The Bucolic Plague

The Bucolic Plague

By Josh Kilmer- Purcell

I have been waiting to read this book since I first stumbled upon The Fabulous Beekman Boys and fell in love with Josh, Brent, the goats, and their farm. I had a lot of hopes for this book and was afraid that it would be a bust.

My fears were for nothing- this book was WONDERFUL! It is the story of how they came to purchase The Beekman Farm and how they created and developed the brand of Beekman 1802. I didn’t know what to expect other than some bonus time with people that I am absolutely obsessed with- but it turned out to be awesome in its own right. He bravely shows how the farm nearly destroyed their relationship and their own sense of selves. This book is painfully vulnerable and honest.

As ridiculous as it sounds, I laughed, I cried… it was a roller coaster of an experience, one I never expected from this couple but one that adds further insight and depth into who they are now. This book also makes me want to go to their website (www.beekman1802.com) and buy stuff just so I can help to make their lives easier- when in truth I know they are doing quite well, much better than me, actually, and my purchase of a bar of soap really isn’t going to have that great of an impact.

Reading this book, I was inspired to have my own farming adventures. I am now planning a food garden for the spring and can’t wait to experience the process of creating something so sustainable/ natural. According to my botanist neighbor, this will mostly consist of cucumbers and tomatoes… but I think my little salad will taste amazing because I cultivated it. I was also inspired that struggle doesn’t mean failure- and you never know how your luck will change tomorrow.

Honestly, I don’t know if readers without a love of the Beekman Boys will adore this book as much as I did but I definitely recommend it as a wonderful weekend, read. THEN, maybe you will be fans of the show too and we can watch it together and gab about how much we love them and how much we want a goat.