11x03 - Stormy and Raney in Texas

[bunniefuu]

[Matt] You two are young.
You're the youngest people
we've ever rescued.

[Aranda] This is not
what we thought
we were walking into.

[Marty] This is
a colossal project.

[Kris] Flooding
is a big issue.

We have no drainage.

[Aranda] And now
the house is sinking.

I feel sorry for you guys.

If we don't get
these problems figured out...

[Aranda]
We've had tornados.

Well, what do you do
with the kids

and where do you go
as a family?

There's not really
anywhere to go.

[Marty] We might find
this family

looking for another place
to live.

[Kris] This is
our last straw.

[Aranda] Failing your kids
is the worst thing
you can do as a parent.

We have to attack
this thing immediately.

[dramatic music playing]

[Matt] The trap
is set. Awesome.

[Misty whoops]

I'm so sick
of arguing with you.

But we're in this together
with you.

Nice! Good job.

Is that gonna have
a happy ending?

I'm so pumped!

I am!

[Marty] Everybody good?

[Kris] Before y'all came,
we were sinkin'.

[Aranda] Now we can
be successful.

[Marty] Texas-sized dreams,

but they have
Texas-sized problems.

[dramatic music playing]

[country music playing]

All right, kids,
look around.

These forests are as thick
as the hair on a dog's back.

It's amazing.

[Misty] When you think
of Texas,

you don't think
of rolling hills

that are heavily-treed.

[Marty] It's a land
that has a lot of resources.

[Misty] It's kind of like
we've been here before.

But I don't really know
what to expect.

[narrator] The Raneys
are more than 200 miles

north of Houston,

in the rolling terrain
of East Texas,

a region that can often
be far from tranquil.

The piney woods are overrun
with hundreds of thousands

of destructive
and dangerous feral hogs.

And the big skies above
can turn violent in a flash,

bringing dozens
of tornados annually,

along with an average
60 inches of torrential rain.

It's from here
that the Raneys respond

to two ambitious
Gen-Z homesteaders,

struggling to launch
their off-grid lives.

My name is Kris
and this is my wife, Aranda.

[Aranda] We have
a four-year-old son, James,

and we have
a ten-month-old
named Layne.

[narrator]
Eighteen months ago,

the Colorado-born
Hassell-Pierce family

invested their lifesavings
into a three-acre plot
in the hills of East Texas,

in hopes of living
off the land.

But their hope quickly turned
into despair.

[Aranda] I love
our homestead,

but we are barely
surviving out here.

Flooding is a big issue.

We have no drainage.

[Aranda] All the water sits

and it's just turned it
into a mud pit.

And now
the house is sinking.

We've lost numerous chickens
to disease.

Just a month ago,
I had to treat
all of my goats for pneumonia.

And then we have a really bad
hog problem out here.

And as soon as it starts
getting dark outside,

they're here
and they'd stick around
all night.

And they're
frankly dangerous.

We need your help, Raneys,
'cause the ship out here

is going down,
and it's going down quick.

[Marty] This looks
like the place.

All right, kids.

[Aranda] Hello, welcome.

-Morning. What's your name?
-How you doing?

-Aranda.
-[Marty] Aranda?

-Yes.
-Kris.

-Kris?
-Yes, sir.

Aranda and Kris,
nice to meet you.

How long have you guys
been out here?

[Aranda] About a year
and a half.

[Misty] Are you from Texas?

Uh, no,
we're from Colorado.

-Oh.
-Why'd you
move to Texas?

[Kris] Get away from the city.

[Marty] Get away
from the city?

-Yes, sir.
-[Marty] Good answer.

-[Matt laughs]
-[Marty] All right.

-I definitely love it here.
-[Misty] Okay.

So why did you guys
call us here?

[Aranda] I mean,
we don't even know
where to begin.

[Kris] And we're trying.

It's just... It's just hard
with all the issues.

It's hard to see
the positive, you know,

try and look at the light
at the end of the tunnel but,

I mean, lately,
you just can't...

You can't see that light
and trying to keep up

has just been tough.

Me and Aranda
met four years ago.

We both had similar ideas
on what we wanted.

-[James] I do it.
-Oh, you wanna hold it?

Okay. But be careful.

Wanting to be
self-sustainable

and to not have to rely
on others...

And when we would
take him to places

where there was animals

and it was peaceful
and quiet,

he was happy.

It made him
wanna talk more

and seeing how much
he had flourished,
it clicked.

[narrator] Priced out
of Colorado real estate,

the young couple moved
nearly 1,000 miles away
from each of their families.

We're 23 and 24
with two kids

and moved 20 hours across
the country all by ourselves.

And moving away
from my family

was one of the hardest things
I think I've ever had to do.

But we knew that
we didn't have a choice

but to put everything
we had into being out here.

[narrator] With land acquired
and a pre-fab home built,

Kris and Aranda
purchased livestock.

Their homesteading dream
was off to a promising start.

We didn't really see
any issues

until we started
having weather come in.

[Aranda] It pours,
and you'll get six,
seven inches in ten minutes.

I mean, it can rain
for three days straight.

Our contractor
put our house

in the worst place
on the property.

[Kris] It's right
on the bottom of a slope.

We have flooding issues
because drainage wasn't done.

[Aranda] It's just starting
to completely wash away.

We have spent a lot of money
on hauling in rock

and dirt to try
to create drainage.

Nothing works.

When you move to a place
you're not familiar with

and you put your trust
into someone

that's supposed
to know the area

and for them to come in
and just put your house

in a bad spot
and not tell you

is extremely frustrating.

It's constantly putting
BAND-A*DS on a b*llet wound,

and it takes our attention
away from other areas.

[Aranda] Where we keep
our horse and our goats,

there's a giant mud pit
out there.

And it's extremely
dangerous for them.

Our chickens
are in a dog kennel.

And it's not very big,

but we have to keep them
locked up in that at all times
because if I let them out,

it's like a grocery store
for the hogs

because it's an easy
food source for them.

My garden is all weeded,
and it's just
a horrible mess.

It can't grow anything
in that.

Our drinking water,
it's so unsafe.

We have seen sand
and stuff coming out
of the faucet.

And we haul in several
five-gallon containers

of water almost weekly.

We were
taken advantage of.

And because of that,

it's very hard for me
to trust.

[Kris] That frustration
of everything going on
around here

causes tension in the house.

[Aranda] It has driven
this wedge

to where a point where
we don't enjoy doing things
together out here

because it turns
into a fight.

[Kris] This is
our last straw.

[Aranda] Failing your kids
is the worst thing you can do
as a parent.

I can't give up
and I refuse to give up.

And I feel like
without your help,

I have no choice
but to give up.

-[goat bleats]
-[Marty] All right, so...

You hired somebody
to bring this home in here

-and set it up, right?
-[Kris] Yes, sir.

[Marty]
What's going on inside?

We have doors that
won't shut all the way.

The wall's starting to crack.

And then on the roof,
we have panels
that are, um, lifting.

[Marty] Let's look
underneath, please.

Where's a good place
to peel off a panel?

-We can peel off right here.
-Please.

It'll just slide right up.

Okay. So, what do we got
under here?

I gotta be honest
with you.

Whoever did this work,

looks to me like
they did a good job.

It's the water
is the problem.

So, it's coming in
from the top.

It's coming from the hill

and it's all going
under your house,

compromising the foundation.

I'm gonna tell you
right now.

In another year and half,

this house might be like this.

Yeah. That's what
we're afraid of.

[Aranda] I was gonna
breed goats,

so I can sell the babies

and then to get the milk
from them.

[Misty] What's this?

[Aranda] So this
is where the horse

and our goats sleep.

This was supposed to be
completely enclosed in,

but it's horrible.

And this just turns
into mud everywhere

and there's mold
that grows.

I mean, this poop
is from the last 24 hours

-and there's mold on it.
-Oh, my gosh.

That's how... Yeah.
That's mold.

-[Misty] What?
-[Aranda] Mmm-hmm.

Yeah, it's bad.

Like we're constantly
changing everything out.

[Misty] The livestock
is super close
to their house.

And when it rains,
it's sloping down

to their front door,
and all that animal waste

comes to the doorstep.

So with kids and with people,
that's pretty problematic...

The goats actually all
just had pneumonia
about a month ago.

-Because it was wet or...
-[Aranda] The rain,

constant weather change
and the wind.

And he'd almost passed.

I feel like
I can't keep them safe.
It's dangerous.

And it scares me.

I think there's a lot
of potential.

-Just with this structure...
-Yeah.

...for at least
one type of animal.

[Misty] Yeah.

These animals
need to move

and they need
to be separated,

the horse in its own pen,
the goats in their own pen.

And to give everybody
dry structure,

so they can get out
of all of this bad weather.

What is this over here?

[Aranda] This is
our chicken coop.

