Social media can be noisy, with lots of chatter, and perhaps sometimes more talk than action.. That’s why it’s so important to get our hands INTO THE SOIL. This should be our time away from it all. It’s a time to switch off from the outside world and enjoy the peaceful, great outdoors during those spare few minutes that we get.
Lee Connelly, also known as the Skinny Jean Gardener, isn’t ashamed to admit he’s a beginner at growing, but that makes him all the more inspirational. He is always refreshingly honest, and explores how podcasts can help mindfulness in the garden:
“For me, the quiet times in the garden can be pure bliss. However, I must admit, as the silence comes it can also send my mind into overdrive, over thinking everything I do. I needed something that I could use to keep me company and save my mind from itself (of course, when I wasn’t chasing my daughter around to stop her helpful ‘weeding’!)
That was when I welcomed the whole world of podcasting into my garden and it became integrated so much that my gardening tool list now includes a fork, spade AND headphones!
Why you should listen to a podcast whilst you’re in the garden!
1. Multi-tasking Unlike watching TV, you can concentrate on sowing your seeds whilst listening to your favourite comedian, that’s if the chuckles don’t cause you to over-sow! Or, you could build a pergola while listening to the latest political discussions,  although mind the hammer!
2. Private experience Unlike radio, listening to podcasts can be a very personal experience. It may feel as if the presenter is talking just to you! Just make sure you don’t try to answer back!
3. Join the club Often, podcasts bring people together. Once you start listening to a podcast, you become part of a community that can make listeners feel part of something, especially if you hook up to their social media pages (once you’re back indoors!)
4. Creativity It has been proven that listening to podcasts can get those brain juices flowing, generating ideas as you go about your daily gardening chores! Try it and you’ll see I’m right!
5. It’s free! The majority of podcasts are completely free, so you’ll have access to thousands of awesome listening material, just sitting waiting for you in your mobile phone when you step outside.
After the success of podcasts in my gardening life, I decided to create my own gardening podcast. I wanted it to be fun, informative and entertaining. Most importantly, I wanted it to be as laid back as I feel when I garden. I didn’t want it to take itself too seriously, I just wanted us all to have some good ol’ gardening fun! Go have a listen!
The ‘Weekend Tea Break with the Skinny Jean Gardener’ podcast, newly sponsored by STIHL, returns this Friday. The podcast is uploaded every Friday at 6am, so you can start your gardening weekend the right way! Go grab a cuppa and listen on The Skinny Jean Gardener website or subscribe on iTunes. You can also listen to Mr Plant Geek’s and Ellen Mary’s podcast The Plant Based Podcast on iTunes, Spotify, Google Podcasts and Libsyn.
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