A year ago, Jesse Straight started a small farm in the urban center of Charlottesville, VA. The farm was a one year experiment and in the course of that year, he found himself talking to people in his neighborhood who he hadn't known before. The farm became a way of getting to know his neighbors, and he started collecting the stories of the people he met. With his friend Ross McDermott, Jesse recorded and edited this story about Max, a young boy with a great love of audio speakers. In this is the final installment of Big Shed's "The Jar Chronicles" ... the usurper Jesse Dukes has been feeling guilty and depressed, and our heroes, Shea and Jennifer, finally whine their way out of the jar, and this saga is brought to an exciting conclusion ... or is it. LESS

Don't tell, but we decided to sneak a podcast out of the jar where Jesse Dukes has been keeping us neatly tucked away. Thanks to some help from a veteran Big Shed producer, Emma Rayes, we're secretly bringing you our first PoopCast ... straight from the big poop shed. Emma brought us this documentary journey from lovely Rio de Janeiro. While working in Brazil, she had a little incident ... which led to this trip for a poop exam. Emma took time away from a supercool project to put her pride and prudence aside to bring us this flowing tale (pun intended) of adventure and misfortune. If you're wiped out (again ... intended) after a long week at work, we hope you'll kick back and enjoy it. We think you will, in the end (dear god ... somebody stop us). Ps. Rumor has it that we're getting out of this jar in the very near future. Stay tuned for updates and new audio! LESS

(Produced by Rachel Quimby) Nobody really knows why Rockland, Maine has a rather large population of Jews--legend says a ship was turned aside at Ellis Island and sent up the coast to the picturesque and sleepy coastal town. In any case, Adas Yoshuron Synagogue is an old building with many generations of Amita Jarmon discusses what it's like to be Rockland's first rabbi since 1937. Congregants, community members and Hebrew School kids weigh in, too. Rachel Quimby produced the story in the Fall of 2007 while attending the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies. Now she lives and works in Charlottesville, VA. To set up the piece, our introduction includes outtakes from an interview with David Berman, of the Silver Jews recorded by Jesse Dukes, who produced this piece in 2006. Jesse Dukes continues to usurp curator duties, but seems to be feeling some pangs in his conscience about trapping Shea and Jennifer in a jar. Check out the IndieFeed Big Shed at iTunes. LESS

(Produced by Amy O'Leary) In the 1980's, Danny Felsenfeld was a nerdy, Jewish kid--crazy about Richard Wagner--who naively showed up at a meeting of the Wagner Appreciation Society in Southern California.  He found himself in the midst of some very scary Wagner enthusiasts, and had to cast about for a way to make his escape.  Amy O'Leary talked to Danny while she was producing the WNYC mini-series "The Tristan Mysteries". Also: Jesse Dukes has usurped curating duties in the Shed and Jennifer and Shea remain miniaturized and trapped in a small jar. Check out the IndieFeed Big Shed at iTunes  or go straight to the LESS

(Produced by Jesse Dukes) Last summer, Philadelphia rock band The Extraordinaires tried their hands at musical theater. Producing a musical might be the last thing you'd expect from these early twentysomethings who hail from the DIY punk rock universe. Nevertheless, they felt that the the fullest expression of their album "Ribbons of War" could only be a musical play, complete with costumes, props, actors, and a democratically written script.  Producer Jesse Dukes was commissioned by Studio 360 to produce a narrated story about the musical.  He did so, but afterwards he wasn't quite satisfied that he had told the story he originally wanted to tell. Inspired by the Maysles Brothers, he decided to retell the entire story without using his own voice to narrate, but instead try out the verite form in audio.  Oh, and something strange seems to have befallen Shea and Jennifer... Check out the IndieFeed Big Shed at iTunes  or go straight to the LESS

(Produced by Tim Telkamp) Come along for a ride on the rails with this audio postcard from the New Hope Valley Railway.  This postcard is a companion piece to Tim Telkamp's photo-essay â4â 8 1/2" â A year in the life of the New Hope Valley Railway, 2003-2006.â Timâs audio and photographs tell the story of a tourist railroad in Bonsal, NC.  The project follows the volunteer staff as they maintain and operate locomotives and tracks.  It is history being relived and preserved, and itâs all for the love of Railroading. This week's podcast is also a Big Shed Birthday shout-out to our dear friend, fine accordianist, and brilliant artist Ann Marie. Happy Birthday, Ann Marie!!! Check out the IndieFeed Big Shed at iTunes  or go straight to the LESS

