Indiana
Temperatures will remain above normal through September, while precipitation amounts remain uncertain, according to the National Weather Service’s (NWS) 30-day forecast.

“There’s an equal chance of above-normal precipitation, near-normal or below-normal,” said Mike Sabones, meteorologist in charge of the NWS northern Indiana office. “The information that we have doesn’t point with any certainty to it being any of those choices. It’s out of our hands.”

While most of Indiana saw at least normal rainfall from early June through the end of August, some areas in the northeastern, southwestern and south-central parts of the state were below normal, according to the Indiana State Climate Office.

The lack of rainfall in August has caused yield potential in some late-planted corn to diminish, stated the Indiana field office of the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) in its Aug. 30 crop progress report.

Twenty-one percent of the state’s corn has matured, up from none at this time last year, NASS said. The five-year average is 6 percent. The crop’s condition is rated 57 percent good to excellent, down from 63 last year.

As for soybeans, 14 percent of the crop is shedding leaves, up from 2 last year. The five-year average is 6 percent. The crop’s condition is rated 55 percent good to excellent, down from 63 last year.

The apple harvest is under way and in the south, the grape harvest has begun, according to the latest “Facts For Fancy Fruit” from Purdue University’s cooperative extension service. The season is running about a week ahead of normal, which has caused some poor fruit color on apples. Some heat-related issues such as sunburn and sunscald on apples are also a concern.
By Michele F. Mihaljevich
Indiana Correspondent

Illinois
Though the NASS Illinois Weather & Crops report for Aug. 30 indicated that minimal precipitation across the state led to crop development, a Princeton (Bureau County) corn and soybean farmer reported yields will likely not live up to expectations in his area.

“We’ve had a lot of water damage (to corn),” said Jim Rapp, a member of the Illinois Corn Marketing Board’s board of directors, and a farmer who planted 2,100 acres of corn in some of north-central Illinois’ most fertile soil this year.

“We’ve lost a lot of nitrogen, and we’ve had a lot of yellow corn, but now it’s starting to brown up. The majority of corn is probably dented and in its dry-down stages, and actually drier than we probably realize.”

Rapp said some farmers in his area have begun to harvest corn and more will begin this week. He hopes to begin his own corn harvest around Sept. 13.

“The harvest will probably be better than last year, but still off the five-year average.

“I think the hot weather we’ve had, on top of all of the other problems, probably took the top end out of this crop,” Rapp said.

As for his soybean crop, Rapp reported, “We have had a lot of SDS (Sudden Death Syndrome) in our area and it’s hurting some of the beans. Mine are beginning to show a little tint of lighter-colored green.”

Statewide, the corn crop advanced to 87 percent dented, compared to the five-year average of 61, NASS reported, with 2 harvested. Soybeans turning yellow reached 22 percent, compared with the five-year average of 13.

Southwestern Illinois reported that 11 percent of its corn crop had been harvested, compared to 1 in the north-central areas. Thirty-nine percent of soybean plants had yellowed in the southeastern area of the state.

Topsoil moisture was rated at 12 percent very short, 27 short, 59 adequate and 2 surplus. slightly drier than the previous week.

“Corn harvest could be in full swing in the next week or two,” according to the NASS report.
By Tim Alexander
Illinois Correspondent

Ohio
Bill and Bev Roe took three cuttings of alfalfa from their fields this summer. One field could be cut again, but the barns are full – they have nowhere to put anymore hay. They harvested six tons to the acre on their Pedro’s Angus Farm.

“This is the best hay year that we have ever had on the farm,” Bill said. “The secret to that was we got out very early. We were able to hit those windows where we could get our cuttings made on a timely basis.”

Throughout the state the third cutting of alfalfa hay was 91 percent complete, compared to 82 for the five-year average, according to the Aug. 29 Ohio NASS report.

Corn was 96 percent in dough, compared to 86 for the five-year average. Seventy-two percent was dented, ahead of the 45 five-year average. Corn for silage was 28 percent harvested, compared to 11 for the five-year average.

Eight percent of soybeans were dropping leaves, compared to 6 for the five-year average. Many soybean fields that are beginning to yellow and mature had large populations of second generation bean leaf beetles, according to the Ohio State University Agronomics Crop team report.

While damage to those maturing soybeans is unlikely, it does suggest that late-maturing fields, those remaining green into September, could experience damaging populations of that insect. Growers were advised to watch those fields for possible pod feeding to ensure it does not go over 10-15 percent.
By Celeste Baumgartner
Ohio Correspondent

Michigan
Seven days were suitable for fieldwork for the week ending Aug. 29. Temperatures ranged from one or two degrees above normal in the Upper Peninsula to as much as two degrees below normal in the Lower Peninsula.

“It was a good week for fieldwork. Cooler temperatures and light rain was a welcomed relief from the previous week’s heat,” one farmer from the west-central Lower Peninsula said.

Farmers were busy harvesting, chopping corn, baling straw, picking apples, spraying and tilling. Hot and dry temperatures continued to cause problems for field crops and may diminish the quality of the crops. These conditions are also causing problems for the sugar beet harvest, which started Aug. 23, the earliest on record.

“Dry conditions continue,” said Gerald Tillman, deputy director of the Michigan NASS office. “We’re not overly concerned based on the reports we got in, but the quality of field crops could be affected.”

The dry bean harvest has begun in some areas; quality is described as excellent and the yield normal. Corn is rapidly progressing toward harvest. Black layer has been reported in advanced fields in southeastern counties.

Soybeans could benefit from more rain. More wheat is being planted in response to the strong market.

For fruit, soils in the southeast and southwest remain dry. Growing-degree days jumped to 20 days ahead of normal in the Grand Rapids area. Rain fell in some major vegetable areas, but overall the soils remain dry. Onion yields in the Grand Rapids area have been negatively affected by the extremely hot, dry conditions.
By Kevin Walker
Michigan Correspondent

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