Podcasts are the new radio

I grew up listening to New Zealand's National Radio.  Not always voluntarily, but because my dad has a radio in every room, including the bathroom, and a portable transistor radio for outside work as well, and of course the car was tuned in at all times.  He begins his day with radio and he falls asleep with radio and anyone in the house gets to listen to what he's listening too.  I really only listen to the radio in the car, and I do like to listen to Australia's Radio National.  I like most of the programs, but it seems that whenever I'm in the car for a decent drive its either boring programs, repeats of programs I already listened to, or no reception.

Taz likes to listen to podcasts when she drives too

And then I discovered podcasts.  Its like you get to choose your own radio program schedule!

According to Wikipedia:

A podcast is a digital medium consisting of an episodic series of audio, video, PDF, or ePub files subscribed to and downloaded through web syndication or streamed online to a computer or mobile device. The word is a neologism and portmanteau derived from "broadcast" and "pod" from the success of the iPod, as audio podcasts are often listened to on portable media players.

How's this for technology?  I can load podcasts from my favourite blogs onto my phone and play them on my car stereo via bluetooth!  Its like listening to blogs!  This would also be good to listen to while cleaning, cooking, gardening etc.  If you don't have the bluetooth/car stereo thingy, you can get a gadget that lets you tune your ipod or phone into the car radio.  You can also just listen to them on your computer.  To download the MP3 files, right click on the link that says "listen here" or "download" and select "save link".

Here's a list of my current favourite sources of podcasts, I'd love for you to share what you listen to as well!  Mine mostly involve sustainable farming, permaculture, real food and gardening.  I like the ones where bloggers interview interesting people, including other bloggers.  If its a couple of bloggers that you follow, its like listening to your friends having a chat.

Agricultural Innovations

Know your Food with Wardee

The Permaculture Podcast with Scott Mann

Root Simple - Low Tech Home Tech

Permaculture Voices Podcast

Grow Edible with Erica from Northwest Edible Life

The Greening of Gavin Podcast  and Gavin's Little Green Cheese Podcast

I used to wonder what podcasts were all about and our internet connection was so terrible, there was no way I was going to listen to them.  But now our internet is better, I have discovered that they are a way to enjoy blogs while you do something else, because I don't always have time to sit down and read.  Now I'm hoping that you still have time to read my blog because I hate listening to my voice on a recording so I won't be making any podcasts in the near future!

What do you listen to while you work or drive?  Any podcasts that I need to know about?