“Pamela Isley, private logs, “dry growth formula” Log #1, Day #1:
I cannot even begin to express how excited I am about this new project. I have finally been given enough funding to actually achieve my goal. If it succeeds it will be the biggest breakthrough agriculture has ever seen. Imagine what it will do for Africa if I manage to grow something in such harsh conditions. The current goal is to make a water and nutrients substitute, something that can be mass produced and hopefully that the soil will only need one treatment of. The first step is to recreate the same chemical formula that plants get out of fertile soil. Once this is done I will try to make it into liquid form for easy dispersal. Then, assuming the plants grow, all I have to worry about is cost and production.”
“Pamela Isley, private logs, “dry growth formula” Log #2, Day# 6:
I have been analysing the best type of soils for growing plants. I have twenty different soil samples and a control group of only ten, which is unfortunate. I have taken all the usual and necessary actions for the experiment; same amount of water dripping in, same amount of sunshine etc. anyway that’s all in my written notes for our benefactor. Clearly I expect the soil containing volcanic ash to thrive the most and the sandier soils to produce less than the rest. Despite this I still need to perform the experiment. I am using strawberries in this instance because of their speed and size. Although more useful plants would bare more accurate results and needed information I just want to get started! Once the fullest possible growth has been established I will rate the soils from one to twenty based on growth speed, foliage, amount of fruit and the same things I always do. Now it’s just a matter of waiting. Jim should be done recording the growth since plantation two days ago; I should go and write up a report for the boss. Ergh, my least favourite part of the job. Hey Jim-.”
“Pamela Isley, private logs, “dry growth formula” Log #3, Day #13:
Some of the more fertile soils have already started to sprout. It really is just a matter of waiting for the results. In the meantime I have been studying the soils and figuring out their exact mineral composition. It’s a slow process but once I have my list from one to twenty it will be easier to figure out which minerals cause the plants to either suffer or thrive. I plan on- So Pammy about that date? Jim please stop calling me that and I told you I’m far too busy here. Oh come on Pam Pam, I’ll be great; I’ll rock your world, promise. Jim I hate ‘Pam Pam” even more. How many times do I have to say no? I’ve told you I don’t date co-workers EVER. But have you ever had a co-worker as charming and handsome as me. Not to mention the fa- Hey is that thing on Pam? What thing?... Oh damn, sorry. Hang o-.”
“Pamela Isley, private logs, “dry growth formula” Log #4, Day #20:
Some of the plants are still growing in the less fertile soils and I have made significant progress with the mineral research. I hate all this waiting but even if I figured it out right this minute it would still be years of testing, but just to know that I could do it, that one day… What am I saying? If anyone can do this it’s me. I still have eight more soil compositions left to go but it’s so dull and time consuming, I have Jim helping me of course. I wish the boss would stretch the budget for another person but I know he’s right when he says it’s better spent on the actual re- So Pam co- No. Aw you didn’t eve- No. But I- No. Come o- NO. OUT. Plea-OUT. What was I saying...? Damn it. Anyway there wasn’t much to report in the first place. Over and out.”
“Pamela Isley, private logs “dry growth formula” Log #5 Da-.”
“What? No, please.” Pamela listened to her own voice through the distortion of her recorder rewinding “Please be here, please, please, please.”