It's actually an old crib
and we wrapped it in plastic

to try to keep them
from the freezing and...

-[Misty laughs]
-I know it's, just really...

-This--
-It's wired shut...

-A chicken...
Yeah, that is--
-It is so sad.

This is the saddest
chicken coop I've ever seen.

-I can't even get it open.
-[Matt laughing]

[Aranda] But it keeps
them dry.

It doesn't really
keep them warm.

They've kind of just
been dropping like flies.

We just have our last three
and our rooster

that are still holding on.

So why silkies, out of all
the different breeds?

I have a four-year-old son
with autism.

He... He's one of the main
reasons we came out here.

He has flourished
with animals.

And the reason
we got the silkies

was because
they're show birds.

-Yeah.
-So they're meant
for people to touch,

-and handle, and hold.
-[Misty] Yeah.

-They're horrible layers.
-[Misty laughs] Yeah.

[Aranda] They lay maybe one
to two eggs a week.

[Matt] Oh, my God.

Feeding and keeping
laying hens

that don't lay eggs,

is a really bad way
to homestead.

There are way better breeds
that are calm in temperament

and will produce
way more eggs.

And this homestead
needs them.

[Misty] This is a lot
for somebody so young.

[Aranda] Yeah.

[hawk screams]

[Matt] Okay. So tell me
about this feral hog problem.

Yeah. So we have a pretty
big issue with 'em.

They are all coming
from the back side
of the property.

And having kids has just been
kind of worrisome

having them out here
when they're getting
that close up to the house.

So, have you thought
about what you can do

with these hogs
to keep them away or...

[Kris] We haven't,
just 'cause of all the issues
and everything, it's too much.

When I think
about big game animals,

I pretty much brand them all

as livestock
you don't have to feed.

That is a food source.

I know it's a problem,
but is it an opportunity?

[slow music playing]

[Misty] All right, Aranda,

take me to the garden.

-You're here.
-I'm here?

-[laughs] Yeah.
-Oh, my gosh.

Say it ain't so.

What's happening here?

[Aranda] This was so pretty
when I first started it.

Everything was just so big
and green.

I had peppers and tomatoes.

And it lasted about two weeks.

The pigs,
they had a heyday with it.

Once I started getting
vegetables and everything,

-they were like,
"We want this."
-[Misty] Wow.

I've never seen anything
quite like the amount
of the stress

here on this homestead.

The focus on homestead
sometimes is protecting life.

And instead
of putting in a garden,

shifting the focus
to the goats, the horse,

and giving everybody
the proper structure,

keeping them nice and safe

has to be the top priority
for me.

So I need to find my dad,
find Matt,

formulate a plan,
and we gotta get to work.

Let's do it.

[goat bleats]

All right. Water is life
on every homestead.

But right now,
water is the enemy here.

Their house
is at the bottom of a hill.

And when it rains,
it's washing away
the foundation.

Not to mention
their drinking water

that I probably
wouldn't drink.

We have to attack
this thing immediately.

Aranda, at 23, she's
the youngest homesteader

we've ever visited.

And the pressure
and the stress
is pretty intense.

Copy.

[Matt] They have three
different types of animals,

chickens, goats, and a horse.

The field is uphill
from their house

and it floods
and all the waste

goes right to where their kids
play at the front door.

So the animals
will need to be moved

to a whole a different place
on the property.

There needs to be three
different separate animal pens

to house them all
and keep them safe
from the elements.

[Misty] The garden situation
is pretty bad.

But it's more
important for me

to help solve
these bigger problems
with the livestock.

[Matt] And they have
feral wild pigs

crawling around
on their property.

So I think it'd be really cool
to set up to trap pigs.

The problem list
is about this long.

It's a lot.

[narrator] Marty's plan
is to reinforce and level
the house's foundation,

then grade
the surrounding area

to divert rainwater
away from the house.

Then, he'll construct
a rainwater catchment system

that will collect and preserve

fresh drinking water.

Misty and Matt will erect
new all-weather livestock pens
on lower ground,

creating a healthy
and sanitary environment
for both humans and animals.

This will ensure
successful egg-laying,

goat-breeding,
and milking operations.

Matt will devise a simple
yet innovative hog trap

to capture the feral beasts

and create
a plentiful protein source.

Well, you are off
on the wrong foot here.

-Yes, sir.
-But, we're in this
together with you.

So let's focus
on the future together

and get you back on track.

-Fair enough?
-Absolutely.

-See you in the morning.
-Yes, sir.

See you in the morning.

-You ready?
-Appreciate y'all.

-Thank you.
-You are?

I'm kinda nervous,
but I'm ready... [chuckles]

-She's ready.
-You're kinda nervous?

-She's ready.
She's got this.
-Slightly.

[country music playing]

[Marty] All right.
Look at this. This is crazy.

[narrator]
On the Hassell-Pierce
homestead in East Texas,

an overnight downpour
highlights the urgent need
for Marty

to address
the destructive runoff
aimed at the family's home.

[Marty] It rained last night.

The gutters failed.

Okay.

Wow.

The water has compromised
your house.

Look at that corner
over there.

That's the most critical part
of every building

and certainly that one
is compromised.

Let me get in there.

Yup. It's sagging
in the middle.

Young man, come on in.

Get close to the...
Get your head
close to the beam.

And then look down the bottom
of the I-beam.

What do you see?

[Kris] You can see it sagging.

[Marty] Basically
an inch and half.

Now you see
what's wrong, right?

-Yes, sir.
-Okay.

Let's back out of here.

We've definitely
got a building


that's going like this

from one end to the other...

[groans] You can
see it in the beams.

Probably in a few months,
this thing would collapse.

It's refreshing to me,
people in their early 20s,

that are hard workers
and dream big.

But if we don't get
these problems figured out,

we might find this family
looking for another place
to live.

Okay. So the plan is,

we'll tie a string
around this.

We'll run it up here,
right tight,

along this flange
of the beam,

which runs 70 feet that way.

Once we anchor the string
and pull it tight,

the string will tell us

what is straight
and what is sagging.

There you go. Good man,
I like your style.

Then we'll start
jacking up the sag

and be well on our way
to fixing this little problem.

Okay, partner,
you see that string
that you stretched?

-[Kris] Yes, sir.
-What doesn't look
normal here?

We're definitely sagging
about an inch.

Okay. So we'll start
jacking this building up.

Ready? Hand me
a block, please.

Thanks. I think this is what
we're gonna do.

Going up.

[Kris] Yeah,
we're still going up.

Almost there.

How close
to the line are we?

-Quarter inch?
-[Kris] Oh, yeah.

-Going up?
-[Kris] We're going up.

Wedge is in.
Don't be shy, please.

Pound on that...
On the wedge.

I like that.
I really like that sound.

Okay. I'm gonna
let that down.

-Fingers out of the way?
-[Kris] Yes, sir.

[Marty] Coming down.

Good. Okay.

Okay. Even everything up
nice and neat.

To the block.

-Clear?
-Clear.

[groans] Who needs Pilates?

Okay. That's good.

Does this feel
a little bit safer,

a little bit more level?

Does it feel like
a home now?

Oh, it feels a way more safer
than what it was before.

I was excited
to finally get under there

and start to address and fix
the house issues, you know?

It's a long process,
but for the time
that the Raneys,

they're here, I mean,
I'm just gonna continue

to learn and soak up
as much as I can

to help benefit my family
in the future.

[Marty] But we really
haven't fixed the problem.

Everywhere you look,


is higher than right here.

So I think the next step

is to make sense
of this grade.

All right. This looks
like expensive material.

-Yes, sir.
-You brought it in?

-Correct.
-Remember what
you paid for it?

-About $500.
-You wanna save
$500 today?

-Yes.
-All right.
You can save 500 bucks

by getting in that skid-steer,
scraping this up,

stockpiling it,
and we'll use it
somewhere else.

[country music playing]

[Misty] Come on in,
everybody.

Come on, Bubbles!

Let's go figure out
what we should build for you.

[narrator] Over at the barn,
Misty meets with Aranda

to discuss
the living conditions
of the livestock.

[Misty] This is very big.

Is it necessary for the goats
to have a structure this big?

I think we should build them
something else entirely.

I definitely have
some concerns with the goats

and the horse
being in the same pen.

They don't require
the same feed.

The horse is only
gonna get bigger

and it's gonna be hazardous
for the goats.

And then there's
some mold issues

with the horse manure,
and the mud puddles,

and the goats
have gotten really sick.

So, separating them
into their own safe

and dry housing is a must

and figuring out
where everybody goes
is the next step.

Thankfully, we have
a small breed

when it comes
to your goats.

So, the structure
doesn't have to be that big.

This is 12 feet.

Eight by twelve is actually

a pretty
decent-sized structure
when it comes to the size

and the breed of the goats,
including a milking station.

