Without a doubt, weather patterns are changing.
In the last five years in Louisiana,
hurricanes and winter storms brought in a deluge of water,
and they turned to a scorching wasteland in the summer.
But nobody could predict what five years of a changing
climate can do to a piece of property.
In the backwoods of northwest Louisiana...
- How hard has it gotten? - 115.
...the Randle family's homestead
is faltering in the face of nature's extremes.
Five years ago...
Our homestead has been in a state of emergency.
They are homesteaders without a home.
...the Raneys brought shelter to this property.
And hope to a family on the brink.
But this past year, record-breaking heat
and extended drought...
There's not enough rain or rainwater.
...have decimated their food sources.
This looks a little different.
I'm not looking at a rice paddy.
One at a time, they just started...
- Really? - ...dying.
And shaken their spirit.
Oh, my gosh.
What are we doing?
Now...
We need those boards over the forks!
Marty returns to finish what he started.
- Clint! - That's loud.
And secure a future for the Randle's
homesteading dream.
No homestead is impossible.
Stop!
- No homestead is hopeless. - Whoo!
There's always a way if there's a will.
When a guy from Alaska travels all the way to Louisiana,
you can feel the difference. There's moisture in the air.
Not to mention the fact the weather patterns are
changing here.
One year, you have a bountiful crop, and the next year,
you have no water, and your crop dies.
Extreme heat, extreme drought.
Pick one, and it makes homesteading much, much
more challenging.
- Hey, this is Ray. - And I'm Faith.
We're the Randles.
And we're here on our homestead, that's 10 acres
in northwest Louisiana.
With our kids, Joy and Matthew.
- Hello. - Hello.
Hi.
Five years ago, the Raneys came in
and helped us. They gave us a good start.
We thought, we're gonna make it work.
And since the Raneys have left us, we have been
pretty active.
we've built a chicken coop. We took on turkeys.
And then we also have sheep on the property.
We've planted gardens, peach trees, grape vines.
We have been putting in some work.
We've been building on the home that they so graciously
donated to us.
We have walls up. We have rooms.
We have a kitchen area.
Every chance we get, we're trying to make it more
and more a home.
I would like to say, "Oh, you know, we're just
living the dream," but, you know...
the weather has changed so dramatically.
It just really kind of made everything
difficult to maintain.
Northwest Louisiana has long been defined by heavy
humidity, tornadoes, and frequent hurricanes.
But climate shifts have recently pushed the region into
uncharted territory.
Though the Raneys first visit helped the family contend with
the swampy environment, Randle Homestead has since
endured both Arctic cold snaps and scorching heat, with last
year marking the hottest on record since the late 1800s.
And with that heat came long, unprecedented dry spells,
taking a toll on nearly every aspect of
their homestead survival.
Last summer, we ended up experiencing
an extended drought.
It was the hottest that has ever been, and so I think it
got up to about 115.
And Misty did such a great job
with putting those rice paddies together.
They were doing so well.
But there's nothing you can do if there's no rain.
There's no way they could survive.
And then our livestock started dying.
It just was too hot.
We lost all of our turkeys, and we're down to
one chicken now.
When we lost all of the chickens and turkeys,
it was like, "Oh my gosh,
what are we doing?" I think for me, that's when
I kind of got a little, you know, discouraged,
a lot discouraged.
The intense summer heat and relentless drought didn't
just strain the Randles.
It exposed a critical flaw in their homestead systems.
Right now, with the water, we don't have a well.
We don't have a sustained resource.
We have rainwater barrels, so we collect rainwater.
And we have a 550-gallon tank, and we get an influx of rain
in the winter.
But then, all of a sudden, with the summer,
the drought comes, and the heat waves come, then there is
no water. That's just very scary.
We don't have enough food to sustain ourselves.
It's back to going to the grocery store
and all of that stuff that we ran away from.
As the wet Louisiana winter nears its end,
the brutal summer is only months away, and the Randles'
homestead remains unprepared to withstand
the inevitable drought.
If we can't figure out the water, then we can't
grow crops. We can't keep animals.
We can't homestead. The homestead comes to an end.
We just feel like, helpless.
Marty, please.
We really need your help again.
- You're in the water there. - How high is the water, mama?
- Oh! - Oh!
Oh, man.
- Nice to see you again. - Faith.
- Yeah, we do hugs around here. - Faith wants a hug.
Let's talk a little bit. How's the place?
so we went through a drought.
We had the hottest summer that we've ever had.
That is really one of our issues there.
You know, so we had the rice paddies that Misty just so
wonderfully did for us, but...
And is that working out?
Uh, no.
The rice paddy couldn't survive the drought.
OK.
And it burned out all of our vegetables and everything.
We really tried to make it work, and I just wanted
you guys to be proud of us, you know, but it just...
Well, stop right there.
Stop right there. We are proud of you.
Don't worry about that.
How hot has it gotten since I've left here?
115, but it felt like 120.
- Yeah. - Something like that.
- It was up to 115. - How do the animals
fare when it's 115 or 120? My goodness.
OK, so we lost 14 turkeys.
Um... we had six hens, six laying hens, and a rooster.
And so we're down to one chick. One chick now.
There's no livestock here, except one chicken?
- Well, we have sheep. - Oh.
They started having a bunch of babies,
and then them babies had babies.
So we have a bunch of sheep.
But they're doing, they're doing all right.
Good.
Well, if you guys don't mind, how about mom and dad give me
a little tour and see what I missed for the last five years?
- After you, please. - Yes, sir.
OK, so guys, what am I looking at right here, please?
So I installed a gutter system here, installed the spout here
to run down the water into our water barrels.
And so what do you do with the water?
So this is the water we use to flush...
toiletry in the inside, and for our gardens and animals
to water them. This is our filtering system.
This is our filtration system.
OK, and what is that, a pair of panties, shorts?
I mean, I'm sorry.
Forgive me.
OK, so are these barrels kind of clean?
they are cleaner than most. I would say.
It's still some dirt that gets through, but it settles
at the bottom. - I like it.
This is not it with the water system.
- There's more? - There's more.
OK, let's go.
I appreciate these homesteaders as I watch them
catching rain off the roof and collecting it in barrels.
But the bad news is the number one problem on this homestead
probably is lack of water during a possible drought.
What happens when there's no rain in the forecast?
What are we looking at here, please?
Here is a 550-gallon tank of water.
I don't even see a gutter on this side.
- Right. - What's the plan, please?
So we used water that we purchased, but the plan was
to install another gutter on this side and to run another
spout to catch the water in this particular tank.
I just have to develop the filtering system for it
because this is the water we use for
bathing and cleaning. - Cleaning, washing, yeah.
That has to be cleaner than the other water.
OK, yeah, good to know.
My memory's not the best, but I do remember from
five years ago that there is a main water line out
on the road system. Why catch water off the roof?
And hauling water is expensive.
Let's dig a 500-foot water line to get this family all
the water they could ever use.
What am I looking at? The lone survivor?
Yes.
This is our chick, Miss Curry.
