Farmer’s Hat Productions founders featured in Momtalk Magazine:
JoAnne Pastel, a former stockbroker, who decided to stay at home when her son was born, realized she needed something else to do. She discussed this with a “life coach,” and together they realized there was a spark in JoAnne’s voice when she mentioned that she wanted to write children’s books. As a result, JoAnne forged ahead and began writing a draft of her first book. During that process, she decided to invite her friend, Kakie Fitzsimmons, to join her in this endeavor. (more…)

By Kakie Fitzsimmons, Vice President and founding partner, Farmer’s Hat Productions,
co-author of Bur Bur and Friends, an award winning children’s book series that uses a cast of young multicultural characters to teach kids about sports.

It was a cold day in December and on a whim I decided to bring my video camera along. The battery was low so I had to keep turning it off until it was his turn to shoot the ball. He has been working so hard at basketball drills and sometimes feels weird because he is the only kid on the team who is left handed. That means when he takes a shot he has to come at the hoop from a different angle than all of the others. When it is his turn to give it a go everyone else has to stop and wait. (more…)

By Kakie Fitzsimmons, Vice President and founding partner, Farmer’s Hat Productions,
co-author of Bur Bur and Friends, an award winning children’s book series that uses a cast of young multicultural characters to teach kids about sports.

Basketball: The new sport in our lives. Two days a week my son and I head down to the gym for drills and skills. The team is called ‘the Jaguars’ and right now they are learning the fundamentals of the game. Dribbling, chest pass, bounce pass, overhead pass, shuffling down the court, jump shots. Playing teaches the kids life skills. These coaches are leading the kids towards a process, helping them see their strengths and to believe that as long as they keep trying, they can accomplish anything. (more…)

By Nancy Crotti, MinnesotaBusiness Magazine

JoAnne Pastel and Kakie Fitzsimmons couldn’t find books that featured young children of all ethnicities playing and learning together. So they decided to develop their own line of books, toys, children’s clothing and accessories that encourage diverse populations of kids to learn about sports and outdoor activities. (more…)