Down In the Hollow

Nathan Roark uses hand-cut firewood in his wood stove for warmth and cooking in his hand-built house which he shares with his wife and two kids in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina.

In today’s fast-paced world, it is nearly impossible to maintain a lifestyle that is truly harmonious with nature. But the pursuit of such a lifestyle is a necessity for people like Nathan Roark, who has built his life around a humble respect for the earth, with the goal of living sustainably. Nathan lives with his wife and two daughters in the mountains of North Carolina on a homestead he built with his own hands. He hunts deer and squirrels for meat, raises livestock for milk and eggs, and cultivates a large garden for vegetables.

Believing a close connection to the earth to be essential for health and survival, Nathan passes his knowledge of the natural cycle of life on to foster children from Miami, who come to his outdoor education center for camp each summer. Down in the Hollow explores Nathan’s fascinating way of life — and the experiences of those encountering it for the first time — by following a foster child’s journey from her urban world into Nathan’s woods.

Directors | Ryan Pfleger & Peden Young