“It started simply, as these things go.
Manhattanites Josh Kilmer-Purcell and Brent Ridge felt the lure of a weekend place in the country, a place to relax from their hectic careers in the big city. When they bought Beekman Mansion in upstate New York, they planned some simple weekend farming: a few chickens, a few vegetables.
It didn’t stay simple.”
Out on the Farm ‘The Fabulous Beekman Boys’ may be gay gentlemen farmers, but they’re also farmers with a purpose via Sean Bugg - Metro Weekly
“Josh Kilmer-Purcell and Dr. Brent Ridge, stars of the hit television show The Fabulous Beekman Boys on Planet Green, speak with Denise Hamler from Green America. Denise Hamler is the director of the Green America Green Business Network, the oldest, largest and most diverse association of socially and environmentally responsible businesses with over 4,000 business members. In 2002 she launched the successful Green Festivals, a joint project with Global Exchange. She currently serves as the Director of the Green Festivals, and produces the Green Business Conferences.”
Green Festival SF: The Fabulous Beekman Boys Interview Denise Hamler from Green America via TreeHugger
The Fabulous Beekman Boys will speak at San Francisco Green Festival Saturday April 9th 12pm on the Main Stage
SAN FRANCISCO – March 23, 2011 The largest sustainability event in the world
celebrates 10 years, one million attendees at the San Francisco
Concourse Exhibition Center April 9 – 10. This one-of-a-kind weekend
experience offers opportunities for community members to meet their
favorite authors, actors and community leaders; shop more than 300
eco-friendly exhibitors; participate in educational workshops; enjoy
live music and local vegetarian cuisine; and sample organic
chocolates, wine and beer.
Ten stages and pavilions feature more than 125 inspirational and
educational speakers, including Amy Goodman, The Fabulous Beekman
Boys, John Perkins, Dr. Sharif Abdullah, Zoe Weil, Favianna Rodriguez
and Mark Hertsgaard, to name a few.
Josh Kilmer-Purcell and Dr. Brent Ridge are not your average couple. They have transplanted themselves from New York City to Beekman Farm in upstate New York, where they are raising 80 goats, two pigs, a dozen chickens and a narcissistic llama. These guys have urban professional backgrounds and they’re now making goat milk soap.
Technically, Josh isn’t new to upstate New York. He was born there, but then raised in rural Wisconsin. He is the New York Times bestselling author of I Am Not Myself These Days and Candy Everybody Wants and also a new book called The Bucolic Plague which is about moving to the farm. He is a monthly columnist for OUT magazine and a contributor to NPR.
Born and raised in North Carolina, Brent is an Assistant Clinical Professor at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. He was Vice President of Healthy Living at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, and he writes for care2.com and The Huffington Post.
Brent is described as having a type A personality, while Josh is more laid back. Friends who visit them upstate attest to the difficulties they face trying to live the simple life. Turns out, it’s not so simple.
The Green Festival marketplace showcases more than 300 green and
socially-responsible businesses and organizations. Attendees browse
organic eco-fashion, green pet supplies, fair trade décor, nontoxic
children’s products and much more.
The San Francisco Food Bank and KPIX CBS 5 host a food drive at Green
Festival, in which community members bring nonperishable cans to
donate for free admission. According to the Food Bank, 197,000 people
struggle each day to feed themselves and their families in San
Francisco.
“The generous donation of food collected at Green Festival will aid
the SF Food Bank in delivering nutritious and delicious meals for over
35,000 families throughout San Francisco and Marin,” says Events and
Food Drives Manager, Jessica Brittsan. “Every donation helps in the
fight to end hunger in our community.”
A joint project of Green America and Global Exchange, two leading
nonprofit organizations dedicated to environmental and social justice
for more than 27 years, Green Festival inspires and promotes the
connection between change and sustainable progress for people,
communities and businesses. Green Festivals empowers people to live
healthier lives-socially, economically and environmentally.
“Whether you go to shop, learn, try new organic foods or experience
art and music, Green Festival has it all, with the goal to motivate
every person to think, participate and make more planet-friendly,
sustainable choices in their every day lives,” says Green America and
Green Festival Founder, Denise Hamler.
