Local female farmers in Pender County grow food, raise livestock and care for the land while building community through agriculture.
When the United Nations declared 2026 the International Year of the Female Farmer, farming women across Pender County took a minute to rejoice, then just got back at it — planting seeds, feeding hogs and chickens, and checking beehives.
Women have played a large role in farming from the earliest days of humankind through the rise (and fall) of family farming. Today, women own and operate about 30 percent of the farms in America. Here in Pender County, they own about a third of the farms, and at the Hampstead Farmers Market, begun in 2023 by Casey Glover of GreenDrop Farms, nearly half of the farmers and producers are female.
Local farmers Katie Frank, Casey Glover, Stephanie Kramer, Pam Latter, Marylee Reaume and Sarah Wiland share a love of the land, the ability to endure the weather and the hard work that comes with farming, and a desire to farm in partnership with the land.
They say farming is peaceful, bucolic and calming. They say it is hard work and very demanding. Yet each woman mentions her pride in her work and the satisfaction that comes from educating customers about how their food is grown and where it originates.
From raising 1,000-pound steers to growing microgreens, these women share an interest in healthy eating, strong community ties and finding meaning in being stewards of the land.
Nationwide, female farmers are slightly younger than their male counterparts and more likely to live on the farm they operate, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The same is true in Pender County, where female farmers raise everything from flowers and microgreens to cows, chickens and pigs to native plants and bees.
People are often surprised that Sarah Wiland is the farm manager at Red Beard Farms in Willard.
“They frequently assume I am either related to the owners or only work at the market,” Wiland says. “While I have always worked in male-dominated fields, our current crew is mostly women, which is a significant and welcome change from the professional kitchens where I was often the only woman.”
Red Beard Farms practices organic farming with the wide variety of vegetables and fruits they sell.
“We utilize crop rotation to mitigate disease and pest pressure, and we use organic pest control only when necessary,” Wiland says, adding that the high tunnels and greenhouses are low- to no-till.
“It’s a lifestyle not everyone understands, but I find it so incredibly rewarding,” says Stephanie Kramer of Hidden Haven Farms near Burgaw. “Farming is difficult,” she says. “It is labor intensive and time consuming. There are no days off. The animals need care — period. It doesn’t matter if you’re tired or sick or the weather is bad. But I find it so incredibly rewarding. Milking my goats is my favorite chore, and it is typically very peaceful.”
Casey Glover of GreenDrop Farms in Hampstead wanted a livelihood that was “connected to the land, seasonal rhythms and community.” Farming, she says, is living work.
“Farming emerged as a natural extension of my interests in herbal medicine, conservation and meaningful work rooted in place,” Glover says. “More importantly, farming gave me an opportunity to share in the work with my children by my side.”
The philosophy of GreenDrop Farms blends traditional herbalism, conservation ethics and regenerative agriculture.
“Every decision — from plant selection to product formulation — is guided by long-term stewardship and community wellness,” Glover says.
GreenDrop Farms, off Highway 17, will host several on-farm events this season, she adds.
Marylee Reaume and her husband, Gabe, operate FarmAsea near Hampstead. They began raising their own food and now sell at two weekly farmers markets as well as at the farm. Chickens, cattle and pigs range across their farm.
“We ethically raise our pastured, heritage pork, beef and eggs for your table and handcraft our Pasture Pure line of tallow skincare and candles,” Reaume says. “We use rotational grazing practices, prioritize forage management and aim to work with nature rather than against it. Education and stewardship are core parts of our philosophy — not just producing food but helping people understand where it comes from.”
Grant funds from the University of Mount Olive allowed the Reaumes to purchase additional cold storage capacity for their farm store, including a used walk-in freezer, a retail freezer and a refrigerator.
“Expanding cold storage is incredibly important for small farms because we can store and sell more of what we produce,” Reaume says.
Reaume was the first female president of the Duplin Cattlemen’s Association and was re-elected to a second term. She is active in the North Carolina Cattlemen’s Association as well. Both organizations’ leadership roles are typically male-dominated, as is livestock farming.