This area,
where all these pens are,

it's sloping down
to their front door

and all that animal waste
comes to the doorstep.

Everything needs to get moved
away from the front door.

[narrator] To create
a sanitary animal zone,

Misty will construct
an 8-by-12 goat barn

in a low-lying section
of the property,

complete with
an enrichment area.

The goal is to shelter
the goats from the elements,

provide ample space
for milk production
and breeding,

and provide a safe space
for son James
to interact with them.

Next, the existing barn

will be moved to a separate
enclosed area,

giving the horse
its own dry space,

while keeping
all the livestock

centrally located
for easy care.

So what do you think
about moving the goats

this far from the house?

I don't mind them
being back here at all.

Take this.

Go that way.

So we're gonna
go 200 feet.

I'm definitely extremely happy
about the plans for the goats,

service and protection
from all elements,

but also a place to be able
to start doing things

that I wanna do
with the milking goats,

but for my kids as well,
because my kid can have fun
playing with them and be safe.

Okay. We did it.

This is roughly a half acre.

We'll square it
and stretch some fencing,

and you're looking at
the new pen for the goats.

Love it?

Love it.

-[Misty whoops]
-[Aranda] Sweet.

[country music playing]

[Marty] Everybody
grab a corner.
What do you think?

You got it?

Okay. Where's it going?
Where's it going, guys?

Just on the other side
of that mill.

All right. All right.

Follow me.

[narrator] Over at the kids'
play area,

Matt approaches Aranda
with his vision

for the homestead's
new chicken coop.

The big red flag
that I saw

with the original
chicken coop was,
the ground's too wet

and if chickens
can't stay dry,
then they're gonna be sick.

So, we're gonna build a nice,
high and dry place

so that the chickens
won't be too wet.

I kind of have
a crazy idea.

This area right here,
is this where your son plays?

-Yes.
-What I wanna do

is incorporate
the new chicken coop

with the playground.

And make like a...

Basically a circus coop.

Also, like a chicken swing
and teeter-totter,

-and lots of platforms.
-I've seen those.

[Matt] I wanna make
a new chicken coop

that is obviously awesome
for collecting eggs

and healthy for those new
productive breed of chickens.

But it seems
really therapeutic

for James to be
taking care of livestock,

so I want James to really
have fun with the area.

[narrator] Matt will construct
an 8-by-16 foot coop

with a metal roof

to protect the chickens
from the elements.

Inside will contain
laying boxes

for easy egg retrieval,

and an enrichment area

to stimulate the chickens'
minds and bodies.

This is really a great spot
because there's natural shade

and it's still close
and accessible.

It's like five square feet
per chicken or something.

I'm thinking like


Okay. That's perfect.

Okay? So not
too much to feed

and you'll definitely
get a lot of different eggs.

I'm into it.

Do you think
that your son will like that?

Well, not only him,
but the chickens would.

It would make them
more active

and he would get a kick out of
watching them play on it.

-Yeah.
-[Aranda] I'm excited.

The new chicken coop
is gonna have enrichment

and is in a safe place.

My animals are gonna be
so much happier

and that as a mom
makes me happy.

I'm gonna get
some building materials

and start breaking ground
on the new chicken coop.

-I'm excited.
-I'm excited too.

[Aranda] I got little arms.
We're gonna see
how this goes.

Honey... [whistles]

That'll work, but it's k*lled
a lot of people.

[tense music playing]

[Aranda] I'm not happy
with this plan at all.

Sorry to burst your bubble.

I don't like this.

[Marty] Is there a problem?

[country music playing]

-[Misty] Let's move.
-[Marty] Good idea.

[narrator] On the lower end
of the property,

Marty and Misty source
critical build materials

for the new goat barn
and chicken coop.

[Marty] Look at this.

I'm looking at enough trees
to do something for sure.

Should we grab them
for the mill?

-Of course.
-Would you like
to cut them down?

I'll grab them
with the skid-steer.

You could fall 'em this way
and we could just pull 'em out
with the skid.

Okay. I gotta go
cut some trees down.

Talk's cheap.

[chainsaw whirring]

Okay. So you can see,
that gave us a really flat,

perfectly square end,

to set on a mill
and have no waste.

East Texas
has tremendous forests

of pine trees
and other hardwoods.

So, this homestead
has amazing timber

and we'll put it
to work for us.

[chainsaw whirring]

Done.

We got some valuable
lumber right there.

Okay. I'll grab it
with the skid.

Watch your shins,
everybody.

Bye.

[Aranda] There we go.

-Who needs a chain?
-[Misty] Headed to the mill.

-I'll be back!
-Keep it clean.

Hi! I brought you
a present.

-Perfect.
-[Misty] Whoo!

Ready to mill!

[mill whirring]

[country music playing]

[Kris] Being shown the ropes
on how to use that sawmill,

it was pretty cool.

To be able to utilize wood
that you have
on your own property

instead of having to go
to the lumber store

and just do it all
on your own property.

I mean, it was awesome.

[Misty] Good job!
Thank you so much!

Do you need help?

[Misty] Yeah.
Wrap the chain around,

choke it,
and then you're gonna wrap
the chain around my bucket

and I'm gonna pull it out
and we're gonna bring it
to the mill.

-All the way
around? Okay.
-Yeah.

[Marty] Yeah. Great idea.

Hey, let's say
I'm not here.

How would you
hook that up?

Wrap it around the bucket.

-Don't tell me.
-Okay.

[Aranda] I got little arms.

We're going to see
how this goes.

Get it tight.

Hook it onto the chain.

Yeah. Pro.

Right over the top.

Honey... [whistles] Hey.

Sorry. Hang on, Misty.

That'll work, but it's k*lled
a lot of people.

Good to know.

I won't do it in the future.

But how do I do it?

You have two options
hooking up a chain.

You have an option of...

putting the point here,
that'll k*ll somebody.

Or you have
the option of maybe

putting the whole link
in there.

-Okay.
-And I'm gonna
let you decide

which one's stronger.

[Aranda] Should I go
up over this bucket?

[Marty] You can do
whatever you want.

That was a good move
when you went up and over.

[Misty] Yeah,
that was a good move.

We like tight.

Loose chain
equals come undone chain.

Just right over
the whole chain, babe.

Yeah, boom.

[Aranda] The opportunity
to work with the Raneys
is amazing.

I have so much more
to learn from them.

I'm trying
to absorb it all...

[laughs] I don't know
how to take it all in.

I need a notepad.

[Misty] See you guys
later, alligators.

[Marty] You're going
all the way in reverse, bye.

So we have enough
lumber already

in just a half hour
to make a lot of--

-A lot of progress.
-Yeah.

Ready to start
building new structures.

Time for work.

[crickets chirping]

[rooster crows]

Everybody watch out.

[narrator] A new day on
the Hassell-Pierce homestead

brings a flurry of activity.

-[Marty] Are you back
all the way?
-[Kris] Yes, sir.

See you at the mill.

The dream for out here
is to be 100%
self-sufficient, so...

I'm trying to learn from 'em
the best I can.

It's a long process,
but we're slowly
getting there.

Come on! Hey!

In the short amount of time
we've been out here
with the Raneys,

we've already felt like it's
a night and day difference.

So I'm hoping that
we can make leaps
and bounds of progress

and actually
be successful at this.

Whoo!

[pounding]

[Kris] What's happenin'?

[narrator] At the site
of the new chicken coop,

Matt and Kris
get a welcome set of hands.

-Who's this?
-This is my dad, Kris.

-Oh, Kris.
-Nice to meet you.

Kris. So you're
Kris Junior?

[Kris] Yes, sir.

Oh, well, heck.

[Kris Sr.] I live
in Thornton, Colorado,

and I drove 15 hours

because I wanna help
Kris and Aranda succeed

to the fullest extent.

You didn't even tell me
you had this big surprise.

[Kris Sr. laughs]

We didn't know
if it was gonna be able

to happen or not.

Nice to meet you.
Are you here to help me work?

-Whatever you need.
-[Matt] Well, that's awesome.

All right, man. Come on.

So this is
the new chicken coop.

We're going
to a whole new area

that's easier for the children
to kinda come and look.

And I wanted to make a more
family-fun chicken coop.

Right.

Step right up
to the chicken circus.

I've built a lot of
chicken coops over the years.

Many different shapes,
many different sizes.

But I've never built
a circus coop before.

I know it sounds crazy,

but there is a method
to the madness.

The goal is to just ramp up
the egg production.

It's actually something
that is called enrichment.

[narrator] Access
to interactive elements

like swings, play yards,
and puzzles

is scientifically proven

to ensure animals
are mentally

and physically stimulated
and productive.

Chicken enclosures
with room to roam

and platforms to climb,

leads to higher
egg production

and providing goats
with toys and swings

along with an outdoor area
to forage,

reduces stress levels

which can increase a female
goat's natural milk output.