And this hen is producing eggs?
- It's really sporadic. - Where do you find them?
Inside there.
So, is there a nesting box, or it's just anywhere in there?
- Anywhere in there. - Yeah.
I don't know.
We had some snakes that got in there.
And then it ate about nine of our eggs.
- Really? - This summer.
- Yeah. - It was this summer.
I would say maybe three months ago.
Hm. Not good.
Rising temperatures don't just threaten chickens
with heatstroke.
They also put their eggs at risk.
Seeking shade, water, and an easy meal, rat snakes
are drawn out from their natural habitat.
Chicken eggs make an ideal target, packed with nutrients,
and small enough to swallow whole.
Some snakes even regurgitate the shells later.
A telltale sign they're the culprit,
It was-- about how long was it?
About six foot.
It was a six-foot snake.
We had us some snakes that got in there.
We didn't know what to do and what's going on.
Almost like when we first came out here, we had an issue
with the wild hogs.
I don't want to be near a boar because they'll attack you.
And then it makes it very difficult to grow anything
because all of these big holes in the ground.
Walking just a few yards on this property, with Faith,
I mean, there's boar scat.
There is massive craters, just dug out from
all the rooting.
Look at how beat in this trail is.
- This is a game trail. - Really?
Yeah.
This is my first time hearing about a game trail.
Thankfully, the Raneys came and really, really helped us,
you know, with that. So they put up the fencing.
- Is it tight? - That's good.
They electrified the fencing.
What we're gonna do is run a single live wire low.
So, when they come up here, they end up sniffing around.
They end up getting shocked.
And it deters them away and back into the woods.
Perfect.
And then eventually, we got our dogs out here.
And so we've not had to deal with the wild boar anymore.
Thank god.
- So here's the sheep. - Is she pregnant again?
These two are pregnant again.
They're always pregnant.
Goodness.
- How many are there? - I think it's seven.
Seven, and you're saying one's pregnant?
Two. I think two are pregnant.
So that's nine.
They're always pregnant.
- Nine, yes. - Well, yes.
Where do they go when it's 110 degrees?
- They go back in. - To their structure.
- Show me. - Yeah.
Please.
That's the structure over there, the one with the tarps on it.
I see it.
What do you do with the sheep? I mean, are they pets?
Are they eating the brush back? What's the goal?
Multiple.
Not pets, but they do keep down a lot of the overgrown areas,
and then we do use them for meat.
Oh.
I think this is cool that you're harvesting them.
I think it's cool.
But people are telling me that in this part of Louisiana,
there's more crazy hailstorms. - Yeah.
Is this true?
We've had maybe two or three recently.
So what do the animals do when that's happening?
Well, they stay inside.
These guys run over there and try to hide?
- Right. - The sheep?
- Right. - OK.
These homesteaders lost nearly everything-- gardens,
animals-- because of the extreme weather.
And right now, the sheep are the only food source
on this homestead.
As near as I can tell, they seem to be doing
pretty good.
However, I want to take a closer look
at those structures.
All right, folks.
So I walked around the property.
It doesn't matter where you live.
If you're trying to grow food and raise animals,
you are impacted by crazy weather.
And sometimes animals die. We've got to fix that.
And I appreciate your water catchment
that you've implemented.
However...
I had a little flashback.
Did I or did I not...
discover there's a water main
right over there by the main road?
Yes.
Now, has it ever entered your mind to tap into that water?
I...
I don't want the city water.
Tell me why.
It often has too much chlorine in it.
It comes in brown at times.
Right now it's contaminated.
We just got to notice that the water in the city
is contaminated.
It's always having issues and too many chemicals.
- What are you saying? - I'm saying no.
Tell me why.
When we do have water, you know, we're able to,
you know, wash our hands, take showers, and stuff.
With all the water that you catch.
With the water that we catch. It's just, sometimes there's
not enough rain or rainwater.
So, this is something I've never heard a homesteader ever
say, but I get it.
The family told me unanimously and emphatically--
"Do not dig a 500-foot water line.
We don't want it."
I wasn't expecting that answer, but I respect that answer.
Now we've got to figure out how we're gonna catch
more water.
We have to figure out how we're going to filter that water
and make it safe for this family.
On that note, we'll unanimously attack that problem tomorrow.
- Yes, sir. - Thank you so much.
- Thank you. - Don't thank me yet.
Now, I gotta be honest with you.
I don't have a lot of faith in that water, and I don't think
I'd get much joy drinking with this water.
2
Day two on the re-rescue of the Randles'
Louisiana homestead.
OK, so I like the fence,
plenty strong.
Marty begins by revisiting the sheep to assess
the condition of their enclosures.
For the most part, I think these sheep are safe when it
comes to the predators.
What I'm really looking at right now is, are they safe
from the elements-- big hail,
and from, uh...
persistent long days of summer heat-- 100 degrees, 105, 110?
That's tough on an animal.
Right?
So, you know, this guy likes pallets.
There's a ton of them stacked up around this property.
There's a shop over there, built out of them.
I'm not sure that I'm 100% convinced this is the best
housing for this little flock of sheep.
I am not sure that I've ever seen a homestead with as many
pallets as this homestead.
It's not really adequate for the extreme weather that takes
place in Louisiana.
Made from low-cost soft woods like pine or spruce,
pallet wood is often reclaimed from discarded
shipping platforms.
While it's free and useful for things like garden beds
and temporary fencing, when it comes to load-bearing
structures, it's prone to warping and splitting,
especially under Louisiana's extreme conditions.
These sheep are...
vulnerable to the elements here.
Yeah, Visqueen works.
I see some metal roofing wired down, but do we have time to...
upgrade the housing here for these sheep?
Heard that old expression, two ships passing in the night?
Listen, we don't want two sheeps passing at all.
So where's the men of the house today?
Ray is at work, and Matthew is at school.
So it's just me and the ladies.
Yes.
Next, with drought and heat wiping out the family's main
food sources, Marty zeroes in on upgrading
their catchment system.
So let's think about catching water off this side
of the house.
As per what your husband said, he said he wanted to use
this tank. Let's look at this water.
OK.
Now, I got to be honest with you.
I don't have a lot of faith in that water.
And I don't think I'd get much joy out of drinking
with this water. - I'm not getting joy right now.
Here's something I've never heard a homesteader say.
"I can't wait to have another big, cool, tall glass of...
algae water."
Or "I can't wait to wash my clothes in algae water."
The point,
these homesteaders have a catchment tank full of algae.
Algae forms when sunlight, warm temperatures,
and stagnant water combine, making catchment tanks
a perfect breeding ground.
Nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus, often from bird
droppings or decaying leaves, act like fertilizer
and kickstart growth.
If ingested or even used for bathing, toxic algae can cause
nausea, fever, headaches, and in severe cases,
liver or neurological damage.
Once a tank is contaminated, even a trace of algae left
behind after cleaning can quickly trigger a new bloom.
Seeing the water, just with it being so full of algae
and dirty, that really hit me almost like when
the turkeys died.
