Rural Lifestyle on Highway 6

Some Stories from Business and Agriculture

It's been a busy week for agriculture and Rural Life Radio has been hanging with several. Here is a "Friday Wrap" of some things we've covered and some things coming up.  Enjoy!

Target Marketing - It Works...

We share this simple fact all the time, "Know Thy Consumer".  Know where they are and what they want...well before the sell.  Here in Iowa we just concluded two major events, The Iowa State Fair and Farm Progress Show.  One event brought brought in one-million people the other a fraction at 200,000.  However which worked best for the target audience?  "Practical Target Marketing - It Matters" is right here. 

Agriculture and Main Street

There is a common disconnect between the rural and urban understanding of the 2012 USDA Farm Bill.  The impact of agriculture on urban centers, and some rural towns, needs to be addressed and here in this piece with Bill Northey, Secretary of Agriculture for Iowa we look at the controversy of the "feeding programs" as well as crop insurance and...uncertainty in an uncertain profession.

 

Viral Video & Iowa Public Television

One of the this summer's biggest internet hits (nearly 7 million views) came from a trio of Kansas Brothers in a parody called "Farming and I Grow It." Our friend Paul Yeager visited the location for PBS's Market to Market. The goal of the video was to inform Greg's city friends about life on the farm. Shooting took 3 weeks to complete and had to be done around the farming work day. They had some help from their sister Laura in filming some of the memorable shots. At first the other two brothers, Kendal and Nathan had to be convinced to keep shooting. But, after a few days they started having fun and knew they have a good product.  Why am I sharing with you?  Because this is a lesson in connecting with your target market in a way that blends lots of angles for an industry that's had difficulties with a younger demographic.  The story will be tonight at 8:00PM and Sunday at 12:30PM during Market to Market. Here is the video but make sure you tune in for the back-story with Paul.

 

Media on Media

The Farm Progress Show for 2012 is history so what were the take-a-way items beyond Secretary Northey?  Here we talked to Chuck Zimmerman from AgWired about what he is hearing.  Media talking to Media...I think this is a solid idea for future features.

 

Rural Iowa Scores the Debate

We visited this week with Deb Brown of the Greater Franklin County Chamber who has secured a moderated debate with Rep. Steve King (R-IA) and his challenger former Iowa First Lady Christie Vilsack for mid September.  It's something Ames nor Clay County could get done.  How did it happen and what are the details?  Here you go.

 

Thanks for coming by.  If you want to comment here feel free or we can connect on Twitter @RuralLifeRadio and here is our advertising/communications agency Facebook Page. Have a great weekend! 

Some Fun "Rural" Videos

We're fortunate to be able to travel the country for our clients and much of that travel has to do with shooting video.  Along with the "official" work we're doing we spend some time to do the "fun stuff".  Short side videos that reflect the people and the place we're at.  Thought you might like to see some.

A couple of years ago we were at the Farm Progress Show near Boone, Iowa.  We parked the vehicle, did our shoot and then...

 

We became very thankful to the folks on the go-carts patrolling the grounds who helped us search.

Back in 2010 members of the Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association - Supply Section visited the Case/New Holland Headquarters in Racine, Wisconsin.  Here is a quick tour...

 

Pretty neat and thanks for making us all feel "at home".

Also in 2010 we made this video about Farm Crawl.  About a dozen small farms get together in early fall and provide over 1,200 visitors a glimpse of sustainable agriculture. 

  

Pretty neat idea and fits into the world of "agri-tourism".

Now, this is SHORT.  Here we are on a day when the temps hit 113...the actual temperature not "what it felt like".  We were on the Dossett Farm near McPherson, Kansas.

 

Remember there is no "fear" in McPherson.

On the same trip we then headed north to Cawker City, Kansas to the Remus Family Farm.  Here you'll see how we light and shoot and get a little back story about the family.

 

Did you catch that? "...walk over to that device."  Adam is learning...on every trip.

I'll share some additional pieces in the future.  Thanks for coming by!

On Twitter:  @RuralLifeRadio

Michael P. Libbie