The Rural Diaries: Love, Livestock, and Big Life Lessons Down on Mischief Farm

Hilarie Burton

May 2020 · Sold by HarperCollins

About this ebook

New York Times Bestseller 

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.

Ratings and reviews

This is the just little bit suyt of those equal et those really like Ha Thanh Doan's fraud & cheating & lost mistake.- Accusation Fr God Kim Tiên ThieO Vie Nguyen Angelie. Good performance on you!

I loved this book. I had my doubts you know another "actress & author" but she hit all the highs, all the lows & everything inbetween 😉 I laughed. I cried. I laughed some more. HBM Thank you for sharing your wonderful family and life with us. 😊🙃😘

What a beautiful book. I enjoyed it so much, laughing and crying as I listened to the stories written by Hilary Burton. I am so grateful to her for sharing this with the world.

About the author

Hilarie Burton is an actress and producer best known for her role as Peyton on One Tree Hill, as well as her work as an MTV VJ, and her leading roles in popular Hallmark movies. She lives on a working farm in the Hudson River Valley with her partner, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, their son Gus, baby daughter George, and a whole lot of animals.