fl-crop-weather State Florida Crop Weather Week Ending/Released Dates Week ending November 20, 2005 Released 4:00 P.M. November 21, 2005 Report Code FL-CW4605  e-height:11.5pt'> VEGETABLE HARVEST INCREASING SLOWLY IN SOUTHERN PENINSULA Weather Summary Report Significant rains fell in some eastern Panhandle, Big Bend and southeastern Peninsula areas during the week of November 14 through 20. Preliminary reports showed less than half an inch of rain fell in other areas with several stations recording no precipitation for the week. Four inches fell at Carabelle. Pompano Beach reported about four and half inches falling on the last day of the week. Temperatures averaged one to three degrees above normal in the major cities. Daytime highs averaged in the 70s and 80s while nighttime lows averaged in the 50s and 60s with several Panhandle and northern Peninsula localities recording at least one low in the 30s and 40s. Field Crops Report Growers are finished with peanut harvesting. Some peanut growers in Jackson County reported yields off by over 500 pounds. Scattered showers throughout the week interrupted some cotton harvesting in Jackson County with yields rated good to excellent. Light showers over the Panhandle and northern Peninsula were not enough to increase soil moisture supplies with supplies rated very short to adequate. Rains in the central and southern Peninsula maintained soil moisture supplies with supplies rated mostly adequate. Lee County reported short to adequate moisture supplies and Indian River County reported surplus to adequate supplies. Percentage of Peanuts Harvested to date: This year Last year 5-year average 100 99 99 Soil Moisture Chart Topsoil Subsoil Moisture This Last Last This Last Last Rating week week year week week Year Percent Very short 11 4 1 5 2 0 Short 17 37 28 18 33 20 Adequate 65 45 68 77 57 69 Surplus 7 14 3 0 8 10 Vegetable Report Harvesting gained momentum over the central and southern Peninsula with the volume of cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes increasing. Lighter amounts of snap beans, eggplant and squash were also marketed during the week. Tomato growers in the Quincy area continued picking during the week with the volume decreasing as the season nears the end and temperatures plunge to near freezing. A very light volume of sweet corn was also picked in northern and central Peninsula localities. Okra harvesting is starting back up in Miami-Dade County with very light amounts available. Strawberry growers welcomed cooler temperatures at the end of the week which enhanced berry development. Livestock Report In the Panhandle, pasture condition is fair to good. Pasture in the northern counties is very poor to fair. Several locations had frost and near freezing temperatures. Drought is lowering winter forage production. Cattle condition is mostly fair. Livestock owners are feeding supplemental hay. In the central area, range and cattle are in good condition. In the southwest, range is in fair to good condition. Statewide, cattle condition is mostly good. Livestock Condition Chart Range Cattle Condition This Last This Last week week week week Percent Very poor 5 0 0 0 Poor 10 10 5 5 Fair 20 35 20 20 Good 65 55 75 75 Excellent 0 0 0 0 Fruit Report Citrus: Persistent showers inundated much of the east coast this past week, drenching areas already soaked from earlier rainfall. The rest of Florida's citrus belt was relatively dry with only a little rain in a few scattered areas. Growers in the northern, central and southern areas are beginning to irrigate to maintain surface moisture levels. Warmer temperatures prevailed early in the week and then turned cooler as a front passed through the State at the end of the week, bringing temperatures down to the mid to low 50s in the northern citrus area and the west coast. Horticultural practices include mowing and cover crop control as groves are being prepared for the picking season. Some of the Sunburst and Ambersweet tangerines have excellent on-tree color and can be packed following washing. Good color is being reported on early oranges, mids, and grapefruit. Varieties being picked include Hamlin, Ambersweet and Navel oranges, colored and white grapefruit, Fallglo and Sunburst tangerines, and Tangelos. About two-thirds of the packing houses and processing plants are now open. Estimated boxes harvested - week ended Crop Nov 6 Nov 13 Nov 20 In thousands of 1-3/5 bushel boxes Navel oranges 101 99 161 Early and Mid oranges 233 472 943 Grapefruit 225 383 478 Early Tangerines 103 124 209 Tangelos 0 9 28 Comments/Contact Information To receive this report via e-mail, log onto http://www.usda.gov/nass/sso-rpts.htm Then click on “Subscribe” (upper right part of screen), then select “Florida Crop-Weather”, enter your name and your e-mail address, then click on “Subscribe”. The report will be sent automatically to your e-mail address each week.