenhouse,
it's amazing. We scored
all of these aluminum
windows.
The thing's lightweight.
The problem is, how do you
keep the boat from sinking?
Soil is heavy, wet soil
is even heavier.
I have to get real creative
on what the plan is
for the inside.
At one point, there were
animals in this barn.
But if we can restore
this barn and move
all the animals in it,
I see a stall here.
I see a stall there,
put some fencing around
the back. I mean, it's an
amazing place for animals.
Why wouldn't we use it
for animals?
I mean, the thing that
I've built over there could
easily turn into
a mobile processing station
for their livestock.
I think it's a great idea.
Let's hit it.
All right, let's step into
our new space.
[narrator] An hour later,
Matt has a big surprise
for Jessie at the mobile pen.
We just talked about
a major pivot in our
uses for this building.
But I think the flooring
is actually going to do
better for what
we have proposed,
a processing plant.
Oh, okay.
[Matt] For Jessie to be able
to get comfortable with using
her livestock,
not as pets
but as a food source.
Hopefully, this processing
station will allow Jessie
to process her animals
in a clean, humane space
on her homestead.
So, now is the time
to start thinking about
what animals are going
to stay here and what
animals might turn into food.
As far as feeding
the family, uh, meat,
chickens is great,
that would be awesome.
But the goats are very hard
because at this point
I might be able to part
with a couple of them.
But I either like to keep
them as pets or because
they might make some
cute babies and we'll
be able to sell the baby
goats.
I don't think I could eat
any of the current goats.
So let's start with
something small,
like a chicken.
I can show you how to
do that humanely.
And we could probably
set you up with more
of food livestock.
Okay.
Creating a processing plant,
I'm excited about it
but I'm a little...
a little hesitant, you know,
I'll have to actually butcher
the chickens
and whatever else goes
into that.
So, you know, it's exciting,
but it's makes me
a little scared.
So let's just get back
to work and let's get it done.
-Okay.
-[Matt] All right.
-[Misty] Okay.
What do you think?
-[Jessie] I love it.
[narrator] Down
at the floating greenhouse
site...
It's pretty wild,
this thing.
...Misty and Jessie
assess the progress so far.
What are you thinkin'
right now?
It's nice to have
a place to start.
-Yeah.
-And start over.
So... [sniffing]
-These are like, happy tears?
-Yes.
It's been... kind of,
it's been a little bit
of a struggle.
-I just love this.
-You do?
-[laughs] You're so cute.
-I do.
Oh, you're so cute.
You're so...
Having a structure here
that's going to help feed
the family,
that's not just going
to wash away.
You know...
As far as the exterior,
we've kept it so light,
but I think the interior
is going to be tricky.
-[Jessie] Okay.
-So let's walk inside
and let's talk through
-some ideas. Okay.
-Okay.
You can use the door
if you want, you can
squeeze through here.
But come inside
your greenhouse.
[whoops softly]
-What do you think?
-Oh, wow!
-Pretty cool, right?
-Yes.
-It's big. it's a good size.
-Big.
It's a good size.
So what is gonna
work best for you?
Probably like an easy height.
Probably nothing that I have
to get down on the ground for.
-Yeah.
-And then, I may be short
but I can reach,
-so higher up
is probably okay.
-Okay.
[Misty] Okay, hanging stuff.
Yeah, I think that's a great
idea, hanging things would
be good too.
Just not low.
Just not low, okay.
I'm excited. I can't...
I can't wait to see.
You can only take so many
blows on a homestead
because it's already
hard enough.
And I think for Jessie,
you know, losing animals
and then losing so much
of her garden. It's hard.
You just can't get ahead.
So, even though there's
still a ton of work to do,
I'm glad that the greenhouse
is finally starting
to take shape.
I have some ideas,
I need to make some
phone calls.
-Okay.
-And I'm really excited
about just planning
this interior space
and having it work
perfectly for you.
-Yes.
-And at the end, no matter
what the weather is doing,
-it's secured and safe.
-Okay.
-Sound good?
-Yes.
-I gotta get back to work
and so do you.
-[laughs]
Oh, yes.
[bleating]
The animals have a ton
of space inside.
Where are they going
to run around outside?
[narrator] Over at the barn,
Matt, Dan and Jessie
meet to discuss options
for a flood free space
for their livestock to graze.
I was hoping to use
this side as a fenced-in
pen area...
