Nerd Farmer Podcast

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A national conversation through a local lens. Based in Tacoma Washington. Hosted by Nate Bowling, 2016 National Teacher of the Year Finalist, 2016 Washington State Teacher of the Year, 2014 Milken National Teaching Award, Co-Founder of Teachers United.

Channel 253

Tacoma, Washington


    • May 20, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 50m AVG DURATION
    • 235 EPISODES

    4.8 from 72 ratings Listeners of Nerd Farmer Podcast that love the show mention: tacoma, nate, lens, race, local, community, issues, guests, excellent, thank, new, love, listening, great.


    Ivy Insights

    The Nerd Farmer Podcast is an exceptional show that tackles a wide range of complex issues impacting our society. As a listener, I eagerly anticipate the release of new episodes and greatly appreciate the hard work that goes into producing this podcast. The conversations surrounding housing policy, structural inequalities, and quality of life discussions are particularly engaging and thought-provoking. The host, Nate Bowling, does an excellent job of bringing in knowledgeable guests to provide insightful perspectives on these topics. Additionally, the book reviews featured on the show have introduced me to numerous excellent reads that have enriched my understanding of various subjects.

    However, one aspect of the podcast that initially threw me off was its title – "Nerd Farmer." Initially, I expected the focus to be primarily on agriculture-related topics. Nevertheless, I quickly realized that the podcast delves into a much broader range of subjects such as education, justice, race, and voting. While this expanded scope is personally appealing to me, it may confuse some listeners who are specifically seeking agricultural content.

    Despite this minor confusion over the title, The Nerd Farmer Podcast remains a fantastic listen overall. The depth of knowledge shared by Nate and his guests is truly commendable, and their ability to break down complex issues for listeners is exceptional. Each episode provides valuable insights into local and national news while also highlighting influential community activists and organizations. Through this podcast, I have discovered a plethora of valuable resources that have further stimulated my intellectual curiosity.

    In conclusion, The Nerd Farmer Podcast is a must-listen for anyone interested in staying informed about crucial social issues while also gaining a deeper understanding of how these issues impact our daily lives. Nate Bowling's commitment to providing meaningful conversations with diverse guests creates a platform for learning, connection, and civic engagement. Whether discussing race and equity or American politics and culture through the lens of Tacoma or beyond, this podcast consistently delivers intelligent dialogue that is both accessible and enlightening.



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    Latest episodes from Nerd Farmer Podcast

    On the 2025 Washington State Legislative Session – Melissa Santos, Axios – 241

    Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2025 40:55


    Melissa Santos is a reporter for Axios covering Seattle and the State Legislature. We've been podding with Melissa since 2017. She is a regular on the show and one of our most requested and re-requested...

    Radical Evangelicalism and the Second Trump Presidency – Tori Williams Douglass – 240

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2025 54:19


    Tori is an anti-racist educator and writer. She grew up in a deeply conservative evangelical family and is now an out-spoken critic of racism and misogyny that lurks within in some Christian communities.   She joined...

    A 125% “Tariff on China” is a 125% Tax on You – Abdullah Al Bahrani, Northern Kentucky University – 239

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 10, 2025 41:29


    This is a conversation about tariffs—with an economist who is an expert in making it plain. We're starting with the basics: Tariffs are taxes on imports, and they're usually passed on to consumers. So, in...

    The 2025 Housing Market – Marguerite Martin, Move to Tacoma – 238

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 17, 2025 42:49


    Marguerite Martin is a co-founder of Channel 253 and creator of Move to Tacoma. This is an update to her and my ongoing conversation about housing policy and real estate. You can find my previous...

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    Creating the Seattle Green Book – Amanda Williams, Denkyem Finance – 237

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 3, 2025 47:00


    Amanda Willams is a former teacher in Seattle Public Schools and is the creator of the Seattle Green Book, an online listing of Black Owned Businesses in the Seattle Area. She joined us to talk...

    Previewing the 2025 Oscars – Chase Hutchinson and Andrew Hammond – 236

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 21, 2025 53:14


    This week's episode is a change of pace for the show.  Film critic Chase Hutchinson joined us for a conversation about the upcoming 97th Academy Awards. We talked through who we think will win each...

