| Between the Rows 5-12-10 (Michigan, Tennessee, iowa) |
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Michigan
According to the Michigan NASS office’s weekly crop weather report for the week ending May 2, field crop planting was well ahead of normal, just as it had been the week prior.
“Based upon our records, we haven’t been this much ahead of schedule since 1976 as far as planting progress,” said Gerald Tillman, deputy director of the Michigan NASS office.
According to the report, average temperatures ranged from 4 degrees F. above normal in the southeastern Lower Peninsula to 6 degrees F. above normal in the eastern Upper Peninsula. Above average warm days followed by especially cool nights may have damaged some fruit in the southwestern part of the state, although that hasn’t been confirmed.
As far as precipitation is concerned, there was less than an inch of rain in the southwestern part of the state and almost 4-inches of rain in the southeastern corner.
The report quoted one farmer from the central part of the state saying, “recent rains have resulted in improvement of both wheat and oats.”
For some field crops, the weather was cool enough to be a problem, while for others, such as alfalfa, the cool weather was a help. There was some rain, but not enough. Wheat is reported to be in Feekes growing stages 4-6, with farmers plowing up some fields due to poor stands. Alfalfa was growing 8-12 inches tall and progressing well.
Growers are reporting to NASS that wheat and alfalfa are about 10 days ahead of normal. Regarding vegetables and strawberries, “mostly everything is covered in plastic,” Tillman said. It’s unclear whether especially cool nights have done any damage to fruit crops that can’t be covered.
“We had a cool weekend (May 8-9), so we have to see how well the crops respond to the cold weather,” he said. “With potatoes and asparagus, we received all good reports. Irrigation is being widely used on the carrots. Vegetables are experiencing a good spring so far.”
By Kevin Walker
Michigan Correspondent
Tennessee
In Tennessee, 2010 looks to be a good year for the strawberry crop, according to the Tennessee Department of Agriculture.
“Tennessee farmers are looking at a great strawberry season. Many farmers are opening up their farms to allow people to come out to pick big, fresh strawberries. There are many farms across the state that have pick-your-own operations or they may have on-farm retail, where you come and pick up the strawberries that have already been picked for you,” said Pamela Bartholomew, agritourism coordinator with the TDoA.
Strawberry lovers can pick their favorite berry in Tennessee from spring into summer.
Strawberry season begins in the warm, lowlands of West Tennessee and progresses to the higher elevations of East Tennessee.
“Additionally, strawberries ripen continually on the plant over several weeks. Varietal differences extend the overall season even more,” Bartholomew explained. “If you really wanted to, you could start picking strawberries near Memphis today and pick all the way to Mountain City until the middle of June.”
Currently, strawberry season in West Tennessee is fully underway. In the middle and eastern parts of the state, farms have strawberries ready to pick, however, the berries’ peak harvest is still a few weeks away, according to the TDoA.
Farmers in East Tennessee are especially happy about this year’s crop. Drought conditions for the last couple of years devastated the crop.
However, this year, warm temperatures and rain have created a bumper crop of sweet, juicy berries, according to growers.
Strawberries are a sweet crop for farmers, in more ways than one, according to Neal Denton, director of University of Tennessee Extension for Knox County, Tenn. Denton told Knoxville TV station WBIR that the red berries help deliver the green to farmers.
“Most of the farmers who are growing fruit, strawberries are a big part of their income for the year. It’s the earliest fruit crop they’re going to get in, and they depend on it to pay a lot of bills,” Denton said.
Bartholomew advises making sure farms are open and ready before putting on your gloves for strawberry picking. “Call ahead before visiting a farm to be sure there are berries ready to pick, and that the farm is open at the time and day you’re planning to visit, then take advantage of a great year for Tennessee strawberries.”
You can find directories for Tennessee strawberries, farms and farmers markets at www.PickTnProducts.org, where you also can find strawberries recipes. Click on the Cook Now link.
By Tesa Nauman
Tennessee Correspondent
Iowa
Iowa growers are set to top the 200 bushels-per-acre threshold over the next 10 years with the 2010 yield, analysts are predicting, despite the unseasonably cold temperatures and severe thunderstorms with heavy rains that have slowed progress across the state.
“With 84 percent of corn and 13 percent of soybeans planted, Iowa farmers continue to get the 2010 crop into the ground at a record pace,” Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey said. ”While heavy rains and severe weather limited progress in some parts of the state, overall conditions this spring have been very favorable.”
According to the Iowa Crops and Weather Report released May 3 by the USDA, heavy rain, strong winds and isolated hail limited field work for much of the state.
Temperatures dropped into the high-30s at night, with soil temperatures also lowering, the report said.
“The large amounts of rainfall have caused soil erosion, standing water in low land fields, and a concern some re-planting may need to be done due to crusting of the soil,” the report said. “Areas receiving hail reported little to no damage.”
But corn was still the furthest along for the first week in May in Iowa’s recorded history.
“Corn planting proceeded at an all-time record this spring,” said Roger Elmore and Lori Abendroth of the Iowa State University Department of Agronomy in their weekly crop report analysis. “We’ve experienced one of the best planting seasons ever in Iowa.”
Soybean planting, on the other hand, is only 13 percent complete, compared with 5 percent for both last year and the five-year average. Oat planting, however, is nearly complete, reaching 99 percent statewide.
By Doug Schmitz
Iowa Correspondent |
| 5/13/2010 |
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