mi-crop-weather State Michigan Crop Weather Released October 5, 2009 Week Ending Date October 4, 2009 Issue MI-CW4009 Agricultural Summary Rain and Frost Four days were suitable for fieldwork during the week ending October 4, according to the USDA, NASS, Michigan Field Office. Precipitation varied from 0.89 inch in the central Lower Peninsula to 2.24 inches in the southwest Lower Peninsula. Average temperatures ranged from 7 degrees below normal in the southwest Lower Peninsula to 4 degrees below normal in the eastern Upper Peninsula. Temperatures dropped as low as 17 degrees in the western Upper Peninsula and 24 degrees in the northeast Lower Peninsula. Excess rainfall, high winds, and cold temperatures put a stop to fieldwork during much of the week. Widespread frost experienced early in the week ended the growing season for most crops. Field Crops Report Field Crops Wet conditions early in the week combined with widespread frost on Thursday, resulted in increased emergence of wheat and virtually ended growth in others. Due to the later than normal harvest of soybeans, wheat planting continued on land that was previously in other crops. Early planted wheat emerged with the precipitation received. Harvest of birdsfoot trefoil continued. Thursday's frost practically ended corn growth. There were several reports that the frost came two weeks too soon. Corn was at or nearing black layer, but some fields were still immature. The frost will aid the dry down process in corn. Corn for silage harvest continued. Seed corn harvest continued in the southwest. Soybeans, in some areas, were still dropping leaves. In other areas, soybeans were harvested as conditions permitted. In the south central, late planted fields were hurt by the frost. A few dry days would allow soybeans to be harvested in Jackson County. Alfalfa harvest continued. Newly seeded alfalfa benefitted from rain. Sugarbeet harvest continued on an as needed basis. Harvest was aided by moisture. Dry bean harvest was progressing. Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report Fruit As weather permitted, apple harvest slowly progressed. Growers were primarily picking Golden Delicious in the southwest. In the east, growers adjusted their harvest sequence from previous years. Spot picking of early maturing strains of Golden Delicious continued; harvest of Jonathan and Cortland was winding down, as more than half of the Jonagold varieties were picked. Niagara grape harvest continued in the southwest. In the northwest, foliar conditions of wine grapes declined, and Brix readings for Pinot Noir and Riesling were lower than normal for this time of year. Vegetables Growth of warm season vegetable crops ended with a frost in most areas of the State. Tomato harvest was active to get the crop out of the field. Some green tomatoes will ripen in storage. Pepper harvest wrapped up with most growers reporting good yields and quality. Winter squash and pumpkins continued to be harvested with the majority completed. Cool summer temperatures left some green pumpkins. Cantaloup and watermelon harvests were complete. Sweet corn harvest ended across the State. Growers noted that some fields would not ripen due to the cool summer conditions. Potato harvest continued with above average yields observed on many fields. In the southwest, eggplant harvest wrapped up. Onion harvest was nearing completion. Carrot harvest continued. Harvest of cole crops, including cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli, were winding down, with yields and quality at average or better. Soil Moisture and Crop Condition Tables Soil moisture for week ending 10/04/09 --------------------------------------------- : Very : : : Stratum : short : Short :Adequate:Surplus --------------------------------------------- : Percent : Topsoil : 3 8 74 15 Subsoil : 4 20 69 7 --------------------------------------------- Crop condition for week ending 10/04/09 ----------------------------------------------------------- : Very : : : : Crop : poor : Poor : Fair : Good :Excellent ----------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : All Hay : 2 10 31 47 10 Corn : 4 13 28 44 11 Dry beans : 3 17 32 34 14 Pasture : 2 14 45 32 7 Soybeans : 3 12 31 45 9 ----------------------------------------------------------- Crop progress for week ending 10/04/09 ---------------------------------------------------------------- : This : Last : Last : 5-year Crop : week : week : year :average ---------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : All hay, third cutting : 87 81 87 90 All hay, fourth cutting : 42 33 36 40 Apples, harvested : 39 30 48 53 Corn, dent : 90 80 99 98 Corn, mature : 38 19 77 77 Corn, harvested : 2 0 7 11 Corn silage, harvested : 59 38 87 89 Dry beans, dropping leaves : 99 78 96 99 Dry beans, harvested : 57 42 46 73 Potatoes, harvested : 49 38 56 56 Soybeans, turning leaves : 96 83 100 97 Soybeans, dropping leaves : 78 53 91 85 Soybeans, harvested : 3 1 18 23 Sugarbeets, harvested : 11 8 10 9 Winter wheat, planted : 27 20 35 38 Winter wheat, emerged : 10 NA 4 10 ---------------------------------------------------------------- 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 10/04/09 1/ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : :Cumulative growing: : Temperature : degree days 2/ : Precipitation :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : : : : : : : : : Normal Station : : :Departure: : : :This:Last :Last : Since :------------- :Maximum :Minimum : from :2009 :2008 :Normal:week: two :four :April 1: Since : For : : : normal : : : : :weeks:weeks: :April 1:month ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ironwood : 61 28 1,840 1,907 1.90 2.67 2.78 14.05 Marquette : 54 27 1,700 1,793 1.90 2.67 2.78 15.58 Stephenson : 62 25 2,086 2,223 2.51 3.67 3.67 16.83 Western UP : 62 17 -6 1,824 1,876 1,933 1.66 2.43 2.56 15.21 20.32 2.57 : Cornell : 56 30 1,903 2,100 1.68 2.28 2.42 14.61 Sault St Marie : 61 31 1,720 1,832 1.06 1.41 1.41 14.62 Eastern UP : 61 29 -4 1,703 1,834 1,709 1.77 2.23 2.43 16.50 19.24 2.57 : Beulah : 58 30 2,131 2,420 1.26 2.26 2.54 20.40 Lake City : 57 26 2,024 2,266 1.35 3.07 3.95 21.64 Old Mission : 59 32 2,018 2,309 2.21 2.80 2.80 15.14 Pellston : 58 25 1,897 2,148 2.21 2.86 2.90 15.28 Northwest : 59 25 -5 1,969 2,222 2,214 2.11 3.04 3.28 16.46 18.46 2.75 : Alpena : 59 31 2,008 2,243 1.34 3.62 3.66 22.67 Houghton Lake : 56 24 2,041 2,313 1.01 2.06 3.14 19.41 Rogers City : 61 28 1,959 2,217 1.06 2.26 2.68 23.43 Northeast : 61 24 -5 1,998 2,243 2,142 1.17 2.61 3.08 20.62 18.29 2.40 : Fremont : 61 29 2,317 2,515 1.37 3.84 3.84 18.78 Hart : 58 28 2,183 2,403 1.36 2.28 2.33 19.15 Muskegon : 61 31 2,528 2,567 1.37 3.04 3.34 17.92 West Central : 74 25 -6 2,299 2,459 2,423 1.19 2.32 2.65 18.83 18.47 2.94 : Alma : 61 30 2,367 2,623 0.76 1.47 1.57 20.68 Big Rapids : 63 28 2,206 2,490 0.83 1.23 1.25 21.53 Central : 63 28 -5 2,286 2,540 2,500 0.89 1.55 1.59 19.56 19.27 2.59 : Bad Axe : 58 38 2,223 2,524 0.87 1.69 1.93 18.31 Pigeon : 59 33 2,192 2,427 1.27 1.79 1.79 18.44 Saginaw : 60 32 2,441 2,701 0.67 1.28 1.61 17.52 Standish : 60 29 2,174 2,377 0.81 2.10 2.42 17.70 East Central : 60 29 -6 2,216 2,530 2,512 1.05 1.78 2.01 18.84 17.15 2.41 : Fennville : 62 31 2,397 2,577 2.92 3.35 3.36 22.28 Grand Rapids : 60 30 2,660 2,914 1.26 1.90 2.25 23.52 Holland : 61 33 2,754 2,949 2.81 3.59 4.39 34.65 South Bend, IN : 63 33 2,807 3,019 1.74 2.07 2.14 23.80 Watervliet : 62 32 2,591 2,765 2.47 3.09 3.21 21.14 Southwest : 64 28 -7 2,605 2,791 2,741 2.24 2.97 3.12 22.47 19.81 2.99 : Belding : 62 28 2,333 2,581 1.62 2.07 2.07 20.51 Coldwater : 63 31 2,680 2,777 1.86 2.07 2.24 19.90 Lansing : 62 31 2,510 2,797 0.66 1.03 1.20 25.48 South Central : 64 28 -6 2,460 2,720 2,690 1.31 1.86 2.14 22.00 19.31 2.41 : Detroit : 63 38 2,884 3,114 1.01 1.26 2.21 20.71 Flint : 63 29 2,469 2,828 0.65 1.32 1.61 23.75 Romeo : 65 33 2,472 2,690 0.69 1.35 3.12 20.11 Tipton : 62 32 2,569 2,806 2.80 3.23 4.63 21.77 Toledo, OH : 62 46 2,879 3,070 2.50 3.05 5.23 22.00 Southeast : 65 28 -5 2,588 2,872 2,688 1.25 1.66 2.68 19.72 18.35 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.