    How the Middle East Sees the New US Administration – Willy Lowry, The National – 235

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 10, 2025 33:05


    Following the inauguration of Donald Trump last month, reactions in the U.S. ranged from jubilation to alarm—depending on one's political leanings and level of engagement. But how is the new admin being received beyond American...

    Fresh Imperial Ambitions – Zoltan Grossman, Evergreen State College – 234

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 2, 2025 44:37


    In this episode, we discuss the US' renewed expansionist ambitions with Zoltan Grossman, a professor of Geography and Indigenous Studies at Evergreen State College. Grossman helped me unpack some throughlines connecting 19th century Manifest Destiny...

    The Consequences of Abandoning School Integration – Karin Chenoweth, Author – 233

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 21, 2025 44:58


    One of the least discussed stories in US public education is our decision to walk away from what worked. School integration in the US peaked in 1987, coinciding with the achievement gap between Black and...

    Russia’s Global Position and the Second Trump Presidency – Jeff Hawn, London School of Economics – 232

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 23, 2024 51:00


    The war in Ukraine is a functional stalemate with the Russian death toll nearing 200k. Growth is down in the Russian economy and inflation and prices are up. Former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Russia's greatest...

    The Exploitation of Foreign Fishermen on US Flagged Vessels – Cyrus Donato, International Transport Workers' Federation — 231

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 9, 2024 47:59


    Hundreds of fishermen laboring on U.S.-flagged ships in American waters face a harsh reality: wage theft, exploitative conditions, and little recourse. Cyrus Donato, one of over 140 inspectors for the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF),...

    The Future of Public Schools is on the Ballot – Anne Lutz Fernandez, author of “Schooled” – 230

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 29, 2024 42:21


    In this episode, we sat down with Anne Lutz Fernandez—former investment banker, retired teacher, and co-author of Schooled—to discuss education's role in the 2024 election.  We discussed Trump's first-term policies, Biden and Harris's records on...

    The Civil War and Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan – Professor Sherifa Zuhur – 229

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 21, 2024 37:02


    The Civil War in Sudan is arguably the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. The fight to control the government in Khartoum has reportedly claimed upwards of 150,000 lives and conditions for people on the...

    Tacoma Audio Voters' Guide, Part I – Evelyn Lopez, Crossing Division and Nathe Lawver, Pierce County Labor Council – 228

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 10, 2024 49:02


    This is Part One of a Tacoma Audio Voters' Guide. In this conversation, we talked through the Congressional races, statewide initiatives, statewide offices, Pierce County judges, and a proposed fire and safety levy for the...

    Building Movement for Hourly Wage Workers and Tenants – Ty and Zev, Tacoma for All – 227

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 16, 2024 43:26


    In spite of an avalanche of outside money, Tacoma voters recently adopted a sweeping Bill of Rights for tenants that provides relocation assistance to families, in the case of steep increases in rent, and bans...

    Running a Small Biz in Tacoma, Part 5 — Mario Amaya, Balcon X — 226

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2024 48:21


    Mario Amaya is the owner and operator of Balcon X, a taco and pupusa (and putaco) restaurant located on Sixth Ave. Balcon X is named after his balcony where he got his start selling meals...

    Running a Small Biz in Tacoma Series, Part 4 — Quincy Henry, Campfire Coffee — 225

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 8, 2024 40:31


    Quincy Henry is the co-owner and proprietor of Campfire Coffee, located at 1554 Market Street. He joined us for Part 4 of our ongoing series on running a small business in Tacoma. We talked about...

    Remembering Matt Driscoll

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 29, 2024 38:18


    Last week Tacoma lost one of its brightest lights. Matt Driscoll was a columnist for The News Tribune and the editor for the paper's Opinion Section. But he was so much more than that. Rather...

    The Movies of 2024 – Chase Hutchinson, Film Critic – #223

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 22, 2024 52:26


    Chase Hutchinson is a Tacoma-based freelance journalist and movie critic. He came on the show to talk about the year in movies. For our conversation, we tried to focus on films not based on pre-existing...

    The Attempted Assassination of Donald Trump and the Political Fallout

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 16, 2024 45:10


    In today's irregular edition of the podcast, we discussed Saturday's attempted assassination of former President Trump and the political fallout from it. I was joined in studio by Producer Doug and Evelyn Lopez, host of...

