A podcast designed and produced by the Farm, Food and Enterprise Development program with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach has been recognized for its outreach.
The Small Farm Sustainability Podcast, which airs each week, was ranked No. 1 in a listing of the “Best 20 Sustainable Agriculture Podcasts” by Feedspot Blog, an online content creator and social media curator. Produced by Christa Hartsook and Olivia Hanlon, small farms program coordinators with FFED, the podcast features a wide range of topics that address the opportunities and challenges associated with rural life. Recent topics have included biosecurity publications, Iowa organics, hunting perspectives, fall produce storage and the fall armyworm outbreak.
New topics are addressed each week, in response to the season and issues facing Iowa’s small farm and acreage owners. Presenters include experts from ISU Extension and Outreach, and industry experts from across the state.
“The podcast is a cost-effective way to get information out to our clients in rural Iowa, with great information from the university that people are looking for,” said Hartsook. “We really cover a wide range of topics within agriculture and natural resources, and are grateful for our colleagues at Iowa State for supporting the content.”
The podcasts have been offered since 2015, but took on a new focus with increased interest in the spring of 2020, with the onset of COVID-19.
Upcoming topics will include a conversation with state climatologist Justin Glisan, regarding the fall and winter outlook, and a separate discussion on decorating the home with items found in the backyard, featuring Aaron Steil.
Hartsook did not apply for the recognition and was pleasantly surprised with the honor. The podcast has a weekly audience of about 800 listeners.
According to FeedSpot, the Small Farm Sustainability Podcast ranked first among the best sustainable agriculture podcasts from thousands of podcasts on the web. Podcasts were ranked by traffic, social media followers, domain authority and freshness.
“We were very honored with the recognition and continue to hear positive reviews from our listeners,” said Hartsook.
In addition to the Small Farm Sustainability website, the podcasts are available through TuneIn, Spotify and iHeartRADIO.
For more information, Hartsook can be reached at 515-294-4430 or hartc@iastate.edu