Monday, January 18, 2016

5 Great Podcasts to Check Out

All this vocal time-out I have since my surgery damaged my voice may prevent me from recording a new podcast, but it gives me a little time to check out some other folks podcasts. I listen to a wide variety of genres of podcasts. While I enjoy all things tiny, I also enjoy lots of other interests. Podcasts are exploding right now, becoming more and more accessible and enjoying a renaissance of sorts. Here are 5 great podcasts you may want to consider lending an ear to for your listening enjoyment:



1. Fireside Mystery Theatre - If you have ever enjoyed attending a mystery theater or wished you could have, here is a great podcast to give a listen to. Reminiscent of old-school mystery radio programs, Fireside Mystery Theatre is put on by a troupe of actors out of New York. Sound effects, creative voices, and a cast of characters will entertain you with a unique series of mystery stories. I started with Tales of Automatons (Podcast 12) and thoroughly enjoyed the presentation of several stories of automatons along with a guest that spoke about the history of automatons. Episode 12 was just under 2 hours long, so I broke it up into segments (Listened while cleaning up, cooking dinner, relaxing, in the car, etc). It was a great listen!




2.  Homesteady: Stories of Homesteading and Farming - Homesteady is a series of shorter podcasts that address specific topics related to homesteading. Covering a wide range of topics from gardening, sheep, chickens, pigs, baking bread, etc., boredom is not to be found here. Well produced and informative, this is a very informative podcast giving information that is realistic and applicable to those interested in homesteading, farming, gardening, raising animals, or those who just dream of doing so.


3. Mortified: The Podcast - HILARIOUS! Various random people read from the their childhood diaries, sharing their most embarrassing and humorous ponderings of their youth. I got a big kick out of the episode where a girl read about her Y2k experience. Very entertaining! Short in length (averages 20 min), these are great in the car or while waiting for an appointment.


4. Story Corps - Produced by NPR, Story Corps is a project to collect stories from a broad range of people from all walks of life. Typically interviewed by friend, family, coworker, etc., the recordings will be stored in the Library of Congress for posterity. I really enjoyed the story of a woman whose son was murdered. After a little more than a decade after the conviction, she went to the prison to speak with the man who murdered her only child. Eventually they struck up a friendship, she forgiving him, he adopting her as a psuedo-mother. I don't want to share the ending and spoil it, but it was truly a story of redemption and forgiveness.


5. Chicken Thistle Farm Coopcast - This podcast is produced by Farmer Andy and his wife who run a farm in upstate New York. Frank and honest, but funny at the same time, this podcast is more or less their personal journal of their adventure. Chicken Thistle Farm is a pig farm, where Andy and his wife raise pigs, have them processed, and then sell the meat to customers who have preordered. They also raise and process chickens. The last two years have been rough for the farm in terms of complications with the birthing and the death of a sow. Their banter is entertaining and I love Andy's sarcasm.

Enjoy checking out these podcasts. I hope to be back soon, as soon as I have a voice that is. Maybe I should just record one with my funky voice for entertainment...hmmm.