Mi-crop-weather State Michigan Crop Weather Released August 29, 2005 Week Ending Date August 28, 2005 Issue MI-CW3605 Agricultural Summary Summer Heat Breaks Six days were suitable for fieldwork during the week ending August 28, according to the USDA, NASS, Michigan Field Office. Precipitation amounts ranged from 0.12 inches in the central Lower Peninsula to 1.18 inches in the eastern Upper Peninsula. Average temperatures ranged from normal in the eastern Upper Peninsula to 3 degrees below normal in the northeast, southwest, and south central Lower Peninsula. Recent precipitation was light but generally helpful. There were reports of short soil moisture across the State. A farmer in the west central said, "Last week was cooler with some beneficial rain which helped crops like apples." A farmer from the southeast said, "Timely rainfall has kept crops looking good for the most part. A lot of hay was made this week. Temperatures have been moderate and corn is ripening quickly." Field Crops Report Field Crops Temperatures were below average for most of the State. Many areas received rains although locally some areas remained dry. Corn continued to advance in maturity, ahead of normal. Farmers were beginning to open fields by chopping corn silage. Some seed corn was harvested. Soybean fields varied. Soybean aphid populations were declining rapidly. The third cutting of alfalfa continued with decent yields for many. Fall seedings were being made at this time. For sugarbeets, dry soil moisture could impact yield soon. Reports of Cercospora leafspot remained high. Dry bean harvest was underway for early planted fields including Light Red Kidney and Cranberry beans. Later planted beans were still very green. Wheat field preparations were making progress. Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report Fruit The harvest of early season apples continued. McIntosh harvest will begin late this week in the southwest. The warm weather this season has caused much concern about late season insect pests such as European corn borer and dock sawfly. Grape veraison was complete in the southwest; grape berry moth egg hatch increased. Veraison began in the northwest, where many vineyards have been netted for bird management. In the southwest, peach growers were harvesting Loring and Glowing Star, and other varieties. Harvest wrapped up in the southeast. In the west central, harvest continued; fruit size and quality of processing peaches were good. Blueberry harvest ended early. Fruit size and quality were poor after the first picking. Fall raspberry harvest continued. Harvest of pears continued in the southwest and began in the west central, where the crop is light to medium in volume. Plum harvesting continued in the southwest. There is a very heavy load on plum trees in the west central; harvest of early variety began there. Cracking of fruit and pits is a quality problem in the west central. Vegetables Crops progressed across the State with warm and dry weather. Carrots continued to show some disease due to irrigation. Celery and onion harvests continued. Pepper and potato harvests also continued. Pumpkin plants continued to size and show color. Snap bean harvest was completed in most areas. Sweet corn harvest was in full swing. Squash, zucchini, and cucumbers showed more signs of downy mildew. Harvest of tomatoes for processing and fresh market progressed. Soil Moisture and Crop Condition Tables Soil moisture for week ending 08/28/05 --------------------------------------------- : Very : : : Stratum : short : Short :Adequate:Surplus --------------------------------------------- : Percent : Topsoil : 26 35 38 1 Subsoil : 22 47 31 0 --------------------------------------------- Crop condition for week ending 08/28/05 ----------------------------------------------------------- : Very : : : : Crop : poor : Poor : Fair : Good :Excellent ----------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : All