The Rural Diaries.

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The beloved actress and star of One Tree Hill, White Collar, and Lethal Weapon, Hilarie Burton Morgan, tells the story of leaving Hollywood for a radically different kind of life in upstate New York with her husband Jeffrey Dean Morgan—a celebration of community, family, and the value of hard work in small town America. 

 
While Hilarie Burton Morgan's hectic lifestyle as an actress in New York and Los Angeles gave her a comfortable life, it did not fulfill her spiritually or emotionally. After the birth of their first son, she and her husband Jeffrey Dean Morgan, the star of The Walking Dead, decided to make a major change: they bought a working farm in Rhinebeck, New York, and began a new chapter in their lives. 

The Rural Diaries chronicles her inspiring story of farm life: chopping wood, making dandelion wine, building chicken coops. Burton looks back at her transition from urban to country living—discovering how to manage a farm while raising her son and making friends with her new neighbors. She mixes charming stories of learning to raise alpacas and buying and revitalizing the town’s beloved candy store, Samuel’s Sweet Shop, with raw observations on the ups and downs of marriage and her struggles with secondary infertility. Burton also includes delicious recipes that can be made with fresh ingredients at home, as well as home renovation and gardening tips. 

Burton’s charisma, wide eyed attitude, and fortitude—both internal and physical—propels this moving story of transformation and self-discovery. The Rural Diaries honors the values and lifestyle of small-town America and offers inspiration for anyone longing to embark on their own unconventional journey.

 

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I have been a fan of Hilarie Burton Morgan since I seen her on One Tree Hill . Hilarie’s character, Peyton Sawyer was my favorite character from the start, and I wondered why she left the show. I knew that she lived on the farm with her husband, Jeffrey, and their kids. I wondered when she decided that she wanted to live on the farm if there was a reason behind her decision. I have read few celebrity memoirs through the years, The Rural Diaries is unlike any of the other memoirs that I have read. This memoir is not about her acting career but about the transition from acting to farm life. I love the title and the story behind it, which fits the title beautifully. I have a cousin who lived on a farm when we were younger, so I knew a little about farm life. Once I read The Rural Diaries, I learned so much information about farm life that I wasn’t aware of. I knew that there was a lot of work involved in managing the farm, the animals. I don’t think I realized how much work was involved. 

I always wondered how Hilarie Burton Morgan ended up with Jeffrey Dean Morgan whom I been fan of since Supernatural . Mostly I wondered how the two of them met. Did they work on a movie together, or did someone introduce them? I wasn’t aware they were together until their son Gus was born. I did not know that she struggled with pregnancy, not until I saw the Instagram post after her daughter was born. I cannot even begin to imagine the pain both she and Jeffrey experienced during that difficult time. My love goes out to both. While reading those parts of the book, I cried and wished to give both a big hug. Hilarie and Jeffrey went through so much, but they kept on going, and to me, that was inspiring. 

I loved reading about farm life, family life. One of my favorite parts was the handwritten tips and the recipes, which I will need to try out. I have been a big fan of Hilarie Burton Morgan for years, and after reading , The Rural Diaries I love her even more. Her writing and emotions made me feel as I was there, going on the journey and her. 

Heartbreaking. Extraordinary.