You know, just, "Oh my gosh, what have we been doing here?"
You know, and just not being able to just grasp hold
of the homesteading life that we've wanted.
I'm not happy with the cleanliness of this water,
but while we're all three talking, let's just cut right
to the chase.
What is this family doing for hot water?
We are heating it in a coffee pot.
It's specifically for the shower, or if it gets too
cold, washing dishes, we'll warm a little water
and put it in the sink. - Good to know.
And don't think for a second that I haven't done that.
Yep.
You're giving me flashbacks.
Nostalgia.
50 years ago in Haines, Alaska, when we lived very,
very remotely.
That said, you guys were really roughing it when we first
got here. - We didn't even have this.
We didn't have a house or a coffee pot or a bathroom.
Yes, but look what you've done since then.
Yeah.
Though the Randles now struggle to bring clean water
to their home, five years ago, water wasn't yet a priority,
as their homestead lacked a safe shelter.
So this is the initial trailer we were gonna live in.
Oh, wow! So what happened here?
we were trying to renovate it, get some of the mold out,
but then we saw it had spread, and so it just...
You abandoned it.
Had to.
They are homesteaders without a home.
They're steaders.
I had this plan in my mind, tried to get money
to get a home, have it brought out to us.
- You want to set it right here? - Yes.
Well, I'm telling you right now that there's no way
I'm putting a building on that. You live in hurricane country.
- You live in tornado country. - Yes, sir.
Would you put a building on those blocks?
Not the way you just kicked that over like that.
Not at all.
We have to have a foundation that's Louisiana-proof for this
new home of yours. - I appreciate it.
We've been trying to get back to home, and it means a lot.
Well, don't thank me yet.
Don't thank me yet.
Oh, snap! I didn't see that!
Oh, my gosh!
When we saw the needs of the Randle family,
we realized there was no time to build the house.
I started making calls. This is your new home.
Whoo!
After we shared some of the Randle story,
the company donated the entire home.
- You OK, bud? - I'm good, I'm good.
Come here, brother.
- Thank you. - Come here.
Thank you so much.
The fact that the community pulled together
for this family, and they're so deserving after all they've
been through, their reaction...
is incredibly moving, and I'll never forget this day
as long as I live.
You've come a long ways, but right now, we're all
very aware.
The weak link on this homestead, doesn't matter if
you're a sheep or a chicken or a Randle.
Yeah.
We've got to do something with this water.
2
On the Randle's 10 acres in Louisiana...
Let's take a moment and talk about something that I'm seeing
that I don't really like.
...Marty and Faith confront another homestead casualty.
All right, this looks a little different now.
I'm not looking at a rice paddy.
The last time I set foot on this homestead, we built some
rice paddies.
And when it got too hot and dry,
it decimated them.
Though Louisiana produces over three billion pounds of rice
each year, making it one of the state's most
valuable crops,
its shallow roots and heat-sensitive nature
depend on standing water to survive.
In hot, dry spells like the Randles have faced,
a paddy without supplemental irrigation will show signs
of stress in just a few days.
And by week two, the entire crop can fail.
I'm seeing that...
I'm seeing that the jungle is, frankly, encroaching
on your property.
Five years ago, we cleared this flat as a pancake.
Yes.
What am I looking at?
It looks like I'm just standing in a field.
What's here?
Nothing like that's been producing anything, really.
You have a pretty wild...
flood season.
But any kind of planting or anything you do here
with the garden, that's gonna be a problem.
Yeah.
We thought by digging a pond that could catch a lot of
water, that in a perfect world, this family could actually
grow rice.
I need help.
This is a spillway that is designed to have a gate on it.
We'll create a spillway that allows water to go from
the reservoir and fill up the rice paddy.
Take some block.
Use it as a tracking slide, if you will, for a piece
of treated lumber.
- This what you had in mind? - It's cool.
Next...
Yay!
add water, and it's just four to seven inches.
We will plant rice.
And boom, you have a cash crop.
The first thing you're gonna need to do is find me markers.
The paddies are almost done.
We have 1,000 plants we need to get in the ground.
And we're gonna get to work.
And you want the plants to have enough room to grow.
So break off a little stick. Put it right on the red spot.
It's really easy.
You're lining up with your markers, right?
OK.
And just eyeball it and shove the plant into the soil.
Done.
So, with rice, it's super important to keep it
super wet, which is totally awesome.
There's not a lot of places in this world where you can
grow rice.
You need a perfect environment,
and Louisiana is becoming far from a perfect environment.
All right, how do you feel about us just pushing this
jungle back a little bit and reclaiming
your valuable property?
And then maybe grow a protected garden.
Let me see. Do I want the jungle...
or do I want flat land? Please, please get rid of it.
OK, so if you don't mind,
I'll just have Clint come back here
and then I'll continue working on the water.
OK. Where's Clint?
- Yell. - Clint!
- Louder. - Clint!
That's loud. One last time.
- Give it to me. - Clint!
Get out of the way, because a yell like that,
he's gonna come in
guns blazing.-- Clint!
To give the Randalls a jump start on the new garden space,
Clint will use an excavator to clear the overgrown jungle that
has taken over the former rice paddy.
Before spring, the family will need to cover the 60 by 90
footprint with burlap shade cloths to shield multi-climate
crops like sweet potato and collard greens
from the elements.
We developed a section of this property with rich,
fertile soil.
That footprint is still fertile.
We're gonna scrape off all of that jungle, and then we're
gonna start over with a garden.
One man's rice paddy is another man's...
tomato patch.
Later that day, Marty presents his water catchment plan
to Faith and Joy.
Here's the thing.
I personally am not going to introduce this water straight
into the house. - Yeah.
- Right? - Right.
Every homesteader has probably said, "Water is life."
But guess what?
If the water's contaminated bad enough,
water is death.
So we're all in agreement that this is pretty contaminated.
- Yes. - Yep.
And we got to do something drastic.
- Yes. - Follow me.
Let's do something drastic.
So...
Oh. Oh.
OK.
Clint just delivered us a brand-new,
not 500-gallon tank, but 1,000-gallon tank. - Wow.
Brand-spanking-new.
You can eat out of that thing, let alone drink out of it.
- So that help you? - Yes.
- Wow. - Does that help?
Yes, yes.
Yes.
Every time we discover a homesteader struggling
with keeping their water system clean, and the water tank
on the homestead is not something that we can salvage,
we start reaching out to those people that specialize in
brand-new water tanks, filtration systems, whatever it
takes to prevent algae and make the drinking water safer
for the homesteaders, the animals, and even a garden.
That's your future water source.
How's it feel?
I'm just so overwhelmed.
You know, I'm so...
So thankful.
This is such a load off of our shoulders.
Clean water is so important. It's so important for our home.
It's so important.
It's taller than Matthew.
That means it's gonna carry a lot more water.
Mom and dad,
they both, they worry about the water situation.
Some weeks, where there's no rain, this is one less stress
to worry about.
It makes me happy that you appreciate it and see
that you have a need for it, yeah?
