Prairie Perpendicular

Prairie Perpendicular tells a story familiar to all those involved in agriculture in the 1970s. Farmers and residents of prairie towns discovered that familiar seasonal rhythms of planting and harvest could not cope with erratic markets driven by global production and demand. Tom Cooper, the manager of the Sheffield Farmers Elevator, is caught up in the dynamics of Midwest grain marketing when he decides to sell farmer-owned corn. A trainload sale in anticipation of falling prices can make substantial profits when Tom replaces the corn. He is trapped by a Dakota blizzard and a large Russian purchase that results in runaway prices.