“A SHOW ABOUT THRIVING, NOT JUST SURVIVING”

Debuting September 8th, Daily Bread is a series we can truly get behind, for a number of reasons.
You can watch the trailer below:

Recently, I got to pick the brain of the creator and showrunner of Daily Bread, Nina May.

MPS: Thank you for taking the time to speak with our Survival Scout readers, Nina. Introduce us to the show…

Nina May: Thanks for having me! Daily Bread explores the possibility of a large solar storm completely knocking out the grid, our cars, and devices.

Instead of just focusing on one group, there are parallel stories going on. We have characters in rural areas who are used to power outages. Then we have people living the city who aren’t.

One of the groups includes seven millennial women who are filming a cooking show on a farm when the solar flare occurs.

Among these women, there is confusion at first – until they slowly realize this isn’t just a small, temporary blip.

Then, about five miles from that group, we find a group of “preppers.”

So, we see characters with varying levels of preparedness.

One of the main themes of the show poses the question of “are you ever truly prepared?” That’s why we strove to put people in different scenarios that would test their limits.

So, it is our hope that the show’s content will prick everyone’s conscience about what to do to prepare.

It also should make you think about what getting through a crisis is all about. The prepper group, for example, are excellent at surviving. But that just keeps the body alive.

We come to realize that even in a crisis, our needs for things like community and spirituality also must be met.

And ultimately, this crisis brings people back to the basics of who we are as Americans. This nation was carved out of the wilderness without electricity. And that without our persistence and faith, none of what we have now would be possible.

With Daily Bread, I wanted to create something with a positive message. Many post-apocalyptic shows don’t focus on hope, they lack it. Most of those shows boil down to people just surviving, like the rest of the animal kingdom.

That’s why we chose a solar flare as the cause of the crisis on the show. It’s not zombies. It’s not a bomb or war. It’s just God flicking a switch and testing His people. To readjust their priorities.

MPS: Can you talk a little further about the reason you chose a solar flare?

NM: Well, again, it’s like God flicking a switch. We would have very little warning or time to get ready.

There’s also a historical aspect that helps move the plot. One of the foodie girls researches the Carrington event (read a recent Survival Scout about this) in a book she picks up. This helps them figure out the true nature of the crisis.

As most people who prepare know, it’s important to learn from the past to get ready for the future. We wanted to make that lesson easy to digest.

MPS: How many episodes of Daily Bread are currently planned?

NM: At this point, we’ve finished filming 12-14 (depending on how we edit them). We will be releasing half of season 1 on September 8. Then the other half in January or February of 2018.

To watch, all you have to do is go to rwpvideo.org.

MPS: Explain the thought behind “thrive not survive”? It’s Something we teach our readers a lot.

NM: The title of the show, Daily Bread is taken from the Lord’s prayer. If you have faith, he will provide. But in order to know God’s blessings, one must do the work. That’s what it takes to thrive. You can only survive for so long if you don’t have that attitude.

So, literal daily bread that nourishes the body is important. But we need to be reminded that in order to be grateful daily, we need to do the work daily, to take care of the body, the spirit, the animals, the community.

MPS: It’s obvious the answer is yes at this point, but can you talk about there being a purpose beyond entertainment with the show?

NM: Yes. Let me share a small story to illustrate. Just last week, we did a special screening for the extended crew and their families, as well as some of the local community.

We were overwhelmed with the positive responses and how it inspired them to action.

Many had mentioned that they had “Never thought about the concept of survival.” Never thought of “What if?”

And that is the goal. At the very least, we want to prompt people to think about it. Taking action – even better.

MPS: Do you participate in the preparedness lifestyle.

NM: Yes. Actually, my son is really involved. Got started in college. He told me about My Patriot Supply. First, he ordered some seeds for me. I now have some Alexapure Survival Springs and food.

When my son was at Virginia Tech, he mapped out his route all the way back to our farm by bicycle, in case vehicles were not an option.

Also, probably 50% of the crew are preppers. Most of us live out in the country, which means all of us have guns. And emergency kits in our cars.

The best part of filming this show is learning from each other. We’ve all learned about new gear and skills that we’ll all take home from here.

MPS: Any advice for people just getting started toward preparedness and self-sufficiency?

NM: Find a go-to supplier. You’ll need to do your own research. You want to know that you can get everything you need. And you want to buy from a company who has the same values as you. That’s why we go with you guys, to be honest.

Beyond supplies, everybody should be ready to get from point “A” to point “B”. Especially knowing what point “B” is. We are prepared at the farm, but we never thought of that, until we started this show. Planning for relocation should not be overlooked.

For example, my husband works in Washington DC. Just like my son, he needed a plan to get home if regular modes of transportation fail. We made sure he had a bike locked up near his office and maps. Planning is easy to do and really comes in handy when you need it most.

MPS: Great advice. Thanks for your time again, Nina. Can’t wait to catch the first episodes of the show!

NM: Thank you for spreading the word!

Have a great weekend, folks. Stay vigilant!

In Liberty,

Elizabeth Anderson
MPS Preparedness Advisor