The Fabulous Beekman Boys is a reality television show produced in the United States by World of Wonder Productions. The series followed Josh Kilmer-Purcell and his husband Brent Ridge as they learned how to become farmers and launch their lifestyle brand, Beekman 1802. Brent, a physician who previously worked for Martha Stewart Omnimedia, lives at the farm full-time, while Josh, a New York Times bestselling author, commutes from their apartment in New York City on the weekends. The show originally aired on Planet Green, one of the Discovery Networks, but was acquired by Cooking Channel, a network owned by Scripps Network Interactive in 2012.
Touted as a "gay Green Acres", the series chronicled the couple's trials and tribulations as novice farmers, aided by their caretaker and resident farmer John Hall, or "Farmer John." Hall brought his goats to the Beekman Farm shortly after Ridge and Kilmer-Purcell purchased it in 2007. Also featured is Polka Spot, the farm's llama. Other residents of Sharon Springs, New York are also included in the cast, including Doug Plummer and Garth Roberts, owners of the American Hotel.
On August 9, 2010, Planet Green announced that The Fabulous Beekman Boys had been renewed for a second season of ten episodes. In announcing the renewal, Laura Michalchyshyn, President and General Manager of Planet Green, noted that the series "has quickly established itself as a cornerstone franchise for Planet Green". The second season began on March 22, 2011.
Planet Green declined to renew The Fabulous Beekman Boys for a third season based on low ratings.The Beekman Boys make farm life fabulous However, Cooking Channel announced in April 2012 that it had picked up the series for a third season, although it still remained unknown as of 2023. The channel plans to repeat the first two seasons with additional footage as well.'The Fabulous Beekman Boys' Series Finds New Home at Cooking Channel (Exclusive) The pair also participated as a team on the 21st season of The Amazing Race.
Overview Season one follows what Josh and Brent call the "year of sacrifice" with Brent living full-time at the farm while Josh works in the city during the week and commutes to the farm on weekends. The season follows the couple's attempts to build their brand, including attaining wider exposure for their goat milk soaps and cheeses, and to deal with the stress that the long separation puts on their relationship. The season closes with the opening of their first store, the couple's celebration of their tenth anniversary and their agreement to extend the "year of sacrifice".
Season two opens with Josh's growing increasingly frustrated over deferring his dream to be a full-time farmer and the couple's setting a goal of generating one million dollars in revenue to allow Josh to move to Beekman Farm permanently. The supporting cast expands with the introduction of three Beekman 1802 employees: Stephane the comptroller; Megan, chief operating officer; and Maria, the director of resources.
Episodes
Season one TitleOriginal air dateSynopsis "When Pigs Fly" June 16, 2010 Josh and Brent work the farm with the help of Farmer John, adding pigs to the range of animals they are raising. Josh wants to let the "pigs be pigs" and let them wallow, but Brent wants everything to be perfect. Josh is hurt when Brent declines to come to the city for Josh's first reading from his new book. The couple clash over the strain being apart during the week and working all weekend puts on their relationship. "Beekmanpalooza" June 16, 2010 Brent organizes the first Harvest Weekend to draw attention to Sharon Springs and the variety of local produce available from area farmers. The three-day event includes a garden party, a harvest festival and a gourmet meal prepared from local ingredients. Josh is dismayed when Brent makes him dress in a colonial-era costume for the debut of the farm's new goat milk cheese. "Unhappy Birthday" June 23, 2010 Josh is upset that Brent booked the farm for a wedding the same weekend as Josh's 40th birthday. Rain threatens to wash out the wedding but at the last moment the skies clear and the wedding is a success. The boys find the occasion bittersweet as they had always thought theirs would be the first wedding at Beekman Farm. Brent throws Josh a birthday party and later surprises him with a dining room table that Josh had designed years earlier and Brent has built. "Suds & Studs" June 30, 2010 Breeding season leaves Brent and Farmer John dealing with a herd of horny goats. Meanwhile, Brent struggles to fill an order for 14,000 bars of soap. He finishes with help from Doug, Garth and friend Michelle and a surprise assist from Josh. "Bringing Home the Bacon" July 7, 2010 Brent and Josh have their pigs, Porky and Bess, slaughtered and discuss how grateful they are for their "sacrifice." While Brent promotes Beekman 1802 at a cheese event by Martha Stewart, Josh spends the week at the farm to help him "connect" to it. The boys have their first meal made from their slaughtered pigs and ponder whether to raise pigs again next season. "The Haunting of Beekman Farm" July 15, 2010 It is halfway through the year that Brent and Josh have dedicated to establishing the Beekman 1802 brand and they are worried about the strain running the farm is putting on their relationship. The boys carve turnips into jack-o'-lanterns for Halloween with their goth neighbors Kat and Douglas, who discuss "Mary," a ghost who allegedly haunts the Beekman house. Brent and Josh call in the North East Paranormal Society for a consultation. The boys attend a fundraiser for the medical center founded by Brent and Martha Stewart; after, they express their relationship concerns. On Halloween night, the ghost hunters return and claim to find evidence of spirits. "Turkey a la Queens" July 22, 2010 Thanksgiving at the Beekman brings visits from Josh's parents and Brent's mother, triggering Brent's anxiety that he is a disappointment to her because he's gay. Brent and Josh differ over the meaning of Thanksgiving, with Brent focusing on family and Josh working to make the perfect meal. Farmer John, Doug, Garth and Michelle join the family to share the meal. "Three Men and a Baby Goat" July 29, 2010 Following hip replacement surgery, Farmer John returns to the Beekman to convalesce. After a day under Brent's care John calls his boyfriend to take him away. In his absence the boys have trouble handling the herd. With goat birthing imminent, John returns to assist with difficult births. "Le Grand Fromage" August 4, 2010 Josh stresses over creating sample cheese dishes for possible inclusion on the menu of chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten's new restaurant. Farmer John tries to come up with names for all of the new baby goats but won't let Josh help until he learns all the goat breeds. Jean-Georges is impressed by Josh's dishes and agrees to put the cheese on his menu. "Trouble in Store" August 11, 2010 Without consulting Josh, Brent signs a two-year lease on a store in Sharon Springs to sell Beekman 1802 merchandise. He takes time off from opening preparations to surprise Josh in the city for their tenth anniversary. Josh grants Brent an extension on their "year of sacrifice" but warns him that it is not indefinite. At the grand opening, Brent and Josh are gratified that the people of the village come to support them. TitleOriginal air dateSynopsis "The Fabulous Beekman Boys' Holiday Special" December 8, 2010 Josh and Brent host a one-hour retrospective of season one, including the top five viewer-selected favorite moments and never before seen footage. The boys answer viewer questions and offer a preview of season two.
Season two