Photographer and food writer Sophie Merkens has travelled the length of the country to meet New Zealand women with a special connection with food; women who grow, gather, hunt and forage from the land. Food has always played a big role in Sophie Merkens' own life, and she's developed a career around it, working as a recipe developer, food stylist and photographer. Drawn to the stories of how food can be a central force of people's lives, work and travels, she decided to set out an epic trip - from Cape Reinga to Bluff, she met 35 inspiring women. Kathryn speaks with Sophie Merkens about the result; her book Grow - Wahine Finding Connection Through Food.