mi-crop-weather State Michigan Crop Weather Released October 19, 2009 Week Ending Date October 18, 2009 Issue MI-CW4209 Agricultural Summary Cold Temperatures Five days were suitable for fieldwork during the week ending October 18, according to the USDA, NASS, Michigan Field Office. Precipitation varied from 0.03 inch in the central Lower Peninsula to 0.21 inch in the eastern Upper Peninsula. Average temperatures ranged from 13 degrees below normal in the southwest, south central and southeast Lower Peninsula to 10 degrees below normal in the eastern Upper Peninsula. Temperatures were as low as 17 degrees in the western Upper Peninsula. Scattered precipitation and below normal temperatures further delayed the dry down process for field crops; growers anticipate a late corn harvest. October frosts and extended periods of cool to cold temperatures ended maturity for corn in many areas. Growers were chopping immature corn for silage. Field activities for the week included chopping corn for silage, planting winter wheat, and harvesting apples, grapes, soybeans and sugarbeets. Field Crops Report Field Crops Continued cold conditions, and some snow in the northwest, did not aid farmers in drying down of crops. However, some harvest occurred. Wheat planting continued as fields were harvested and conditions allowed. Emergence continued on early planted fields. Corn will be harvested in some areas as hi-moisture. Other farmers were waiting on warmer weather to dry the crop. Corn for silage was nearing completion in other areas. Soybean harvest was underway, but some beans were small, in the Thumb. In the southeast, a killing freeze on October 11 damaged part of the crop. Sugarbeet harvest continued. Michigan sugar was in the process of making permanent piles. Dry bean harvest was winding down in the Thumb. Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report Fruit A large apple crop continued to create challenges for growers as they worked to harvest varieties in a timely manner. Some fruit is expected to remain unharvested. In the southwest, the lack of markets for apples was a growing concern among growers. In the Grand Rapids area, growers continued to fill bins with Jonagold, Jonathan, Golden Delicious and Red Delicious. In the northwest, growers wrapped up harvest of Honeycrisp, Gala and Empire varieties. Growers in the east were picking many varieties including Ida Red and Fuji. Grape harvest continued in the southwest. An abundant Concord crop has been well behind maturity progress. In the northwest, cold temperatures slowed the ripening process in grapes; frost damage was found on both foliage and fruit. Vegetables Despite the cool weather, rain and frosty mornings, tourists continued turning out to enjoy the fall and buy cider and baked goods along with pumpkins and winter squash. However, several more hard frosts in southern Michigan during the past week brought an end to what remained of warm season vegetable harvest. Growers are now focusing efforts on removing plastic row covers, tomato stakes, and drip irrigation tape from fields, tilling under plant residues from the season, and planting winter cover crops. In the East Central region, cabbage and other cole crops are still on the market as well as fall decorative commodities such as corn stalks, and root and bulb crops like carrots, onions and potatoes. Pumpkin growers reported some green fruit still in the fields that may not be harvested. Soil Moisture and Crop Condition Tables Soil moisture for week ending 10/18/09 --------------------------------------------- : Very : : : Stratum : short : Short :Adequate:Surplus --------------------------------------------- : Percent : Topsoil : 0 4 83 13 Subsoil : 1 10 83 6 --------------------------------------------- Crop