Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women from around the world
This podcast celebrates the stories of women farmers around the world who are engaged in food production, ornamentals, and agritourism. Join us for some honest farm talk--and lots of laughter--about the unique challenges faced by female farmers as they try to balance their farm and personal lives, support their mental health and well-being, and sustain healthy relationships on and off the farm. The first season’s guests include a cassava grower from Cameroon, an agroforester from North Carolina, a ”chicken midwife” from California, the Grass Whisperer, and many, many more. You won’t want to miss an episode! Your host, Kristen ”K” Castrataro, is a fifth-generation farm kid from Rhode Island. She has a rich agricultural background as a producer, Extension Agent, and farm consultant. She is driven by the conviction that the people feeding our bodies and souls should NOT be starving themselves. K is the founder of Pen Light for Farmers, a business that helps farmers (especially farm women) build a farm life and relationships that meet their deepest needs and values. You can find her at www.penlightfarmers.com.
Episodes
Recording date: December 5, 2025
Episode twenty of Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women from around the world features fifth-generation rancher Rachel Lohof Larsen of Grounded Life Soil Consulting as we discuss:
- Living off the grid
- Farming as a profession
- Managing livestock by managing our emotions
- Repairing relationships
- Much, much more!
You will love this bold and grounded rancher!
About Rachel:
A fifth-gen...
Episode nineteen of Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women from around the world features Zeke Miller of Preferred Mutual Insurance Co. as we discuss:
- Solving problems
- Reimagining farmers as customers
- Taking the kid off the farm without taking the farm out of the kid
- Embracing and redefining agricultural experiences
- Much, much more!
You will love this fun and playful customer experience expert!
About Zeke:
Zek...
Episode nineteen of Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women (and others!) from around the world features Zeke Miller of Preferred Mutual Insurance Company as we discuss:
- Solving problems
- Reimagining farmers as customers
- Taking the kid off the farm without taking the farm out of the kid
- Embracing and redefining agricultural experiences
- Much, much more!
You will love this fun and playful customer experience expert...
Episode eighteen of Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women from around the world features Elizabeth Collins of Graceful Acres Farm Stay at Otter Creek Farm as we discuss:
- Navigating farm family dynamics
- Starting a farmstay
- Investing in yourself
- Staying true to yourself
- Much, much more!
You will love this curious and purposeful farmer!
About Elizabeth:
Elizabeth is passionate about animals, food and farming. Aft...
Episode eighteen of Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women from around the world features Elizabeth Collins of Graceful Acres Farm Stay at Otter Creek Farm as we discuss:
- Navigating farm family dynamics
- Starting a farmstay
- Investing in yourself
- Staying true to yourself
- Much, much more!
You will love this curious and purposeful farmer!
About Elizabeth:
Elizabeth is passionate about animals, food and farming. Aft...
Episode seventeen of Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women from around the world features Elizabeth Collins of Graceful Acres Farm Stay at Otter Creek Farm as we discuss:
- Eating as a source of joy
- Growing up and wising up
- Working on the “right side” of the computer
- Being true to yourself
- Much, much more!
You will love this curious and purposeful farmer!
About Elizabeth:
Elizabeth is passionate about animals, f...
Episode seventeen of Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women from around the world features Elizabeth Collins of Graceful Acres Farm Stay at Otter Creek Farm as we discuss:
- Eating as a source of joy
- Growing up and wising up
- Working on the “right side” of the computer
- Being true to yourself
- Much, much more!
You will love this curious and purposeful farmer!
About Elizabeth:
Elizabeth is passionate about animals, f...
Episode sixteen of Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women from around the world features Cassidy Ball of Daigle Farm, LLC as we discuss:
- Raising chickens and pigs
- Baking bread
- Rediscovering faith
- Doing the “right thing”
- Much, much more!
You will love this cheerful and down-to-earth farmer!
About Cassidy:
Cassidy Ball is considered a “Jane-of-all-trades” at Daigle Farm, LLC. She runs the non-perishable side of p...
Episode sixteen of Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women from around the world features Cassidy Ball of Daigle Farm, LLC as we discuss:
- Raising chickens and pigs
- Baking bread
- Rediscovering faith
- Doing the “right thing”
- Much, much more!
You will love this cheerful and down-to-earth farmer!
