Mi-crop-weather State Michigan Crop Weather Released September 13, 2004 Week Ending Date September 12, 2004 Issue MI-CW3704 Agricultural Summary Continued Warm Six days were suitable for fieldwork during the week ending September 12, according to the USDA-NASS-Michigan Statistical Office. The State received a third week in a row of above normal temperatures, adding important growing degree days to the season total. Temperatures were above normal across the State, with averages ranging from 1 degree above normal in the southwest Lower Peninsula to 3 degrees above normal in four districts. Sunshine was the general rule with a little rain. Amounts ranged from 0.12 inches in the west central Lower Peninsula to 0.67 inches in the southeast Lower Peninsula. An operator in the south central Lower Peninsula noted, "Warm, sunny weather has advanced crop maturity a lot this week as well as let a lot of third and fourth cutting hay be put up. Silage corn harvest has moved at a rapid pace this week. Most corn is nearing the black layer, or mature stage. Beans are rapidly starting to turn color and drop leaves." Field Crops Report Field Crops Many crops across the State last week were aided by more hot, frost free weather. Hay harvest continued, but heavy dew made it difficult to dry. Second cutting was complete in most areas. Third cutting harvest progressed nicely and fourth cutting was getting underway for some. Dry conditions have left some stands short. Corn progressed with the help of the warm weather. Growers were hoping for more warm days so that the corn and soybean crops can mature. The soybean crop continued to advance with good color, but late planted fields need time to finish filling pods. Dry beans are nearing harvest rapidly. Sugarbeets looked good and continued to progress nicely. Oat and barley harvest was nearing completion. Wheat planting will be delayed due to late soybean harvest. Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report Fruit In the southwest, apple growers were picking Gala, Honeycrisp, and McIntosh. Some Honeycrisp in sandy sites were over mature. Apple harvest was moving along quickly in the southeast. McIntosh harvest ended, and growers began picking Gala's on early sites. In the west central, apple development looked good. In the northwest, harvest of early apple varieties was underway. Warm temperatures in late August triggered the beginning emergence of second generation codling moth adults. Peach harvest continued in the west central. Plum harvest has concluded in the southwest. In the southeast, plum harvest neared completion, and light amounts of brown rot were showing up. In the west central, Stanley plums were approaching maturity and showing nice color. The crop load was very good in most blocks. In southwest grown pears, harvest of Bartletts ended and harvest of later varieties such as Bosc began. Harvest began in the southeast. In the west central, pear harvest was well underway. Grape color was well developed in the southwest. In the northwest, red grape varieties started to color. Vegetables Warm temperatures helped move along vegetable crops. Harvest of many vegetables continued statewide. Potato harvest continued at a moderate pace. Late sweet corn harvest progressed. Picking neared completion in some areas. Snap beans continued to mature and harvest continued. Processing tomato harvest progressed in the southeast. Recent warm weather helped ripen the processing crop, as well as fresh market. Carrot harvest moved along in the southeast and west central. The cool summer weather was good for sizing the crop. Celery harvest was on schedule at about 60 percent complete. Storage onions were maturing in the southeast, while fresh market harvest continued. Summer squash harvest was active. Warm weather helped the zucchini crop in the west central. Pumpkins were turning color. Watermelon harvest continued in the southeast. Soil Moisture and Crop Condition Tables Soil moisture for week ending 09/12/04 --------------------------------------------- : Very : : : Stratum : short : Short :Adequate:Surplus --------------------------------------------- : Percent : Topsoil : 5 27 65 3 Subsoil : 7 29 63 1 --------------------------------------------- Crop condition for week ending 09/12/04 ----------------------------------------------------------- : Very : : : : Crop : poor : Poor : Fair : Good :Excellent ----------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : All Hay : 5 12 36 40 7 Corn : 6 14 32 36 12 Dry beans : 6 15 34 36 9 Pasture : 6 18 46 24 6 Soybeans : 