Priming for production: A podcast on soil health

Priming for production: A podcast on soil health

Summary

This project set out to create a series of audio podcasts about soil health and basic soil science geared toward farmers of various levels of knowledge. The objective of the overall project is to provide simple but thorough explanations of soil processes as well as information about specific management practices that have been shown to improve soil health. While the episodes are intentionally not prescriptive, it is our belief that understanding soil processes can facilitate more informed on-farm decision making to foster improved soil health. The format of the episodes was determined with input from the advisory panel. Each episode is centered around a topic and the narration integrates excerpts from 14 interviews with soil scientists, soil health, and cover crop experts. The episodes will be released all together in spring 2017.

Objectives/Performance Targets

The project was delayed because it was more time-consuming than expected. While we had hoped to release all the episodes in 2016, we did not release any following the initial feedback from the first episode released to the advisory panel in 2015. We have taken that feedback into consideration in writing the scripts and formatting the new episodes. In accordance with the new timeline from our no-cost extension, I have completed one additional interview and have written the scripts for four of the six episodes for which we have outlines. These have been reviewed for scientific accuracy and are ready for audio editing. There will be at least 3 hours of finished audio material as outlined in the original proposal.

Accomplishments/Milestones

We are behind in the original timetable but almost on track with our updated timetable:

October 2016- all episode outlines completed

December 2016- all additional recordings done, scripts written and revised (4/6 done)

January/February 2017- audio remixing planned

March 2017- release episodes on podcasting apps, advertise via SARE and newsletters, upload complete transcripts and further resources to website & initiate online survey via Qualtrix

August 2017- compile feedback from survey as well as download statistics for outreach component

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

NA

Collaborators: