mi-crop-weather State Michigan Crop Weather Released August 27, 2007 Week Ending Date August 26, 2007 Issue MI-CW3407 Agricultural Summary Rain Returns Three days were suitable for fieldwork during the week ending August 26, according to the USDA, NASS, Michigan Field Office. Precipitation varied from 0.19 inches in the Upper Peninsula to 3.23 inches in the south central Lower Peninsula. Average temperatures ranged from 1 degree above normal in the west central, central, and south central Lower Peninsula to 4 degrees above normal in the southwest Lower Peninsula. Most areas across the State benefited from rain showers over the past week. A farmer in the southeast Lower Peninsula mentioned that, "The moisture has helped hay and pastures to green back up and may improve some field crop conditions. Some third cutting alfalfa may still be made if a window of dry enough weather opens up for baling." Another reporter in the southwest Lower Peninsula said that, "Plenty of rain in the last couple of weeks. It seems as the story has been written for grain crops and the rain was too late." Field Crops Report Field Crops Variable weather conditions brought much needed precipitation to all areas of the State. Although the wet conditions hindered field activities, the rainfall was a welcome relief to crop stress and drought conditions that existed across the State. Corn condition continued to vary. Isolated fields were damaged by high winds and tornadoes. Harvest of silage began in some areas. Soybeans continued to improve in the wet conditions and began turning leaves in some areas. Soybean aphids and spider mites continued to require scouting in some fields. Alfalfa re-growth responded well to the recent rainfalls; harvest of a third cutting continued with many growers hoping to complete one more cutting before September. Fall seedings were being made. Oat harvest was completed. Dry beans continued turning leaves. Feeding damage from bean leaf and Japanese beetles was found in some fields. Sugarbeets continued to add growth and progress nicely. Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report Fruit The harvest of early apple varieties continued; size, color, and flavor have been excellent. Fruit finish is relatively smooth on all apples due to the dry conditions during most of the growing season. Blueberry harvest neared completion, and fruit bud formation was underway. Pear harvest continued. PF25, PF27A, and Harcrest fresh market peaches were harvested; processing peach harvest continued in the west central, where size was diminished in non-irrigated orchards. Castleton, NY 6, Redheart, and other mid-season plum varieties were harvested. Fall raspberry picking continued. Veraison of Concord grapes ended in the southwest while fruit coloring of wine grapes in the northwest began. Powdery mildew and downy mildew were found in scattered vineyards. Vegetables Continued rains slowed or stopped some vegetable harvest but helped to improve crops still growing and maturing. Carrot and Celery harvest continued. Potato harvest continued. Alternaria early blight and Colorado potato beetle problems continued in some fields. Sweet corn harvest continued. Pumpkins and winter squash continued to mature. Powdery mildew continued to be a problem in some fields across the State. Tomato and pepper harvest continued. Onion harvest continued. Cabbage and other cole crops continued to develop. Soil Moisture and Crop Condition Tables Soil moisture for week ending 08/26/07 --------------------------------------------- : Very : : : Stratum : short : Short :Adequate:Surplus --------------------------------------------- : Percent : Topsoil : 5 10 62 23 Subsoil : 15 24 53 8 --------------------------------------------- Crop condition for week ending 08/26/07 ----------------------------------------------------------- : Very : : : : Crop : poor : Poor : Fair : Good :Excellent ----------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : All Hay : 17 30 30 21 2 Corn : 16 