What do you think?

Let's do it.

[country music playing]

I really wanna make
everything just as fun

and cool as possible
for all the homesteaders here

and all the chickens.

So this is it.

Come one, come all because
when this thing gets done,

it's gonna be a show
like nobody's ever seen.

So I built this base
for our chicken teeter-totter.

The thing I like about these
little mini circus builds

is we have a lot of just
random scraps
usually at the end.

But we're gonna use
all the scraps.

[Kris Sr.] I think
it'll be good for James

to just interact closer
with all the animals

instead of just
seeing chickens
run around on the ground.

And he'll actually
see the, you know,
how they thrive

to where he's gonna thrive
as well, even more.

[Matt] I mean, look at that.

If one gets on the end,
it's gonna be like...
[imitates chicken clucking]

This is awesome.

[Kris Sr.] I like it.

[country music playing]

[Misty whoops]

Let's move all the lumber
to the site!

[narrator] On the lower end
of the homestead,

Misty and Aranda
begin construction

on the new goat pen.

[Misty] When it comes
to a goat shed,

it cannot be near
the perimeter of the fence.

They will get on it
and they will jump out.

So, we're ready.

I'm ready to build something.
Are you ready?

-Yes.
-[Misty] Let's go.

I've been waiting
for this part.

This new area
for the goats

is so much better
in so many ways.

It's safer, it gives
them that coverage

from the sun
in the summertime.

All that shade.

Even in the rain,
it kinda blocks all that rain

from coming down
as hard as it would.

It's gonna be a lot better
for them over here

than it is in that original
pasture they were in.

[Misty grunts]

-[Aranda] You're... Yeah.
-[Misty] The vines.

[Aranda] Hang on.
It's that vine...

[laughs]

[Misty] We're
off to a good start.

Okay. We did it.

How are you
with power tools?

Are you pretty good?

Oh, I went to Job Corps
for a year and a half, so.

Come over,
come over, rover.

Come over
with your tools.

Square that off
with your square.

Boom. Nice.

What I like to do
is I like to get close

so I can see the line.

[Aranda] Yeah, that's what
I'm trying to find.

-There we go.
-[Misty] There you go.

Follow the line. Perfect.

[saw whirring]

[Misty] Perfect.

I think what we do is we put
a curve on this thing

and it's like
a little Hobbit house.

-Like a round door or--
-No, no.

Like the whole structure
is round, my friend.

[laughs]

A protractor.

This is a giant protractor.

[Misty] It totally is.

This is kind of the radius.

This part of Texas,
it sees a lot of bad weather,

a lot of high winds,

and creating the roof line
that's curved

and a little more aerodynamic
in the trees

where it does have
that protection

will make all the difference

when it comes
to keeping them safe.

[country music playing]

[Misty] I really like
the rounded structure.

It's time to put a roof on.

[country music playing]

[Marty] Thank you!

[narrator] At the center
of the homestead,

Marty and Kris get to work

on diverting
dangerous rain runoff

away from the family's
mobile home.

[Kris] I'm going to be
in the skid-steer

and we're moving this rock

so that way we
can start working on grade,

working on the water issue
to help keep the water

from pooling up
in front of the house.

Marty is about to get in here
and we're gonna start
pretty much tearing stuff up.

[Aranda] I'm not happy
with this plan at all.

Sorry to burst your bubble.

I don't like this.

[Marty] What's the problem?
Is there a problem?

-[Aranda] Slightly.
-[Marty] What?

I just...

I'm worried because the main
reason we brought in this rock

was because,
I mean, I'm sure you see,

this mud is horrible.

I mean, our cars
were getting stuck in it.

We'd walk, we'd sink,
and I know we're trying

to save as much
of this rock as possible,

but this is $12,000
worth of rock.

He said $500.

I am the one
that wrote the check.

I'm always in control.

I always am the one
that calls the shots.

And because of what happened
with our contractor,

it's hard for me to step back
and trust people

and know that they have
good intentions in mind.

And being separated
from Kris all day,

him being with Marty,
me being with Misty or Matt,

I don't know
what's going on on that end.

And they're working
on the house.

That's where
I spend a lot of my time.

So for me to not really know
what's going on,

my mind's racin'.

Okay. So let's go back
to the beginning.

First of all, I don't see
$12,000 worth of rock here.

So where did
the $12,000 go?

It's gone.
Is... It's washed away.

We've leveled the building,

but we haven't stopped
the water,

which is the problem.

So to do that,

this grade
is getting cut down.

Yeah.

Otherwise, I might
as well get in my truck

and go back to Alaska

because we haven't fixed
the problem.

-[Aranda] I agree.
-Oh, yeah.

I just...
My only concern is

I just don't want this
to turn...

I mean, I know it's gonna turn
into a mud pit, but it's like,

"Are we going to be able
to fix it as much
as possible?"

Because that's why
we put this rock here

was to not make it
a mud pit.

$500, $12,000
for rock, whatever.

All of this stuff
you guys did

was trying to protect
the house from water, right?

So you guys,
I feel sorry for you guys.

I can relate to you.

You're young,
you're hard workers.

You're just starting
your family, you have a dream.

And by the way,
I mean, I'm impressed.

So, I'm here to help you.

That's all you
need to know.

I'm not even gonna say,
"Trust me,"

because it should be
a foregone conclusion.

Our only option
is to get invasive

and go down maybe at least
two feet or three feet

to get water here,

here captured,

and then directed
around the house.

You gotta think
of the big picture here.

I apologize for the tone,

but we have limited time
to get stuff done.

And I don't wanna stop
the momentum.

So, feel free to talk
amongst yourselves.

[Aranda] Well?

You wanna just leave it
or you wanna pick it up?

I don't think there's much
we're gonna be able to save,
I mean...

Okay then, don't pull it up.

You don't wanna save it,

you don't wanna take the time
to pull it up, then fine.

Rock is better than mud.

It's just gonna be
hell out here.

It's hell no matter what.

I mean, it pools up in there
all the damn time with...

-[Aranda] Oh, yeah.
But rock's better than--
-...little to no rain

-washing down--
-Okay. Well, if you're gonna
do it, then go for it.

You figure it out.

[sighs]

[country music playing]

[Aranda sniffs]

[Kris] I don't know
why you're crying.

[Aranda] Because you're
pissing me the [bleep] off.

We brought this rock in
for a reason,

now it's gonna be
a [bleep] mud pit.

[Kris] Aranda, I'm here.

It's coming out
of my bank account too.

I know what--

[Aranda] $500?

[Kris] It was not even
[bleep] close to $12,000

because we didn't have


[Aranda] No, dude, I wrote
the [bleep] checks for it,

so you wouldn't [bleep] know.

Do you realize
it was $850 a [bleep] load

for this [bleep] rock?

It went well past
the [bleep] shed and it's
all [bleep] washed away,

making me look like
I'm [bleep] stupid.

[Marty] Is that gonna have
a happy ending down there?

[Aranda] [bleep] no,
I'm so sick of this [bleep]
arguing [bleep] with you.

[Kris] God [bleep], man.

[Aranda] He's about
to be sleeping in

with the [bleep]
goats tonight.

[tense music playing]

-[dramatic music playing]
-[cell phone ringing]

[Aranda sobs]

[Jennifer] What's the matter?

I'm so [bleep] mad.

[Jennifer] Why?

Because, like,
it's [bleep] typical Kris.

Like, I'm so tired of fighting
with him over this [bleep].

[Jennifer speaking]

All right?
Don't let it ruin your time.

Just go about your business.

I'm gonna come out
in a couple days to help.

[Misty] What's up?

[Aranda] Fighting
with Kris all the time.

That's not
how you go about it.

Well, nobody's the bad guy.

I think just take,
like, a deep breath.

There's a lot of stress
on both of you guys.

So just work on,
like, deep breath,

clear communication,

and then just trust
that we can fix it.

We can make it right.

Right?

Mmm-hmm.

[Misty] Aranda and Kris
are so young,

and they don't have
the experience

that maybe someone
a little bit older does,

and they've just been
struggling through it.

It's been a learning process.

Maciah and I got married
when we were teenagers,

so I totally get it.

You know what?

If I can tell my 20-year-old
self something, it'd be like,

"Take deeper breaths

and step away
from confrontation.

And when you come back,

try and have
clear communication

with the end goal
of being a solution."

This isn't
the easiest lifestyle.

And then when you're presented
with all the problems

which they have been,

it's not easy to get
on the same page.

We all want
the same thing, right?

Kris wants what you want.

I want what you want.

So in the end,
we'll get there.

Don't stress.

Misty, she's been very,
very good about taking in hand

my concerns
and making me feel better.

Do you feel like you wanna
use the chainsaw more?

-Sometimes the chainsaw
is the perfect therapist.
-[Aranda] Yeah.