About Cassidy:
Cassidy Ball is considered a “Jane-of-all-trades” at Daigle Farm, LLC. She runs the non-perishable side of p...
Episode fifteen of Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women from around the world features freelance farmer and fermenter Elizabeth Resnick as we discuss:
- Working through injuries
- Valuing the farmer as well as the farm
- Loving farm life
- Resenting farm life
- Much, much more!
You will love this diverse and multi-talented farmer!
About Liz:
Elizabeth Resnick’s background includes working in a lawyer’s office in New Yo...
Episode fifteen of Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women from around the world features freelance farmer and fermenter Elizabeth Resnick as we discuss:
- Working through injuries
- Valuing the farmer as well as the farm
- Loving farm life
- Resenting farm life
- Much, much more!
You will love this diverse and multi-talented farmer!
About Liz:
Elizabeth Resnick’s background includes working in a lawyer’s office in New Yo...
Episode fourteen of Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women from around the world features Laurel Witri of the Community Mediation Center of Rhode Island/Land and Sea Together as we discuss:
- Begging for farm work
- Learning from refugee farmers
- Planning successions that work (and don’t!)
- Mediating farm conflict
- Much, much more!
You will love this thoughtful farmer-turned-mediator!
About Laurel:
Starting with an ur...
Episode fourteen of Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women from around the world features Laurel Witri of Land and Sea Together as we discuss:
- Begging for farm work
- Learning from refugee farmers
- Planning successions that work (and don’t!)
- Mediating farm conflict
- Much, much more!
You will love this thoughtful farmer-turned-mediator!
About Laurel:
Starting with an urban rooftop garden, Laurel progressed to workin...
Episode thirteen of Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women from around the world features Azure Cygler of Rhody Wild Sea Gardens as we discuss:
- Raising sugar kelp and oysters
- Thinking globally; acting locally
- Knowing when to push on and when to lay off
- Contributing versus extracting
- Much, much more!
You will love this intuitive and purpose-driven aquaculture farmer!
About Azure:
Azure Cygler has been on the oce...
Episode thirteen of Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women from around the world features Azure Cygler of Rhody Wild Sea Gardens as we discuss:
- Raising sugar kelp and oysters
- Thinking globally; acting locally
- Knowing when to push on and when to lay off
- Contributing versus extracting
- Much, much more!
You will love this intuitive and purpose-driven aquaculture farmer!
Connect with Azure at:
- Website: https:/...
Episode twelve of Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women from around the world features Gail Hunsberger of Tumble-Tails Farm as we discuss:
- Using soap derby skills to restore a condemned property
- Creating a judgment-free safe haven
- Healing bodies, minds, and hearts
- Letting go
- Much, much more!
You will love this nurturing and energizing farmer!
Connect with Gail at:
- Website: https://www.tumble-tails-farm.c...
Episode twelve of Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women from around the world features Gail Hunsberger of Tumble-Tails as we discuss:
- Using soap derby skills to restore a condemned property
- Creating a judgment-free safe haven
- Healing bodies, minds, and hearts
- Letting go
- Much, much more!
You will love this nurturing and energizing farmer!
Connect with Gail at:
- Website: https://www.tumble-tails-farm.com/
- I...
In the eleventh episode of Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women from around the world, Sara Prefontaine of Choiniere Family Farm talks about:
- Being a first-generation farmer
- Playing to your strengths
- Maximizing your farm team
- Staying open-minded and willing to learn
- Much, much more!
You will love this indomitable and no-holds-barred farmer!
Connect with Sarah at:
- Instagram: @choinierefarmilyfarmri
- Faceb...
In the eleventh episode of Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women from around the world, Sara Prefontaine of Choiniere Family Farm talks about:
- Being a first-generation farmer
- Playing to your strengths
- Maximizing your farm team
- Staying open-minded and willing to learn
- Much, much more!
You will love this indomitable and no-holds-barred farmer!
Connect with Sarah at:
- Instagram: @choinierefarmilyfarmri
- Faceb...
In the tenth episode of Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women from around the world, Sarah Schumann of Fishery Friendly Climate Action Campaign talks about:
- Protecting your physical and emotional safety
- Advocating from within the industry
- Creating your own definition of success
- Managing careerism
- Much, much more!
You will love this determined and value-driven (ocean) farmer!
Connect with Sarah at:
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