Harvesting ‘Knowledge’ with Podcasts

Have you come across the word ‘podcast’? There is a growing trend of people listening to podcasts, but if you are not among this trend you might be wondering, what exactly is a podcast and why should you bother?

A podcast is a digital audio file you can download from the internet. You can download a podcast to a computer, but most people download podcasts to their smartphones and listen to them “on the go”.

Podcasts are an easy way to gain knowledge and understanding about a specific subject area from passionate people who are experts in their field. And did I mention most podcasts are free…?!

So, what are podcasts about? There are literally thousands of topics, but broad categories include:

  • Business & Industry
  • News
  • Sport
  • Parenting, Kids and Family
  • Science & Medicine
  • Technology
  • Lifestyle & Health
  • Society & Culture
  • Politics
  • Religion
  • Comedy
  • Etc.

Whoever you are, there will be a podcast show for you!

Podcasts are produced by people who are passionate about a subject area. Podcasts episodes from the same person are normally grouped together as a show or series. Each show has a unique name and brand, like a TV series.

It is easy to find interesting, popular and trending shows. You just select the podcast category that interests you, and then the most popular shows will list first, or you can search, browse and explore to find a very specific show that appeals to you. Shows normally release a new episode or installment every week. This means that if you subscribe to a show, you will receive new installments automatically.

There are some great agriculture related shows, from regenerative agriculture, commodity specific farming, agri-marketing, agri-science, agri-investing, commodity markets, technologies, etc. If you are in an agri-supply chain, there will be an interesting podcast show for you.

The Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, hosted by John Kempf, is a great show to start with. Here are some of the show’s episode titles to whet your appetite:

  • Preventing nitrogen and phosphorus leaching.
  • Things to do when plants don’t respond to nutrient applications.
  • Why should we care about soil health?
  • Symbiotic relationships in ecology.
  • How insect pests identify unhealthy plants.

Now that you have a better understanding of what podcasts have to offer, you might be wondering, do I need to be tech-savvy to listen to a podcast? Absolutely not! Here’s an easy guide on how to access podcasts:

  1. Install the “Stitcher” app from iTunes App Store or Google Play (Android).
  2. Register on the Stitcher app.
  3. Browse shows and “star” your favorites to automatically download new episodes.
  4. Listen to shows through the Stitcher app on headphones, or even better, via Bluetooth over your car’s audio system.

Enjoy!

References and Further Reading

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/podcasts/what-is-a-podcast-and-where-can-i-find-the-best-ones-to-listen-t/

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