Michigan Farmers Have to Wait Until Fields Dry Out
Published: Friday, October 19, 2018
The following is from the Michigan Field Office of USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service for the week ending Oct. 14.
Most regions in the Lower Peninsula experienced warm temperatures at of the start of the week, but by the weekend, temperatures dropped significantly. Ample rains delayed or stopped harvest in most areas statewide.
There were 3 days suitable for fieldwork.
Corn neared full maturity, but spotters noticed that mold has become a problem in certain fields. In the few areas that were dry enough for farmers to work the field, the moisture content of the grain at harvest was 25 percent, showing no significant dry-down over the week.
Soybean conditions suffered in the Upper Peninsula as a result of too much rainfall. There were reports of flooding and standing water in some fields. In the areas that were dry enough to harvest, the estimated moisture content of the grain at harvest was 16 percent.
Winter wheat planting progress has been slowed due to rain and the delays in the soybean harvest. The dry bean and sugarbeet harvests continued; preliminary yields were reported to be looking good.
Fruit
Apple harvest continued to be delayed last week by wet weather. Some growers were further delayed by lack of labor. Growers with U-Pick apples had a tough couple of weekends, with inclement weather causing poor turnout at farms.
On the Ridge, growers nearly completed Jonathan and Golden Delicious harvest and were heavily picking Empire and Ida Red. Growers moved onto Red Delicious as time allowed. San Jose scale and woolly apple aphid infestations were observed in many blocks.
In the East, growers were finishing harvest of Empire and Golden Delicious and harvested Red Delicious heavily. Northern Spy, Crispin, Rome, Fuji and Cameo were all harvested.
In the Southwest, growers were harvesting Red Delicious. Ida Red harvest was nearly complete. Fuji and Braeburn harvest began.
In the West Central, Golden Delicious and Empire were harvested heavily. Rome and Honeycrisp harvest was nearly complete.
In the Northwest, Honeycrisp harvest was nearly complete. Gala and McIntosh harvest was underway.
The crop progress schedule (last week, previous week, 2017 and 5-year average) showed: corn mature, 87, 78, 82, 80; corn harvested for grain, 20, 16, 18, 16; corn harvested for silage, 93, 89, 88, NA; soybeans dropping leaves, 93, 89, 95, 95; soybeans harvested, 23, 16, 60, 41; winter wheat planted, 40, 32, 73, 61; winter wheat emerged, 24, 14, 46, 34; dry beans harvested, 68, 58, 83, 80; sugarbeets harvested, 38, 34, 32, 27.
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