The Dirty Life

This excellent book is kind of a family chain-letter. First read, I think, by Jillian, who gave it to Marcia, who gave it to Karen, who gave it to Linda, who gave it to me! Who's next? Don't break the chain!

Kristin Kimball was an archetypal New York free-lance writer, pitching a story on the local organic food farm scene. She interviews the highly energetic and charismatic Mark, and before you know it, has abandoned her New York apartment, singles scene and budding writing career for a truer, close-to-the-earth life.

But wait! Farming, as Mark wants to do it, growing everything a small upstate NY community needs and selling to customers who would contract for a season's worth of produce, herbs, maple syrup, dairy products and meat, is crazy ambitious and exhausting! Kristin works so hard, she nearly forgets that she has trouble committing to a relationship, even to someone as solid, admirable, (and manic) as Mark. But plans for a farm-based wedding move ahead at breakneck speed, even though Mark and Kristin have no time to buy wedding clothes, fix up the barn, repair the house, find enough chairs, and prepare for guests. OK, no spoilers - you have to read it to find out how these dilemmas are resolved. And you should read it, because Kristin is a hell of a writer. The wonderfully lyrical descriptions of fields, flowers, horses, and home are kept in balance by the her superb ability to convey the crushing workload, heartaches, and pain of farming. Really a terrific read!