Jerry Apps, born and raised on a Wisconsin farm, is Professor Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the author of more than 40 books, many of them on rural history and country life. Jerry is a former publications editor for UW-Extension, an acquisitions editor for the McGraw-Hill Book Company, and editor of a national professional journal.

Apps has written more than 800 articles and columns that have appeared in Wisconsin newspapers and magazines, and in national magazines. He has chapters in several books including an article in the Oxford Companion to United States History.

Jerry appeared on numerous radio and Television programs including Wisconsin Public Radio and TV, the History Channel and Cable Network. He has been an instructor at School of the Arts, The Clearing, Write by the Lake and Green Lake Writers and others.

Jerry Apps nonfiction books include: Living a Country Year, Every Farm Tells a Story, When Chores Were Done, Humor from the Country, Country Ways and Country Days, One-Room Schools, Cheese, Breweries of Wisconsin and Ringlingville USA (History of Ringling Brothers circus). His children's books include: Stormy, Eat Rutabagas, Tents, Tigers and the Ringling Brothers, and Casper Jaggi: Master Swiss Cheese Maker. He has an audio book, The Back Porch and Other Stories. Jerry has published two novels, The Travels of Increase Joseph, and In a Pickle: A Family Farm Story.

Two recent monographs are “Giving Old Barns New Life: Ethnic History and Beauty of Old Barns,” and “Giving Old Barns New Life: Wisconsin's Changing Farmsteads,” (Both University of Wisconsin-Extension).

Jerry has won awards for his writing from the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Library Association (the 2007 Notable Authors Award), American Library Association, Robert E. Gard Foundation, The Wisconsin Council for Writers (the 2007 Major Achievement Award), Upper Midwest Booksellers, and Barnes and Noble Bookstores, among others.

Jerry is a Liftetime WRWA member. He is married and has three grown children. His interests include farming, wilderness canoeing, nature study and cross-country skiing.

Check www.jerryapps.com for more information.