It's very hard for me to trust

after the last year
and a half,

with everything
that's happened

out on this homestead.

But I have so much faith
in the Raneys

because I know
that their intentions are good

and their knowledge
is way far beyond

than what I know.

[country music playing]

[Clint] Mount up.

Aranda and I were constantly
trying to fix issues

going on at the house,
and that causes fightin'.

But if we can get to a point
where we can get ahead

of some of them
bigger issues,

and we can actually,

you know,
enjoy what we have together.

There is a lot of tension
and arguing

with Kris and Aranda
stemming from homesteading.

But I had Kris at 19
and it was tough.

Me and my wife argued a lot
for the first few years,

but we made do.

And now, you know,
we just grew off of that

and so I do believe
they'll get through it.

[Marty] Okay.
Come on in here.

Here's the deal.

It's real simple.
Do we wanna save the rock?

I don't care.

If it's $500 or $12,000
or whatever it is.

But are we in agreement,

the next step is going to be
remove the fence

and get really invasive?

I'm all for it.

[Marty] So we're gonna break
a few eggs out here.

It's gonna get ugly.
Might even be scrambled eggs.

It's not gonna be over easy.

-It's gonna be over hard.
Do you hear me?
-[chuckles]

I think we're beating
a dead horse with the eggs.

Well, I'll keep beating it

until we get
on the same page.

Right? Fair enough?

-Fair enough.
-[Marty] Okay.

We got to kind of separate
the animals now

-from this work zone.
-Correct.

[narrator] To prevent
devastating rain runoff

from compromising
the foundation

of the family's mobile home,

Marty will excavate
a gradual slope

towards the side
of the house,

then grade a 100-foot long
downhill trench

and dig a 25-foot wide
shallow pond

at the property's
lowest point.

That will also serve
as a water source

for the livestock.

-Fair enough? Let's go.
-[Kris] Yes, sir.

All right. Hit it.

I'm trying to grade this land,
but in the process,

I'm kind of encroaching
on the animal pen.

So I need 100 feet
of temporary makeshift fence

to keep the animals enclosed
while we excavate.

[whistles]

Let's stack these logs
under there.

Get ones that don't have
branches on them.

Put it down.

[whistles] Thank you.

We are bringing this pine
over here

so we can stack it
right on top of this,

uh, curbing right here
to continue on with our fence.

[Marty] Get it on the crib.

Good job.

This is a quick, portable,

fast fence, um,
that quarantines the goats

and the horse away
from where we're working.

Yes, sir.

Um, I think I'm gonna start
digging right now

because the forecast is rain.

-[Kris] Yup.
-And every raindrop's

going under the house
right now.

Let's get to it.

[country music playing]

[Marty] This property
is nothing but clay.

But guess what?

If you're trying
to sculpt land

that catches water

and carries water
around a house,

ah, you can use clay
to your advantage.

-Hey, bud.
-Yes, sir.

[Marty] Did you have any idea
there was this much red clay?

[Kris] I had a good idea,
but I didn't know

exactly how much.

I am sculpting
the landscape

to catch and carry water

so that the next time
it rains,

the water
will be flowing downhill

away from this house

and into
a beautiful little pond.

Who dug this hole?

-[Kris] That was me.
-Okay.

So this is
a perfect example, obviously,

why I know that
that red clay pond
is gonna fill up.

You made no effort
to contain water.

-Correct.
-Look at this.

Mmm-hmm.

Think of your pond
that's full right to the brim.

-Yup.
-Crystal clear water.

With a horse standing
next to it,

taking a nice long drink.

-Yup.
-That's gonna happen.

-And there's your proof.
-I like it.

[Marty] In the process
of building this pond,

we have taken water
that has been working
against the house

and are making it work
for a family.

All right. So a lot of water
is gonna come around
that house in that swale.

[Kris] Yeah.

[Marty] So we'll get
all that water...

-[Kris] Yeah.
-...headed right
to the pond.

Keep the horse high
and dry over here.

Keep the floodwaters
over here, pretty good.

[Kris] It will be nice
to be able

to turn all that water
that we do get

and be able to utilize it
on the property

and not just, you know,
come up with the solution

of just getting it
to wash away.

It's definitely
gonna help out a lot.

We're gonna have
to figure out

the fencing placement
of the horse barn.

So how's your reflexes?

They're as good
as you need them to be.

Let's go.

[hawk screams]

[hammer pounding]

-[Aranda] I'm back.
-[Misty] Hello.

What do you think
of the curvature?

[Aranda] It looks so good.
I love it.

-[Misty] Isn't it so cool?
-[Aranda] I'm so excited.

[narrator] Over at the new
goat area,

Misty and Aranda get to work
on the curved roof

of the goat shelter
to shield the animals

from the Texas rain
and severe heat.

We're gonna put more
than the usual amount
of screws

because of the tornado
and the high warning.

The temperatures
are super sporadic

this time of year in Texas.

It can be 80 one day,

it can be below freezing
the next.

So we're gonna do
some insulation

and put on the metal roof.

It'll go fast, it's durable,

and it'll bend
to our structure.

Quick. Easy. Done.

Perfect.

Okay.

So we're trying
to overhang the metal

so water will shed away
from the structure,

but then with this lip,
the wind will catch it

and just rip
the metal clean off.

So we're gonna kind
of go heavy duty

with the screws on the end
and hopefully next tornado,

this thing will stay on.

[dramatic music playing]

-There we go.
-Nice. Good job.

Moving right along.

Whoo!

-[Aranda] Okay. Got it?
-Yep.

Boom.

Dude, look at this thing.

The new location
for the goat pen

is a great area.

[Misty] Like it?

[Aranda] It's gonna be great
for the goats.

Not only
will it keep 'em entertained,

but it's good for them

to have that different type
of forage.

But it also
is gonna be great for me

because I'm gonna save
a pretty penny

not having to buy
as much feed or hay for them

because they're gonna be
so focused on all this
awesome forage

that they're gonna
have access to.

We're all gonna be happy.

[Misty] So there's no
tar paper

and there's
no house wrap.

And this isn't
treated plywood.

So homestead hack
with the tarp.

I have plywood
that's not treated

and as soon
as moisture hits it,

it's gonna disintegrate.

So I have a homestead hack
which is for me

to put up a little makeshift
house wrap with a tarp.

It keeps all of that moisture
off of that plywood

and then you just cover that
up with siding

and then just fully protect
the building.

Ta-da!

It looks so good.

So there was a ton to do.

Just finish
some things up tomorrow

and we're getting really close

and then we're ready
to move goats.

-You tired?
-[yawns] No.

[laughing]

-I'm tired.
-It's kids.

Let's get out of here.
Kids keep you up?

-Kids do that to you.
-[Misty] Kids meaning goats?

[Aranda] All of the kids.

[Misty laughs]

[thunder rumbles]

Last night,
a few tornado funnels

touched down
right through this area.

Correct.

The tornado threat
on this homestead is real.

What can I
do about it?

[country music playing]

[Matt] This is missing
something, right?

[narrator] At the new
chicken coop location,

Matt gets some inspiration

from Misty's
curved roof design

for his own creative build.

What would really
set this thing off

and turn it into
the circus extravaganza?

I got a little bit of an idea.

So let's go back
to the drawing board.

Misty's built a really cool
arched roof on her goat barn

and I think that it's gonna be
perfect for my circus coop.

This is perfect.
We just need, like, two more.

-Yep.
-And it will just tie
the whole homestead together.

-You like it?
-Yeah.

So we'll need
to do that across,

but that'll look good.

I feel like three
is the magic number.

Is that centered?

[upbeat music playing]

I'm using steel metal roofing
and it only bends one way.

The ridges are gonna be
going "the wrong way,"

but I've tilted
the building a little bit

so the runoff
will go right into a gutter.

-[Misty] Hey.
-[Matt] Hey.

Where'd you get this idea
to do a rounded roof?

It's so cool.

[Matt laughs]

What a good idea
you had.

Did you come up
with this on your own?

You know, I told Kris
we gotta make a round roof

so I totally
ripped the idea off of you

but, but...
so everything would match.

[Misty] Okay,
so the competition's on.

Can you take it?

-[laughs]
-Oh, God.

I got to step it up
a little bit.

[Matt] All right.
Back to work.

This circus coop
will have enough places

for the chickens
to roost and sleep

and lay eggs

to keep that egg production
at full volume.

But also, we're gonna have
in a ring in the middle

with a trapeze
tightrope wire.

It's gonna be
an amazing show.

Only one of its kind.

And just try
to like blow the top off

of this homestead.

Blow the top off
of this big top.

[tool whirring]

It'll be interesting,

just 'cause there's a lot
of moving stuff
going on inside.

So I think James
will like that.

It's really exciting.

Big Top Pee-wee Circus,
I don't know. [chuckles]

[imitates chicken clucking]

Does it look like an egg?

