ON THE FARM
Take a Seat
Nourishment comes in multiple forms in farming communities
By Sara Schwartz
O
N THE FARM, YOUR closest
neighbors can be miles away, so when there’s time to break away and break bread, it’s made all the more special with dishes made to share. Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell found this out quickly. After the two lost their jobs in the 2008 recession, they left New York City and decamped to the small farming area of Sharon Springs, N.Y., moving permanently into the Beekman
mansion, a historic estate and farm they had purchased as a weekend respite the previous year. Ridge, who worked as a physician at Mount Sinai Hospital and later as vice president of healthy living at Martha Stewart Omnimedia, and now-husband Kilmer-Purcell, an author and advertising exec, quickly found success as goat farmers and cookbook authors. Their Beekman 1802 brand now includes an arsenal of artisanal products, including apparel, beauty products and home goods.
All along the way, the couple found the swap from urban to country life was made easier with the help of their new neighbors. One in particular, Rose Marie Trapani, shared meals and memories of growing up in Sicily, where she learned how to cook from the women in her family. Ridge and Kilmer-Purcell often found themselves sharing a meal with Trapani and her husband. Her generosity of spirit inspired them to work with her on their fourth cookbook: Beekman 1802: A Seat at the Table: Recipes to Nourish Your Family, Friends, and Community