Tag Archives: social media

Industry NewsSocial media is new “party line” (continued)

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The Des Moines Register, caucuses.desmoinesregister.com

The Role of Social Media in Iowa became the topic of the early morning #iacaucus coverage. 

During a live broadcast this week, the following question was posed to Franklin County farmer Larry Sailer: How are you using social media to assist with farming? Facebook, Twitter and blogs have become virtual coffee shops.

Common uses of social media within the agricultural community include:

  • Advocacy – helping others understand farming practices and educates the masses about important issues impacting agriculture and farmers.
  • Community Building – connects consumers with producers; helps farmers connect with the people their feeding; and connects people who have similar interests.
  • Relationship building – getting better acquainted with people you already know and meeting others with whom you can network and work together for a common cause.

Farmers Do Text. (In fact, I set up all of the farm stops for the WHO Radio 2011 Crop Tour through texting!) They also tweet and post status updates on Facebook, too.

“Twitter and Facebook are popular,” agrees Deb Brown of Debworks, a marketing organization based in Hampton, Iowa, that uses traditional and new media to help businesses get noticed. “Fifty-seven percent of Franklin County residents are on Facebook; it’s the new ‘party line’.”

I just love Deb’s sound bite but can’t help but wonder how many politicos connected “party line” to Democrats v. Republicans rather than the shared telephone lines that were common in rural areas when I was a kid.

Aren’t double entredrés great? The more I think about it, the more fitting I find it that social media has become the new party line. Rather than “drawing a line in the sand,” we can use social media to connect “two or more users in an exchange” of ideas. Regardless of whether people or Democrats or Republican, we can unite around common interests including family and community, food and fun!

Industry NewsSocial Media is New “Party Line” during Iowa Caucus

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Naturally, all Americans look forward to the time between Christmas and New Year’s. It’s often filled with rest, relaxation and anticipation for the future. Even if adults are working that week, it reminds me of taking summer classes while a college student: You do the work but the atmosphere is a lot more relaxed.

That is unless you’re an Iowan and it’s the week before the first-in-the-nation caucus! Then your telephone rings several times a day – even interrupts family gatherings as you celebrate the holidays – with political candidates trying to win your support. (On the upside, it beats having bill collectors call!) You can find 24/7 news coverage of the upcoming landmark political event as even the “local news station” is providing its own angle.

But I’m not complaining! I honestly believe it’s an honor for Iowa to host the caucus. We have the privilege of exercising our freedom to vote, take part in the political process, plus showcase all that Iowa and its wonderful small towns have to offer. And that’s exactly what happened when CNN’s Starting Point with Soledad O’Brian rolled into the Hawkeye State.

CNN producers met right before the New Year with Franklin County residents including Larry Sailer, farmer and Franklin County Farm Bureau member, and Deb During Brown of Hampton, founder of Debworks, who specializes in using traditional and new media to connect people.

So how did a powerful New York media outlet find two experienced social media users in the middle of Iowa? It wasn’t random. It was the result of the 2011 Harvest Tour, sponsored by Latham Hi-Tech Seeds, Franklin County Farm Bureau and Debworks, founded by Deb During Brown.

“CNN found more stories about our bloggers tour,” writes Brown in a Dec. 30 blog post. “Residents of Franklin County were actually using social media! Suddenly the topic changed from politics to how rural communities were using social media. Larry Sailer – a farmer in the county, myself, Claire Celsi – businesswomen and blogger from Des Moines and Michael Libbie – advertising man and blogger will be on a live panel Monday morning. Starting Point with Soledad O’Brien – here we come!”

Click here to watch a news clip of Franklin County residents and bloggers, who were interviewed Monday on CCN’s Starting Point.

Food & FamilyReaching Consumers through Recipes: Debbie Lyons-Blythe, Mother, Blogger, Agvocate

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Amazing.

It’s the first word that comes to mind when I think of Debbie Lyons-Blythe. She’s the mother of 5, an advocate for agriculture, blogger, and central Kansas cattle rancher. But that didn’t happen overnight. 

Debbie Lyons-Blythe, Mother, Blogger, Agvocate

Growing up, Debbie’s mom ran their family’s Angus ranch while her dad worked in town. That tradition lives on: Debbie takes care of 500 cattle daily while her husband works in town but helps her in the evening or on weekends.

Debbie and her husband are the proud parents of 2 girls and 3 boys, who lend a hand on the ranch when they can: Meghan, 19; Allie, 17; Trent, 16; and identical twins, Tyler and Eric, age 15.

“I can’t say enough how blessed we are,” Debbie said. “Our kids are hard workers, and they love working on the ranch. They just finished building 2 miles of fence. But as we put it, they’re not building our fence – they’re building their fence.”

Helping ensure a future in agriculture for her children is one important reason why Debbie became involved in the agvocacy movement. She writes content on her blog, Facebook, and Twitter accounts to help educate consumers about modern agriculture and how their food makes it from the farm to the table.

Debbie said while she loves connecting with others in agriculture through social media, her main goal is to connect with those who are buying groceries. She wants to educate them about their food choices, helping bridge the gap between the knowledge we often take for granted in rural America and the average consumers’ experiences.

“That’s where recipes blossomed into my blog,” Debbie said. In conjunction with the educational agriculture messages she shares on her blog, Debbie also posts recipes to help encourage consumer choices at the grocery store. She said she tries not to miss an opportunity where she can remind readers that being a part of modern agriculture requires constant attention and effort.

 “I look at Facebook like it’s my job,” she said. “I don’t just post on Facebook that my children’s Christmas program is tonight. I say, ‘Gotta get the cows fed and bedding down before we go to the Christmas program tonight,’ to remind people that farming is a 24/7 job. I remind them that I can’t go anywhere, do anything, unless my cows are taken care of first.”

Debbie said being an agvocate doesn’t have to take an exorbitant amount of time or equipment.

“I think you can incorporate social media into everything you’re already doing in a day,” she said.

Debbie’s social media involvement started with drafting blog posts and sharing photos from her phone, and now, it’s become a regular part of her day. In the winter, when she comes inside to warm up with a cup of coffee, she brings it over to the computer and drafts a blog post. In the summer, when she’s bailing hay, she grabs her phone and Tweets to shares photos with her followers.

We couldn’t be more thankful that individuals like Debbie who are helping educate consumers about modern agriculture. A big thank you to Debbie for taking time from her (incredibly) busy schedule and for sharing this wonderful Beef Enchilada Soup Recipe with us. It’s easy to see why it’s one of her readers’ favorites! Visit Debbie’s blog, Facebook, and Twitter accounts today!

Beef Enchilada Soup Recipe 

Ingredients:
4 lbs ground beef, browned & drained
1 large can tomatoes (crushed, diced or sauce–whichever you prefer)
1 can black beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can sweet corn
1 small can green chilis
1 can enchilada sauce (we prefer mild, but any can be used)
2 cans beef broth
2 envelopes taco seasoning

Directions:
Put ingredients into crockpot on low for the day, or on high for a couple of hours. It can also be cooked on the stovetop. The key is to heat through and allow flavors to meld.

Top with sliced flour tortillas – this is important! They act like noodles and are delicious. Also offer shredded cheese, avocado, cilantro, sour cream, or additional seasoning.