-Mmm-hmm.
-...starting with the goats
-and the sheep.
-I can definitely give up
some of this space here
for them. And I think if
we were to go part way
up this slope,
I mean, the goats
and the sheep are
completely fine
with that terrain,
and give them some grazing
they can do here on
the hillside too.
It was really exciting
to see that new opportunity
that we were going to be
making that progress,
and how we'd be setting up
this new space
for the animals
and moving things
in the right direction.
So we could get a more
solid fence in down here
probably,
and then you could kind of
pivot and work your way
around out here
is something that's maybe
like, kind of more temporary
or movable.
-Sounds good.
-All right?
Let's get back to it.
[upbeat music playing]
[narrator] With less than
48 hours until the Raneys
must leave the homestead...
We found a really good place
to build a pen outside
for the goats.
Now it's time to figure out
where they're gonna go
inside this barn.
You can't put a door here,
but I think we can put
a door right here.
And we have like a nice
little square door for
the goats to come in and out.
Put a couple of rocks,
build a ramp,
then figure out what
we need to do on the inside.
Last thing I want to do
is cut into an old barn,
but I need to make
an access door
for these goats.
But the coolest part
about barn wood is every
board I cut away...
from the outside is a board
I can use on the inside
as a nice little ramp
for them to get inside
and get in the barn.
[whirring]
And I'm really excited,
we're very close to the end.
And man, this is it.
And there's still a lot to do.
But I think we can make it,
but I have no time to lose
if I want to get
goats into this barn.
Whoa, I think it's good.
I know one thing about goats,
they like to climb up rocks.
If a goat can't fit through
here I will eat my hat.
Look at this, boom, boom,
boom, boom, boom.
[laughs] It's perfect.
It's amazing.
Now I just got to get
a fence up.
Right now I'm looking
for an anchor...
so the greenhouse boat
doesn't float away
the next time it floods.
[narrator] To keep her
floating greenhouse in place,
Misty utilizes one
of the homestead's
oldest resources,
130-year-old rails.
All right, this is the new
anchor. It's nice and long.
It's nice and heavy.
I'm going to strap it
with this skid steer,
pull it down to the pontoon
greenhouse and put it in
the ground.
So in Alaska, it's very
common to use a snow
anchor, which is basically
something buried
in the snow,
to tie off and anchor
a ton of weight.
Gonna use the same concept
with the boat.
I found this old rail
from the railroad track
that we're just going
to bury in the ground,
lasso a cable around it,
secure the floating
greenhouse
and come the next flood,
it's anchored.
Something like this.
We need a little bit
of slack above ground
because as the water rises,
we don't want this to
become a literal anchor
for the floating greenhouse.
We want this thing
to rise with the floodwaters
and be able to float
and be secured and anchored.
So we'll leave a little bit
of slack up here.
We'll braid the cable
on itself,
tie the whole thing together
and then backfill, compact
the soil.
Done.
I think for me, it was such
a challenge when I first
got to this homestead
to figure out how
I'm going to deal
with Mother Nature
and all of this flooding.
Now to be able to be
in a place where we fully
secured
a lifelong dream of growing
whatever food they need?
That's a very big deal.
Like we've definitely
done that.
All right, everything's
tied together.
Hey, Clint, good job
saving all the rocks
because we're going
to use them all.
[narrator] With Matt's
new plan to house
the livestock in the barn,
and time running out,
Marty and Dan
race to tackle
the next big challenge,
reinforcing the crumbling
foundation.
We have two problems.
One, it's sagging,
and the wall has been
pushed in, so how do
you feel
about we just slide
this rock under here
-for safety.
-Yeah.
Slide one over there
for safety,
on that other vertical.
And then we'll just start
inching our way out
until this wall
is straight up and down.
I think, given the foundation
on the other side, we owe
the building some stone.
[Marty] I like the way
you're thinking.
My way, that far.
Come right in.
[whistles]
Money.
We got rotting timbers,
we've got a sagging building.
We've got a wall that's
not straight, but it even
leans in.
This is the higher side.
Okay, let me get
something on that side.
Either we get it out...
...wrapping it around
till you're out of chain.
We hook onto it with
a skid steer...
All right,
lift it up please.
We lift it up
and we set rocks under it.
-[Marty whistles]
-I think being able to see
how Marty is able to
just deal with the issue
and move forward,
focus on the fix
and not the situation.