5 12 39 33 11 ----------------------------------------------------------- Crop progress for week ending 09/12/04 ------------------------------------------------------------ : This : Last : Last :5-year Crop : week : week : year :average ------------------------------------------------------------ : Percent : All hay, third cutting : 72 51 72 68 All hay, fourth cutting : 16 4 0 6 Apples, harvested : 9 4 NA NA Corn, dough : 84 68 84 85 Corn, dent : 38 25 46 60 Corn, mature : 3 0 1 15 Corn silage, harvested : 13 1 16 29 Dry beans, turning leaves : 91 50 84 79 Dry beans, dropping leaves : 29 0 69 62 Oats, harvested : 96 91 99 100 Peaches, harvested : 93 80 NA NA Soybeans, setting pods : 99 92 100 100 Soybeans, turning leaves : 31 10 39 59 Soybeans, dropping leaves : 6 0 7 21 Winter wheat, planted : 2 0 4 4 ------------------------------------------------------------ Contact Information U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service Michigan Statistical Office P.O. Box 26248 Lansing, MI 48909-6248 517-324-5300; or 800-453-7501 Fax 517-324-5299 email: nass-mi@nass.usda.gov Web Page: http:/www.nass.usda.gov/mi Weather Information Table Michigan Weather Summary for Week Ending 09/12/04 1/ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : :Cumulative growing: : Temperature : degree days 2/ : Precipitation :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : : : : : : : : : Normal Station : : :Departure: : : :This:Last :Last : Since :------------- :Maximum :Minimum : from :2004 :2003 :Normal:week: two :four :April 1: Since : For : : : normal : : : : :weeks:weeks: :April 1:month ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ironwood : 78 39 1,595 1,932 0.24 0.61 2.16 18.38 Marquette : 77 38 1,497 1,857 0.54 0.85 2.88 18.04 Stephenson : 79 44 1,847 2,116 0.41 0.47 1.76 17.19 Western UP : 80 38 2 1,616 1,924 1,784 0.30 0.60 2.09 16.37 17.84 3.58 : Cornell : 76 45 1,641 2,027 0.31 0.80 2.72 18.07 Sault St Marie : 81 44 1,374 1,791 1.14 1.17 3.53 17.17 Eastern UP : 81 39 2 1,414 1,784 1,574 0.58 0.73 2.53 15.86 16.69 3.55 : Beulah : 83 48 1,914 2,081 0.35 0.42 3.94 20.70 Lake City : 83 41 1,861 1,970 0.52 0.52 2.25 17.14 Old Mission : 83 49 1,821 2,060 0.13 0.17 1.96 18.54 Pellston : 84 37 1,728 1,961 0.85 1.13 3.06 14.99 Northwest : 84 37 3 1,784 1,984 2,022 0.45 0.52 2.58 17.22 15.61 3.66 : Alpena : 86 46 1,802 1,941 0.24 0.30 1.03 15.01 Houghton Lake : 83 40 1,957 2,090 0.57 0.58 1.64 16.05 Rogers City : 83 41 1,780 2,031 0.40 0.54 1.87 17.52 Northeast : 86 36 3 1,844 2,042 1,958 0.42 0.52 1.71 16.04 15.64 3.47 : Fremont : 84 47 2,172 2,366 0.25 0.25 2.46 17.40 Hart : 85 44 2,019 2,200 0.18 0.18 1.51 18.53 Muskegon : 82 48 2,194 2,422 0.05 0.05 1.61 20.50 West Central : 85 43 2 2,088 2,278 2,204 0.12 0.12 1.92 20.16 15.93 3.19 : Alma : 85 47 2,287 2,352 0.24 0.26 2.59 20.45 Big Rapids : 86 45 2,140 2,161 0.21 0.21 3.62 19.95 Central : 86 43 3 2,234 2,253 2,276 0.22 0.24 2.57 19.87 16.79 3.09 : Bad Axe : 84 47 2,104 2,072 0.46 0.55 1.96 18.03 Pigeon : 85 46 2,076 2,053 0.53 0.54 2.61 19.05 Saginaw : 85 51 2,300 2,267 0.66 0.67 2.51 17.18 Standish : 84 45 2,052 2,046 0.75 0.75 3.00 18.08 East Central : 86 45 3 2,099 2,126 2,276 0.49 0.50 2.12 18.55 14.98 2.70 : Fennville : 85 47 2,230 2,322 0.14 0.14 1.28 14.79 Grand Rapids : 84 51 2,526 2,413 0.40 0.40 2.38 21.76 Holland : 84 49 2,327 2,375 0.04 0.06 2.09 15.50 South Bend, IN : 84 51 2,672 2,575 0.10 0.52 4.11 22.86 Watervliet : 85 49 2,414 2,347 0.24 0.24 3.80 22.55 Southwest : 88 46 1 2,414 2,411 2,476 0.17 0.22 2.92 20.67 17.18 3.26 : Belding : 84 45 2,285 2,294 0.54 0.55 2.49 22.15 Coldwater : 84 48 2,359 2,279 0.37 0.37 2.10 21.75 Lansing : 84 45 2,395 2,353 0.61 0.61 2.53 21.56 South Central : 86 45 2 2,393 2,375 2,434 0.38 0.38 2.54 21.83 17.11 2.79 : Detroit : 85 54 2,688 2,620 0.65 0.65 3.11 19.87 Flint : 84 46 2,447 2,458 0.48 0.48 1.54 18.30 Romeo : 85 47 2,423 2,300 1.44 1.46 2.20 23.36 Tipton : 86 49 2,394 2,349 0.43 0.43 1.32 18.06 Toledo, OH : 83 50 2,739 2,613 0.75 1.01 4.18 17.37 Southeast : 88 45 2 2,462 2,467 2,431 0.67 0.77 2.39 20.13 16.40 2.43 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Issued by the Federal/State Michigan Agricultural Statistics Service in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Commerce, Michigan State University's Cooperative Extension Service, Agricultural Meteorologist, Department of Geography, and Crop Advisory Team ALERTS. 2/ Growing degree days (GDD) is the sum of daily mean temperatures minus 50 per day, 86 maximum And 50 minimum. The GDD is accumulative from April 1.