Digging Deeper...

The next pit stop for technology travelers in the agricultural journalism capstone course is SoundSlides.
This pairing of source-only audio and images felt forced and unnatural to me - a bit like writing a magazine feature using only direct quotations. However, I can see the appeal of a short, low-intensity medium for consumers to get a feature fix (likely during their caffeiene fix if they are anything like me).

After a practice run on a friend to test my sound-gathering skills (Thanks, S.), I set out to interview a young man I met several months ago. This section of his life wasn't the story I expected to tell, but a time crunch and reporting "oops" led me to his transition from college to the 'real world' as an employee. I'll leave the storytelling to Joe Burns though... You shouldn't need any additional software to see and hear "College Job to Career."



...and yeah, that's two posts in one day (Just for you, R.)!

Whew....

First, an apology... It's been a long time since the last update for this page, and as one of my friends gently reminded me, "that's no fun."

Between working on the Missouri Pork Expo and writing for the University of Missouri School of Natural Resources, my spare time has been extremely limited. Unscheduled moments have gone to thinks like the graduate school application process, internship hunting and sleep. :)

Okay... so, the podcast I promised in February has doubled. I've done two for my senior capstone course.
1)The first was a promotional blurb for Tiger Garden, a floral shop on my college campus - check it out!
2) Then, I worked on a longer project covering the MU Tigers for Tigers fundraising campaign with the World Wildlife Fund. That podcast is linked "here" for your enjoyment.

Next Adventure: Podcasting

Somewhere during the course of my informal education, I picked up the advice to "stick with what you know" to avoid getting into too much trouble. I kept that tidbit in mind while exploring podcasting, another component of convergence journalism. The podcast linked below is an offshoot of the Discovery Channel program "Dirty Jobs." It aired on January 31, 2008. In the television program, host Mike Rowe explores "the jobs that make civilized life possible for the rest of us."

This program explores shellfish farming. Previous programs have placed Rowe in water treatment facilities, silos, confined animal feeding operations and even with a Missouri charcoal producer. I thoroughly enjoy the video program, and expected to enjoy the podcast, as well.

Technically speaking, this was foreign ground. Clicking through itunes.com I found podcasts and the option to subscribe. This worked well - the program dropped right into the proper file on my computer. I clicked "play" and all was well. Then, I tried adding it to this blog... this is attempt number 15,287 (okay, maybe just number 5) to play it within my page.

Discussing the Podcast:
I was surprised to find that this wasn't much of a podcast at all - it is only the audio from the shellfish segment of the program. That certainly doesn't mesh well with the concept of convergence as a way to further specialize content. This seems like a feeble attempt to draw more viewers to the televised (and advertising supported) version. The segment is also on shellfish farming, and I expected there to be a tie into the rapidly growing aquaculture industry. That link must have found a home on the cutting room floor instead. However, more than a minute was devoted to the palatability of raw mussells.

Insight from the Professional

The agricultural journalism senior capstone class got a chance to chat with Chuck Zimmerman, founder of AgWired.com, on Thursday afternoon.

During the discussion, he shot a video and discussed posting it to his blog.

He answered questions about blogging - from getting started with an understanding of basic coding to finding sponsors and staying current with ever-changing technology. Zimmerman answered our questions using a lifetime of experience - from a start-up hobby to supporting his family via blogging.

It was also great to have a fellow University of Florida fan in the room. Go Gators!

Wintry Mix

Parking garages at the University of Missouri emptied more quickly than usual today as professors released students and supervisors released staff early in response to a fast-moving winter storm. One student in the School of Natural Resources compared the precipitation to the futuristic ice cream, Dippin' Dots. Air temperatures dropped from highs in the middle 50s to lows near 12 degrees farenheight. The slippery conditions were in sharp contrast to the relatively mild winter central Missouri has seen thus far. The intersectin of Rollins Road and Virginia Avenue is a campus hot spot for vehicular and pedestrian activity. Slick conditions slowed both this afternoon.

Blog Analysis

http://mofarmersmarket.blogspot.com/

I found this blog about six weeks ago, while researching agri-tourism and organic food production to prepare for an interview. I knew that blogging was growing in popularity and that some professionals were using blogs as communication tools, however, I did not expect to find pages representing the Missouri Department of Agriculture. I’ve found myself clicking back to this page periodically since the initial visit – frequent updates make this one “stickier” than most blogs I’ve found, and it is pleasing on technical, aesthetic and content levels.
Technically, this blog is very sound. The page loads quickly, even on a dial-up connection and is simple to navigate. Few additional applications, like audio or video effects, keep the page streamlined. Simple colors, basic fonts and few pictures are a sacrifice on aesthetics, however. The page has maintained a consistent look since its establishment in the early summer of 2007.
This professional blog provides a wealth of information for anyone interested in farmers markets, organic foods or Missouri agri-tourism. It is produced by the state department of agriculture, and is updated nearly daily. The page also provides links to Web sites with more specialized information and applications for private and government programs to support both niche and mainstream agriculture. Calendars and upcoming events are also promoted on this site, informing the public and encouraging participation.

Opening Day

If I tell you this is my first time blogging, will you judge me for being a few years behind? It's not that I don't like technology. It's not that I don't care what others think. It's not that I have nothing to say.

It's just that I'd rather talk to someone I know than keep a diary for strangers to peruse at their leisure. I am the person that replies "What do you want to know?" when casually asked to describe myself.