It's helping me to be more
comfortable doing
the same thing.
Take the current situation
at hand and just react.
[Marty] Okay,
call him.
Good job, guys.
Impressive.
That's good because
we have to pull
the wall out.
Okay? That's money.
Safety for now,
permanent foundation.
So here we are.
An old barn, sitting
on solid stone.
Now, it should
be here forever.
And guess what?
Fred and Barney
would be proud.
-[Marty] You happy?
-Absolutely.
Okay. Sorry about that.
That was kinda crazy.
Cut your hand?
Eh, I think I just
sweat that color.
-Ah. No doubt.
-[laughs]
[Jessie] I don't know.
Are you ready
for some goat wrangling?
[Matt] Yeah, I'm as ready
as I'll ever be.
-[Jessie] Got it.
-Am I gonna get
beat up by these goats?
[Jessie chuckles]
That one, yes.
[narrator]
Over at the goat pen,
Matt and Jessie
gather the animals
to move them up to their
spacious new shelter.
She's like, "There's
too much going on."
-All right. We'll start
with an easy one, all right?
-Yeah.
[Matt] Fall out.
Come on, let's go.
-[Jessie laughs]
-[goat bleats]
[Matt] Nice, come on in.
[Jessie] Tess, good.
Taffy, come on, baby.
[Matt] Whoo-whee!
[Jessie] Six. We did it.
Nothing like some
goat wrangling.
[both laugh]
That was really good.
-Oh, my gosh, I'm so
glad they didn't just bolt.
-Me too.
-Uh, you see that rock?
-[Jessie] Uh-huh.
That's gonna be
their favorite spot.
-Look at 'em go.
-Oh, yeah.
Look at 'em goat.
-They love it.
-[Jessie laughs]
-[Matt] So check this out.
-[Jessie clears throat]
[Matt] Did you see this?
[Jessie] That's cute.
I love the rocks.
The rock steps going in there.
That's so cute.
-[Matt] They love it.
-[Jessie] Oh, yeah.
[Matt] That barn,
a lot was really
riding on my dad.
Making sure that it's safe
to put animals back into.
And the fact
that he was able
to do that
was really like
the Hail Mary at the end
of this whole thing.
Because without him
and the work that he did,
I would not have been
able to save these animals
or help
these homesteaders.
[narrator] One week ago,
the Tenhagens' goats
were housed in the most
vulnerable space
on the property.
With no means of escape
in the event of a major flood.
Now, with an upgraded pen,
in the newly renovated barn,
and a fenced-in outdoor run,
high above
the property's floodplain,
they'll be safe
to roam freely
without fear of being
washed away.
[Jessie] Hey, Pepper.
I love it. I mean,
they're gonna be happy here.
It's safe now.
-Yeah,
-And it's up out of water.
It's out
of the floodplain. So...
Yeah, I mean if it's starts
raining in general,
it doesn't have to flood
to make a goat have
a bad day. They need
a dry place to go to.
-And you have a lot
of dry space in here.
-Oh, yeah.
[Matt] Now, you can
really pick up
your livestock journey
right where you left of.
And the future
is really bright.
[Jessie giggles] You gotta
wear shades.
There's one too many
roosters on the homestead.
[Jessie] They got a second
chance when they
survived the flood.
And now I'm gonna
take that away.
So what are the pyramids
built out of?
Exactly, stone.
And now all four corners
of this 1880 barn
are on stone.
-Listen to that.
-[clinking noise]
You know what that says?
It says solid.
To protect these boards
for another 150 years,
from the elements
and water dripping
off the roof
and splashing back
on the building,
we actually upcycled
the metal that we took off
when we tore
off these additions.
There's no doubt
in my mind that
these boards
will still be here.
Okay.
This is totally incredible.
When we first got here,
these doors were
on the ground.
That metal was pulled
off the building.
We just put it back
up there. Look at the...
strapping material.
That'll level.
We haven't even
put oil on it yet.
I'm still in shock.
We're probably going to put
some 21st century doors
on the other side.
However, we're gonna
leave these
just the way
they were originally built.
Amazing.
We need to protect
the actual ground
that the barn sits on
from erosion.
And the way we did that,
was in fact use
the same stones
from the property
that are holding up the barn.
We stacked them up
in a way that
will retain earth.
Even if that earth
becomes saturated
with snow melt, rain,
floods, whatever.