Hay : 9 19 29 31 12 Corn : 3 8 24 49 16 Dry beans : 0 4 27 55 14 Pasture : 11 27 34 24 4 Soybeans : 4 7 27 49 13 ----------------------------------------------------------- Crop progress for week ending 08/28/05 ------------------------------------------------------------ : This : Last : Last :5-year Crop : week : week : year :average ------------------------------------------------------------ : Percent : All hay, second cutting : 95 93 85 91 All hay, third cutting : 58 51 34 35 Apples, harvested : 6 NA NA NA Blueberries, harvested : 93 89 91 NA Corn, dough : 86 80 47 47 Corn, dent : 46 23 8 12 Corn, mature : 3 0 NA NA Dry beans, turning leaves : 38 16 28 31 Dry beans, dropping leaves : 7 0 0 4 Peaches, harvested : 64 60 64 NA Potatoes, harvested : 19 16 NA NA Soybeans, turning leaves : 14 3 3 7 Soybeans, dropping leaves : 1 0 NA 1 ------------------------------------------------------------ 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 08/28/05 1/ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : :Cumulative growing: : Temperature : degree days 2/ : Precipitation :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : : : : : : : : : Normal Station : : :Departure: : : :This:Last :Last : Since :------------- :Maximum :Minimum : from :2005 :2004 :Normal:week: two :four :April 1: Since : For : : : normal : : : : :weeks:weeks: :April 1:month ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ironwood : 79 36 1,940 1,385 0.43 0.82 1.60 10.39 Marquette : 81 40 1,860 1,305 0.86 1.17 1.94 12.33 Stephenson : 83 44 1,998 1,621 0.80 1.74 2.69 9.75 Western UP : 83 36 -1 1,912 1,388 1,599 0.49 0.98 1.80 10.48 15.89 3.69 : Cornell : 82 46 1,910 1,444 1.33 1.92 3.18 8.96 Sault St Marie : 77 48 1,825 1,176 1.19 2.40 3.11 10.38 Eastern UP : 83 46 0 1,822 1,229 1,399 1.18 1.96 2.94 10.26 15.03 3.53 : Beulah : 84 52 2,213 1,651 0.63 4.67 5.64 13.20 Lake City : 80 43 2,024 1,635 0.13 2.41 4.49 13.88 Old Mission : 83 49 2,083 1,572 0.66 4.01 5.58 11.35 Pellston : 82 43 2,040 1,514 0.70 3.77 5.05 11.85 Northwest : 84 43 -1 2,062 1,541 1,803 0.48 3.74 5.35 12.61 14.07 3.11 : Alpena : 80 45 1,949 1,573 0.03 2.80 4.89 12.97 Houghton Lake : 80 39 2,078 1,721 0.21 1.00 1.97 10.22 Rogers City : 80 43 1,996 1,601 0.12 3.27 5.08 13.14 Northeast : 83 39 -3 2,031 1,612 1,749 0.15 2.98 4.61 13.32 14.10 3.12 : Fremont : 85 50 2,323 1,919 0.25 0.29 1.12 6.89 Hart : 84 47 2,226 1,774 0.31 0.48 2.90 10.91 Muskegon : 84 50 2,394 1,939 0.51 0.83 2.15 7.76 West Central : 85 46 -2 2,285 1,843 1,966 0.36 0.64 2.41 9.13 14.46 3.60 : Alma : 84 47 2,350 2,026 0.12 0.14 0.82 7.74 Big Rapids : 84 48 2,283 1,889 0.01 0.01 0.01 8.62 Central : 84 47 -2 2,298 1,953 2,038 0.12 0.14 0.61 8.50 15.36 3.64 : Bad Axe : 84 52 2,304 1,849 0.21 0.75 1.63 12.21 Pigeon : 82 47 2,138 1,831 0.02 0.34 0.48 9.60 Saginaw : 84 50 2,283 2,031 0.15 0.37 1.38 12.30 Standish : 83 52 2,241 1,803 0.32 0.88 1.30 12.56 East Central : 85 47 -2 2,223 1,887 2,031 0.34 0.74 1.44 11.89 13.80 2.93 : Fennville : 88 47 2,384 1,981 0.31 0.63 0.65 5.44 Grand Rapids : 85 51 2,512 2,261 0.28 1.03 1.42 16.29 Holland : 87 49 2,476 2,065 0.08 0.31 0.99 3.57 South Bend, IN : 86 53 2,662 2,397 0.17 0.82 2.37 9.83 Watervliet : 86 51 2,540 2,148 0.17 0.85 1.54 9.00 Southwest : 89 47 -3 2,503 2,155 2,206 0.19 0.68 1.31 8.35 15.81 3.18 : Belding : 86 48 2,291 2,032 0.30 0.36 0.50 12.39 Coldwater : 86 48 2,368 2,111 0.16 0.56 1.16 11.22 Lansing : 87 50 2,522 2,138 0.07 0.25 0.74 14.86 South Central : 89 48 -3 2,437 2,154 2,176 0.16 0.39 0.85 11.49 15.85 3.36 : Detroit : 88 55 2,672 2,387 0.67 0.86 1.22 12.19 Flint : 87 45 2,411 2,188 0.44 0.51 0.83 11.17 Romeo : 86 52 2,428 2,141 0.40 0.88 1.48 13.28 Tipton : 88 54 2,471 2,116 0.03 0.70 1.16 12.91 Toledo, OH : 91 54 2,639 2,445 0.00 0.65 1.34 10.80 Southeast : 91 45 -2 2,477 2,244 2,168 0.39 0.90 1.51 13.14 15.32 3.12 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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.