Ohio Farm Girl is “Tough as Nails” on New Reality Show
CBS has a new show called “Tough as Nails” that might be the only real “reality” show on television. It’s described as a competition series that celebrates everyday Americans who roll up their sleeves and don’t think twice about working long hard hours. Contestants have to complete challenges taken from real-world jobs like packing a moving van or dismantling a car.
Host and executive producer Phil Keoghan of “The Amazing Race” fame says of his own working-class family, “I’m proud of my family and wanted to shine a light on people who are not afraid to roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty to do a hard day’s work. Now, more than ever, it is important for all of us to recognize this country’s essential workers: real people in real life who are really tough.”
It’s hard to explain the format but it’s unlike any other reality show I’m familiar with. Basically, contestants compete in different types of challenges, both individual and team. There are also elimination, or “Overtime” challenges. Each challenge is an opportunity to win money and badges. The team that collects the most badges by the end of the competition wins an additional cash prize, and one “Tough as Nails Champion” wins a grand prize of $200,000 and a Ford Super Duty truck. It makes more sense when you watch it!
The twelve contestants on this first season include a Deputy Sheriff, Drywaller, Farmer, Firefighter, Fisherman, Forestry Tech, Gate Agent, Iron Worker, Marine Corps Veteran, Roofer, Scaffolder, and Welder. Of course, I’m going to highlight the farmer, 27-year-old Melissa Burns of Milford Center, Ohio. It will come as no surprise to anyone that knows a farm girl that Burns has been kicking some serious butt!
Burns was raised on a farm, married a farmer, and plans to continue the tradition as long as she can, according to her profile. The small farm she and her husband run grow both organic and conventional row crops. They also raise livestock which they sell under the brand Farm Fit Proteins . Burns has also ingeniously used her passion for fitness to build up a loyal Instagram following. Under her brand FarmFit, she shares workouts like bailing hate and digging post holes, as well as health tips and general inspiration. You can find her on Instagram at farm_fit_wife HERE . On the Farm Fit Proteins website, Melissa promotes health and fitness right along with their food. There is also apparel, a blender bottle, an eight-week fitness challenge, and workout suggestions. I would say they are real farm entrepreneurs.
In the series premiere, each contestant had to explain why they thought they were “Tough As Nails” and Melissa explained how intense the manual labor side of farm life truly is. “Honestly, we start our days around 4 o’clock in the morning, sometimes 3, and we go until we’re done. It has definitely made me tough as nails. It’s non-stop, it’s like organized chaos. We are always moving bales, concrete blocks. It can be exhausting but the reward is beyond rewarding and the hard work, there’s nothing that compares to it.” The show airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CBS. Learn more at the official “Tough as Nails” site HERE.