And here's something
that I've never said before.
This is one homestead
where I feel pretty good about
leaving the homesteader
high and dry.
So, I did a little bit
of inspecting,
and as of right now,
there's one too many
roosters on the homestead.
[narrator] As Matt's project
nears completion,
his work will
only be successful
if Jessie can take her
final big step,
toward becoming
a self-sufficient homesteader.
You ready to dispatch
this thing, humanely?
And put some food
on the table,
once and for all?
Okay, yep.
[Jessie] I'm attached
to these chickens
because I've had them
a long time.
We have been through
a lot together, you know.
They did survive the flood
whereas most of them didn't.
So, I don't know. I guess
I feel like they got
a second chance
when they survived
the flood, and now I'm gonna
take that away.
How you feeling?
I'm a little nervous.
I wouldn't be doing this,
unless you said that you
were ready to take
that next step.
So why not take the step
while I'm here?
That way you
can be comfortable.
-Okay, grab that knife.
-Okay.
-I'm gonna put
the chicken in there.
-Okay.
So you're trying
to get right under here?
-Yeah.
-Okay, I think I...
[sighs] I think, okay.
Okay.
My biggest fear is I
screw up somehow,
if I do something wrong
and I hurt it.
[chuckles nervously]
And it's suffering
and not dying fast.
-You ready?
-Okay.
[chicken clucking]
[Jessie] Sorry, buddy.
-There you go.
-[Jessie] Okay.
[Matt] Right up
against the wood.
-Like right there?
-Yeah.
Right up against the wood.
Pull straight down.
Just go for it,
like a BAND-AID.
That was clean.
That was real clean.
Very humane.
-I did it.
-You did it.
Okay.
-So...
-I can do this.
-[chuckles softly]
-I think we're good.
I feel like I have a lot
more confidence now.
I feel like...
I need to keep this
momentum going. [chuckles]
Go for it, all the way in.
[sighs heavily] Okay.
Actually dispatching it
and feeling like
I did a good job,
and I did it right,
it gave me just that little
boost of, like, okay.
Now, I can kind of move on.
Good. You're doing it.
-Oh.
-There you go.
Put it in the bucket.
[Jessie sighs]
I knew Jessie was tough.
But she really showed me
from beginning to end,
you know, going through
the whole range of emotions...
[groans] Oh,
I don't like that.
[Matt] Go back
to your other leg.
-[bone cracking]
-[Matt] Okay.
...until she had
a really good looking
piece of meat
on the table,
ready to eat.
And I am so proud
of her, and know,
that she has what it takes
to feed her family.
I'm really impressed.
I mean,
from beginning to end,
you've raised chickens,
you slaughtered one,
you dressed it, to provide
for your family.
[Jessie] Yes.
We don't want this chicken
to go to waste.
So, let's get it on ice.
-Okay.
-And...
I'm really, really proud.
Good job.
Thank you. [chuckles]
I'll take my chicken.
[Misty] It's cold outside.
The weather's changed.
[narrator] With less than
24 hours remaining...
-[Misty] Hey. Good morning.
-Hi. How's it going?
[narrator] ...Misty brings in
urgent assistance
from a local
hydroponics expert
to help install a specialized
irrigation system.
So it's just this
continual cycle
-of a 200 gallon
hydroponic system?
-Mmm-hmm. Yeah.
[Armstrong] We have
five containers
that will actually
actively grow food.
-Okay.
-And then we'll have
a container here
-for a seedling
starting section.
-Okay.
So she will be able to start
all of her seedlings
in this container.
How many, uh, gallons
of water would this
system be roughly?
Um, so the total
reservoir's 100 gallons.
And then, we're gonna
fill these to about
So what is this for?
So this is our raft, okay?
-So, you know, we had some--
-You built a boat
within a boat?
Exactly. Right? I know.
It's a piece
of foam insulation.
And so, we'll knock
some holes in this.
And we'll actually plant
a small cup in those holes
-Cool.
-The plants will grow,
-and the roots will dip down
in the water and pull it up.
-Yeah.
When I saw the complex
hydroponics system,
I was thinking, "Oh, man,
this thing is intense."
But they're not trying
to eliminate
the old-timey
farming methods.
They're trying
to combine the two.
And when you're setting
yourself up
with different techniques
in gardening, you're
setting yourself up
for success.
-And she's gonna be able
to do it all year round.
-Every--
I believe so, yeah.
Starting today,
we're growing food.
And when can her first
harvest be?
Optimally, you're looking
at, um, five weeks.
-Sweet.
-Yeah. Um...
-That's amazing. So...
-Yeah.
What is the first thing
that we need to do?
[Armstrong] Set up all
of our hard plumbing.
[Misty] It sounds simple.
Which I think is gonna be
key for Jessie.
And we're gonna
be growing food,
by the end of today.
-[Armstrong] Yeah.
-Let's get going.
[Misty] Thankfully, we've set
Jessie up with a very
simple hydroponic system.
Something that she can
maintain, she can fix.
She can grow whatever
she wants to do, and...
mother to mother, that's all
you're trying to do
at the end of the day,
is take care
of your family.
So we've got our
plumbing done.
And, essentially, we're just
gonna create a big waterfall.
-It only fills up four
or five inches or so?
-Yeah.
And it feeds the next...
[Armstrong] Yep.
So this one will pump
and the water that overflows
from this one
will feed the next one.
And once the water
that overflows the next one,
will waterfall all the way
back down to the reservoir.
What I love about this is,
this is just one aspect
of the greenhouse.
She can grow soil.
-She can grow this system.
-Yeah.
She can do it all.
And it's secure.
Like the next flood,
this whole thing can just
rise with the floodwaters.
It's anchored starting now,
-and it's not going anywhere.
-Correct.
So we're there.
Water power.
-You did it. Good job.
-Yep. We're ready to go.
-Looks so good.
-Thank you.
[Misty] What do you think?
So as far as the structure
and getting the food security,
[Matt] Where do you want
to put this thing?
It's on wheels.
It can go anywhere.
Maybe on the other
side of the house.
Like near the chestnut trees.
[Matt] I started out building
a barn on wheels.
But, with my dad
coming through,
and restoring that barn,
I was able to actually
add something
to the homestead
that was never here before.
A processing place.
A place where animals
can get broken down
and turned into food.
But also, a place where
you can put brooders,
and raise turkeys, chickens,
and whatever you need to do
when it comes to poultry.
This is all sourced
from the barn.
-Even the hinges.
-[Jessie] Oh, wow.
[Matt] What do you think?
[Jessie] This is incredible.
[Matt] It's not too
wobbly in here.
It's not.
It's very stable.
[narrator] One week ago,
Jessie looked after
a collection of livestock
that produced nothing
for the homestead.
And required extensive
resources to maintain.
Today, equipped
with a livestock
processing trailer,
fortified with wood,
upcycled from their barn,
and the skills to harvest
her own animals,
Jessie has the means
to provide for her family
and can move the entire
structure to safety
in the event of a flood.
[Matt] When I first got here,
you were having a
hard time getting
back out there.
-Going on
to those next steps.
-Mmm-hmm.
As far as your livestock
are concerned
on the homestead,
you just needed a little help
opening up a little bit more.
-Getting a little
bit more confidence.
-[sighs] I do.
I do feel more confident.
I wanna keep, uh, going on
processing chickens.
That felt really good
at the end, you know,
to accomplish it and know
that I can do it.
I'm excited. This is neat.
-Very cool.
-And the coolest part
about it is,
if the flood comes in,
you can hook it
up to your truck,
and get it to high ground.
I think the sky's
the limit for you.
-And I'm really excited
for you on this homestead.
-Thank you.
[Misty] All right.
What do you think?
[narrator] Over by the garden,
Misty reveals the finished
greenhouse to Jessie.
I think when it comes
to dealing with mother nature,
dealing with flooding,
it is one of the hardest
things you can deal
with on a homestead.
And I think we've managed
to set yourself
up for success.
What do you think?
I think so, too.
[Misty] This thing
is definitely anchored.
You have enough slack
in this cable,
for this thing to float up,
and never away.
-You like it?
-Perfect, yes.
I wanna kinda cut
this thing free,
-and just, like, sail down
the Kentucky River.
-[laughs]
But that doesn't feed
you and your family.
-So I guess I'll
leave it here.
-Yeah, thank you.
[Misty] So as far
as the structure
and getting the food security,
we've done it.
You have
a floating greenhouse.
It doesn't matter what
Mother Nature throws at you.
We've secured the food.
I wanna take you inside.
