The Wild Route: Leaving Work and Home for a Forest Life | NBC Left Field

Deep in a forest in North Carolina lies a community of people who've left their jobs, given up their cell phones, and seceded. A former cybersecurity official, an engineer, a woman and her wild blue-eyed eight-year-old...the inhabitants of Wild Roots, as they call this place, are disillusioned with the ways of the modern world and react by living with, and off, the earth. Living off the grid, they pickle bear meat, harvest chestnuts, and, during the summer, bathe naked in a nearby stream. And yet, every so often, they venture into town to check in. Are they happy with their forest life? Are they lonely? And, are we living in the real world, or are they?


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Video Journalist: Sky Dylan-Robbins

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[markgarrett]

"Money doesn't grow on trees, but I don't need it when the chestnuts grow on trees". Amazing.

[matteoj]

These people are living my fantasy life, while I live their nightmare.

[bug______]

The fact that people find this so foreign to themselves is alarming

[vivekluvdeathmetal]

"giving up hope for the mass humanity is like taking a big dump, you feel clean and happy afterwards" LOL

[valgroce]

I am also an IT professional (training) that went about half as deep as these folks. I moved to the forest 4 years ago and am building an off-grid cabin. Though I don't live quite as primitively as these folks do, I share their satisfaction of removing myself from the mainstream and embracing the Intrinsic values over Extrinsic. It has brought me such joy and peace. I always have trouble explaining exactly why I did this, and they did a pretty good job of it.

[blackbird]

real humans, living real lives. No cubicles. No mass hypnosis. So beautiful.

[daelponto]

I want to do this. But it will just be me. Everyone i tell, they say "better get a good job that pays a lot." i think theyre missing the point.

[Bellaangelcz]

How many viewers would love this life, even for the experience of finding your true self?

[wolf_of_odin]

I’ve lived in the woods on my own for years and know exactly what this is like. I’d move there in a heart beat.

[gypsyrooster]

I felt empty most of my life... Only community, relationships and being in nature heals the soul...

[kurtislowe]

Wife and I have been off grid for 5 years built a nice cabin off our trees and love our lives. Don't miss the electric bill don't miss the water bill mortgage none of it. And we absolutely love our compost toilet. Off the grid doesn't mean poor and dirty.

[andreilaurea]

Great job for taking your freedom back and not being a slave to the society. The true meaning of living life. God bless u

[lulze]

This is so hilarious to me because Europeans went around the world telling natives they were uncivilized for living off the land. Here we are now. Re-learning the beauty of self sustaining and self reliant existence. My people don't have fancy names for this like Off the grid living and it certainly doesn't have to be this dirty. LIfe smacks of irony.

[janellephoenix]

This makes me nostalgic for the good parts of my childhood.

I grew up in the woods of the Appalachian mountains; my whole extended family would garden and can our own food. My little brother and all my cousins would play in the woods and make wigwams.

When I got older I was able to run, hike, and bike in the woods and in the mountains.
I love the mountains the only draw back is the lack of jobs and schools.

[pamelacook]

You can live off the grid and have better shelter and be clean.

[sonyagriffy]

I grew up like that in Alaska in the 70's, loved it and can't wait to go back to living that way. loved your video, the people are truly happy and free.

[jamielc]

getting back to nature will improve your life and soul. I'd love to meet those people

[WiseSilverWolf]

Too bad "off the grid" in South Florida means living in the Everglades with the alligators lol.

[suspectalien]

I've been living outside for over 30years I'll never go back to living in a over taxed box i live in a boat life's totally free UK based

[xkavarsmith]

You either struggle in a city, or you struggle in the country. I prefer the country for many things.