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57. Two Faces of Osborne
- University of Wisconsin Press
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No question about it, May was one of Ben Wesley’s favorite months of the year, along with October. By May winter gave up the battle once and for all and sulked off for a few months to rest and regroup for another siege come November. As the old timers said about Wisconsin, “We have nine months of winter and three months of poor sledding.” Trees formed leaves in May; tulips opened and displayed an array of mostly yellows and reds. Songbirds returned, filling the tree tops with lovemaking song. Bluebirds and tree swallows competed for the nesting boxes that had become more popular in Ames County in recent years, thanks to some of Ben’s work in promoting bluebird preservation. In the marshy areas of the county, sandhill cranes filled the air with their primitive, throaty calls that echoed through the valleys. Wild ducks that frequented the small ponds and lakes in the county showed off their hatches, as little ducks paddled behind their mothers in single file. By the end of the month the lilacs—light purple, dark purple, and white—burst into full aromatic bloom. Ben liked their slightly sweet smell, for it reminded him of his youth, and the row of lilacs that grew just to the west of the farmhouse where he grew up. By the end of the month, the lupines opened, hillsides and roadsides of deep purple lupines, with flowers resembling those of peas, as indeed the two plants were relatives. Ames County farmers burst into action during this month that seemed never to arrive, preparing seedbeds and planting their crops. The potato 246 Two Faces of Osborne 57 247 Two Faces of Osborne farmers had gotten their seed in the ground in April, as did those who grew peas. May was for sweet corn, field corn, and green beans. And by the end of the month, with fingers crossed because spring frosts were a common threat, tomato plants were gently placed in small and large gardens. Graziers, a fancy name for an old-fashioned idea, turned their dairy cows out to pastures that had begun to green up nicely. These were the farmers with smaller herds who resisted hauling feed to their confined cows and then having to haul out the manure. Graziers allowed the cows to find their own feed, as cattle had done for hundreds of years, and distribute their own waste. No hauling in, no hauling out for these farmers— during the non-winter months of course. Ben was in his office, with the windows open. The first time this spring. A warm breeze brought in the smell of fresh-cut grass from the lawnmower he heard operating. Ben was reading the headlines in the Ames County Argus when he spotted the following article: Osborne University Building Recreational Park Award-winning Ira Osborne University, headquartered in Oshkosh, announced this week its plans to construct a recreational park on land it owns next to its research station on the Tamarack River in western Ames County. Construction has already begun on this ten-acre park that will include nature trails, a bird walk, a softball diamond, an array of playground equipment for younger children, and an improved swimming beach. Upon completion of the park, Osborne’s president, Dr. Delbert George, said,“We plan to donate this park, land, and equipment to Ames County. It will be our way of saying thank you to all those who have so graciously applauded our efforts in providing an alternative college education for students around the world, as well as supported our research efforts leading toward the discovery of new products such as Healthy Always Cranberries treated with our now famous Cranberry Red.” A dedication ceremony for Ira Osborne Commemorative Park will take place later in the summer, a date to be determined [44.205.5.65] Project MUSE (2024-03-29 00:45 GMT) Ben put down the newspaper and turned to read his new batch of e-mail messages; it seemed there was always something from someone at Osborne in Oshkosh who had something to say. Today’s e-mail was from Dr. Quinton Foley, vice president for research: Mr. Wesley, It has been called to my attention that sales of Cranberry Red are much lower than projections. Do you have any insight as to why this is the case? Could you send me a list of the cranberry growers you have contacted? Do you need to develop a new sales...