Extremely hot and dry weather this summer has most of the country suffering from moderate to exceptional drought conditions. It has been more than two decades since the last major drought and many people are wondering what to do with their crops. Vita Plus Forage and Technical Services team members John Goeser, Chris Wacek-Driver and Randall Greenfield led a webinar to help get a grip on this unique situation.

Some hate broccoli, some hate bacon, I hate having my picture taken. My dad frequently recited these first lines to Ogden Nash’s poem “Waiting for the Birdie” when it was time for a family picture. He said he memorized it in grade school and hasn’t forgotten it since. I, like most others, agree with its message. Its universal proclamation against the need for still images of ourselves has contributed to the poem’s forever fame.

For several years now, readers of this magazine have been privileged to read the thoughts of Ben Yale, who passed away in June at the age of 60. For the last 10 years, I have been privileged to work for and with Ben, to learn from his experience, to share in his professional experiences and to enjoy his friendship. He was my mentor. To better understand Ben, you need to understand his personal and professional background. Ben was born in Waynesfield, Ohio – a village of about 900 people in west-central Ohio. His family operated a printing shop there and, for a period, also farmed grain crops and raised dairy cows.

“Do you milk by hand?” That is the typical question I hear when I tell people Roger and I have a dairy farm. I anticipate this question and am still surprised. What amazes me is the total sincerity of people as they ask this question. People in Michigan live in the midst of agricultural communities and yet they are oblivious to how we farm. My response is to laugh gently, then say, “No, we milk with robots!” Amazement and disbelief cross their faces, and we begin a conversation about dairy technology.

Iceland is dominated by volcanoes and mountainous highlands at its center. Although picturesque, most of the surface is barren, the arable land occurring in pockets around the coast.

I am finished with my South Sudan, Africa, assignment debriefs in Washington, D.C. My recollections and summaries and insights are recorded and filed away at the State Department, at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and at the USDA.

My caller ID said the incoming line was phoning from Tennessee. Besides my friend Bill Maness, there’s only a few dairy folks that ever call me from the Volunteer State. When I picked up the phone, the woman identified herself as an associate of a prominent dairy market analyst. She said her boss told her to phone me with some unexpected, bad news. “Ben Yale passed away,” the voice said. “Mary Ledman thought you would want to know.”