I'm glad these homesteaders appreciate the 1,000-gallon
brand-new water tank, but now there's a lot of work
to be done.
We need a solid foundation, the gutter system,
and it's quite a process
to introduce that water to the house.
To establish a clean water source that can sustain
the homestead through extended drought, Marty will build
a solid foundation of compacted fill and concrete blocks,
strong enough to support the new 1,000-gallon tank,
even in Louisiana's hurricanes.
Then he'll install a 50-foot gutter to capture rainwater
from the back of the house, finishing the system
with an indoor pump to protect against heat and cold
and deliver the valuable resource into their home.
Get rid of this.
Bring me that black one, please.
2
So I've got a little problem.
I don't want to set that brand-new water tank
on pallets and wood. - OK.
This would be a really nice foundation, concrete foundation
for that brand-new tank.
Here's some good news.
We got a 1,000 gallon tank, brand new.
Bad news is this tank isn't light.
It needs a solid foundation.
Not gonna do it on pallets, but why not take advantage of
other building materials on the homestead?
- Are these yours? - Yes.
- These are on your property? - Yes.
So, if this is your property, what's this building all about?
This building here, my mom was doing a shop in here.
What's going on with this building?
Well, that's for Joy.
- So she lives there? - No, no, no, no.
We wanted to move it to the back, but we just couldn't
get it over the way the road is now.
You know, it's rocky and muddy and bumpy.
I mean, that is huge, and it looks sweet.
Yeah, her little college gift.
When did she get that college gift?
Well, it's just been sitting here.
- How long ago? - For probably about a year.
Yep.
She doesn't know that it's for her, though.
- She doesn't know? - No.
Does she want to live in the backside of the property
near her mom and dad? - Yes.
Joy, she's in college now, and a home on the homestead is
something that she's been wanting, and we've been wanting
for her.
we've always wanted to be able to have a place
for our children and our children's children
on the property.
Our kids have really connected with the vision, but we have
to be able to make the vision work.
I think that's pretty special that, you know, a kid who's
in college still wants to be around her mom and dad.
- Uh, it's huge. - Yeah.
It's priceless. You know how it works.
You can't tell me something like this.
You can't tell me something like this, and not let me kinda
get the wheels going, yeah? - you can get the wheels going.
All right, I'll keep you posted.
Yes, indeed.
There's a lot of work to be done.
And now I find out that Joy had a house on this trailer,
a gift from her parents.
Don't hurt yourself.
There's nothing more fulfilling than seeing young people
embrace this lifestyle of
independence and a little bit of responsibility.
So now I have to make time for it.
We'll start catching the water on that end of the roof,
and then we'll let it come down this direction, right here.
With the concrete blocks retrieved, Marty and Faith
begin laying the new catchment tank foundation.
Just right in this corner?
Having the tank now, it just-- it helps us so much.
It is, um, it's black, so keeps out the sun,
so we don't have to worry about algae and things like that.
And this one is 1,000 gallons, so it just gives time
for the rain to come and fill it back up, you know?
So it really gives us hope.
Now, the next one over there.
Needs a lot of dirt.
Do you notice how Clint disappeared?
Clint!
Put your level on this.
- Oh, yeah. - You like it?
- That looks level. - OK, out of the way.
Let's do another row, and thank you.
Looks good. Thank you.
The last five years have been pretty hard on the homestead.
It seems like the last five years have been pretty good
for Faith. She looks healthy.
She looks strong.
She's right there next to me, digging, scraping,
raking, working.
And I remember back five years ago, not so much.
Let's wire these on there as a cushion so we don't...
Can you hold that for me? Come on over, please.
I'm having some asthma trouble.
- OK, honey. - Let's take a moment.
Can we get the medic?
I remember doing a little work, and she got exhausted,
and she became faint.
We had to have the medic console her, look after her,
and monitor her health.
She's got some wheezing and some other stuff happening.
Not this time.
I'm very happy to see that she's doing so well.
- Matthew can help. - Where's Matthew?
Matthew! Look.
Matthew!
Like you say.
Clint! And Matthew!
- Are you back from school? - I am.
Feel free to bring me one over, young man.
Thank you.
Seeing that 1,000-gallon tank, it really made me happy,
'cause I was normally the one out here getting the gallons
for the bathroom and whatever.
But having that 1,000-gallon tank is really gonna
help out. - I think dad's gonna cry.
I think he's gonna whoop.
Whoo! It'll be just like that.
Last time we worked together, he was this tall.
What are you waiting on?
Grab me another one, please. Good job, son.
The last time I was here, Matthew was a young boy helping
me and his dad put in a foundation for his new cabin.
And even then, he was invested in their dream.
Anything you want to help with, come up and ask me,
and I'll put you to work. There's plenty to do.
I need you.
I am excited to do a lot of work.
Hey, buddy, grab the other end of that board
with your dad, please.
Drop it.
Seeing my son out there, just hungry for work, hungry for--
to actually be a part of the development
of the homestead and the foundation, I was impressed
with him. I was pretty proud.
Point... and spread.
- Nice. - Wow.
So, how tall does it have to be?
- 23 and three-quarters. - Done.
you can tell right away if somebody's invested
in a homestead or not. How?
Do they want to learn?
- It's not level. - OK.
Excellent work. Good job.
I'm happy to report he's still invaluable.
All right, how's it look, everyone?
- It looks great. - I see dirt right there.
I want a clean foundation for clean tanks that are gonna
take clean water.
Even though we've been going through all of this trial
and error and everything, I'm really glad that the kids
are still excited about the work and seeing
the progress and the success and even the downsides as well,
you know, because we're all learning.
Thank you, Clint!
But I'm so glad that they are so, you know, willing
to participate and keep going forward.
I have some good kids.
Whoo!
I'm so happy.
- Don't you want to join me, son? - No.
Come on back here.
One of the reasons we're trying to get this in now is
because it looks like it's gonna rain.
Yes.
Wouldn't it be amazing if we could catch rain?
Whoo!
- Right now, yes. - All the rain, starting today.
- Yes. - Forever.
Let's go.
With rain in the forecast and patriarch Ray still
at work, Marty and the family race to install a gutter system
for their new water catchment tank.
You put that spout where you think it needs to go.
This is the second time that I've been to this homestead,
and I probably will never come back here ever again.
We got to get it right.
I like that.
Snap it, please.
We lost Ray.
It's apparent that we're running out of time, and now,
I need all the help I can get.
Family, would you please hand me a...
a gutter, please? - Here we go.
Thank you.
Matt's holding up precious cargo.
That little roof right there. Are you ready?
Yeah.
If it ever rains one inch, this roof will collect
600 gallons of water.
So that tank will fill up in one storm.
- Wow. - Not kidding.
And then the next step is what?
Toilets?
Of course he'd day that.
Why would-- why of all the things--
why of all the things in the house, it could go
to-- the sink, the dishes, right?
You said, "toilet."
When you have kids, it's a big deal
when you get running water and a toilet that flushes.
Cleanliness is next to...
godliness.
Flip that tank
in whatever position you want so that we can get access
to water out of the bottom. - OK.