    The (Worrying) State of the Sounders: On-the-field and Off — Dave & Carol, Hands-Free Footy — #221

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 8, 2024 50:58


    Dave and Carol are longtime Seattle Sounders season ticket holders and former hosts of the Hands-Free Footy podcast. They decided, for a host of reasons, this would be their last year with season tickets. I...

    The Vibes Are Off, For Sure—But the US Economy is Doing Better Than You Think — Cameron Harwick, SUNY Brockport — #220

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 17, 2024 52:30


    Cameron Harwick is a professor at State University of New York Brockport. He previously joined us in 2022 for a conversation about the causes and impacts of the inflationary crisis in 2022.  My goal in...

    How Corporate Landlords are Driving Up Rents — Emmett O’Connell, Olympia Time — #219

    Play Episode Listen Later May 27, 2024 50:33


    Emmett O'Connell is a recovering journalist, who writes the blog Olympia Time and hosts the podcast Olympia Standard. He recently published an article examining the hoovering up of homes by corporate and institutional landlords and...

    Navigating the Moral Minefield of AI — Randy Girdner, Artist & Filmmaker — #218

    Play Episode Listen Later May 13, 2024 41:30


    In this episode, we are joined by Randy Girdner, an educator, filmmaker, and the comic artist creator of the web comic Maurice the Beaver.  This is a conversation about AI and my trepidation about its...

    Everything in Real Estate Just Changed — Jasmyn Jefferson, Designated Broker and Co-Owner of Windermere Abode Lakewood — #217

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2024 48:22


    In this episode, we dove into recent shifts in real estate with Jasmyn Jefferson, Designated Broker and co-Owner of Windermere Abode Lakewood. Jasmyn gave us her take on the Tacoma Housing market and the low-down...

    Muslims Around the World Are Fasting: A Ramadan Reflection – Jasmine El Shear – #216

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 31, 2024 41:06


    This month observant Muslims around the world are fasting in observance of Ramadan. Jasmine El Shear is an Egyptian-American school counselor in the Gulf, advising Emirati students in navigating an American school system. She joined...

    Revolutions Take Generations – Nathan Perl-Rosenthal, University of Southern California – #215

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 11, 2024 45:17


    Nathan Perl-Rosenthal is an historian of the eighteenth and early nineteenth-century Atlantic world. He focuses on the political and cultural history of Europe and the Americas in the age of revolution, with a emphasis on...

    “Should Biden Step Aside?” and Constitutional Issues Around the 2024 Election  – Michael Artime, PLU  – #214

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2024 50:49


    We invited Professor Michael Artime from Pacific Lutheran University back on the show to discuss the upcoming election. In this conversation we covered several topics: Ezra Klein's suggestion that Biden step-aside as the Democratic nominee...

    How Journalists Cover Moral Panics and Contrived Scandals – Matt Driscoll, The News Tribune – #213

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 29, 2024 57:21


    Over the winter holiday, Matt Driscoll, columnist and opinion editor at The News Tribune,  reached out to talk about the firing of Claudine Gay from her role of President of Harvard University. Gay was brought...

    Social Diversification, Blogging is Back, and How to Combat Disinformation – Dave Clark – #212

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 8, 2024 49:09


    Happy New Year and go Huskies! This week's episode is a discussion about navigating the internet in an era of misinformation. Our guest is Dave Clark, founder of Sounder at Heart. He also writes at...

    A Tacoma-Centric Year in Review, Part II – Erik Hanberg, Citizen Tacoma and Evelyn Lopez, Crossing Division – #211

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 29, 2023 34:31


    Happy New Year! Recorded live in the Moonyard Studios in gorgeous North Tacoma, this episode is the second of our two part 2023 Year in Review. If you missed Part I, you can find it...

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    A Tacoma-Centric Year in Review, Part I – Erik Hanberg, Citizen Tacoma and Evelyn Lopez, Crossing Division – #210

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 26, 2023 47:57


    Happy Holidays! Recorded live in the Moonyard Studios in gorgeous North Tacoma, this episode is the first of our two part 2023 Year in Review.  We were joined in the studio by Erik Hanberg, President...

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    Time for Closing Arguments in the Case of the Murder of Manuel Ellis – Peter Talbot, The News Tribune – #209

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2023 35:35


    Peter Talbot from The News Tribune has been covering the trial of the Tacoma Police Officers who murdered Manuel Ellis on March 3, 2020. We spoke with Peter in October as the state was making...

