Frequent Showers and Chilly Conditions in the State's Fields Last Week
Tuesday, October 6th, 2020 -- 9:03 AM
(Wisconsin Ag Connection) -Farmers worked between frequent showers and chilly, overcast conditions during the past week.Southern and central Wisconsin also experienced their first killing frosts of the season, according to the latest crop/weather report from the Wisconsin Ag Statistics Service. High grain moistures and rain made it a poor week for combining corn and soybeans or cutting hay. However, some farmers were able to haul manure and plant fall crops while waiting for standing crops to dry. Topsoil moisture levels were rated two percent very short, 11 percent short, 84 percent adequate and three percent surplus. As of Sunday, 80 percent of the corn was reported mature statewide. That was four-weeks ahead of last year and 11 days better than the five-year average. About eight percent of the corn for grain was harvested, which is just a day ahead of normal.
Farmers who chop their corn for silage have all but 10 percent of their crop off the fields, which is also well ahead of schedule. The soybean harvest was 18 percent complete, 11 days ahead of 2019 and two days ahead of the average. More than two-thirds of the winter wheat was planted, 23 days ahead of last year and 12 days further along than normal. So far, 42 percent of the wheat has emerged. In the hay fields, 90 percent of the fourth crop was harvested. And 11 percent of the fall tillage is complete.
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