Squash That Rumor

IAA Starts a Podcast

April 23, 2020 Glori Hyman

With education as its core mission, the University of Maryland’s Institute of Applied Agriculture (IAA) continually seeks ways to bring education to its communities, alumni and students.  Emerging technologies and growing talents among the IAA faculty have enabled the institute to increase the value it brings to the industries it serves.  The IAA’s newest endeavor is The Squash, a podcast for those with careers or interest in a variety of agriculture specialties including turfgrass, horticulture, farming production, food systems, and agriculture leadership and communication.


With the expansion of its oral communication classes in 2012 and the addition of its Agricultural Leadership and Communication concentration in 2017, the IAA has assembled a faculty with diverse and complementary skills that meshed—or should we say squashed—together perfectly to create the ideal blend of communication and agriculture needed to create the podcast.


Three of the IAA’s Oral Communication Lecturers--Rob Ballenger, Eric Dunning, and Chelsea Mays-Williams—are the creative minds and the voices behind the podcast.  Calling on his 15 years of experience in journalism including his work with NPR’s All Things Considered, Ballenger serves as the podcast producer and technical expert.  Mays-Williams provides the voice.  She says, “I bring fearless interviewing that enables me to ask questions that novices want to know and I’m able to provide some humor for experts.”


Dunning describes himself as the creative director/visionary, which he says “is a fancy way of saying I throw out ideas. I try to find the core narrative and unique ways of looking at issues that will engage to the audience.”


Mays-Williams says she envisions The Squash becoming a voice for the agricultural community, adding that it will provide an opportunity “to share the voices of agricultural specialists and the topics that they are passionate about.”  


Dunning agrees, and notes that he, Ballenger and Mays-Williams come from a communication and social science background, so they will be “getting into topics regarding agriculture that are more socially-based. How agriculture operates culturally, legally, etc. Really getting an understanding and appreciation of all of the various aspects of agriculture.  It’s not just about producing food. There are so many areas that influence our daily lives in ways that we’re not aware of.” 


While admittedly some topics may target the practitioners in the field, the IAA faculty hope the podcast can provide something for everyone.  “You don’t have to be a farmer to appreciate food security and sustainability,” says Dunning.  


“This is a podcast for everyone who wants to squash hard topics, understand and dispel myths about agriculture,” adds Mays-Williams.


So what about that name?  The Squash.  “First, a squash is a vegetable – so that’s relevant,” says Dunning.   “We had a lot of names circulating, but we were looking for something short, punchy and memorable, so I think we’ve succeeded. Plus, it sounds really good when Chelsea says it.”

You can listen to the first episode, which launched in April.  It explores a newly implemented, local effort to limit the use of popular synthetic pesticides while encouraging organic controls.