[upbeat music playing]

Here they come.

[narrator] With less than
three days remaining

on the Hassell-Pierce
Homestead,

Marty has yet another
important fix up his sleeve

to prevent water
from destroying
the family's home.

-[Marty] Hey.
-Hey. How's it going?

-Your name?
-Jessica.

-Jessica?
-Jeff.

-Jeff?
-Jeff.

[Marty] So we're trying
to capture some of
that water coming down

off this roof so that
we can gravity feed

all the animals
that we're moving

to that side of the property.

The question is,
where are we gonna put it?

We could use a little,
uh, water storage.

That's right.

We brought an eight-foot
diameter water tank.

It's got a 30-degree roof

and it's gonna get you


So you'll have plenty
of storage.

-That's awesome.
-Yeah.

That's plenty for a horse
and three goats

or ten horses
and 30 goats.

So can we help you unload
or you're on your own?

-We're good.
-All right. Thank you.

Nice meeting you.

The tank is being placed
right next to this house

and it will be
gravity feeding.

-[Jeff] Got it.
-[Jessica] Go ahead.

Free water from the sky
to anywhere on this homestead.

So what is this product
that you've sprayed
inside here?

It's polyurea. It is potable.

It's a polymer that it creates
a like a thick hard plastic.

It's good for seismic areas.

It flexes and it...

This is gonna last
for 50, 75 years.

That's amazing.

It must be malleable too,
because that's a wood seam

and a metal down there
at the bottom.

[Jessica] Yeah.
It flexes up to 500%.

It'll hold water and they'll
never have any problems.

Well, I appreciate y'all.
I really do.

[Jessica] Of course.
We're happy to help.

While they're putting the lid
on the catchment tank,

we're installing
continuous gutters.

Why? They don't leak.
You catch every drop of water.

We've set these gutters

at about a quarter inch
per ten feet.

We'll catch it,

we'll gravity feed it
to the tank.

Water's gonna come down
this downspout.

Mmm-hmm.

We're gonna pick it up
from here,

plummet right into that hole.

This tank's
probably gonna fill up

within the first couple
of storms.

[Kris] Yeah.

[Marty] This is your overflow
right here.

[Kris] Yep.

[Marty] So tank gets too full.

We'll put a line on that

and plumb that away
from your house.

I like every bit of it.

I mean, from the gutters
to the tank,

to being able
to utilize the water.

Not just, you know,
turn into something good

instead of just bad.

Getting a water catchment tank
is crucial, 'cause you know,
we go through the droughts,

so being able to have that
like fresh water

always on hand
and being able to reuse it

and disperse it,
you know, to animals

and everything like that,
I mean, is a good thing.

So we have two things left.

We've gotta introduce
that water to the tank

and we've gotta plumb
that overflow

further away from the house.

Then you'll be set.

In fact, it looks like
it's gonna rain,
so let's get crackin'.

[Kris] Let's do it.

[thunder rumbling]

[wind howling]

[narrator] Overnight,
the region is hit

by a deadly tornado outbreak.

A 120-mile-per-hour twister

narrowly misses the homestead.

I've been to Tornado Alley
many times

on many different homesteads.

This is the first time
where I've had
a tornado warning.

That alone was a wakeup call
just for myself

and how fast things
can change.

Last night, a few, uh,
tornado funnels touched down

all over Texas,
right through this area too.

Correct.

Till about 12 o'clock
this morning, yeah.

[Marty] And unfortunately,

there was loss of life
and property.

So what did...
What happened here?

-I mean, it was bad.
-[Misty] What did you guys do?

Like what do you do
with the kids

and where do you go
as a family?

There's not really
anywhere to go.

The closest storm shelter
is 30 plus minutes away.

[Kris] We kind of just
have to hunker down
in the house

and hope it don't hit us.

Tornadoes are terrifying.

I think it's really scary,
people died.

For Aranda to be here
with little kids

and not have a safe place
to go is very concerning.

[Marty] The good news is,
looking at this tells me

this grade is working.

That saved us a lot yesterday.

There was a river yesterday,
I was watching it,

so it did its job.

Clearly, the house
is gonna be protected.

I'm happy this storm
happened while we were here

because, uh, now I can see
and do something to help.

The threat on this homestead
is real.

The question is,
what can I do about it?

On that note,
let's get to work.

-You guys ready?
-Yeah.

[folk music playing]

[chainsaw whirring]

-Okay. I got some crazy ideas.
-Okay.

[narrator] On the
Hassell-Pierce family's
Texas homestead,

the Raneys race
to complete critical projects

in the aftermath
of a storm outbreak.

Luckily, they get
yet another helping hand

with the unplanned arrival
of Aranda's mother, Jennifer.

Do you wanna help make fun
little things for the goats...

-I do. I do.
-...and for James?

[Jennifer] When Aranda called
and was upset
about everything,

I booked tickets
to come out here.

I didn't even hesitate.

I wanna make a bunch
of fun things,

not just for the goats
but for James.

I want it to all be
really safe

-and low to the ground.
-[Jennifer] Okay.

So that we not only enrich
the goats' life,

but we are really giving James
like his best life ever.

[Jennifer] I would say
me being a long ways away,

it's definitely hard.

I mean, honestly,
I raised both my girls

as a single mom
pretty much their whole lives.

I think Aranda saw
how I struggled

and she didn't want that
for her boys.

It's hard for me
to talk about James.

He's a really soft spot
for me.

So my idea is to create
a teeter-totter

for the goats and for James.

That's super low.
Not too crazy.

And then maybe some swings

and maybe something for them
to climb on.

Okay.

It's definitely important

that this homestead succeeds
for those little boys.

I mean,
and for Aranda and Kris.

I'm excited.

I actually get to do
something fun right now.

[chainsaw whirring]

[Misty]
Goats are very playful.

I think there's a reason why
they're called kids.

Okay. You go down.

[both vocalizing and giggling]

To give them
a space and a area

where they can play

and they can be entertained
is crucial for their health.

Okay, we're gonna build
a pallet swing, yeah, girls?

All of these things
we're building

enrich their lives,
make a big difference

when it comes
to milk production.

The happier they are,
the more they produce.

So for the homestead,
it's a total win

and it's fun for James.

-It's a little tight.
-That's okay.

I kind of like it.

That's okay.

It'll move enough
for the goats.

-What do you think, Aranda?
-I think it looks good.

Do you like it?

-Yes.
-[Misty] I love it.

I might come out here
and swing for a little bit.

[upbeat music playing]

Okay, I can do this, man.

[narrator] With the chicken
coop finished,

Matt shifts his focus
to another homestead problem.

An infestation
of dangerous wild hogs

that could become
a blessing in disguise.

These homesteaders live
on three acres of land.

It's not a very big space

if you want to trap
or hunt wild hogs.

So getting out to the edge
of the property

where these homesteaders live
is the best place

to be able to capture a hog.

[narrator] Feral swine
are an invasive species

that were first introduced
to the US

as a food source in the 1500s
by early explorers.

Now, more than
four million hogs

run rampant
across the state of Texas

and have become a costly
threat to the ecosystem.

Adult hogs average
around 200 pounds

and can yield
around 120 pounds of meat.

All right.

I think we found a good spot.

Wild hogs
can just bulldoze down

most fences
you put up for 'em.

[narrator] Matt's plan
is to devise

a 21-foot in diameter
spiral hog trap

at the edge of the property
out of T-posts

and hefty cattle
panel fencing

for the perimeter.

When a hog enters the trap,
a wire will be tripped.

Closing the entry point

and preventing
the wild animals

from terrorizing
the homestead.

[Matt] Watch out.

Whew. Getting hot.

[upbeat music playing]

A lot of homesteads
have hog panel,

cattle panel laying around.

It's about the cheapest
hog trap you can build

that's actually strong enough
to hold in a feral hog.

Looks good from the outside.

[goat bleating]

[Marty] Misty, Matt.

Everybody,
come around, please.

[narrator]
Later that afternoon,

with less than
24 hours remaining

before the Raneys
must leave,

Marty recruits
some neighbors

for a major
all-hands-on-deck move.

Aries, the horse,

he's still up
at the top of the property,

and he's lonely.

That's got to change.

[narrator]
To successfully complete

the new livestock area,

the 1,100-pound horse barn

must be hand-carried 250 feet
downhill to its new home.

It's got to go from here,

over that road

and all the way back
to the pond.

I put these handles on here
on the sides.

So first step,
we got to spread people

out on four corners.

Get your backs over here,

let's see
if we can lift this up.

Find your dosey-doe
partner, folks.

This is a barn dance
you're not gonna wanna miss.

This building is not built
or designed to be moved

and the safest way
to move it

is to pick it up
by hand and move it.

The question is,
can all of these people,

as strong as they are
and motivated,

you know, can we do it?

