Sunday, March 5, 2023

Podcast with Mother Earth News

For years, I worked with a wonderful editor for such magazines as Backyard Beekeeping and Goat Journal. Then last year there was something of a shakeup at Ogden Publications (the umbrella organization), and this particular editor also took on the responsibilities of editing Mother Earth News.

Mother Earth News! I've wanted to write for that magazine since forever. I gave the editor a few months to settle into her new role, then sent an article on spec. She accepted it, but warned me that due to a backlog of articles (apparently everyone wants to write for Mother Earth News) it might not see print for a year or more.

That was fine, and next thing I know the editor had several assignments for me – not for the print version of the magazine (at least not yet), but for the website. These articles may take a while to show up (again, there's a backlog), but I'm honored to play a small part of this venerable publication.

Then about a month ago I got an email asking if I'd be interested in participating in a podcast. You bet! The interview (on the subject of hatching mixed birds) took place two weeks ago. It went live a couple days ago. Feel free to click on the link and listen.

7 comments:

  1. There needs to be some way to rejuvenate podcasts. Please don't take this personal I hope it is useful and it is not intended to be negative. Podcasts are too long. Podcasts drone on and seemingly never get to a point. The ones with a point bury it somewhere in there probably never to be found because you fell asleep as it droned on. Podcasts are audible but I and many other people are sitting in there easy chair wit their spouse in the room and the TV on, not a great venue for an audible communication, so they should be accompanied by a transcript. And last, again no offense is meant but much could be learned by listening to podcasts, it seems most podcasters are in love with their own voice and just talk and talk about nothing. Please get to the point sometime in the 30 minutes I wasted that I can never get back.

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    1. Listening at 2x’s speed helps tremendously!

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  2. Whoa, I agree with Anonymous. I can't listen to the endless ramblings of podcasters. I say the same to my poor husband--get the point already!

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  3. I can read much faster than listen (and I skim a lot these days as well) but I'm learning to appreciate podcasts. Yes, for the most part, I'd prefer reading, but there are so many times - washing dishes or driving - where it's just not possible to read, and having something to listen to is much appreciated.

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  4. My agreement with those challenged by podcasts is a little different. Living where I live there is exceptionally poor internet (and TV and cell phone) reception. I am also limited in choices of cell phone plans. So for almost $50 per month, I get 8 gigabytes. Anything "listened to", including youtube, means watching the screen spin seemingly endless circles.
    My solution is to scroll through the videos looking at the titles, from which basic info is gleaned. Then if something is really interesting, I open the video, pause it, and read comments. Downloading also is a problem here so unless out shopping, if I remember or wrote it down to remember, I don't.
    Otherwise I would enjoy a good listen, as well as read. We tend to learn 3 ways. By listening, by seeing, like a video or in person teacher, and reading. The more ways we combine the better we retain the subject matter. And of course we learn by doing which is improved by the previously mentioned methods.
    The next visit to the library I'll listen to the podcast. I love all the info gleaned here and greatly appreciate the time, effort, and knowledge shared. Thank you so much for doing this for us.

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  5. I cancelled Mother Earth News last month.

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  6. I used to love mother earth magazine.
    I attended their conventions. I had a subscription for years.
    But I stopped my subscription.
    The content had become very liberal leaning. There are better publications
    to spend your money on.

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