The water we're gonna catch real soon.
- Yes, sir. - Please.
Thank you.
I'm looking at this pasture as a beautiful place to build
a nice little barn. What do you think?
- Yeah. - That would be great.
Because some very generous people donated a building.
They're right there.
2 Brand-new 1,000-gallon tank. Brand-new gutter system.
Before the sun sets...
About to marry it all together.
...Marty works to finalize the new catchment system.
See that water?
Exactly.
Any garden hose exposed to the elements at 32 degrees
or lower temperature is gonna freeze.
Gets low enough, it's gonna break.
When this pump freezes
so hard that it expands and breaks the pump...
Ooh!
Now it's getting expensive.
It's time to move these pumps, these water lines,
inside the structure, inside the home where it's warm
year-round.
That's the right way to do it.
We're getting a lot done, but I'm going into
homestead mode. Why?
Our homesteader, Ray, is coming back.
Family, everybody get up here. Come on.
Together.
All right.
I think when Ray sees the tank, he's gonna cry.
He's gonna be...
You know, he may--
you know, he's gonna have the shoulders and...
You've been gone. It's time you caught up.
Ooh!
What do you think, dad?
Oh!
We have a 1,000-gallon tank.
Come on with it.
They put the gutters up, so it's already ready
for rainwater. - Forecast is rain.
- Cool? - Absolutely.
If it rains one inch,
this roof system will catch 600 gallons of water.
So, in one inch of rain, it's half full...
Yeah.
...a big storm, easily full.
Nice.
And there's no more having to go pump the rainwater,
and no more having to go and connect the water hoses,
all of that stuff.
- It's already done. - Does this help you?
Absolutely!
Him and Matthew were the main ones dealing with that,
and, you know, just trying to take care of it.
He's so, so happy and so thankful.
Climb up that ladder, please, and get a look and see.
Was not expecting to see this tank
when I walked around this corner.
This means a great deal to me because I did not want to get
connected to the city water, the grid.
I wanted to make sure that some portion of us
stayed off the grid.
- It's clear. - Looks safe?
Looks drinkable.
Have you ever had water in any catchment tanks on this
property in five years that was that clean?
No.
This 1,000-gallon tank
is really gonna be a plus for us.
Even if it goes time without raining, I think that it'll
last long because it's gonna stay, you know, full during
the raining season.
And then, whenever we have that drought, we'll still
have enough.
It's clear. It's clear!
So, if you look, this is hard-wired, straight in.
When your mom is done looking inside there, she's gonna
batten down the hatches, put a pin, a locking pin in
there, and we're not gonna let any bugs, I don't care how
microscopic, get in this water.
I can't think of one thing we can add to this system
to make it safer. It's all here.
We've taken out your old pump. You have a brand-new pump.
Would you do me a favor, young man?
Plug it in.
Good man. Oh, you hear that?
- Oh, yeah. - OK, now.
- Automatically. - Oh, snap!
Can you hear the water going in the house?
- Yes. - Can you hear it?
Yes.
We are gonna insulate that pipe.
How do we know water's going into that house?
- You. - Oh, my bad.
Yeah.
We hooked up a brand-new water tank.
Please do me a favor and turn on the water.
Going along with that, someone donated a bunch
of water.
But this family might be in for a much bigger surprise.
Before we go home tonight, you're gonna have hot water.
Big thing to be here five years without
really good water and it's a huge thing
to be here five years without hot water.
What do you think, dad?
Oh, man, I feel really secure to have, you know,
the running water, a nice supply of water,
and hot water.
You know, my kids, man, kids are great.
Like, they hardly ever complain.
For them to have this sense of...
regular life, home life, just hot water--
I mean, it's big to us, as the parents.
It's huge, and it means a lot to me as a dad.
I think it's great. It's great.
Well, I think you're deserving.
Listen, listen, you're a man that's all about
his family, OK? I get it.
I can tell in five minutes or less if I'm working with
a good man. And that's Ray.
This area here,
I'm gonna fence in, and this is gonna be like
our front yard.
This is where we're gonna have our tea,
our Arnold Palmer, our lemonade.
He's a good husband, he's a good provider,
and he's a good worker.
You look like you're the king of your castle.
I like that.
And trust me, he's deserving of this water system.
So, who would like to take a--
Who would like to take a hot shower tonight?
I have to go back to work if I'm gonna finish the hot
water before sundown. Thank you.
We have a hot water tank.
I've just been sitting here staring at it.
It's the little things, like having hot water,
not having to go through warming up hot water
for everybody, right?
Having to go through the process
of something just so simple for just being at a regular
home where you just...
flip the switch or turn the knob, the H knob,
and it's hot water. And so we were like...
you know, it hit us.
Appreciate it.
Clint!
Back to business here.
Drive that right in here, where everything's close,
if you want.
Kind of push the weeds, and the trees, and the bushes.
A new day on the Randle Homestead.
Whoo!
As Clint continues to carve out a footprint for a multi-climate
garden, nesting boxes take shape, designed to protect
chicken eggs from predators and help the family
to reintroduce more poultry.
If you can finish these nesting boxes, just thank you.
Appreciate it. Carry on.
Over at the sheep pen...
Marty unveils his plan for protecting the family's other
precious livestock.
Got to thinking about the four-legged
residents on your homestead, the sheep, and the bad weather,
and the heat, and the storms.
I'm looking at this pasture as a beautiful, clean,
place to build a nice little barn.
What do you think?
- That would be great. - Yeah.
Will your son like this?
- Yes. - He will love it.
Because some very generous people donated a building.
They're right there.
- Guys! - How are ya?
How y'all doing?
- Good. - Oh, my goodness.
- How are you? - Better now that you're here.
- Glad to be here. - You're so welcome.
- It's so nice to meet you. - Thank you.
- Thank you, thank you. - You're so welcome.
Please explain to us
uh, what's on that trailer, please.
Basically, it doesn't look like much right now,
but it's a 10-by-20 loafing shed, animal run-in shelter.
Built for ultimate climate resiliency, steel sheds offer
critical protection for sheep in this region of Louisiana.
In extreme heat, the corrugated steel reflects
the sun and provides shade, while natural cross breezes
help regulate temperatures inside.
When hurricanes or heavy storms roll in, the structure holds
strong, shielding the flock from pounding rain
and high winds.
During arctic cold snaps, like the Randles faced earlier
this year, three solid walls and a thick layer of straw
traps warmth, creating a durable,
low-maintenance refuge year-round.
Oh, wow.
So it's gonna be wood-treated frame with...
The metal siding.
...metal siding and trim, and keep them out of the rain.
What's really cool about you bringing a solid steel
and wood and metal siding building is that if you look
around, these guys are actually the king and queens of pallets.
- Oh, OK. - Look around, look around.
- Well, I see it. - Pallet queen.
They're, well, it's the epitome of recycle,
upcycle, free cycle,
and they're good at it.
but if you build out of pallets with Visqueen roofs,
you're gonna suffer some damage.
