Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women from around the world

About Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women from around the world

This podcast tells the stories of women farmers around the world who grow produce and ornamentals, raise animals, and engage in agritourism. Join us for some honest talk--and lots of laughter--about the unique challenges women in agriculture face when balancing the different aspects of farm living: land, crops, livestock, business, family relationships, and personal well-being. Our guests include a cassava grower from Cameroon, an agroforester from North Carolina, a snail farmer from Nigeria, a “chicken midwife” from California, a dairy farmer from New York, a llama farmer from Australia, and many, many more. You won’t want to miss an episode! Your host, Kristen “K” Castrataro, comes from a fifth-generation Rhode Island farm family. She has a rich background in agriculture as a producer, Extension Agent, and farm advisor. She is passionate about farmer mental health and is driven by the conviction that the people feeding our bodies and souls should not feel as if they are starving themselves. K is the founder of Pen Light for Farmers, a business that helps farmers (especially farm women) create purposeful farm lives rich in time, energy, and abundance. You can find her at www.penlightfarmers.com.

Publisher

K. Castrataro

Category

business · health & fitness · leisure

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

11 Jul 2025

Latest episode

16 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

131 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   16 Oct 2026

   Growing a Sustainable Alpaca Business with Liz Ferguson

   Recording date: September 22, 2026 Welcome to the second season of Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women from around the world! Episode forty-two features Liz Ferguson of Four Acres Living Alpacas as we discuss: Paying for alpacas by selling socks Connecting with customers by connecting customers with livestock Pricing hand-made farm products Grading alpaca fiber for different purposes And much, much more… You will love this curious and collaborative farmer! #IYWF2026 A GIFT FOR LISTENERS: Are you a farmer looking for an opportunity to connect with other farmers just like you? Join Midweek Refuel, where we focus on increasing the time, energy, and abundance in your purposeful farm life. Try us today. Use code PODCAST to receive a 10% discount: https://www.penlightfarmers.com/service-page/midweek-refuel?referral=service_list_widget About Liz: Liz began alpaca farming with her husband just under 11 years ago. Neither had prior experience in farming or animals. Prior to operating the farm, Liz worked as an accounting manager for a large real estate company, and her husband was in retail management. After they adopted 4 children, Liz became a stay-at-home mother. During that time, she taught herself photography, graphic design and website development. By the time they started their farm in their 50's, Liz realized she had all the skills and knowledge to run the business independent of outside professionals. She does all of the accounting and creates the promotional materials for ads and social media for their 15-acre, 37 alpaca farm (with 7 baby alpacas coming soon. Liz also builds and maintains their website and make sure it seamlessly coordinates with everything else (accounting, inventory, POS...) Their farm focuses on carefully breeding for high quality alpaca fiber that can be turned into soft, lightweight and durable outerwear. They use sustainable practices throughout all they do, including using the manure for their organic gardens and growing dye plants that can be used to dye their yarn. Connect with Liz at: Website: https://fouracresliving.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fouracresliving Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fouracresliving/ 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 Buy K’s books on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/kcastrataro

2. 

   12 Oct 2026

   Growing a Sustainable Alpaca Business with Liz Ferguson: TRAILER

   Recording date: September 22, 2026 Welcome to the second season of Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women from around the world! Episode forty-two features Liz Ferguson of Four Acres Living Alpacas as we discuss: Paying for alpacas by selling socks Connecting with customers by connecting customers with livestock Pricing hand-made farm products Grading alpaca fiber for different purposes And much, much more… You will love this curious and collaborative farmer! #IYWF2026 A GIFT FOR LISTENERS: Are you a farmer looking for an opportunity to connect with other farmers just like you? Join Midweek Refuel, where we focus on increasing the time, energy, and abundance in your purposeful farm life. Try us today. Use code PODCAST to receive a 10% discount: https://www.penlightfarmers.com/service-page/midweek-refuel?referral=service_list_widget About Liz: Liz began alpaca farming with her husband just under 11 years ago. Neither had prior experience in farming or animals. Prior to operating the farm, Liz worked as an accounting manager for a large real estate company, and her husband was in retail management. After they adopted 4 children, Liz became a stay-at-home mother. During that time, she taught herself photography, graphic design and website development. By the time they started their farm in their 50's, Liz realized she had all the skills and knowledge to run the business independent of outside professionals. She does all of the accounting and creates the promotional materials for ads and social media for their 15-acre, 37 alpaca farm (with 7 baby alpacas coming soon. Liz also builds and maintains their website and make sure it seamlessly coordinates with everything else (accounting, inventory, POS...) Their farm focuses on carefully breeding for high quality alpaca fiber that can be turned into soft, lightweight and durable outerwear. They use sustainable practices throughout all they do, including using the manure for their organic gardens and growing dye plants that can be used to dye their yarn. Connect with Liz at: Website: https://fouracresliving.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fouracresliving Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fouracresliving/ 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 Buy K’s books on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/kcastrataro

