Last week's weather was about as close to ideal as one could get here in east-central Iowa. Farm operations were able to move forward uninhibited with sunny skies and calm winds before rain moved in Thursday evening and continued off and on throughout the weekend. The forecast is calling for heat, heat, heat and additional rain this week — put it all together and we have the perfect equation for a great crop. I'm certainly not counting my eggs yet as we are far from the end of the growing season, but at this point in the season I'll take good news when I have it.