18 38 26 2 Dry beans : 4 16 58 21 1 Pasture : 19 25 37 16 3 Soybeans : 8 20 39 27 6 ----------------------------------------------------------- Crop progress for week ending 08/26/07 ---------------------------------------------------------------- : This : Last : Last : 5-year Crop : week : week : year :average ---------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : All hay, third cutting : 54 33 60 43 All hay, fourth cutting : 1 NA 5 1 Apples, harvested : 4 NA 3 NA Blueberries, harvested : 95 90 70 NA Corn, dough : 80 77 87 61 Corn, dent : 35 20 42 21 Corn, mature : 2 0 2 1 Corn silage, harvested : 6 NA 8 2 Dry beans, turning leaves : 21 8 81 36 Peaches, harvested : 64 55 54 NA Potatoes, harvested : 8 5 18 NA Soybeans, turning leaves : 3 1 7 5 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Contact Information U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service Michigan Field 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 08/26/07 1/ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : :Cumulative growing: : Temperature : degree days 2/ : Precipitation :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : : : : : : : : : Normal Station : : :Departure: : : :This:Last :Last : Since :------------- :Maximum :Minimum : from :2007 :2006 :Normal:week: two :four :April 1: Since : For : : : normal : : : : :weeks:weeks: :April 1:month ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ironwood : 82 45 1,905 1,931 0.21 0.27 0.54 8.84 Marquette : 82 44 1,805 1,772 0.05 0.05 0.08 11.02 Stephenson : 79 44 2,001 1,977 0.01 0.01 0.01 7.06 Western UP : 83 43 2 1,897 1,880 1,568 0.21 0.27 0.40 7.48 15.63 3.69 : Cornell : 78 46 1,939 1,893 0.20 0.25 0.56 8.89 Sault St Marie : 75 51 1,763 1,774 0.22 0.37 0.54 7.67 Eastern UP : 83 41 2 1,777 1,761 1,369 0.19 0.25 0.42 9.51 14.74 3.53 : Beulah : 79 52 2,093 2,074 0.65 1.08 1.10 12.56 Lake City : 84 50 1,989 1,941 1.47 1.55 2.00 12.62 Old Mission : 86 51 1,991 2,009 0.89 0.93 2.09 8.05 Pellston : 83 49 1,929 1,971 0.44 0.44 0.65 7.81 Northwest : 86 49 2 1,968 1,948 1,768 0.72 0.82 1.74 10.17 13.77 3.11 : Alpena : 88 50 1,979 2,012 1.27 1.27 1.44 13.74 Houghton Lake : 84 51 1,995 2,021 1.95 2.36 2.82 13.49 Rogers City : 87 51 1,960 2,070 1.48 1.62 2.33 13.74 Northeast : 88 43 2 1,975 2,013 1,715 1.67 1.84 2.45 13.47 13.85 3.12 : Fremont : 85 51 2,195 2,226 2.56 3.00 3.65 13.31 Hart : 85 52 2,093 2,094 1.90 2.42 2.54 10.64 Muskegon : 83 56 2,254 2,258 1.92 3.66 4.94 13.61 West Central : 85 40 1 2,142 2,165 1,928 1.93 2.71 3.26 13.00 14.19 3.60 : Alma : 87 52 2,311 2,250 1.93 3.21 3.88 15.97 Big Rapids : 86 52 2,135 2,094 1.38 1.96 2.77 15.34 Central : 87 51 1 2,210 2,185 2,000 1.69 2.46 3.06 13.86 15.07 3.64 : Bad Axe : 86 56 2,155 2,174 2.29 2.52 4.01 11.42 Pigeon : 88 56 2,065 2,143 1.99 2.42 3.44 11.83 Saginaw : 87 52 2,306 2,298 3.22 4.27 6.74 17.12 Standish : 87 50 2,079 2,102 1.89 2.18 2.66 13.58 East Central : 90 50 2 2,121 2,190 1,993 2.20 2.72 4.14 13.52 13.60 2.93 : Fennville : 87 53 2,232 2,187 1.03 3.00 5.00 13.35 Grand Rapids : 90 56 2,522 2,428 2.78 4.94 5.99 16.10 Holland : 89 55 2,445 2,391 1.69 5.24 6.35 14.86 South Bend, IN : 89 56 2,621 2,466 2.71 5.34 9.00 22.28 Watervliet : 88 54 2,409 2,374 2.68 5.02 7.85 17.62 Southwest : 90 45 4 2,395 2,323 2,163 2.63 4.88 7.26 17.63 15.67 3.18 : Belding : 89 51 2,210 2,238 3.64 4.19 5.08 13.11 Coldwater : 88 53 2,267 2,287 3.04 4.42 6.36 15.94 Lansing : 88 53 2,356 2,358 3.13 5.42 6.32 16.33 South Central : 91 49 1 2,299 2,348 2,136 3.23 4.56 6.26 16.20 15.69 3.36 : Detroit : 88 60 2,556 2,608 2.86 3.92 6.04 16.12 Flint : 90 54 2,321 2,254 2.94 3.75 4.97 17.23 Romeo : 88 58 2,262 2,384 2.92 4.53 7.06 21.01 Tipton : 88 56 2,310 2,323 2.74 5.14 9.52 20.67 Toledo, OH : 90 60 2,512 2,582 0.59 4.49 8.53 24.36 Southeast : 90 53 2 2,330 2,416 2,127 2.75 4.58 7.32 18.21 15.16 3.12 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Issued by the USDA, NASS, Michigan Field Office 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.