3. 

   9 Oct 2026

   Recognizing and Managing Farm Stress with Colleen Stegenga

   Recording date: September 21, 2026 Welcome to the second season of Food, Flowers, & Fun: Visits with farm women from around the world! Episode forty-one features Colleen Stegenga of Embracing Change Counseling Services, LLC as we discuss: Making the decision to see an animal-assisted therapist for your farm stress Understanding farm succession planning stress Choosing to take time for yourself so you can be the farmer, partner, parent, etc. that you want to be Recognizing the signs that you or a farmer you know need a little extra support And much, much more… You will love this compassionate and supportive farmer! #IYWF2026 A GIFT FOR LISTENERS: Are you a farmer looking for an opportunity to connect with other farmers just like you? Join Midweek Refuel, where we focus on increasing the time, energy, and abundance in your purposeful farm life. Try us today. Use code PODCAST to receive a 10% discount: https://www.penlightfarmers.com/service-page/midweek-refuel?referral=service_list_widget About Colleen: Colleen Stegenga is no stranger to change—and she's living proof that embracing life's transitions can lead to profound purpose. While she preferred the comfort of animals over people as a child, adulthood awakened a deep love for human connection that would shape her calling. After twenty years in business administration and trading small-town South Dakota for Sioux Falls, Colleen discovered her true passion in the most unexpected place: an elementary school office. What began as a secretary position in 2006 became a nine-year journey of profound connection with children whose basic needs often went unmet. Day after day, Colleen found herself drawn into meaningful conversations with students, witnessing their struggles and recognizing their deep need to be heard, valued, and understood. She realized that these children needed someone who would listen without judgment, help them find their voice, and remind them that they mattered. This revelation sparked Colleen's biggest life change yet. In 2013, she enrolled in the University of South Dakota's Master of Social Work program, following her heart toward a career dedicated to healing and empowerment. Her educational journey led her to a mental health agency where she honed her counseling skills with individuals and groups, preparing for the day she would launch Embracing Change Counseling Services. Today, Colleen brings her unique blend of business acumen, educational insight, and genuine compassion to her therapeutic practice. She specializes in helping clients navigate anxiety, depression, family dysfunction, and negative self-esteem, while her heart remains especially drawn to empowering young girls and women to discover their authentic voices and unshakeable worth. Colleen's passion lies deeply in helping farmers and ranchers navigate the unique challenges of agricultural life—a calling that feels even more personal as she prepares to return to farm life herself this summer. She understands firsthand the distinctive stresses, seasonal pressures, and family dynamics that come with dedicating your life to feeding our communities. Her work with agricultural families is matched by her love for helping women of all ages conquer daily obstacles and learn to love themselves wholly, spanning from adolescence through middle age. At the core of Colleen's practice is her unwavering belief that every person deserves to feel heard, valued, and empowered. She creates a warm, family-like environment where clients can explore their deepest thoughts and feelings without judgment, always reminding them that their feelings are valid and they can still go out into the world and do amazing things. When she's not in the office, Colleen can be found exploring the great outdoors with her two beloved pups, Callie and Skye, traveling to warm, sunny destinations, and cherishing time with her husband, two daughters, son-in-law and grandson and their small herd of animals—a reminder that

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Spotify

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

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