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
Welcome to the second season of Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women from around the world! Episode twenty-one features shepherd Lydia Tevis of Harmony Heritage Farm as we discuss:
- The character differences between sheep and goat people
- The ins and outs of shearing
- Opportunities for marketing wool, from pellets to mulch to blankets to felted rugs
- The challenges of raising cows and kids
- And much, much more…
Yo...
Recording date: April 14, 2026
Welcome to the second season of Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women from around the world! Episode twenty-one features shepherd Lydia Tevis of Harmony Heritage Farm as we discuss:
- The character differences between sheep and goat people
- The ins and outs of shearing
- Opportunities for marketing wool, from pellets to mulch to blankets to felted rugs
- The challenges of balancing calving wi...
Recording date: April 14, 2026
Welcome to the second season of Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women from around the world! Episode twenty features agricultural entrepreneur Lauren Lovejoy of the Red Hen app and The Blue Horn VA as we discuss:
- Treating chronic illness with herbals
- Choosing regenerative practices that meet your inputs and goals
- Hosting BNB guests as a form of agritourism
- Connecting farmers and consum...
Recording date: April 14, 2026
Welcome to the second season of Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women from around the world! Episode twenty features agricultural entrepreneur Lauren Lovejoy of the Red Hen app and The Blue Horn VA as we discuss:
- Treating chronic illness with herbals
- Choosing regenerative practices that meet your inputs and goals
- Hosting BNB guests as a form of agritourism
- Connecting farmers and consum...
Recording date: April 1, 2026
Welcome to the second season of Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women from around the world! Episode nineteen features avocado grower Becca Holmes of Holmes Grown USA as we discuss:
- Distinguishing between a passion project and a profession
- Discovering a sense of rootedness in place
- Pollinating and watering avocados
- Maximizing your competitive advantage
- And much, much more…
You wil...
Recording date: April 1, 2026
Welcome to the second season of Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women from around the world! Episode nineteen features avocado grower Becca Holmes of Holmes Grown USA as we discuss:
- Distinguishing between a passion project and a profession
- Discovering a sense of rootedness in place
- Pollinating and watering avocados
- Maximizing your competitive advantage
- And much, much more…
You wil...
Recording date: March 24, 2026
Welcome to the second season of Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women from around the world! Episode eighteen features sisters Kris Straub and Kimberly Hansen of Tenderloin Lavender Farm as we discuss:
- Providing customers with on-farm experiences because “she said it’d be fun”
- Propagating lavender tested for your specific area
- Repurposing Depression-era antiques
- Managing the impact of ...
NOTE: Do yourself a favor and WATCH this one. I guarantee you'll laugh.
Recording date: March 24, 2026
Welcome to the second season of Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women from around the world! Episode eighteen features sisters Kris Straub and Kimberly Hansen of Tenderloin Lavender Farm as we discuss:
- Providing customers with on-farm experiences because “she said it’d be fun”
- Propagating lavender tested for your ...
Recording date: March 23, 2026
Welcome to the second season of Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women from around the world! Episode seventeen features cattlewoman Kate Colgan of Walnut Creek Farms as we discuss:
- Getting competitive in 4-H and FFA
- Building community across generations
- Treating friends and neighbors like family
- Using data to increase the size of the farm pie
- And much, much more…
You will love th...
Recording date: March 23, 2026
Welcome to the second season of Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women from around the world! Episode seventeen features cattlewoman Kate Colgan of Walnut Creek Farms as we discuss:
- Getting competitive in 4-H and FFA
- Building community across generations
- Treating friends and neighbors like family
- Using data to increase the size of the farm pie
- And much, much more…
You will love th...
Recording date: March 23, 2026
Welcome to the second season of Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women from around the world! Episode sixteen features urban gardener and podcaster Kathy Jentz as we discuss:
- Growing in containers
- Creating and maintaining community gardens
- Sharing growing knowledge with others
- Making growing accessible for diverse abilities and populations
- And much, much more…
You will love this i...
Recording date: March 23, 2026
Welcome to the second season of Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women from around the world! Episode sixteen features urban gardener and podcaster Kathy Jentz as we discuss:
- Growing in containers
- Creating and maintaining community gardens
- Sharing growing knowledge with others
- Making growing accessible for diverse abilities and populations
- And much, much more…
You will love this i...
Recording date: March 13, 2026
Welcome to the second season of Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women from around the world! Episode fifteen features beekeeper Aliza Stanton of Aliza’s Honey as we discuss:
- Turning a bee removal business into value-added bee-based products
- Requeening Africanized bees
- Learning from the earth
- Doing your small part to make the world a better place
- And much, much more…
You will lo...
Recording date: March 13, 2026
Welcome to the second season of Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women from around the world! Episode fifteen features beekeeper Aliza Stanton of Aliza’s Honey as we discuss:
- Turning a bee removal business into value-added bee-based products
- Requeening Africanized bees
- Learning from the earth
- Doing your small part to make the world a better place
- And much, much more…
You will love...
Recording date: March 9, 2026
Welcome to the second season of Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women from around the world! Episode fourteen features Heather Thibeault of Cheeky Tomatoes and Adventures in Gardening as we discuss:
- Farming as sport
- Investing in new farmers
- Growing in terraced “garden rooms”
- Using the personal connection to market your farm business
- And much, much more…
You will love this skilled ...
Recording date: March 9, 2026
Welcome to the second season of Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women from around the world! Episode fourteen features Heather Thibeault of Cheeky Tomatoes and Adventures in Gardening as we discuss:
- Farming as sport
- Investing in new farmers
- Growing in terraced “garden rooms”
- Using the personal connection to market your farm business
- And much, much more…
You will love this skilled ...
Recording date: March 6, 2026
Welcome to the second season of Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women from around the world! Episode thirteen features second-year flower farmer Holly Park of Scout Hill Farm as we discuss:
- Creating Clade, the quintessential dahlia software
- Choosing the best parents (plant and animal parents, that is!)
- Designing gardens and landscapes that work for plants
- Growing focal cut flowers all s...
Recording date: March 6, 2026
Welcome to the second season of Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women from around the world! Episode thirteen features second-year flower farmer Holly Park of Scout Hill Farm as we discuss:
- Creating Clade, the quintessential dahlia software
- Choosing the best parents (plant and animal parents, that is!)
- Designing gardens and landscapes that work for plants
- Growing focal cut flowers all s...
Recording date: March 3, 2026
Welcome to the second season of Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women from around the world! Episode twelve features Ashley Randle, Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources as we discuss:
- Actions farmers can take to influence policy…without becoming professional advocates
- The value of peer support for farmers
- Taking care of yourself while you take care of y...
Recording date: March 3, 2026
Welcome to the second season of Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women from around the world! Episode twelve features Ashley Randle, Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources as we discuss:
- Actions farmers can take to influence policy…without becoming professional advocates
- The value of peer support for farmers
- Taking care of yourself while you take care of y...
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