So this is a life changer.
On that note, we're on day three of four.
I have to be honest, I don't have time to do it.
The Raneys did so much with helping us, you know,
the last time.
They don't just give the fish, but you give the rod and teach
them how to fish.
When someone comes and they help you, then it's, like,
OK, they give you a leg up, and it's, "OK, I got it."
We could do it.
- We'll get it done. - You can do it?
- We could do it. - Oh, yeah.
If you don't mind, let's get this truck relocated over here
and get to work.
Once we put this post in, we'll figure out our border
lines, our corners... - OK.
...and make sure our building's gonna be square.
That way, when we put the roof on, it's nice and straight,
and take it from there.
This is such a blessing.
This is so amazing, just to have that stable foundation.
That is just such a big deal.
Are you leveled up both sides?
I am leveled.
Money!
Isn't that what Marty says?
- Money! - That's it.
2 Is that a good slope?
Do you want it sloped more or less?
I think slope it a little more.
Less than two days remain on the Randles' Louisiana
re-rescue.
Clint!
As Clint nears the finish line, transforming the family's
overgrown rice paddies into a future garden space...
Whoo!
...construction pushes forward on a steel shed
to protect the homestead's sheep.
You sure you don't need any pallets?
- No pallets. - OK.
Nope.
Unless it gets cold, and then we can build one heck
of a bonfire with them suckers.
I left this homestead five years ago, but guess what?
In the last five years, this property has been ravaged
by extreme weather.
Too hot, too wet, too cold, too dry.
The point, you can't predict the future, but what you can do
is be flexible. No homestead is impossible.
No homestead is hopeless.
There's always a way if there's a will.
All right, who's the better one at putting screws in?
- Ah, that'd be me. - You, OK.
The shed for the sheep, they're gonna be so happy.
And two of our sheep are pregnant,
so we don't have to worry about them having a nice,
comfortable, safe place, you know, to have
their baby lambs.
Seeing the progress and the success on the homestead,
it's really always been a dream of mine.
It's wonderful.
So I need to know what your plans are.
What are your plans on this property?
You have this. This looks important.
This is the book. This is years of work here.
And so I put together, just to flip through, real quick.
You have a binder and it has a title, "Our Homestead Home
and Business" - Yes.
This is a plan that...
has been in motion for a while. - Yes.
How long?
Since before we were married. 16 years.
- I love that. - Exactly.
- OK, let me see it. - Exactly.
This shows us,
our farm life, you know.
Oh, my word.
In here, we talk about, you know, the cabin that
we want to have, tiny dwellings, big character.
I love this.
I think it's something to have an idea in your head,
but to see it on paper, I mean, this is real.
- This is real to you. - Yes.
- This is a very real dream. - Right.
This is not something that just happened overnight.
- We, yes. - This is a plan.
This is a life plan you've had for a while.
Exactly.
First of all, I'm in shock that this building went up
so fast. I'm not kidding.
Man, this looks good.
Thank you.
This is the most weatherproof, solid, skookum homestead
building on this property. Thanks to you four.
You had some ownership on it, right?
- Mm-hmm. - Yeah.
Did you learn anything?
Tell me one thing you learned here from these guys.
I learned about the leveling.
I learned something with the string.
So I stood behind to make sure that the top was leveled
with the back by looking at a string going across.
Now, that's some old school stuff.
I don't know if you know about that one.
- Come on. - It's old school.
Whoa, talking some homestead trash.
Whoo, that was amazing.
She worked, like, now two days without you.
She's the--
She's wearing the homestead pants here lately.
I'm really--
I'm really impressed. I love it.
Usually, it's me and Matthew who are putting hands on,
drilling, and cutting, and putting things
together, building things.
You know, my wife and daughter, with them getting
the experience to do it, it's going to help out and...
a nice little surprise.
I need another hug. Another hug.
- Thank you. - Glad we could help, man.
- Man, appreciate it. - Hope y'all enjoy it.
With daylight waning...
Dad, Mom, follow me.
Quick, quick, quick.
...Marty brings the Randles to the chicken coop to reveal
a game-changer for egg production.
- Who built this chicken coop? - I did.
Nice.
Let me tell you what I like about it.
What I'm looking at is I think a very functional chicken coop
house with a upgraded nesting box scenario.
- This is the Taj McChicken. - Yes.
With roots going back to the earliest American
homesteads, nesting boxes have long been used by farmers
looking to boost and protect their egg supply.
Raised off the ground, they also double as defense
by blocking scent trails and line of sight,
making it harder for predators like snakes to locate
or reach the eggs.
This thing's gonna produce eggs like crazy.
Unfortunately, you're down to one chicken.
- Yeah. - Or are you?
- That's all right. - Or are you down to one chicken?
OK, do me a favor.
I'm telling you right now, this is precious cargo.
Hi, girls.
Hi.
Hi, girls.
Yes.
Now you're the proud owner of six laying hens once again.
We did get you a rooster.
Can we check a box right here, a homestead box?
- Absolutely. - Yes.
- Done? - Absolutely.
OK. Food, water, dry bed.
- Who likes eggs? - Me.
- I love omelets. - Omelets.
Ah, come on, girl.
Having more chickens, more beautiful, healthy-looking
chickens, I think is just great.
You know, I'm ready to wake up tomorrow morning, go see some
eggs, and then come back and be like, "Who wants omelets?
Who wants sunny side up?"
You know, I might make three different types
of eggs tomorrow.
Hey, everybody happy or sad?
- Yeah, I'm happy. - Very happy.
Matthew, Matthew, lock that door, please.
It's got a little lock on it, sir.
We'll ta-- yeah.
You guys know what to do.
In the short time we've been on this homestead, it seems like
we've turned a page.
These kids, Matthew and Joy, are five years older
than the last time I saw them. They're competent.
They're hardworking. So let's put them to work.
When you get inside there, no matter what happens,
you never panic. I trust you.
Good man.
I'll give you hand signals. Let's go.
2 Here, we need some more?
On the Randles' 10-acre homestead...
Here chick, chick, chick, chick, chick.
- Get y'all some water. - Yeah.
...Marty sets his sights on an overlooked structure...
...with big potential for the family's youngest.
This is kind of sad.
You can clearly see that he's got this chair.
He came out here and he played with his toys.
You can see them laying around here.
And, uh...
It doesn't look like it's been used for a while.
The first time I came here, we built this for Matthew.
Now we're gonna repurpose it.
Matthew was, what, 10, 11 years old?
He was at that age where we thought it would be cool
to build him a tree house. And it was cool.
Hey, buddy, grab the other end of that board with
your dad, please. Zero waste.
- Should we reuse it somewhere? - Absolutely.
- Treehouse, OK. - What?
Treehouse.
Once we're done rebuilding, then we can finally work
on my treehouse.
I want, like, a secret entrance and monkey bars that you grab
onto and you pull yourself up.
Drop it.
You worked hard every day, and that is an 11-year-old
that deserves a reward. Want to go inside?
- Yes, sir. - Moment of truth.
- I can see my house from here. - Your new house?
