mi-crop-weather State Michigan Crop Weather Released October 6, 2008 Week Ending Date October 5, 2008 Issue MI-CW4008 Agricultural Summary First Frost Five days were suitable for fieldwork during the week ending October 5, according to the USDA, NASS, Michigan Field Office. Precipitation varied from 0.26 inches in the Lower Peninsula to 0.97 inches in the eastern Upper Peninsula. Average temperatures ranged from 7 degrees below normal in the southwestern and south central Lower Peninsula to 3 degrees below normal in the eastern Upper Peninsula. Frost was experienced late in the week across the State. The cool temperatures, along with light rain, limited fieldwork somewhat. "About 1.4 inches of rain fell in the early part of the week, and we had 3 days of scattered frost late in the week. Most of the crops were done filling out, so it is just a matter of waiting for dry down now," a grower in the southeast reported. "Several days of light rain kept growers out of the fields, but in between wheat was planted, silage was chopped, manure was hauled, and apples were picked," a reporter in the west central stated. Field Crops Report Field Crops Cool temperatures and frost slowed or stopped crop growth. Corn harvest was underway in some areas, while elsewhere farmers were waiting for the crop to dry down. Harvest of silage continued. Soybean leaves have dropped for the most part, and harvest was progressing at an average pace. Alfalfa harvest continued where conditions allowed; growers were cutting for a third or fourth time. For some, the potential for a fourth cutting may not be achieved due to slow regrowth. Dry beans have dropped their leaves, and harvest was about halfway complete. Winter wheat planting continued and light rains have helped to germinate the crop. Sugarbeet harvest continued. Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report Fruit Apple harvest continued across the State. In the southwest, harvest of Red Delicious neared completion; Golden Delicious harvest was the main focus. Harvest of Redcort, Empire, Jonathan, and Jonagold varieties was underway in the southeast. Harvest of the Gala variety began in many orchards in the northwest. Niagara grape harvest was completed in the southwest. Vegetables Rain covered most of the State last week so not much fieldwork was able to be accomplished. A frost late in the week damaged vegetables that were not covered. For many crops, the frost ended the growing season. Carrot harvest was delayed by the rain but was moving along. Pumpkin harvest progressed at a rapid pace. Growers were finding smaller fruits and lower numbers than anticipated. Snap beans were reported having good yields. Processed tomato harvest neared completion due to the recent unfavorable weather conditions. Potato harvest continued at a steady rate. Celery and onion harvest continued for both fresh and processing markets. Soil Moisture and Crop Condition Tables Soil moisture for week ending 10/05/08 --------------------------------------------- : Very : : : Stratum : short : Short :Adequate:Surplus --------------------------------------------- : Percent : Topsoil : 3 12 73 12 Subsoil : 6 14 73 7 --------------------------------------------- Crop condition for week ending 10/05/08 ----------------------------------------------------------- : Very : : : : Crop : poor : Poor : Fair : Good :Excellent ----------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : All Hay : 5 14 25 45 11 Corn : 7 12 31 35 15 Dry beans : 6 6 21 51 16 Pasture : 11 19 34 30 6 Soybeans : 9 16 31 32 12 ----------------------------------------------------------- Crop progress for week ending 10/05/08 ---------------------------------------------------------------- : This : Last : Last : 5-year Crop : week : week : year :average ---------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : All hay, third cutting : 88 81 92 91 All hay, fourth cutting : 38 25 45 39 Apples, harvested : 50 37 70 NA Corn, mature : 80 59 91 76 Corn, harvested : 8 3 18 12 Corn silage, harvested : 89 75 96 90 Dry beans, dropping leaves : 99 81 99 100 Dry beans, harvested : 49 31 86 83 Potatoes, harvested : 58 44 58 NA Soybeans, dropping leaves : 93 80 91 87 Soybeans, harvested : 20 9 18 23 Sugarbeets, harvested : 11 6 16 8 Winter wheat, planted : 39 13 52 41 Winter wheat, emerged : 5 1 19 12 ---------------------------------------------------------------- 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 10/05/08 1/ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : :Cumulative growing: : Temperature : degree days 2/ : Precipitation :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : : : : : : : : : Normal Station : : :Departure: : : :This:Last :Last : Since :------------- :Maximum :Minimum : from :2008 :2007 :Normal:week: two :four :April 1: Since : For : : : normal : : : : :weeks:weeks: :April 1:month ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ironwood : 61 25 1,913 2,388 0.52 0.90 2.62 16.87 Marquette : 56 31 1,796 2,279 1.03 1.18 3.70 17.93 Stephenson : 66 24 2,223 2,565 0.18 0.28 1.74 17.43 Western UP : 66 22 -5 1,932 2,376 1,938 0.42 0.64 2.22 15.95 20.38 2.57 : Cornell : 58 31 2,102 2,448 0.80 0.89 2.12 15.46 Sault St Marie : 56 33 1,835 2,240 0.98 1.06 2.29 16.74 Eastern UP : 58 31 -3 1,823 2,249 1,713 0.97 1.21 2.59 17.61 19.33 2.57 : Beulah : 65 35 2,426 2,708 1.01 1.06 2.23 20.93 Lake City : 62 31 2,271 2,517 0.98 1.06 2.57 24.68 Old Mission : 61 34 2,315 2,600 0.43 0.43 1.67 13.68 Pellston : 60 28 2,152 2,491 0.50 0.50 1.17 17.09 Northwest : 65 28 -4 2,228 2,531 2,220 0.65 0.68 1.69 17.90 18.55 2.75 : Alpena : 60 33 2,247 2,546 0.32 0.61 1.61 18.75 Houghton Lake : 62 27 2,317 2,544 0.24 0.24 1.32 21.30 Rogers City : 61 31 2,167 2,567 0.36 0.51 1.86 19.82 Northeast : 62 27 -5 2,238 2,529 2,148 0.29 0.41 1.75 20.23 18.37 2.40 : Fremont : 65 28 2,520 2,812 0.26 0.26 2.31 17.94 Hart : 62 29 2,408 2,694 0.46 0.46 1.66 19.45 Muskegon : 67 30 2,572 2,926 0.48 0.48 3.45 19.81 West Central : 67 28 -6 2,464 2,765 2,430 0.67 0.67 2.62 20.79 18.55 2.94 : Alma : 64 33 2,640 2,928 0.22 0.24 5.13 18.52 Big Rapids : 64 31 2,522 2,626 0.37 0.37 1.68 18.98 Central : 65 28 -5 2,553 2,777 2,508 0.26 0.26 3.12 17.87 19.35 2.59 : Bad Axe : 64 34 2,532 2,777 0.09 0.09 3.48 22.34 Pigeon : 65 36 2,432 2,680 0.30 0.30 2.99 16.59 Saginaw : 68 34 2,707 2,956 0.31 0.31 3.38 19.23 Standish : 65 31 2,383 2,663 0.07 0.07 2.34 20.16 East Central : 68 31 -5 2,488 2,770 2,520 0.47 0.47 3.87 19.76 17.23 2.41 : Fennville : 70 30 2,582 2,877 1.40 1.40 7.84 28.77 Grand Rapids : 66 34 2,919 3,244 0.62 0.62 5.75 26.33 Holland : 68 34 2,956 3,143 1.13 1.13 6.56 27.11 South Bend, IN : 71 31 3,025 3,373 0.46 0.46 12.38 27.05 Watervliet : 68 31 2,771 3,089 1.03 1.03 7.31 25.25 Southwest : 72 29 -7 2,803 3,078 2,750 0.95 0.95 7.49 26.74 19.94 2.99 : Belding : 64 28 2,587 2,826 0.18 0.18 5.78 17.30 Coldwater : 72 28 2,785 2,920 0.22 0.22 7.59 21.25 Lansing : 65 32 2,802 3,023 1.11 1.11 7.57 21.01 South Central : 72 28 -7 2,709 2,951 2,699 0.54 0.63 6.96 21.96 19.42 2.41 : Detroit : 68 36 3,120 3,286 0.26 0.26 4.84 16.77 Flint : 65 30 2,834 2,991 1.11 1.11 6.81 21.33 Romeo : 68 34 2,697 2,944 0.24 0.25 4.57 19.64 Tipton : 71 32 2,813 2,980 0.27 0.27 6.20 22.64 Toledo, OH : 63 32 3,077 3,240 0.17 0.60 4.01 20.18 Southeast : 75 29 -6 2,820 3,040 2,697 0.45 0.52 5.35 20.95 18.43 2.33 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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.