(Produced by Love & Radio) We'll it's time for our annual pilgrimage to chi-town to the beloved Third Coast International Audio Festival.  So we thought it would be appropriate to bring you a little taste of last year's conference, courtesy of Nick and Adrianne at Love & Radio.  This interview took place in the bathroom during the PRX dance party.  It contains physical violence, broken hearts, video games and Gregorian-ish chanting ... weird, but true.  For the geeks in the Shed, Nick recorded this with one of these cool HHB mic/recorders. The long-ass intro features Big Shed alum Owen Agnew, Clive (one of Shea's students who hosts a death-metal radio show at the youth center where he works), and the ungodly-fun band pictured above who plays regularly at Dupont Circle in DC.  Thanks to producerly cowardice, we have no idea what the name of the band is.  Maybe someday Shea will ask them. We'll try to drop you a line from the Festival or soon thereafter.  Hopefully this year, Shea will be a little more composed than he was in last years podcast from chi-town ... but what fun would that be?  Check out the IndieFeed Big Shed at iTunes  or go straight to the LESS

(Produced by David Goren) We've got a big new idea at Big Shed ... returning series!!!  In the coming year, we're going to offer a few returning series from amazing and innovative audio producers, and proud doesn't quite capture how we feel about bringing you David Goren's Shortwaveology. We're sure you'll love his first installment. Shortwaveology is a periodic rumination on the sound, history and culture of shortwave radio broadcasting. David wants to thank former Radio Canada International program host Ian McFarland for the use of his compilation of shortwave station interval signals and sign-ons. You can find more information about that here. Also thanks also to Kim Andrew Elliot for the Moscow Mailbag recording. Kim has a very interesting blog about international broadcasting, and public diplomacy. Check out the IndieFeed Big Shed at iTunes  or go straight to the LESS

(Produced by Rebecca Sheir) David Traver, Alaska's reigning Mr. Fur Face, is the president of the Southcentral Alaska Beard & Mustache Club, and his belly-length whiskers won him a first-place prize at the 2003 World Beard & Mustache Championships.  This fall, he's competing in the 2007 World Championships in England, after which he'll retire -- shaving his award-winning facial hair down to something more manageable -- much to the delight of his wife.  Rebecca spent time with David at the barbershop where he's a brand new customer (his former barber recently fled Alaska for the Lower 48). We met Rebecca last year at the Third Coast Festival, where her story "Honoring the Body: Tahrah" received the Director's Choice Award.  Rebecca is also a Host and Producer for AK (Alaska Public Radio Network).  We're tickled pink to welcome her to the Shed. Just in case our bbq outing piqued your aural appetite, here's a little audio hushpuppy where Shea reveals insights from one of the darker periods of his life. Ps. Thanks for bearing with our belated posting of new audio.  We have (um ... shea has ;-) been running a bit behind.  But please stay tuned.  We've got a ton of great tape coming soon that's definitely worth the wait! Check out the IndieFeed Big Shed at iTunes  or go straight to the LESS

(Produced by Amara Hark-Weber) We're back!  And this week, we're listening to three short pieces from Ghana--"Storytime," "Sweeping with Simone" and "Daniel in the Market"--sent to us by our friend and Producer Amara Hark-Weber.  Amara recorded these while working as a Hines Documentary Fellow in Ghana. We looking forward to hearing more tape from Amara before she returns to the States. This episode of Big Shed proudly features Shea's mom (aww) and dad (like father, like son).  Click here for a super bonus mysery rough cut outtake of his interview with them! Big Shed is proud to air the second installment from our infamous international documentary desk.  Shed alums Emma Raynes and Amanda Hark-Weber are both working overseas as Lewis Hines Documentary Fellows and are sending us wonderful tape of the people and places they're getting to know.  We really appreciate their doing this and are elated to share their sounds and stories with you. Check out the IndieFeed Big Shed at iTunes  or go straight to the LESS