Mich. Apple Harvest in Full Swing
Published: Friday, September 24, 2021
The following is from the Michigan Field Office of USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service for the week ending Sept. 19.
Much of the state experienced rainfall accompanied by warmer temperatures. There were 5.7 days suitable for fieldwork.
Corn harvest started to pick up steam slightly ahead of the five-year average.
Silage corn harvest progressed at a rapid pace finishing the week significantly ahead of schedule.
Dry bean harvest also advanced swiftly with nearly half of the crop being threshed by weeks end.
Wheat planting continued to proceed slightly ahead of schedule as oat and barley harvests reached their conclusion.
Forage producers continued to harvest hay as weather allowed.
Soybean progress remained significantly ahead of the five-year average with 5 percent of the crop harvested to date.
Other activities included tillage, pre-harvest scouting and yield sampling.
Fruit
Apple harvest was in full swing across the state. In the Northwest, Gala was harvested. Honeycrisp harvest was expected to begin in a few weeks. Predicted cooler nights were expected to aid in coloring.
In the Grand Rapids area, Gala harvest was in full swing and Honeycrisp was spot picked.
McIntosh harvest was complete for those blocks not treated with plant growth regulators and was on-going in those blocks that had been treated.
Jonagold, Jonathan, Golden and Red Delicious harvest windows fast approached.
In the Southwest, Honeycrisp was harvested heavily. Bitter rot was problematic in some blocks.
A few Jonagold were harvested for processing. Some Jonathan have been harvested for taffy apples.
Vegetables
With the vegetable season drawing to a close, producers were cleaning up their fields, planting fall cover crops, and working on other post-season activities.
Harvest of carrots and potatoes was ongoing throughout much of the state while pumpkins and gourds were being sold in local markets.
Supply of zucchini and squash remained at moderate levels.
Weather-based forecast for late blight was set at low to medium risk for most of the state, and no late blight had been reported for either potatoes or tomatoes in Michigan to date.
Topsoil moisture was rated very short, 8 percent; short, 19 percent; adequate, 71 percent; surplus, 2 percent.
Subsoil moisture was rated very short, 5 percent; short, 37 percent; adequate, 57 percent; surplus, 1 percent.
The crop progress schedule (last week, previous week, 2020 and 5-year average) showed: corn dough, 99, 96, 99, 93; corn dented, 80, 70, 89, 75; corn mature, 44, 24, 34, 25; corn harvested for grain, 2, 0, 0, 1; corn harvested for silage, 71, 31, 70, 42; soybeans dropping leaves, 76, 51, 66, 46; soybeans harvested, 5, 0, 1, 1; winter wheat planted, 10, 4, 8, 7; barley harvested, 95, 82, 98, N/A; dry beans dropping leaves, 96, 89, 89, 74; dry edible beans harvested, 49, 6, 7, N/A; alfalfa hay, third cutting, 90, 86, 88, 78; alfalfa hay, fourth cutting, 51, 35, 41, N/A; other hay, third cutting, 81, 73, 52, 51; other hay, fourth cutting, 11, 7, 9, N/A; oats harvested, 100, 95, N/A, N/A; sugarbeets harvested, 20, 12, 24, 15.
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