If we can't,
then we're gonna have

to come up
with something else.

Make sure that you guys
distribute the manpower.

Who's ready
to pull a groin?

One...

two...

three, expand.

Walk forward at an angle.

[Misty] Watch the holes.

Does everybody feel good?

Why are we stopping?

[groans]

Let it... Let it down.

[man] Watch the hole.

What happened?

I stepped in a hole.

-Can we lift over it?
-[Aranda] Yeah.

Okay, let's do that.

One, two, three.

Walk.

[Misty] It's hard
when you can only take
little tiny baby steps.

Everybody good?

-[Matt] Whoa, whoa.
-Okay, stop.

[Misty] Oh, thank God.

-All right, everybody good?
-Hang on, I'm sweating.

[Jennifer] Okay, we got it
like 1/100th of the way.

[Marty] Not everyone's an
expert on moving a building,

so that's a challenge
to get 'em working together.

[Jennifer] I think
we're all gonna need
a few beers after this.

[Marty] But if you can
make it happen,

what seems impossible
may possibly be possible.

Ready?

One, two, three.

-Moving the barn.
-Hang on.

-Start pivoting.
-It's dragging.

Start pivoting.

We're pivoting.

[Jennifer] I can't believe
this is actually working.

-Oh, [bleep].
-What's wrong?

It's getting heavier.

[Misty] It's like a bus.

Is there any damage
to the building?

[Aranda] No, she...
She looks good.

-[Misty] Careful of the mud.
-[Marty] This is amazing.

We're over halfway.

Turn right, turn right,
turn right.

[Misty] I feel like we should
pick up some speed.

This is speed.

Oh, stop.

A horse is a horse,
unless of course

that horse is a horse
with no barn.

Aries is a horse on this
homestead with a barn.

[Misty] Okay,
we gotta go left.

Easy, Misty.
You're gonna be in the trees.

And its new resting place
is right next to the goats

and that horse has a pond
that it can drink out of.

So hey, it's a win-whinny.

Six feet forward.
Call it out, Aranda.

Back, back, back, back,
back, back, back.

Stop.

There we go.

That was definitely
the craziest thing
I've ever done.

I had zero faith
that picking that barn up

and walking it downhill
and dropping it in place

on the other side of the
property was even possible.

But we made it happen.

You happy?

Fifty times better
than up there.

A million times better
than up there.

This new layout,
it opens up so much room

and opportunity for out here
and it's so much better.

Okay, barn move completed.

So thank you, Texans
and neighbors.

Now you guys got
to five-minute break,

I got another project
for you, let's go.

-[laughing]
-Come on.

-Let's go, everyone.
-[Matt] Good job,
everybody.

-Come on.
-[Matt] Whoo!

[upbeat music playing]

[Matt] It's got a weird
smell over here.

[Kris] I'm getting a whiff
of something.

[Matt laughing]

[narrator] With less
than 12 hours

until the Raynes
are wheels up,

Matt and Kris
make the last adjustments

on a trap that'll have this
homestead high on the hog.

I've made the simplest form
of hog trap that you can make.

It's the cheapest, easiest one
and it's a spiral trap.

If you follow this line
all the way around,
it makes a spiral.

And this is actually
the entrance here.

I like it. You know,
sometimes you don't need

all that fancy stuff.

You just need
something simple.

-That works.
-Yeah, exactly.

[Matt] Now we have to set
this thing and bait it.

If you live in Texas,

you're real familiar
with deer corn.

-[Kris] Mmm-hmm.
-Because it's legal
to bait deer.

Good way to mix
is just go back and forth,

we'll add a little bit
of water to this.

Smells delicious.

All right,
we got it all mixed up.

Now I'll show you
how to set this trap.

I got this baling wire
just attached down low.

This is gonna hold
our trap door open.

-Mmm-hmm.
-But it's also the trip wire.

Once the trap is set,
the door is open

and there's an entrance
for those pigs to get inside.

But when they trip that wire,

the spiral
turns into a circle.

Walk through there.

Think it's gonna work?

-I think it'll work.
-[Matt] Awesome.

It'd be amazing if we got
a hog in that trap,

but I actually want this trap
to be more of a tool,

an extra way
for these homesteaders

to provide for themselves
and deal with the hogs

when they actually come
onto their property.

[narrator] One week ago,
Kris and Aranda's property

was overrun
with aggressive feral hogs

threatening their
family's safety.

Today, a new spiral trap

is set to humanely
catch the hogs,

keeping the homestead safe

and giving the family
a valuable new food source.

Definitely got
a lot of new places

because when
I'm in the doghouse,
I can go and sleep.

And you'll even have
some food.

-[Kris] I know.
-[Matt chuckles]

[Kris] Being able to possibly
live off of pigs food-wise

is a huge thing
and it's awesome.

The main goal is definitely
to be self-sufficient

and live off
of what we have here.

And now we can actually
start doing it.

Well, the trap is set.

Set it and forget it.

We'll see if we
can get a hog.

I like it.

[Misty] Aranda, cuckoo.

Time to move the goats.
[whoops]

Bubbles, welcome to
your new home.

Oh, yeah, Bubbles.

Oh.

[acoustic guitar playing]

Oh, yeah.

See, we left all
the branches on purpose.

-Do you think they're happy?
-[Aranda] Oh, they love pine.

The goats are gonna
have pine needles,

uh, corn, the bark,
they love eating the bark

off pine trees, the sap,
all the different leaves

from the different trees
out here.

They like to eat
the greenbriar.

They're gonna have
an endless menu for them

and they eat anything
and everything.

So they will have a heyday
with it.

-James, look at your surprise.
-We can play later.

[Misty] Look at this.
Come over here.

Look at this,
it's a goat swing

and it's a swing for James.

Do you think you're gonna
swing on here with the goats?

-Yeah.
-[Aranda chuckles] Yeah?

James, come over.
Look at this.

[Aranda] Dude, look at that.

It's a little tree fort.

-You like it?
-Yes.

-Can you say thank you?
-Thank you.

You're so welcome.

Can I show you something?
Come here.

So now that the pen and
the goat shelter is complete,

I have a surprise for Aranda

that just
is the finishing touch.

I got some presents
in here for you.

Oh, my goodness.
James, look.

[Misty] I got
some females for you.

[Aranda] Oh, my goodness.

[Misty] Now you've
got some milking goats.

These are both females
and you have one for the bucks

-and one for the doe.
-Sweet.

-[Misty] Pumped?
-Yes.

Oh, yeah. Two females.

One female would've even
been awesome, but two,

that's just, like,
above and beyond

what I would've
ever expected.

I can build this herd,

I can have milk forever.

I mean I can keep them
in milk as long as I want.

It's awesome.

[narrator] One week ago,
Kris and Aranda's goats

cohabitated with their horse
in a muddy, crowded pen

and were constantly
under threat of disease.

Now, the goats have their own
weatherproof shelter

and an outdoor space filled
with stimulating activities

to keep them safe
and healthy.

Setting up the homestead
for a goat breeding

and milk production operation.

-[Aranda] There we go.
-[Misty] Yeah.

-[Aranda] There we go.
-[Misty] I'm gonna...

This is the first for me
that I've teeter-tottered
with a goat.

And he's eating.

[Aranda] It's a safe place
for my son to go

and be able to interact
with those animals.

But they can all play
together and have fun.

Which, who wouldn't love
that for their kids?

Especially their fur kids.

Bye, you guys.
Enjoy. Whoo!

[Aranda] They're like,
what do I do?

Oh, yep.
There you go.

They're back
to head-buttin'.

[country music playing]

[Marty] Okay, here we go.

[narrator]
With a half day remaining

before the Raneys must leave
the Hassell-Pierce homestead,

Marty pulls off
an 11th hour lifesaver.

[Jennifer] What is that for?

Hey, fam, down here.

[Aranda] Oh, okay.
I'm coming.

Come on in.

This young couple's home
is a trailer.

Unfortunately,
those types of homes

fare badly in a tornado.

[whistles]

Whoo.

-Troy?
-[Troy] Yes, sir.

Hop out of there.

We've come up
with an idea

to make these homesteaders
as a family

safe during a tornado,

but it won't be
in the modular home.

Ready for this?

Think Texas is big, right?

-Until you meet James.
-[Jennifer] How you doing?

Found two really nice guys,
Troy and James

over in Longview, Texas.

Told 'em my circumstances,
boom, they arrived

with a storm shelter.

Bingo.

They wanted to donate

a storm shelter safety factor
for this family of four.

What's it mean to you
as a mom?

[sniffles] It means
I have somewhere
safe to take my kids.

That's one of the biggest
things I worry about here.

[Kris Sr.] It's huge.

[Marty] It's a nice gesture,
what you've done here,
really nice.

What possessed you
to donate

a very expensive tank
to complete strangers?

