The farm podcaster who is all about quality may want to look into the Tascam DR-100. This bad boy looks pretty sweet to me. I like the fact that it has built-in XLR inputs. It’s a little larger than a Marantz PMD 620 (still on sale for $100 off!) but still small form factor. Records on an SD card.

The rugged TASCAM DR-100 offers high-end recording features to musicians and engineers who demand more from their portable recorder. It features four built-in microphones, two cardioid and two omnidirectional, with analog limiting and filtering for great-sounding recordings. A pair of XLR microphone inputs with phantom power welcomes pro-grade condenser microphones, and line in and out connectors are also provided.

The DR-100 includes a rechargeable Lithium-ion battery, but can also be powered by AA batteries or an optional AC adapter. A built-in speaker allows for instant playback, and the metal enclosure includes a tripod mounting hole for recording flexibility. A wireless remote control is also included for remotely starting the recording.