JUNE 2018• COUNTRY LIFE IN BC


Young farmers turn on, tune in


and download Young Agrarians see potential in podcasts to share knowledge


by RONDA PAYNE KELOWNA – Basic but


important farm chores are often repetitive and mindless. But it’s possible to get more out of work than sore muscles by listening to music, audio books or – as Young Agrarians are recognizing – podcasts. A collective of new farmers


has recently created a club to share podcasts selected by a fellow Young Agrarian. Dana Penrice, program manager for Young Agrarians in Alberta, notes it was farmers who started the push for podcasts through the YA website. “We have some farmers


here that just love listening to podcasts and are always telling each other what their favourite podcast is and sharing them with each other,” she explains.


But suggesting someone find a podcast and listen to it is like suggesting they find a good song to listen to on iTunes. It’s a rabbit hole of epic proportions. Fortunately, when YA learned about the interaction among podcast listeners, Alberta members Ted Chastko and Lilli Klamke came on board to curate the podcasts. Penrice is hoping to add other curators in the future. “We have a curator who is a farmer,” Penrice says.


“[Chastko] funnels [podcasts] into our staff and puts them up for other farmers to listen to.”


Those who sign up for the podcast club receive a weekly email that links to the selected podcast. The programs are from all over the world. While many focus on farming, some are about general life issues. “The idea is that farmers are


out there sitting on their tractors or weeding their gardens and I think that listening to podcasts is [catching on],” notes Penrice. “There’s so many podcasts out there. The weak link is actually the curation of them. There’s [no one selecting the] gems of episodes within different podcast series.” By curating and collecting what other farmers are finding relevant and beneficial, YA is improving access to what it considers the cream of the online crop. “We have them all categorized,” Penrice says of past podcasts. “There’s more coming on all the time. This is our way to catch them and spread the word.” The podcast initiative also builds on the natural inclination of farmers to network and share. “This just really started by a couple of people sharing what they’re listening to and we’re


43


Kelowna farmer Jordon Marr, with his partner Vanessa Samur and their son Levon Marr, is a popular podcaster in farming circles. SCOTT AUGUST PHOTO


sharing that among a wider audience,” Penrice notes. “And it stimulates conversations, too. You’ll hear them talking about these podcasts, ‘oh did you hear that one that’s about poultry production?’ It’s informal learning networks


that we’re trying to prop up a little more.” Penrice’s favourite podcast


source is The Ruminant, posted by Kelowna vegetable and herb grower Jordan Marr. “It’s fun to see him as a farmer adding this on to what


he does. It’s been such a good resource for our community,” Penrice says. Sign up to receive a weekly email with podcast recommendations at [youngagrarians.org/farmer- podcast-club].


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