[sobbing] It really
wasn't a question.

[Marty] You're
a generous man.

-We appreciate it.
-Yes, sir.

[Marty] So is this
a good day?

-It's a very good day.
-[Marty] Yeah.

[Jennifer] Very good.

[Aranda] I hope
to never have to use it,

but the fact that
we'll have that there

just takes so much weight
off my shoulders,

knowing I have a safe place
to take my kids

and not just sitting
in my living room wondering,

"Well, let's hope
it doesn't come this way,

'cause I have
nowhere to go."

-[Misty] Thank you so much.
-[Kris Sr.] Thank you, sir.

-Appreciate y'all.
-Thanks.

[Marty] All right.
I'm gonna start unloading.

Head for the back, please.

What do you think about
putting it on the back door?

[Kris] I like it.

You know, it's close and you
don't have to venture off

too far to get in it in case
something like that happens.

Come right out of the door,
and then boom.

Yep. You can't beat it.

We'll cut a door in it,

we'll clean it out,
we'll power wash it

-and, uh, we'll go right here.
-I like it.

On that note,
swing it over here.

We'll cut it loose.

We're gonna start digging.

[suspenseful music playing]

[Marty] We've got unfinished
business on this homestead.

[narrator] With less than
two hours left in the rescue,

Marty races to finish
the Hassell-Pierce family's
vital storm shelter.

[Marty] Hold that right there.
Tight, tight, tight.

That's excellent.

Gotta be tornado-proof.

[narrator]
When a tornado hits,

storm shelters
could mean the difference

between life and death.

The safest ones
are built at least six feet

into the ground
out of durable material

like reinforced concrete,
fiberglass, or steel,

and have screened ventilation
for air circulation.

It's imperative that
the shelter

can be accessed quickly

and stocked
with food, water,

and first aid supplies
so that those inside

can safely
wait out the storm.

There's 50 states
in the United States.

One of those states
has the most tornadoes of all,

and I'm standing in it.

So this is functional,
practical, necessary.

And now it's done.

And there's no time
like the present

to put this,
uh, homestead to test.

[knocks on door]

It's raining, it's storming.
You have a storm shelter.

I'm timing you
to see how fast

it takes your family
to get in there.

Starting now.

Guys, out of my way.

[Aranda] Stand up. Stand up.
Stand up. Stand up. Stand up.

Hurry, hurry, hurry,
hurry, hurry.

Which way are we going?
This way?

[Kris] Out the back. Go.

[Marty] How we doing?

Okay. Be real careful.

Good man. Good man.

-[Aranda] Oh, gosh.
-You gotta get a system.

You may need to take him
for a second.

Okay. Give him to me.

[Marty] Good job. I like it.

[Aranda]
Come here, come here,
come here. I'm helping.

-Come here. Come here.
-Good job, darling.

-Careful, it's all muddy,
it's all crazy.
-[Aranda grunts]

[Marty] Done. Excellent.

Two minutes
and 40 seconds.

That's pretty good
for two kids being in bed.

[narrator] One week ago,
Kris, Aranda,

and their two
small children

had nowhere safe
to hunker down

when under threat by severe
storms and tornadoes.

Now they have a secure
storm shelter

steps away
from their home

where they'll be able
to weather any storm.

You're the proud owners
of a storm shelter.

Yes or no,
does it feel safer?

A lot safer in here
than it does in there.

[Kris] I feel ten times better
that it's here.

All I wanted to hear.

Just kind of seeing
everything come together,

you know, the way that
we kind of first saw it

takes a huge weight off
the shoulders,

'cause it takes
the stress away.

It's pretty cool, huh?

I wanna get back here.

I wanna get out.

Oh, you wanna get out?
You wanna go back to bed?

-Yeah.
-Okay.

We'll put you back to bed.

[upbeat music playing]

[Marty] There's not
one person in Texas

that wouldn't want a pond
if they could get one.

I'm kind of glad it started
to rain before we left,

just so we could see where
this water was gonna track.

[Kris] Yes, sir.

It looks like it's not going
near your house,

but in fact,
headed for the low spot

on the side of that fence
headed directly for the pond.

-Kind of cool?
-Yes, sir.

This homestead
is textbook for a pond.

In fact,
we've dug it deeper

and we've made spillways
to allow their pond

to actually last year round.

So this pond's gonna fill
completely to the top.

The way it rains here,
I don't think

you'd have a dry spell
long enough
to ever evaporate it.

It's pondemonium.

[laughs]

What?

Pondemonium.

[narrator] Seven days ago,
rainwater contaminated
with livestock waste,

washed under Kris
and Aranda's mobile home,

causing a sinking foundation
that was near collapse.

Now the livestock has been
moved to lower ground.

Rainwater will be diverted
into a small pond

at the bottom of the property

and their mobile home
is level and steady.

Barndeminium, pondeminium.

It's a barn with a view.

It can see its little
sidekicks over there.

They can come over
and visit,

the horse can go over
and visit the goats.

I'm hoping that this barn,
the pond, this new setting,

your wife's love for horses
all come together.

If it makes her happy,
then I'm happy.

Happy wife, happy life.

Good answer. Let's go.

[acoustic circus music
playing]

Last finishing touches
are done.

Hey, everybody.

Come one and come all.

What?

Welcome to the chicken circus
egg-travaganza.

Step right up
to the chicken circus.

Barnum and Raney.

Hmm.

We got rings.

-We got...
-[laughs] Oh!

...a merry-go-round.

Right here, what's this?

This is a tweeter-totter.

In there,
we actually have a ring

to put sand and stuff
so they can do,
like, dust baths.

Oh, like a dust bath,
that's cool.

-[Aranda] That's perfect.
-Is this some kind of a yolk?

[Aranda] I think
with the chicken coop,

it's a breath of fresh air.

It's another weight off
my shoulders,

knowing that my son...

Both my kids are gonna be able
to have a place

to go to spend that time
with their animals.

It's just amazing.
It's... I mean, it's awesome.

They're loving that thing.

We got ten new
chickens here.

We got nine laying hens,

a few different breeds,
and one rooster.

These chickens
look really healthy.

-Mmm-hmm.
-[Marty] Yeah.

So you actually are gonna have
some type of payoff.

I love 'em. They're awesome.

[narrator] One week ago,

the Hassell-Pierce family's
chickens lived
in cramped conditions,

ill-equipped
to handle the elements.

Today, they have
a comfortable and dry

8 by 16 foot coop,

and Kris and Aranda have
ten new egg-laying chickens

to fulfill
their protein needs.

Your kids are gonna love
this homestead.

-[Aranda] Oh, my gosh.
-[Matt] Hoop.

It's going through the hoop.

It went through the hoop.

-Look, look.
-It's on the teeter...

-The tweeter-totter.
-[Marty] Yeah, it is.

[Matt] It's on
the tweeter-totter.

They will do everything
in here.

They pretty much kind of hit
all of our bases.

I don't really know
what more to say.

They knocked it
out of the park.

They did more than I would've
ever even asked them to do.

-[Marty] Oh.
-[Misty] This is the best
reveal of all time.

[all imitating circus music]

[Marty] It's come
to that time.

I gotta say,
Texas did not disappoint

because we rolled down
that driveway about a week ago

and this place
looked a lot different.

-And you two are young.
-[Misty] Yeah.

You're young.
You're the youngest people
we've ever rescued or helped.

I mean, I'm definitely sad
to see you guys go

because now we have
that clean slate

to where
we can actually progress.

-[Misty] Yeah.
-And we'll be able
to enjoy that time

-with our kids
and with each other.
-Yeah.

[Kris] The imprint that
the Raneys left on us

and the knowledge
that we're able to carry on

and be able to utilize
that is just...

I mean, it's awesome.

We really couldn't have done
this without you guys.

Before y'all came,
we were sinking and...

[Aranda] Now we can
be successful.

See you later.

[Aranda] I think the Raneys
have given us

a whole new level
of confidence

to where I'm a little more
willing to trust people,

because they knew
we needed it.

And because of them
coming and helping us,

it changed the world for us.

It put us
in a whole new position,

in a good position to where we
can succeed at this homestead.

[Marty] Hey,
happy homesteading, kids.

-[Aranda] Thank you.
-[Marty] Thank you.

[Aranda] Since the Raneys
have left,

we've made quite a bit
of progress.

We don't have flooding issues
in front of the house.

[Aranda] You can see where
the water has been diverted.

We have somewhat expanded
our chicken coop.

We get about nine eggs a day.

The goats, they're all
currently coexisting.

Both of my does
are actually pregnant.

This is our newest addition
to the homestead.

[Kris] The pig trap
in the back is doing its job.

We don't argue anymore.

And the boys enjoy
playing in a safe

and clean environment.

I don't know where we would
be if the Raneys

didn't come out when they did.