Class Project – IDEO Insights for Innovation
What I Learned by Taking the IDEO Insights for Innovation Class

I just finished the Insights for Innnovation Class. This a wonderful class. We concentrated on observing, interviewing and developing customer insights. Walk with me though the podcast as I share what I learned.
State of the Farm and Pictures from This Week
This has been a busy week on the farm. We try to give a semi-annual update that talks about what is going on at the farm in detail. We’ve also been working this week on our potatoes, developing the back field and planting a few ornamental plants.
I had a few days on the farm this week to ponder the future plans for the farm. I’m taking a class with IDEO on Insights for Innovation. The class project revolves around the farm so it was good having time to ponder the future plans for the farm while working in the field.
Here are some pictures from this week



















Interview with Niti Bali – Food Church founder
I’m taking a class called “Insights for Innovation” with IDEO. Part of that class is doing interviews for developing empathy and better understanding customers. Niti was the perfect person to interview to better understand the farm-to-fork community. I learned a lot in the interview and hope you do too.
Starting Our Journey – Developing Our CERT Emergency Communications Plan
Our local CERT team is working on a communications plan to cover 2 very different situations:
- deployed in an emergency
- not deployed, most likely in a longer term emergency or a grid down situation
CERT means Community Emergency Response Team. There are CERT teams across the United States.

We are going to document our work so others can leverage our work and make developing a communications plan easier for other groups. We hope to use standard innovation tools to use the knowledge within our local community. These tools include:
– brainwriting
– brainstorming
Our approach, ideas, and research can help you develop a plan for your local community or other group. Maybe even your family emergency communications plan. We are looking at incorporating the communications elements that we have available to our members:
- CB radio
- MURS, GMRS, and FRS radios
- Ham frequencies, repeaters and digital technologies
- Internet options such as Zello
- Other options we haven’t even thought of yet
- LoRa Meshtastic
Join us on the journey. Just listen to the podcast to follow along!
Thanks
Montie
KO4NQF
Do We Need Creativity in the Engineering Process?
Simple Idea Makes Mowing Grass Easier on the Farm
Unexpected Consequences of Food Inflation
This podcast was recorded in the car and there was more road noise than I wanted, but these are some important thoughts, please bear with me.
Lets talk about how rising food prices can lead to reduced food production. Also why the return on investment for buying a freezer full of beef might be better than putting your money in the stock market this year. I’m not giving financial advice, just a discussion of current events.
Rolling with the Challenges on the Farm
Some days are easier than others. Being flexible helps turn a frustrating day into a productive and happy one! The zero turn is fixed and the garlic bed is weeded and hay put down around the garlic.


The blackberries are starting to fruit!

Why You Probably Aren’t Planting a Garden / You Can Farm
Improve Your Food Security
Hike and Talk #2 – How NOT Talking Politics and Religion Leads to Economic Ruin
Why Are There So Many Angry and Frustrated People?
This videos explains why