- Yes, sir. - You're dancing!
I am excited.
Thank you for my tree house.
You're welcome.
Now...
Let's talk.
Marty brings in Matthew once again to game plan a new use
for the old structure.
People outgrow their tree houses, right?
Yeah.
So I was thinking looks like you're the guy that's feeding
all the animals. - Yeah.
Based on what I see, it looks to me like there's not a lot of
dry storage. - Yeah.
All the structures I see over there are kind of
slapped together.
They're not really protected from raccoon and mice
and stuff like that.
Where do you guys keep the dog food now?
We just have, like, metal garbage cans that we put
the feed into.
Does it get wet in there sometimes?
Yeah.
I was thinking...
it's a pretty solid building.
It's a building you could store feed in.
Chicken feed, goat feed, dog food bags.
We could move this building over by the animals.
It could be a really good building for a guy that's doing
all the feeding.
And I could see this really cool shop.
What do you think?
I think that's a good idea.
Why not convert the tree house, take it out of the tree,
get it on the ground where the work is?
Because Matthew could use a dry space for straw, for hay,
for feed, for dog food.
Let me count the ways why Matthew's tree house is going
to become Matthew's workshop.
Look at the size of this building.
It's kind of big.
And see if you can find a home, new home, for this structure,
then we will figure out a way how we're gonna move it.
To repurpose the unused treehouse, Marty and Matthew
will detach it from the tree, strip away the supports
and ladder, and haul it 500 feet across the homestead using
a skid steer.
Once relocated, they'll close the openings and transform it
into a dual-purpose structure, a livestock feed shed
and Matthew's very own workshop.
The first challenge is
gonna be trying to get a hold of it.
Clint, you're gonna slide those boards.
Clint, we need those boards over the forks.
Does that work? Tie 'em together.
Quick, quick, quick.
That's a pretty good climbing move.
Clint, forward.
You think it's gonna work?
Let's see what you can do.
See if you can travel with it.
I grew up in North Bend, Washington.
I learned how to run equipment at 10 years old.
So...
Matthew's 16 years old. There's a piece of equipment.
We got a job to do.
Why not let him do it?
Your job is...
going to be drive that skid steer and head that direction.
- Think you're gonna try it? - Yeah.
OK. Spin it around.
We'll see if he can get it over there.
When you get inside there, no matter what happens,
you never panic.
And always touch all your controls, feet, controls,
very slowly. No jerking.
Be mellow. You might be a natural.
We'll find out.
I trust you. Good man.
Pull that lever down. That's the safety.
Now, when that pulls down...
that's when things go wrong.
Push that button that's flashing down.
- This? - Yeah.
Now, hold on.
Let's start traveling forward.
Good job.
Now, this is a really hard way to learn--
you're doing excellent--
because you can't see.
So I'll give you hand signals. Let's go.
Good job. Don't be shy.
good job, buddy.
Not worried. Not worried at all.
- I can't handle this. - He's doing a great job.
- Not worried at all. - I'm stressed.
- Nobody else stressed? - I'm not stressed!
- I'm good. - I'm stressed.
Little bit this way.
He couldn't see where he was going.
That was my only nervous part, but he was listening pretty
well to Marty, and so.
I was really impressed with him.
So do you want it behind those cans over by that
other building? - Yes, sir.
- That was amazing. - Good job, son!
OK, I have a question for you. Sir, is this where you want it?
I was just thinking, like, right here.
Maybe, like, turned a bit, but that's.
Oh, so you're a perfectionist. OK, you do it.
I'm gone. Have fun.
Don't get hurt. And don't crush your dad.
2 Good morning. This is the last day.
And as you can probably hear, it's raining.
Yes. Ha!
It's raining.
Thank you, lord.
It's the last day of the Randles' re-rescue.
And while the rain is a welcome sign for the new water system,
Hey, buddy. So--
...it threatens Marty's final mission on the homestead.
In spite of the rain, in spite of the wind,
in spite of the mud...
that travel trailer might find itself on the other
side of the property.
If you don't mind, get me some chains, some straps,
and this at the other side of the property, please.
Thank you.
We help these homesteaders when it comes to water, took care
of the animals, and created a garden space
for vegetables.
But I need to help with moving Joy's trailer from the front of
the property to the back.
It's been sitting there for over a year.
It's the key to building a legacy on this homestead.
We do have enough time to hook onto it and get it back to
wherever you guys want to move it. - OK.
But it's got to happen right this second.
Let's do it.
Joy!
I'm coming!
I feel it's important that Joy is here on the homestead
with us because, you know, for one, you know,
I know where it's going on, where she is, right, as a dad.
But then two, that was the purpose for the homestead,
to teach our kids to be able to live and to sustain
on their own.
So this is a part of our goal with her having her own place.
Hello, daughter.
So, um...
I wanted to bring you over here because, um...
what you didn't know,
Daddy and I got the trailer for you.
You--
And we're gonna move it today.
Back there.
I know that, you know, this is something that you wanted
to have something, you know, of your own on the property,
you know, and everything. You've worked very hard.
I know you've struggled,
but we're so proud of you, OK?
You're growing up into a beautiful young lady,
and I'm just so proud of you.
We're so proud of you, my baby girl.
We're so proud of you.
This was a total surprise.
I had no idea that I had a new home, that I get to start
on my own. Oh my gosh.
I am so excited because I get to--
a little piece of land for myself I can build on
for my own and then for my--
for my family and my friends and we can all, oh my gosh.
I can't even... Ah!
Oh my gosh.
Mr. Raney is proud of you too.
That's very true. I think this is really cool.
This is exactly what Misty did.
You know, lived with us, built her own cabin.
It's still on the property.
I can watch her from the cliff we live on.
This is exactly what our family did.
So in spite of the rain and the mud and the craziness,
I want you to move it. - Me?
Yeah.
So we'll bring the skid steer over here and give you a--
We're gonna bring the skid steer over.
Look at me, please.
I have seen you for the last few days, and your mom doing
all the work.
I would love for you to have ownership on this.
If you want to, we'll do it right this second.
OK. OK.
You can do it! You can do it!
- You can do it! - OK, I'm gonna do it.
When I woke up this morning, no, I did not think I would be
driving the skid. I didn't even have breakfast.
All right, muffin!
It's just like riding a ride at the county fair.
Turn the key and start it, young lady.
Try to move those handles.
Matthew and Joy are the future of the homestead.
So we got a job to do on a skid steer.
Let's just put Joy in there.
Bring it up to your home.
OK. Oh, my gosh.
Let her do her own work and build confidence
for the next time they get equipment on this property,
and the kids might just take over.
We're gonna hook you up. Are you comfortable with this?
Come on in.
Phew!
Do me a favor, please. Lift it up, please.
Yep.
Don't be shy. You got a mile to go.
- Yeah. - Let's hit it.
Same time, you're gonna turn a little bit.
That's a girl. I love it.
Come on, Joy.
I'm good past this building, right?
- Going right through here. - All right.
- You want to hit this building? - No.
