Over on GoodPods, a podcast listening and social media app, they've included a feature that I quite like. As a podcast producer, I was asked to complete this short q&a for their producer's profile section. I've decided to share it here because up until now, nobody has ever asked me these simple questions.
I filled out the answers some time ago, but recently, after reading them again on the show profile, I liked how I answered the questions! I was having a good day apparently.
Tell us about yourself – what is your background?
I've grown up with a strong passion for food and where it comes from. As a child on a farm on the prairies of Canada, I enjoyed gardening, foraging, and especially hunting and fishing for wild food ingredients. It was ingrained in my DNA. I just had to spend time outdoors with a pack of matches and some tin foil. It's what I do.
Why did you get into podcasting?
I remember being very young and playing with my siblings. I set up a toy two-way radio and pretended it was my radio station. I'd play records and talk like a DJ from my basement studio while my brother and sister listened upstairs. The idea of audio-only storytelling is another big challenge that I enjoy tackling. Podcasting seemed like a perfect fit for my creative efforts.
How did the idea for the show come about?
It was pretty easy to just talk about the things that I know and love. The challenge was to do a show that was not the same old interview style that is so prevalent in the podcasting world. There are so many other people who do a great job of chatting with guests. My show was supposed to be different. It was supposed to tell stories of our adventures! We record the sounds of the outdoors and the story of why we are out there. Episodes are recorded in wide stereo, on location in the wild.
What do you hope listeners take from the show?
I hope that listeners get entertainment and enjoyment from listening to the sounds of rivers rushing and leaves crunching. Perhaps they cannot be out in
the wilderness where they'd wish to be. We can bring the wild to them. We also hope to convey some wisdom from our years of failing at hunting and fishing. By now, we encounter successes more often than not, but it wasn't always that way. We try to provide education on the different ways to hunt, fish, and forage for wild food.
What's been the biggest challenge for you?
Getting attention has been my biggest challenge! There is an ocean of podcasters, and the industry is still growing. So many talented voices that attract listeners to their shows. It is tough to get ears onto my show, but the challenge is a fun one. I just try to make sure that once someone listens to the Food Afield Podcast, they become subscribers to the show. That's my goal. I'm sure I fail at that to some degree. The fun is in figuring out the success.
How can your listeners support your show?
For now, there are several ways to support the show. At the most basic level is the simple rate and review. Five stars and thoughtful comments should be left on listener apps and then anything negative should come straight to me so I can address it properly and in context. The next level of support is to visit the website and become a member. We have many different member benefits, some of which are way more valuable than the monthly subscription fee (which is less than the cost of a latte).
Any future plans that you'd like to share? More adventures in more adventurous places are in the plans. The show started out more or less local. Now we have trips planned to neighbouring provinces and even the Yukon Territories in Canada's Arctic! The show will continue to grow with our listener support, and in turn, the episodes will get better and better. The sky is the limit!
