Raising Wild is a new show that has started up on the Discovery Channel. It is similar in concept to some of the unscripted shows that can already be found on said channel, meaning that it might interest those who are already tuned-in. However, it should be mentioned that Raising Wild has some unique characteristics of its own, which should enable it to stand out to some extent. Here are 10 things that you may or may not have known about Raising Wild:
1. Focused on Homesteaders
Raising Wild is focused on homesteaders, which is a concept that Discovery Channel has already covered in the past and is still covering in the present. After all, Alaskan Bush People is about homesteaders as well.
2. Focused on First-Time Homesteaders
Time will tell whether there is enough viewer interest to support another show about homesteading. However, it seems safe to say that the decision-makers at the Discovery Channel have considered this issue at length, seeing as how they have taken steps to make sure that Raising Wild can differentiate itself from its predecessor. For those who are curious, this is because Raising Wild is focused on first-time homesteaders rather than experienced homesteaders.
3. Homesteading Is About Self-Sufficiency
Some people might be wondering about the exact meaning of homesteading. If so, they should know that homesteading is centered on self-sufficiency, though in practice, this can take on a wide range of forms. The popular perception of a homesteader is someone who can produce their own food, generate their own electricity, and be so self-sufficient in other ways that they don’t need anything from anyone else. However, it is important to note that there are plenty of other homesteaders who haven’t gone to such lengths, whether because they are still in the process of transitioning or because they are alright with being reliant on other people to some extent.
4. Homesteading Isn’t About Location
Speaking of which, the popular perception is that homesteaders live in remote locations. However, since homesteading is so focused on becoming self-efficient, there are some homesteaders who choose either an urban or a suburban existence instead. Suffice to say that these urban and suburban homesteaders face a separate set of challenges from their more remote counterparts, not least because they tend to have so much less space to work with.
5. Homesteading Isn’t a New Concept
The modern homesteading movement can trace its roots to modern proponents. However, it is interesting to note that the sentiments behind homesteading have been found in a wide range of cultures in a wide range of times. For example, it is interesting to note that there were Roman thinkers who wanted a kind of back-to-the-land movement, which is perhaps unsurprising when much of Roman culture was centered on the concept of the citizen-farmer that was a vanishing breed by the late Republican period.
6. Used to Be Called Book of Hines
There was a time when Raising Wild was called Book of Hines. This is because the show is centered on the Hines family, who are seeking to start over as homesteaders in the state of Washington. In total, the Hines family consists of nine members, who would be Brett Hines, his wife, and their seven children.
7. Brett Hines Seems to Be the Prime Mover
Brett Hines seems to be the prime mover behind the choice to start over as homesteaders. In short, Brett Hines is an ex-military man who came close to getting killed, which was what provided him with the motivation to pursue his dream of becoming a homesteader. It has been stated that he has survival skills because of his close to two decades of service in the U.S. military, but survival skills make up just a part of the skill-set that homesteaders need to thrive with their chosen lifestyle.
8. Lots of Trial and Error
Unsurprisingly, the Hines family’s experience involves a lot of trial and error. After all, the Hines family were a suburban family before their choice to start over as homesteaders, meaning that they aren’t exactly what anyone would call a skilled and experienced homesteading family from the start. In any case, this process of trial and error is what decision-makers at the Discovery Channel seem to be counting on for much of Raising Wild’s hopeful success because it serves to distinguish it from Alaskan Bush People while also making the Hines more relatable rather than more exotic to the TV viewers.
9. Will Presumably Cover a Wide Range of Subjects
It seems safe to say that Raising Wild will be covering a wide range of subjects over the course of its existence. After all, successful homesteading requires interested individuals to have a wide range of skills, which in turn, means a lot of opportunities for interesting footage to come up. For instance, consider how something as fundamental as securing food is a huge challenge for homesteaders in a way that it isn’t for people who can just walk into a supermarket, particularly since humans do best by having access to varied foodstuffs so that we can get all of the nutrition that we need to thrive.
10. Remains to Be Seen If It Is As Real As It Is Claimed to Be
Naturally, Raising Wild is being marketed as being real. However, it remains to be see how true this will turn out to be. In part, this is because there are a lot of unscripted shows out there that don’t live up to that label as much as they should. However, it should also be noted that two of the cast members on Alaskan Bush People actually plead guilty to charges of fraud for taking money from a state fund meant for residents of Alaska while they were living elsewhere. As such, some measure of skepticism about unscripted shows is perfectly understandable.
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