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| Between the Rows - July 7, 2010 (Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan) |
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Indiana
West-central Indiana received several baths as severe storms with strong winds whipped crops. Standing water within fields and along creeks and rivers was common, according to Indiana’s field office of USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).
The volume of water has caused varying degrees of damage to crops. As a result, some farmers have decided to take “preventive plantings” on their unplanted acreage since it is getting late in the season.
Amanda Bailey, Vermillion County extension ag and natural resources educator, said, “The intense rain in the last two weeks up our way has put a stop to a lot of fieldwork and hay work. Corn is looking well with a lot of it coming out of stunting we’ve seen from the wet, cool weather.”
Soybeans are nearly all planted, and early corn has begun to tassel. Winter wheat harvest continued, with 37 percent of the crop in compared with 28 last year. The wheat’s condition is rated higher than last year, 68 percent good to excellent compared to 64 last year.
Bailey noted hay is a big concern: “Very few cuttings were taken when the weather was nice earlier in the season so cutting and baling is a priority as the weather permits.”
The NASS report notes the first cutting of alfalfa is 88 percent complete, compared with 92 last year and 95 for the five-year average. Bailey reminds growers to watch for Japanese beetles.
By Susan Hayhurst
Indiana Correspondent
Ohio
Rainfall for Ohio was slightly below normal and that allowed fields to dry out for improved work conditions; however, isolated thunderstorms saw some flooding that kept growers inside. Some believe soil drainage could be the root of their problem.
“Subsurface drainage can improve corn and soybean yields on poorly drained soils,” said Randall Reeder, an extension ag engineer. “Add crop rotation and some sort of conservation tillage practice, and production will get better.”
Planting across the state was rated a huge success by most. One percent of all corn has tasseled and 97 percent of soybeans have been planted, with 91 emerged. Fifty-eight percent of winter wheat is ripe and 78 percent of oats are headed.
The planting of other crops is ahead of schedule as well, including cucumbers (92 percent), strawberries (92), peaches (84) and processing tomatoes (89).
Overall, the weather cooperated most of the spring. Officials at the National Weather Service Forecast Service in Wilmington said severe weather and flooding occurred between June 11-15, but remaining days in June were ideal for planting. Ohio farmers planted more corn, soybeans and oats than the prior growing season.
Farmers in this state planted an estimated 3.6 million acres of corn. This is up 250,000 from 2009. Soybeans in Ohio are estimated at 4.7 million acres, up 150,000 from last year.
Oats are estimated at 70,000 acres, up 5,000 from 2009, and winter wheat is estimated at 800,000 acres, down 210,000.
By Doug Graves
Ohio Correspondent
Illinois
Heavy storms in parts of the state prohibited fieldwork and contributed to further pooling in low-lying crop fields with poor drainage the week of June 28. Statewide precipitation averaged 1.79 inches, 0.88 above normal, according to the Illinois NASS, while temperatures averaged 78 degrees.
A newly constructed, 680,000-bushel grain bin owned by Alliance Grain in Gibson City was destroyed by high winds on June 23.
Some farmers are attempting to re-plant soybeans. Many were unable to apply herbicides. Statewide, corn is 15 percent silked, compared to 2 during 2009, and 6 percent of soybeans have bloomed compared to the five-year average of 7.
Ricky Bane of Minonk finished his tillage last fall and is happy with the progress of his seed corn, seed beans, alfalfa and other crops he grows in Woodford County. Some of his neighbors are not faring as well.
“Guys that tried to chisel plow this spring really put their (plants) under stress,” said Bane. “We’re seeing a lot of low spots, holes in fields and yellow corn. But the (recent) heat has been helping them, kind of evening things up.”
With the sun and rain-free conditions of recent days, corn and soybean pests are arriving. “Just in the last week we’re seeing a lot of Asian beetles; they are on my sweet corn something terrible,” said Bane.
He also reported soybean planting is “evening up ... There is also a lot of hay being cut and wheat being harvested,” he said. “It’s a busy time.”
Tim Lenz, a corn grower from Shelby County, said area fields absorbed as much as five inches of rain during the week. He also reported standing water in fields affecting corn and beans, though most corn had survived yellowing.
Winter wheat was 84 percent ripe and 64 percent harvested statewide, according to NASS.
By Tim Alexander
Illinois Correspondent
Michigan
Lush, green crops followed ample rain and sunshine with four days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending June 27, according to the NASS Michigan Field Office.
In some regions strong thunderstorms and wet conditions continued, making drying hay and applying pesticides almost impossible. Precipitation varied from 1.1 inches in the central Lower Peninsula (L.P.) to 2.89 inches in the western Upper Peninsula (U.P.). Average temperatures were 4-5 degrees above normal across most of the state.
Crop conditions varied from drown-out to excellent in the southwestern Lower Peninsula. In contrast, a reporter in the west-central L.P. stated, “Sunday’s rain was much appreciated. Soil moisture was about to reach the critical point for these lush, fast growing crops this year.”
Corn had great growth. While rain improved alfalfa in the U.P., it continued to cause problems in the rest of the state. Some late planted soybeans were weedy, and wet conditions caused many acres to drown or have inhibited growth.
Wheat was down due to high winds in some areas. White mold and head scab were reported as the crop started to dry down. Potato late blight was confirmed in St. Joseph County. Oats were headed and reported to be looking good with some lodging.
Sugar beets continued to look good, yet some acres had water damage. Many fields had standing water in spots, which has made it difficult to apply herbicides and pesticides.
Apples ranged from fruit size 30-31 mm in the northwest to 2 inches in the southwest. In the southeast, many varieties were showing finish problems due to the frost/freeze injury.
Strawberry harvest began in the northwest and ended in the southeast and southwest. Sweet cherries were at 19-22 mm diameter in the northwest and fruit harvest has begun in the southwest, southeast and west-central areas. Tart cherries were 18 mm in the northwest; cherries were colored in the southwest.
By Melissa Hart
Michigan Correspondent
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| 7/7/2010 |
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