This is one of the coolest
hydroponic systems
I've ever seen.
And I've seen a few.
So Daniel came in.
They volunteered a lot
of materials,
all of their time.
And they basically put in
a very simple
hydroponic system,
which consists of
some PVC pipes,
some tubs, and a reservoir.
A filter and a couple timers,
and some grill lights.
That's it.
What do you think?
[Jessie] I think
I can grow anything.
-Yeah.
-And now I think I could
do it anytime here.
Having the greenhouse
does make me feel...
more secure.
And it kinda just
gives me that
boost of confidence
to get started again.
Because if I start
growing things in it,
and we have a flood,
they're not just
gonna wash away.
They're still gonna be there.
[narrator] Seven days ago,
the Tenhagens' garden
was mixed in
with their livestock,
leaving their crops
exposed to hungry animals
and devastating floods.
Now, with a hydroponic
irrigation system,
allowing for year-round
growing,
and a base
designed to float,
if another flood
reaches the homestead,
their new greenhouse
can thrive.
Even in the face
of future catastrophes.
-Good job.
-Thank you.
-I'm so happy for you.
-Aw.
And I can't wait to see
what this grows into.
-Thank you.
-Let's get out of here.
It's too hot.
[both laugh]
All right.
Look at this thing.
I never thought I'd
see it standing this long.
Let alone,
see it standing like this.
[narrator] Up at the barn,
Marty and Dan discuss
the improvements made
to bring the 19th-century
workhorse back to life.
-Do these handles
look familiar?
-[chuckles]
Yeah, they do.
Those came off the doors
on the sheds here
that we took down.
Yeah, kinda cool.
Look at the testament.
I mean, what's it worth?
It's priceless to me.
I never imagined...
having this beautiful lumber
and still having my barn.
What is it really
mean to you...
to have the first building,
perhaps...
in Willow Shoals,
where it can actually
still be used?
It's amazing.
I... I... I just...
I can't find the words.
[narrator]
Just seven days ago,
the Tenhagens' nearly
140-year-old barn
was a crumbling relic,
unable to offer shelter
for the family
or its animals.
Now, with the dangerous
wings removed,
a stone reinforced foundation
and beams straightened
and secured,
it can serve as a vital refuge
for the Tenhagen family.
And their livestock,
when the floodplain
is overwhelmed.
I don't have boards
like this in Alaska.
It's a very valuable board.
Is that cool?
That's...
[clears throat and sniffles]
That's incredible.
-Good, isn't it?
-Yeah.
I definitely feel like we
have established
a much safer homestead
and a much more
stable homestead for my family
and for our animals.
So after the Raneys leave,
I wanna make sure, we just
continue the momentum
that we've built here.
[Marty]
Kind of a new beginning.
[Daniel sniffles]
What do you
think about that?
[Jessie] That means so much.
I mean, this place has been
here for over 100 years, easy.
And we're not gonna let it
just, kinda fall apart, and...
We'll always be here. So...
Willow Shoals
will always be here.
What do you think
of all the changes?
-They're amazing. [laughing]
-[Misty laughs]
Life-changing, obviously.
In what way
is it life-changing?
[sighs]
'Cause we can move
forward now.
We were stuck.
We're not stuck.
I just wanna say
thank you.
It's been an amazing
opportunity.
And it means
the world to us.
You're welcome.
Don't let that tranquil,
peaceful Kentucky
River fool you.
Not that long ago,
that river got so high,
that right now standing here,
I'd be ten feet
under water.
And the homesteaders
would be flooded out.
Have fun, kids.
I'm hoping that we've
reinspired Dan
and his family,
that their dream of living in
and maybe restoring
Willow Shoals, putting it
back on the map,
here in Kentucky
is a dream
that can come true.
Things have improved very much
since the Raneys were here.
Uh, we had
some fresh lettuce
growing in our greenhouse
over winter.
We're looking forward
to the garden for summer.
Um, the barn has just been
so much fun and the animals.
[giggles]
You know, when we started
with this barn,
I thought it was only
a matter of days
before it came down
all on its own.
And I can tell you now,
I have full confidence
that this barn is gonna be
standing here
for another 140 years.
This is the processing
trailer.
Uh, we have turned it into
a brooder and incubator
trailer.
So that'll be very
exciting here.
I can definitely say,
on behalf of both of us
and the entire family,
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10x06 - Kentucky Calamity
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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