Thank you to Corporate Innovators: Ford and Bon Ami. Receive
complimentary tickets when you visit your San Francisco area Ford
Dealer. Test drive one of Ford’s new green hybrid and electric
vehicles right at the Green Festival.
Thank you to Green Festival partners: Clif Bar, TreeHugger, KPIX CBS 5
and KCBS Alice Radio 97.3.
Engage with Green Festivals online at www.GreenFestivals.org,
www.Facebook.com/GreenFestival and www.Twitter.com/GreenFestival for
the latest news about San Francisco Green Festival and additional
Green Festivals in 2011.
New Season on Planet Green airs March 22nd, 2011
SHARON SPRINGS, NY – May 21, 2011 In season one, THE FABULOUS BEEKMAN BOYS officially bought the farm… now season two asks, “Can they keep it?” Dr.Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell never expected to win the hearts of America when the inexperienced city slickers left Manhattan to move to the country. However, television’s two favorite “gentlemen farmers” did exactly that when they purchased the Beekman 1802 Farm in Sharon Springs, N.Y. This spring, Brent and Josh (along with Farmer John, Polka Spot the llama and a growing army of goats) return for season two of THE FABULOUS BEEKMAN BOYS, beginning March 22 on Planet Green at 10 PM (ET/PT).
THE FABULOUS BEEKMAN BOYS documents the adventure of a lifetime, as Brent, a former vice president of healthy living for Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, and Josh, an advertising exec and best-selling author, try to generate enough income withBeekman 1802 so that Josh can leave his job in the city and live at the farm full time. With Josh inManhattan and Brent three hours away at the farm, the couple has created a recipe for conflict. Although their first year of sacrifice is officially over, the struggles for the “gentleman farmers” are just beginning.
Season two introduces a new character to help calm the chaos — handyman Dan — and brings back many familiar faces, including Brent’s friend and former employer, Martha Stewart, as well as surprise appearances by Rosie O’Donnell and well-known chef Marcus Samuelsson. Viewers also will be reunited with the one and only Farmer John; as well as Doug and Garth, the owners of the legendary American Hotel; and of course, Polka Spot the “diva llama” with attitude.
“We are thrilled to bring back THE FABULOUS BEEKMAN BOYS for a second season on Planet Green,” says Laura Michalchyshyn, general manager and president of Planet Green. ”In less than a year, Brent and Josh have become enduring signature faces on our network and have won legions of devoted fans. Beek-Geeks will go crazy for season two, as the stakes are raised and we see if THE FABULOUS BEEKMAN BOYS can keep their relationship and their Beekman1802 business afloat. Of course, there is also a whole lot of llama drama.”
THE FABULOUS BEEKMAN BOYS is executive produced by Randy Barbato, Fenton Bailey and Tom Campbell from World of Wonder. Angela Rae Berg is co-executive producer and director. Lynn Sadofsky is executive producer for Planet Green.
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About Planet Green:
Planet Green is the multiplatform media destination for people looking for something new. Launched on June 4, 2008, Planet Green is following the evolving conversation about sustainability and is the entertainment brand that champions the visionaries who move our world forward in small and large ways. Planet Green and its two robust Web sites, planetgreen.com and TreeHugger.com, offer unique, insightful and inspiring content related to how we can evolve to live a better, brighter future. Planet Green’s original programming, digital tools and content will entertain, educate and activate.
About World of Wonder:
Innovative production company World of Wonder is behind such entertaining hit series as “RuPaul’s Drag Race” (Logo), “Million Dollar Listing” (Bravo), and “Fantasia for Real” (Vh1). They have recently announced a show featuring Sarah, the Duchess of York (OWN). In addition, World of Wonder has created award-winning films and documentaries such as “Inside Deep Throat,” “The Eyes of Tammy Faye,” “Party Monster” and “Monica in Black and White,” Their documentary “The Last Beekeeper” (Planet Green) recently won an Emmy® Award for Outstanding Nature Programming. With offices in Hollywood and London, the company has produced cutting-edge fiction and nonfiction programming for HBO, Showtime, VH1, IFC, Discovery, MTV, BBC, PBS and Channel 4 UK, among others, and can be found online athttp://worldofwonder.net/.