UW Instructional Technology Education Specialist Stan Skrabut spoke with Northern Ag about a new, online technology that could replace the little notebook found in every farmer and/or rancher’s shirt pocket. Evernote.com is essentially an online file cabinet that’s easily accessible from various devices such as cell phones or computers. It’s built for storing information at a moment’s notice and compiling that information in an organized, searchable fashion. For instance, say a rancher is driving through a pasture full of his cattle and notices a dry; instead of trying to memorize the cow’s tag number or scratching it down on a piece of paper, the rancher can simply send a text message to his Evernote account and the information will be stored there for him to file accordingly when he gets home that evening. Audio, video and picture files can also be recorded and sent via cell phone or computer.
In the case of the desolate areas of the region, places where cell phone service is unavailable for several miles, the producer can go ahead and continue to use that little red notebook as always, and then transfer the information about the field, the well, the hay feeder, or the cattle into Evernote into the organized, online program when he gets home. Information sent to Evernote can be sorted into folders by topic, date or any other personal preference. Searches by word or phrase can be done across all folders, bringing up anything pertaining to a specific subject, and making it simple to find everything that was previously stored relevant to that subject.
Skrabut explained that the program works similarly to an email account and starting an account with Evernote.com is as simple as creating it in a few short minutes from the website. The account can be managed through the website, or Evernote can be downloaded to your personal computer. There is also an option of incorporating an add-on for your web browser so you can quickly and easily store applicable websites you find. The program is user friendly, but if desired, more information and learning guides for Evernote are available through UW’s Cooperative Extension Service by clicking here!
© Northern Ag Network 2011
Kaci Switzer
