Despite the heavy rainfall and storms that hit our area earlier this month, the recent string of warm weather reminds us that summer is still here - despite the fact that the days are getting shorter.

Some of the best hay weather was experienced this past week. Fields appeared to dry out quickly as lime, fertilizer and manure application was occurring for several operations.

The warm, dry air, mixed with low humidity made for some long overdue hay making. Second, third and even some fourth cutting hay stands were harvested.

Grain crops such as corn and soybeans also benefited from the heat and bright sunlight. These crops need a certain number of growing degree days to fully mature with optimum yield. As for now it would be fair to say we are behind in heat units, especially for corn, where many acres were planted later in the year. A couple weeks worth of warm, hot weather could change things in a hurry.

I recently attended a court-ordered farm auction. It was conducted by the primary lien holder (the bank) due to default by the farmer. In this case, a very nice farming operation was forced to liquidate and, more than likely, will never operate a farm again.The events leading up to the liquidation will haunt the operator for a long time. Some have speculated as to what went wrong: poor management, labor issues, personal issues, an aggressive lender or lack of a business plan. The list could go on and on, but these are only speculation.The moral of the story is that producers need to work very closely with their lenders. By using proven bench marks for projections and maintaining good communications, auctions such as this one would be few and far between. It is always best to work with a lender early on if it becomes apparent that repayment will be difficult. By waiting until the account is overdue and the lender makes the first contact, it may be too late to utilize other financing options.Sometimes loans can be restructured in various manners that suit the borrower's goals. The bottom line: keep the lines of communication open.

A comparison of the price of milk and the price of other beverages shows some startling differences.There are about 17 8-ounce servings in a gallon jug of milk. The price per 8 ounces ranges anywhere from 14 cents to 29 cents. Some other beverages and their price per 8-ounce servings are:Red Bull: $1.99Folgers: 90 centsSnapple: 49 centsMiller Lite: 42 centsMinute Maid: 31 centsVery few beverages cost less than milk, even if the price is as high as $3.50 or $4 per gallon. On top of that, none of these beverages come close to milk in terms of nutritional content.