Corn Harvest Moves at Quick Pace
Published: Friday, October 18, 2024
The following is from the Michigan Field Office of USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service for the week ending Oct. 13.
Widespread showers across Southern Michigan late last week were welcomed by producers.
There were 6.3 days suitable for fieldwork.
Corn for grain and soybean harvests continued at a rapid pace. Corn for grain moisture content at harvest averaged 18% last week, down 7 percentage points from the five-year average.
Soybean moisture content, at 11%, was down 4 points from the five-year average. Producers have generally been pleased with yields.
Dry bean harvest was nearly complete.
Twenty-seven percent of sugarbeets have been harvested while growers await cooler weather to begin large scale harvest.
Michigan potato harvest began to wind down. Rains late in the week slowed harvest for a few days but were generally welcomed as soils were abnormally dry.
Rain showers aided winter wheat emergence; 65% of the crop had been planted with 31% emerged.
Hay harvest was winding down for the season.
Other activities last week included: planting cover crops, spreading manure and fertilizer, hauling hay, chopping alfalfa for haylage, alfalfa seeding, fall tillage, tending to livestock and farm planning for next year.
Fruit
The weather last week was sunny and warm during the day and cool at night across the state which was good for fall color development and sugar levels in late season apple varieties. Idared harvest continued in the West Central.
Some areas have begun to harvest Aztec Fuji and Evercrisp. Pink Lady harvest was anticipated to begin soon on the Ridge.
Topsoil moisture was rated very short, 25%; short, 26%; adequate, 46%; surplus, 3%.
Subsoil moisture was rated very short, 17%; short, 40%; adequate, 41%; surplus, 2%.
The crop progress schedule (last week, previous week, 2023 and five-year average) showed: corn mature, 96, 85, 68, 74; corn harvested for grain, 31, 18, 16, 18; corn harvested for silage, 95, 87, 87, 87; soybeans harvested, 66, 40, 28, 35; winter wheat planted, 65, 44, 39, 54; winter wheat emerged, 31, 15, 23, 28; dry edible beans harvested, 98, 94, 85, 80; alfalfa hay, fourth cutting, 75, 61, 81, NA; other hay, third cutting, 95, 85, 87, 82; other hay, fourth cutting, 30, 23, NA, NA; sugarbeets harvested, 27, 22, 19, 31.
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