condition for week ending 10/18/09 ----------------------------------------------------------- : Very : : : : Crop : poor : Poor : Fair : Good :Excellent ----------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : All Hay : 2 8 33 46 11 Corn : 4 12 27 46 11 Dry beans : 11 17 32 31 9 Pasture : 3 15 40 31 11 Soybeans : 2 11 30 45 12 ----------------------------------------------------------- Crop progress for week ending 10/18/09 ---------------------------------------------------------------- : This : Last : Last : 5-year Crop : week : week : year :average ---------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : All hay, third cutting : 94 90 94 97 All hay, fourth cutting : 54 45 52 61 Apples, harvested : 61 50 76 81 Corn, dent : 96 94 100 100 Corn, mature : 69 61 95 96 Corn, harvested : 3 3 23 27 Corn silage, harvested : 92 83 99 99 Dry beans, harvested : 79 67 91 94 Potatoes, harvested : 81 62 81 78 Soybeans, dropping leaves : 99 93 100 98 Soybeans, harvested : 28 7 69 61 Sugarbeets, harvested : 22 15 18 19 Winter wheat, planted : 53 35 81 79 Winter wheat, emerged : 23 19 37 40 ---------------------------------------------------------------- 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 10/18/09 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 : 57 21 1,852 1,995 0.17 1.53 4.20 16.17 Marquette : 50 21 1,701 1,865 0.17 1.53 4.20 18.22 Stephenson : 53 26 2,101 2,324 0.20 2.01 5.68 18.84 Western UP : 57 17 -12 1,832 1,950 2,000 0.16 1.60 4.03 17.19 21.36 2.57 : Cornell : 49 25 1,923 2,187 0.22 1.92 4.20 16.51 Sault St Marie : 49 27 1,726 1,905 0.21 1.43 2.84 16.05 Eastern UP : 49 19 -10 1,710 1,909 1,759 0.21 2.02 4.24 18.61 20.43 2.57 : Beulah : 50 27 2,142 2,525 0.17 1.18 3.44 21.30 Lake City : 50 19 2,029 2,355 0.04 0.96 4.03 22.30 Old Mission : 50 29 2,028 2,414 0.24 1.33 4.13 16.47 Pellston : 50 21 1,905 2,234 0.17 1.26 4.12 16.54 Northwest : 50 19 -11 1,977 2,317 2,292 0.14 1.16 4.17 17.51 19.74 2.75 : Alpena : 51 25 2,023 2,338 0.17 1.04 4.66 23.71 Houghton Lake : 49 18 2,051 2,403 0.01 0.78 2.84 20.08 Rogers City : 50 22 1,980 2,308 0.13 0.88 3.32 24.49 Northeast : 51 18 -12 2,011 2,334 2,214 0.11 0.91 3.55 21.65 19.44 2.40 : Fremont : 52 25 2,336 2,624 0.03 0.85 4.69 19.63 Hart : 51 24 2,198 2,511 0.10 0.66 2.94 19.81 Muskegon : 51 28 2,550 2,677 0.05 0.80 3.84 18.63 West Central : 58 20 -11 2,318 2,567 2,509 0.06 0.64 2.93 19.43 19.86 2.94 : Alma : 52 26 2,389 2,733 0.05 0.95 2.42 21.63 Big Rapids : 52 25 2,209 2,584 0.04 0.96 2.19 22.27 Central : 52 24 -11 2,302 2,645 2,592 0.03 0.83 2.38 20.33 20.48 2.59 : Bad Axe : 52 24 2,246 2,632 0.05 1.10 2.79 19.27 Pigeon : 51 26 2,214 2,539 0.02 1.02 2.81 19.46 Saginaw : 51 26 2,464 2,822 0.04 0.79 2.07 18.31 Standish : 52 21 2,193 2,485 0.00 0.92 3.02 18.82 East Central : 52 21 -12 2,238 2,644 2,608 0.04 1.02 2.80 19.85 18.25 2.41 : Fennville : 51 29 2,414 2,703 0.15 1.12 4.47 23.40 Grand Rapids : 51 27 2,683 3,036 0.01 1.23 3.13 24.75 Holland : 52 31 2,781 3,068 0.04 1.00 5.48 36.54 South Bend, IN : 52 32 2,831 3,164 0.17 1.01 3.08 24.81 Watervliet : 52 30 2,615 2,898 0.10 0.96 4.05 22.10 Southwest : 53 27 -13 2,627 2,919 2,850 0.10 0.92 3.94 23.43 21.30 2.99 : Belding : 52 24 2,352 2,694 0.01 1.01 3.08 21.52 Coldwater : 53 25 2,713 2,922 0.10 1.00 3.07 20.90 Lansing : 50 27 2,533 2,917 0.02 0.84 1.87 26.32 South Central : 53 24 -13 2,483 2,843 2,798 0.05 1.02 2.86 23.00 20.57 2.41 : Detroit : 52 29 2,914 3,243 0.01 1.02 2.28 21.73 Flint : 51 23 2,491 2,955 0.02 0.75 2.07 24.50 Romeo : 54 29 2,496 2,806 0.01 0.91 2.21 20.97 Tipton : 54 30 2,595 2,933 0.02 1.01 4.24 22.78 Toledo, OH : 53 27 2,908 3,219 0.17 1.36 4.41 23.36 Southeast : 54 19 -13 2,613 3,002 2,796 0.07 0.97 2.62 20.98 19.48 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.