Berry Researcher Strikes the Right Note for Learning and Teaching
February 7, 2022 One of the challenges with getting the word out on new technologies is how to do this effectively and timely to the audience one wants to address. The same is true for introducing new varieties of blackberries.
Gone are the days in which grower meetings, print materials, and other “conventional” approaches to introducing new varieties are appropriate.
VIDEOS FOR NEW VARIETIES
In 2012, I discussed the idea of revising how to get the word out on new blackberry varieties with a colleague at the University of Arkansas Agricultural Communications Unit. I suggested more meetings or other traditional approaches. He told me not to waste my time on that, that I ought to do YouTube videos.
I was not sure what that was, or how to spell it. He said, “It is easy, one simply does a video talking on the subject, it is placed online, and the magic of the internet takes over.” I said, “Well, I have been practicing talking a long time, so I can do that part!”
In June of 2013, I stood in front of a group of blackberry varieties for several hours and provided various drafts of 2- to 3-minute summaries of the merits of each while my ag communications colleague, Fred Miller, did the videoing. This was easy to do without a script, as I was very familiar with the attributes of each.
A few days later, Fred sent me a sample of one of the edited videos, the first was for ‘Prime-Ark Freedom’ blackberry. I thought Fred did a great job with this, and after he edited the remaining varieties videos, these were placed online. As new varieties have been released, new videos have been made.
I have taken this same approach for new varieties of table and wine grapes as well as peaches and nectarines. The blackberry varieties can be found at https://www.youtube.com/user/ARextension/videos.
What About the Music?
When Fred produced the first video draft, he placed some synthesizer sounds at the start and finish of the video. I asked him if I could record some guitar playing to be used in these instead. He agreed, so we recorded a few notes to use at the beginning and end of each. That started the practice of my composing guitar instrumentals for the videos, including the initial tune, “Blackberry Freedom,” followed by “Blackberry Traveler” for ‘Prime-Ark Traveler’, “Somekindamightyfine” for ‘Sweet-Ark Ponca’, and most recently “Horizon” for ‘Prime-Ark Horizon’. I am particularly pleased with “A Little Dazzle for Dazzle,” composed for the recently released wine grape named ‘Dazzle’.
These compositions have been inspiring to create, and the songs add a personal touch to the YouTube videos. I try to compose these tunes with some corresponding musical aspect to the variety’s characteristics. Now it’s time to hire a band, make a record, go on tour with berry songs! Well … maybe not.
THE RESULT
How has this turned out? I believe it has been a very beneficial approach to spread the word on these developments. As of the summer of 2021, the videos have garnered almost 300,000 views. The largest number of views has been for ‘Prime-Ark Freedom’, with 60,000 views, the fewest for the new variety ‘Sweet Ark Ponca’, with 12,000. However, Ponca’s video has only been online for a year, so that number is a great reflection of early interest in this new development.
A few years back I provided narration on the video “Primer on Primocanes” for some Extension colleagues. It has had more than 78,000 views, the most of any that I have contributed to. I think this reflects the usefulness of YouTube videos to explain new technology very efficiently.
I still like to write about new varieties, including brief flyers or short synopses of their attributes, and continue to enjoy speaking to enthusiastic audiences about berry breeding. YouTube videos certainly add some new exposure in a broader format. We seem to be overwhelmed with sources of information these days, and it seems often our time spent on a topic is less and less. Short and sweet seems to work well for the videos, and then a follow-up by email or other contact for more information for a potential grower or nursery allows for more information sharing. This formula is working well for me and has been fun to do. Let the berry good times roll!
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