Pam Latter of Lotus Haven Hives recently won first place for her locally made honey at the North Carolina Beekeepers Association spring conference. A beekeeper for the past eight years, she began with two colonies of bees and now has about 100 colonies, all within five miles of her home base in Castle Hayne. Few people realize the commitment of time and energy it takes to keep bees alive, she says.
“A honeybee lives only 40 days, and in that time she can only produce 1/12th of a teaspoon of honey,” Latter says. “Imagine how many bees it takes to fill an entire 16-ounce bottle of honey!”
Unlike plants and livestock, which can be controlled within certain areas, bees forage everywhere. Latter practices “chemical-free beekeeping,” which means she does not use man-made chemicals or treatments in her colonies. She manages the hives, processes the honey, teaches a beginner beekeeping course and captures swarms of bees in what she calls a “fun part” of beekeeping. On average she
captures more than 20 swarms of bees each year.
Most farmers now practice regenerative farming, a healthier approach than the chemical-heavy farming of the past. Simply put, this method restores soil and ecosystem health to leave the land, water and climate in better shape for the future. For most farmers, this means no-till practices, natural soil enhancements like those offered by Wilmington Compost Company or materials they create themselves. Regenerative farming often focuses on pasture-based practices that improve both animal welfare and soil health.
Both Katie Frank of Coastal Greens Farm and Stephanie Kramer of Hidden Haven Farm bring their healthcare knowledge to their farms.
“Working in healthcare showed me firsthand how much diet impacts long-term health,” says Frank, who now farms full time after 20 years of nursing. “I wanted to focus on prevention rather than treatment, and farming became a natural extension of that mission.”
Frank grows nutrient-dense foods — soil-based microgreens with solar-powered grow lights. She practices water conservation and does not use synthetic fertilizers or pesticides.
Kramer says both her nursing experience and the animal husbandry knowledge she gained while working in a veterinary practice benefit her farming work.
“I have an in-depth understanding of infection control, which is imperative in handling raw milk,” Kramer says. “I can give injections, draw blood and provide other care to maintain healthy animals. My vet was impressed with how I set a goat’s broken leg.” She laughs.
“The birth of new animals is always fulfilling and exciting!” she adds. “There is loss, of course, too, but I have accepted that as part of the journey. I mourn, find a lesson if I can and move on.”
Glover sums up farm life.
“Every day happens outdoors, shaped by weather, growth cycles and constant change,” she says. “That rhythm and evolution keep me deeply engaged and connected to what I am doing.”
TOPSAIL AREA MARKETS & FARM STANDS
Andrews Produce
8904 2nd Ave, North Topsail Beach
andrewsproducetopsailbeach
Bear Ridge Farms
5930 N.C. Highway 50, Maple Hill
BearRidgeFarm
Carol Sue Farms
19874 U.S. Highway 17 N., Hampstead
carolsuefarms.com
Hampstead Farmers Market
March to December, Thursdays 4 to 7 pm
Ironclad Golf Course
2368 Country Club Drive, Hampstead
Hampstead Farmers Market
Hometown Harvest
145 Virginia Lane, Sneads Ferry
hometownharvest.sf
Surf City Farmers Market
Fridays 5 to 8 pm
Surf City Brewing Company
402 Alston Boulevard, Hampstead
The Salted Shell Farmers Market
2427 N.C. Highway 172, Sneads Ferry
thesaltedshell
Feast Down East CSA Box Program
115 S. Dickerson Street, Burgaw
feastdowneast. localfoodmarketplace.com
THE GROWERS & PRODUCERS
Coastal Greens Farm – Katie Frank
coastalgreensfarm.com
FarmAsea – Marylee Reaume
farmasearx.com
GreenDrop Farms – Casey Glover
greendropfarmsnc.com
Hidden Haven Farm – Stephanie Kramer
Hidden Haven Farm
Lotus Haven Hives – Pam Latter
Lotus Haven Hives
Red Beard Farms – Sarah Wiland
Red Beard Farms