    A Blueprint for Progressive Activists to Fight & Win – David Galazin and Michael Whelan, Tacoma for All – #208

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2023 43:05


    Earlier this month, voters in Tacoma passed a Tenants Bill of Rights, creating among the most sweeping tenant protections in the country. The initiative was specifically designed to combat displacement in the community.  This effort...

    Launching a Reader Supported Soccer Journalism Project – Jeremiah Oshan, Editor-in-Chief Sounder at Heart – #207

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 7, 2023 51:30


    Jeremiah Oshan is a recovering newspaper journalist and the editor-in-chief of Sounder at Heart. Sounder at Heart is the most read blog in US club soccer. The website was previously a part of Vox's SB...

    An Update from the Trial of the Police Officers that Killed Manuel Ellis – Peter Talbot, The News Tribune – #206

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 30, 2023 41:17


    Manuel Ellis was murdered by Tacoma Police on March 3, 2020. The long-delayed trial of the police officers that killed him is underway and this week we're checking in with Peter Talbot from the News...

    The End of the Conflict Over Nagorno-Karabakh? – Sevinc Osmanqizi – #205

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 16, 2023 42:25


    In March, on episode 188, we welcomed Azeri journalist Sevinc Osmanqizi on the show for a conversation about the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh. On September 19, that conflict...

    Republicans in Washington D.C. Can't Govern and the Country is Being Held Hostage — Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland — #204

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 10, 2023 41:06


    Representative Marilyn Strickland is a former member of the Tacoma City Council, the former Mayor of Tacoma, and two-term member of the US House of Representatives. She joined us to discuss the recent dismissal of...

    A Guide for People Thinking About Teaching Overseas — Brian Lettinga, Search Associates — #203

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 25, 2023 43:51


    In 2019, my wife and I departed the US to begin our overseas teaching career. When I made the transition, I used a service called Search Associates. They helped me navigate the application process and...

    Writing a Multigenerational Crime Masterpiece — Brian Panowich, author of “Bull Mountain,” “Like Lions,” and “Hard Cash Valley” — #202

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 9, 2023 49:56


    I belong to a group chat. It used to be about the Seattle Sounders but as they began struggling last season it became more about crime novels, in the vein of Elmore Leonard. We now...

    A 2023 Sounders Mid-Season State of the Union — Jackson Felts, KJR Radio — #201

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 29, 2023 43:56


    The Seattle Sounders are possibly the least convincing third place team in the history of world football. They're about three fourths of the way through what can best be described as a Jekyll & Hyde...

    On the Culture of Conspiracy in America — Sarah Kendzior, author of “They Knew” and co-host “Gaslit Nation” — #200

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 22, 2023 57:45


    Our guest, Sarah Kendzior, is a scholar with an focus on authoritarian Central Asian states. She leverages her academic background in her work as a journalist and commentator, offering unique insights about anti-democratic tendencies and...

    A $47 Trillion Dollar Hole in the US Economy — Carter Price, the Rand Corporation — #199

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 14, 2023 51:38


    Carter is a co-author of the paper Trends in Income From 1975 to 2018 along with Kathryn A. Edwards. The paper lays out how the average American's wages would be $50,000 higher if income growth...

    Running a Small Biz in Tacoma Series, Part 3 — Cassandra Williams, Love by the Slice — #198

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 31, 2023 45:11


    This summer we are hosting a series highlighting small businesses and their struggles and triumphs in Tacoma. In part three, we have a conversation with Cassandra Williams, the owner and proprietor of Love by the...

    Nerd Farmer Live: “Episode 200” – Lessons from the Last Five Years – Jenna Hanchard, Will James, Melissa Santos, and Matt Driscoll

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2023 60:13


    In June, over a hundred friends and members of Channel 253 gathered for Channel 253 Fest, an evening of live podcasting from the Press Room in downtown Tacoma. It was a great event and this...

    Running a Small Biz in Tacoma Series, Part 2 — Umi Wagoner, eTc — #196

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 11, 2023 51:09


    This summer we are hosting a series highlighting small businesses and their struggles and triumphs in Tacoma. In part two, we have a conversation with Umi Wagoner from eTc, the Tacoma-based rareware retailer and design...

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