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.
Listen on:
Episodes
Monday Dec 01, 2025
Monday Dec 01, 2025
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!
About Zeke:
Zeke grew up on a family farm in New York and currently works in Customer Experience for Preferred Mutual Insurance Co. He remains connected to his agricultural roots by growing heritage grains, guest writing for agricultural periodicals, and passing on the stories of the equipment and people who farm our land.
Connect with Zeke at:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zeke-miller-b1308229/
Connect with K at:
Website: https://www.penlightfarmers.com
YouTube: @k.castrataro3466
Facebook and Instagram: @penlightfarmers
Podcast (audio): https://www.penlightfarmers.com/podcast
Podcast (video): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIVBn53rrIsTwS4ag6hH4DHnxG_Lxqt7x
Friday Nov 28, 2025
Friday Nov 28, 2025
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. After years of searching for local, “clean”, healthy food and working with struggling farmers, she decided to grow her own food and create the life she envisioned: a simple, grateful life surrounded by abundance.
Connect with Elizabeth at:
Website: https://ottercreekfarmny.com/page/graceful-acres-farmstay
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gracefulacresfarmstay/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100079204614079
Connect with K at:
Website: https://www.penlightfarmers.com
YouTube: @k.castrataro3466
Facebook and Instagram: @penlightfarmers
Podcast (audio): https://www.penlightfarmers.com/podcast
Podcast (video): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIVBn53rrIsTwS4ag6hH4DHnxG_Lxqt7x
Monday Nov 24, 2025
Monday Nov 24, 2025
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. After years of searching for local, “clean”, healthy food and working with struggling farmers, she decided to grow her own food and create the life she envisioned: a simple, grateful life surrounded by abundance.
Connect with Elizabeth at:
Website: https://ottercreekfarmny.com/page/graceful-acres-farmstay
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gracefulacresfarmstay/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100079204614079
Connect with K at:
Website: https://www.penlightfarmers.com
YouTube: @k.castrataro3466
Facebook and Instagram: @penlightfarmers
Podcast (audio): https://www.penlightfarmers.com/podcast
Podcast (video): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIVBn53rrIsTwS4ag6hH4DHnxG_Lxqt7x
Friday Nov 21, 2025
Friday Nov 21, 2025
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, food and farming. After years of searching for local, “clean”, healthy food and working with struggling farmers, she decided to grow her own food and create the life she envisioned: a simple, grateful life surrounded by abundance.
Connect with Elizabeth at:
Website: https://ottercreekfarmny.com/page/graceful-acres-farmstay
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gracefulacresfarmstay/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100079204614079
Connect with K at:
Website: https://www.penlightfarmers.com
YouTube: @k.castrataro3466
Facebook and Instagram: @penlightfarmers
Podcast (audio): https://www.penlightfarmers.com/podcast
Podcast (video): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIVBn53rrIsTwS4ag6hH4DHnxG_Lxqt7x
Monday Nov 17, 2025
Monday Nov 17, 2025
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, food and farming. After years of searching for local, “clean”, healthy food and working with struggling farmers, she decided to grow her own food and create the life she envisioned: a simple, grateful life surrounded by abundance.
Connect with Elizabeth at:
Website: https://ottercreekfarmny.com/page/graceful-acres-farmstay
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gracefulacresfarmstay/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100079204614079
Connect with K at:
Website: https://www.penlightfarmers.com
YouTube: @k.castrataro3466
Facebook and Instagram: @penlightfarmers
Podcast (audio): https://www.penlightfarmers.com/podcast
Podcast (video): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIVBn53rrIsTwS4ag6hH4DHnxG_Lxqt7x
Friday Nov 14, 2025
Friday Nov 14, 2025
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 products, manages the baking, creates sustainable/reusable beeswax wraps and custom-made jewelry, and even offers serene Reiki experiences.
Connect with Cassidy at:
Website: https://www.simplygrowingfood.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daiglefarm/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DaigleFarmLLC
Connect with K at:
Website: https://www.penlightfarmers.com
YouTube: @k.castrataro3466
Facebook and Instagram: @penlightfarmers
Podcast (audio): https://www.penlightfarmers.com/podcast
Podcast (video): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIVBn53rrIsTwS4ag6hH4DHnxG_Lxqt7x
Want to use lists for more than wishes? Download your free guide on using lists to help manage your farm at: www.penlightfarmers.com/farmlists.
Monday Nov 10, 2025
Monday Nov 10, 2025
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 products, manages the baking, creates sustainable/reusable beeswax wraps and custom-made jewelry, and even offers serene Reiki experiences.
Connect with Cassidy at:
Website: https://www.simplygrowingfood.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daiglefarm/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DaigleFarmLLC
Connect with K at:
Website: https://www.penlightfarmers.com
YouTube: @k.castrataro3466
Facebook and Instagram: @penlightfarmers
Podcast (audio): https://www.penlightfarmers.com/podcast
Podcast (video): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIVBn53rrIsTwS4ag6hH4DHnxG_Lxqt7x
Want to use lists for more than wishes? Download your free guide on using lists to help manage your farm at: www.penlightfarmers.com/farmlists.
Friday Nov 07, 2025
Friday Nov 07, 2025
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 York City, fermenting kimchi, butchering chickens…and that’s just the beginning. She speaks three languages, has traveled extensively, and has written about her experiences in various publications.
Connect with Liz at:
Website: https://www.sonima.com/author/liz-resnick/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liz.res
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizres/
Connect with K at:
Website: https://www.penlightfarmers.com
YouTube: @k.castrataro3466
Facebook and Instagram: @penlightfarmers
Podcast (audio): https://www.penlightfarmers.com/podcast
Podcast (video): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIVBn53rrIsTwS4ag6hH4DHnxG_Lxqt7x
Monday Nov 03, 2025
Monday Nov 03, 2025
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 York City, fermenting kimchi, butchering chickens…and that’s just the beginning. She speaks three languages, has traveled extensively, and has written about her experiences in various publications.
Connect with Liz at:
Website: https://www.sonima.com/author/liz-resnick/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liz.res
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizres/
Connect with K at:
Website: https://www.penlightfarmers.com
YouTube: @k.castrataro3466
Facebook and Instagram: @penlightfarmers
Podcast (audio): https://www.penlightfarmers.com/podcast
Podcast (video): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIVBn53rrIsTwS4ag6hH4DHnxG_Lxqt7x
Friday Oct 31, 2025
Friday Oct 31, 2025
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 urban rooftop garden, Laurel progressed to working as a farm apprentice, managing a farm, and ultimately running her own farm. A Farm Succession Program Specialist with Land & Sea Together, she helps farmers plan for their future by walking them through the process of succession planning. Laurel is a certified farm transition coordinator through the International Farm Transition Network (IFTN).
Connect with Laurel at:
Website: https://landandseatogether.org/about-us/
Instagram: http://instagram.com/landandseatogether/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laurelwitri
Connect with K at:
Website: https://www.penlightfarmers.com
YouTube: @k.castrataro3466
Facebook and Instagram: @penlightfarmers
Podcast (audio): https://www.penlightfarmers.com/podcast
Podcast (video): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIVBn53rrIsTwS4ag6hH4DHnxG_Lxqt7x