Kim Barnes, author of In the Wilderness: Coming of Age in Unknown Country, says Get Your Pitchfork On! “is the go-to book for anyone looking for hands-on guidance on how to handle the daily demands of self-sufficiency with knowledge and grace.” Deschutes Public Library is pleased to welcome author of Get Your Pitchfork On! and urban farmer Kristy Athens to the Downtown Bend Public Library for Second Sunday December 9, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. The reading is free and open to the public. Books will be available for sale and an open mic will follow the reading.

Hard-working urban professionals Kristy Athens and husband Mike were thrilled in 2003 to buy seven acres on the Washington side of the beautiful Columbia River Gorge. They were surprised to learn just how challenging rural life could be. Her book covers territory that others avoid, including straightforward advice about the social aspects of country living, from health care to schools to small-town politics. Athens says “Get Your Pitchfork On! is a great resource for people who are considering a move to the country, or for people who have already taken the plunge.” She felt there was a need for a book that didn’t candy-coat how challenging rural life can be, both physically and socially. “It's been fun to see the looks of recognition in the faces of my audiences when I talk about things related to rural life, such as how you see someone you know in every aisle in the grocery store, which can sometimes be fun and sometimes totally annoying.”