Good answer. Pay attention.
When it comes to moving a building, the trailer's no
joke because the ground is all wet and saturated,
and it's a tight squeeze.
That way, please.
But there's no turning back.
Hey!
Just about four inches away, so we got to be
real slow. This way.
- Oh, oh, other way. - Wrong way.
More!
- Whoo! - Don't let me hit my home.
You're doing a good job. Just calm down.
- Kid, straight back. - Focus.
Darling! Whoo!
Stop!
2 This is a homestead that now has hot and cold running water
inside the house.
What's wrong with getting some creature comforts?
When people think of homesteading life,
they think of the old school way to wash and dry clothes.
But hey, it's the 21st century.
Could you guys use...
- No! - Oh!
Oh!
so you have a brand-new washer and dryer that we're gonna
install right now. Is that gonna help you?
Yes.
Take a bow because you guys did some work in the last
five years.
You got it to that point where I show up and I'm like,
it's all here.
Let's just get a washer and dryer.
Let's me and you haul it in there.
What do you think? you strong?
Having a washer and dryer, it feels very surreal.
Don't be shy. You can't hurt me.
Ah, that hurt! I'm just kidding.
Thank you, lord.
Yay! Oh, yay!
2 Darling! Whoo!
Stop!
- You're OK. - Look at me.
If you don't do anything drastic,
you're gonna be fine.
OK. Don't let me hit the building.
You got to go real slow, 'cause we're gonna
hit the building. - OK.
Hey, this is in this position because of me.
- I gave you the hand signals. - OK.
So this is-- we're--
I think you're doing excellent. Just relax.
Back straight up, please.
Turn the front end that way.
Keep going. I see it.
Straight back slowly. Thank you.
Go. OK.
There you go. There you go, girl.
Go a little more.
Young lady.
Straight back. You did it.
- Amazing. - I did it?
There you go, Joy.
Whoo! That's my girl.
That's excellent. Just carry on.
I am so happy to give Joy
her very own home on the homestead.
Excellent. Don't be shy.
Straight back.
And to see her drive it back there, to move it herself,
oh, my god. She did such a good job.
I'm so proud.
Get it where you want it.
This is pretty good.
- I'm good with this. - Love it.
Thank you. Climb out of there.
Let's look it over.
Ah!
Look at your view.
And Clint's got all this reclaimed?
Yes.
This, I might, for this spot, I'll have my own little
greenhouse area, or something, you know,
just on the side.
You're already thinking "homestead"?
That's my girl here. All right.
Enjoy.
I'm gonna unhook the chains and welcome home.
- Thank you. - Thank you.
- Ah!
With Joy's trailer in place...
I'm gonna try to lift it.
Well, let's go an inch and a half.
Let's see what happens.
...and finishing touches being made across the property...
Does that work? Everybody happy?
...Marty shows the Randles their homestead upgrades.
One man's tree house is another man's what?
- Storage shed? - Oh, yeah.
So tell me what's in these "garbage cans."
Dog food.
So we took down your tree fort, and now this is where
you moved it to, and it's ready, except it's got
some shrapnel in there, right?
Just get all that stuff out of there, and then you can take
this dog food, that's what I would do, put it in there.
Matthew deciding to say, "OK, you know what, let's use
"the tree house for a dry spot for all the food
and the hay and everything."
Everything is just, I mean, it just works.
That's cleaned out.
It looks to me like you could probably use
those two bales of straw.
Think these guys are gonna be happy?
- Yes. - I think they're gonna be happy.
You take half.
Mr. Marty, we knew that whatever he did,
we were gonna benefit. And we're so thankful for that.
Break it out. Break it out.
Now, doesn't that look fluffy?
For them, yes.
- For them? - For them.
I would not want to-- Don't you do it.
Oh!
Now you know why I wanted it fluffy.
It's been a rough four days working with you guys.
Oh, that feels so good.
Is there one structure on this homestead that will make
this sound?
No.
You don't have any steel buildings here, right?
Nope.
So you've got the strongest building that we could build.
Point. You got it all now, right?
Sheep are gonna be happier, safer.
- Yeah. - Safer.
Chickens are gonna be happier, safer,
and more productive. OK.
Will you help me up? No!
That's for old people.
Everything that we've had to deal with, with the weather,
heat, and things that have been changing for us, Marty has
definitely helped us prepare better for those instances,
specifically with the livestock.
You know, we have better housing for them.
We can shelter them from this particular weather.
So, this is where it all started.
I saw a contaminated 500 gallon catchment tank and no gutters.
I'll be honest with you, the first time I looked
in there, I was like, "Oh, my god!"
Just four days ago, the Randle Homestead was
unable to contend with Louisiana's brutal climate,
lacking the water catchment set up to endure prolonged drought
and plagued by a contaminated tank.
Their main food sources were wiped out as gardens withered
and livestock perished in the historic heat.
Now...
they have a safe and reliable water catchment
system to carry them through weeks of drought,
a reclaimed garden area for future growing,
and for their livestock, nesting boxes to safeguard
chicken eggs, and a steel shed to protect their sheep from any
weather extreme Louisiana throws their way.
We all have breathed new life into the future
of this homestead.
And without family members stepping up, none of this could
have happened.
I've been here four days.
I pretty much have worked with these two girls...
...more than I have with two men.
- I'm serious. - They'll help, they'll help.
So let's just say if this system ever fails,
they know how to fix it.
The valves, the pumps, the resets, they know it all.
- OK - Trust me.
But ultimately, the four of you played a role in making
this home set a little bit more functional.
Quite honestly, we were kind of nervous to even ask
for Marty to come back and help us, you know,
after...
he already did so much. Turns out we actually,
we needed more help than we realized.
And the angel came back.
We're so thankful. God, we're so thankful.
We're so-- we're so thankful.
I'm pretty confident that the next five years is just
gonna see you guys chipping away at this lifestyle.
You'll be working on your new home
inside and out. - Yes.
And who knows?
Maybe the day will come when you'll pick a spot
on this 10 acres and have your own space.
Whatever happens here, I'm not worried about it
because I've seen every single one of you
come out of your comfort zone,
take some risks, jump in equipment,
um, and work.
Take it away, because from this moment on, it's all you.
- Thank you. - Thank you.
There's little moments that happen on these homesteads
that make you feel what homesteading is all about.
The Randle family has proven to me that homesteading is
about family.
We're so appreciative and you know, we are so motivated,
so thank you, but we didn't want you to leave without this.
And what is that? A pair of panties, shorts?
Be careful what you give me because I'm very sentimental
and I just might wear this on the next homestead
- Oh, nice, nice. - No!
Thanks. Thank you very much.
I feel so empowered, this just gave us just another push
because we were so...
you know, felt so burdened.
- Thank you, Marty! - Thank you.
No, thank you.
Oh, my gosh.
With Marty coming back, it did, kind of, revive us.
The new and better ideas that he's instituted for us
definitely gave us a freshness to our homesteadness.
I feel so motivated. Let's do this.
I feel so good.
Keep it filtered.