Tamarack River Ghost by Jerry Apps Page B

room was quickly thrust into the air.
    “I was born and raised on a family farm, and I beg to differ—the family farm will long continue to be the mainstay of American agriculture. It’s our history, but it is also our future. When a family farm disappears, more disappears than merely the farm and the people who worked it. An entire way of life is gone.”
    The first student’s hand was in the air again, but just then the bell rang, announcing the end of the class.
    “We’ll continue this discussion next time,” said Randy, pleased that he’d gotten several students interested in the issue of large farms versus family farms.
    As Randy was unplugging his laptop and putting his notes away, Josh stepped forward and extended his hand.
    “Josh Wittmore, Farm Country News ,” he said.
    “Pleased to meet you,” said Randy. “You work for a great paper—well respected in the agriculture community. In fact, I’ve got on my desk right now a copy with an article about beef feedlots in Missouri.”
    Josh was pleased that not only farmers were reading Farm Country News but professors as well.
    “Nice job with the lecture,” he said. “Integrated agriculture can be a complicated, touchy, and often political thicket, to say nothing about the emotions involved when you talk about the demise of the family farm.”
    “Tell me about it,” Randy said, smiling. “What can I do for you?”
    “Heard you and your graduate assistant are working on a research project dealing with integrated agriculture systems.”
    “We are. We’re waiting to see if we’ll be funded.”
    As Josh and Randy walked toward the back of the lecture hall, they met Randy’s graduate assistant, a pleasant young woman with red hair and a bright smile. She was nearly out of breath when she reached them.
    “Mr. Wittmore, I’d like you to meet Emily Jordan, my research assistant. Emily is working on her PhD and will be working on this research—assuming we get funded.”
    “Pleased to meet you,” said Josh.
    “And so pleased to meet you as well. Dr. Oakfield said you might be attending his lecture today. He has a lot of information to share.”
    Randy blushed.
    “I’ve got good news, Dr. Oakfield,” she said. “Very good news.”

11. Research Proposal
    What’s up?” asked Randy as he walked from the Agriculture Hall lecture room with Emily. Josh had said his goodbyes and was on his way back to Willow River.
    “Dr. Evans called while you were in class,” she said. She was still out of breath, obviously having run from Randy’s third-floor office, where her desk was just outside his office door.
    “What?” asked Randy. Emily, who had bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Ohio State University, had begun working with Randy at the beginning of the fall semester. Randy had been impressed with her academic record—more than one reference described her as brilliant. Dr. Evans had assigned Emily to Randy when she first arrived. “You’ve got some common interests,” he had said.
    They did have common interests. At Ohio State, Emily studied integrated farming systems, an area of inquiry she wished to continue at Wisconsin. When Randy reviewed her application to the department, he noted that she was the same age as he was, thirty-two. He was a little concerned about that; he expected to work with graduate students some years younger. But the two of them had gotten along very well. Randy had taken a little ribbing from some of his friends because not only was Emily brilliant, she was also beautiful. Randy, always the scholar, had scarcely taken time to look at any woman. For the past five years, his graduate studies and research had consumed nearly all his time. And now, as a new assistant professor, Randy knew that he had to work exceedingly hard if he was to earn tenure and a permanent teaching/research slot in his department.
    “So, what’s up?” he asked again.
    “Our research proposal to National Affiliated Hog Producers has been