Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women from around the world
K. Castrataro
51 episodes
1 day ago
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 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.
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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 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.
Solving Problems through Compost with Jayne Merner
Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women from around the world
1 hour
3 weeks ago
Solving Problems through Compost with Jayne Merner
Recording date: December 8, 2025
Episode twenty-one of Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women from around the world features farmer, composter, and podcaster Jayne Merner of Earth Care Farm, Golden Root Gardening, and “The Composter” podcast as we discuss:
Delegating responsibility
Bartering for services
Eliminating waste
Finding fun in finding balance
Much, much more!
You will love this entrepreneurial and progressive farmer-composter!
About Jayne:
Jayne Merner began operating a CSA at age nineteen, growing produce and flowers for her community. Farmer’s market customers remarked at the high quality of the produce grown and asked Merner to garden at their homes. This flowed into a side business tending gardens off the farm. In 2015, Jayne took over the family compost operation when her father retired. She is currently in the process of developing the first commercial composting operation in Connecticut.
Connect with Jayne at:
Website: https://www.earthcarefarm.com/ ; https://www.goldenrootgardening.com/ ;
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayne-merner-bb29a4221/
Instagram: @goldenrootgardening ; @earthcarefarmcompost
Facebook: @earthcarefarm ; @GoldenRootGardening
The Composter Podcast: https://www.earthcarefarm.com/composter-podcast.html
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
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 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.
