mi-crop-weather

State
Michigan Crop Weather

Released 
September 15, 2008

Week Ending Date
September 14, 2008

Issue
MI-CW3708

Agricultural Summary

                                  Heavy Rains                                   

Five days were suitable for fieldwork during the week ending September 14, 
according to the USDA, NASS, Michigan Field Office. Precipitation varied from 
0.97 inches in the northwestern Lower Peninsula to 6.13 inches in the 
southwestern Lower Peninsula. Average temperatures ranged from 3 degrees 
below normal in the western Upper Peninsula to normal in the west central and 
southeastern Lower Peninsula. Growers in the northeast and east central 
experienced the first frost of the season, but it had little impact on the 
crops. Much of the State experienced heavy rains over this past weekend. 
These rains brought fieldwork to a halt and caused some localized flooding in 
the southern part of the State. A grower in the southeast stated, "Soil has 
quickly become saturated and more rain will be ponding in fields and bringing 
up levels of ditches and streams. This will bring the water table back up to 
normal or above normal conditions and may cause problems come harvest time." 
Many farmers who were eager to begin harvest and planting activities must now 
wait for fields to dry. "Sugarbeet harvest was going to start today, but that 
will not happen. It will take several days of clear weather to get back into 
the fields," a farmer in the east central reported.

Field Crops Report

                                  Field Crops                                   

Strong rains and wet soils impeded fieldwork this past week. The benefit from 
the rain depended on a crop's stage of development. Most of the corn crop was 
in the dough and dent stages. The condition improved slightly, but because 
the crop was close to maturity, the improvement from rains was limited. Many 
soybeans turned this week and some were dropping leaves. Regrowth of alfalfa 
was boosted by the recent rains, but harvest was held up by the 
precipitation. A few farmers were getting a fourth cutting, but most were 
cutting for a third time. Dry beans continued to turn and drop leaves. 
Harvest of the crop continued before the rains came. Winter wheat planting 
began, with a few farmers planting before the rains. Rains held up the 
sugarbeet harvest.

Fruit, Vegetable, and Specialty Crops Report

                                     Fruit                                      

Apple harvest continued across the State.  In the southwest, picking of Gala 
and Golden Supreme varieties continued; light picking of McIntosh and 
Honeycrisp varieties began in the southeast.  Harvest of Gingergold apple 
varieties began in the northwest.  Harvest of late season blueberries was 
completed; fruit quality was a concern. Harvest of peaches, pears, plums and 
fall raspberries continued.

                                   Vegetables                                   

The rain received last week was welcomed as it relieved stressed plants. It 
may have been too late to benefit most crops, while it postponed harvesting 
and fieldwork. Nearly 40 percent of the celery acreage remained to harvest, 
and rains have flooded some fields. Carrot harvest continued and pumpkin 
harvest began. Fresh market tomato harvest continued with below average 
yields. Processing tomatoes from non-irrigated fields have less than a 50 
percent crop due to the lack of summer rainfall. Onion harvest was nearing 
completion. Sweet corn and potato harvest continued. Zucchini harvest was 
expected to be mostly complete by the end of last week, but with the 
additional moisture, farmers delayed harvesting activities. Cucumber and 
summer squash harvest continued. Cole crops, including cabbage, cauliflower, 
and broccoli, have made it to retail markets.

Soil Moisture and Crop Condition Tables

    Soil moisture for week ending 09/14/08   
---------------------------------------------
         :  Very  :        :        :        
 Stratum : short  : Short  :Adequate:Surplus 
---------------------------------------------
         :              Percent              
         :                                   
Topsoil  :    7        7       46       40   
Subsoil  :   12       16       45       27   
---------------------------------------------

          Crop condition for week ending 09/14/08          
-----------------------------------------------------------
             :  Very  :        :        :        :         
     Crop    :  poor  :  Poor  :  Fair  :  Good  :Excellent
-----------------------------------------------------------
             :                   Percent                   
             :                                             
All Hay      :    7       14       34       37        8    
Corn         :    7       14       29       35       15    
Dry beans    :    9        5       22       49       15    
Pasture      :   13       28       31       24        4    
Soybeans     :    9       16       30       35       10    
-----------------------------------------------------------

             Crop progress for week ending 09/14/08             
----------------------------------------------------------------
                            :  This  :  Last  :  Last  : 5-year 
            Crop            :  week  :  week  :  year  :average 
----------------------------------------------------------------
                            :              Percent              
                            :                                   
All hay, third cutting      :   72       69       76       78   
All hay, fourth cutting     :   19       10       15       17   
Apples, harvested           :   18       15       24       NA   
Blueberries, harvested      :   99       94      100       99   
Corn, dough                 :   93       90       99       93   
Corn, dent                  :   78       68       83       71   
Corn, mature                :   16       10       38       23   
Corn silage, harvested      :   41       23       55       41   
Dry beans, turning leaves   :   81       69       93       95   
Dry beans, dropping leaves  :   51       21       68       73   
Dry beans, harvested        :   16        6       29       23   
Peaches, harvested          :   78       57       99       NA   
Potatoes, harvested         :   34       30       34       NA   
Soybeans, turning leaves    :   70       44       57       59   
Soybeans, dropping leaves   :   28       11       21       25   
Winter wheat, planted       :    2        0        2        4   
----------------------------------------------------------------

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 09/14/08 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       :   72       37              1,725 2,157        1.72  2.55  3.02  15.53               
Marquette      :   72       36              1,637 2,046        2.52  2.90  3.06  16.98               
Stephenson     :   74       35              2,021 2,313        1.44  2.11  2.42  17.13               
Western UP     :   74       27       -3     1,759 2,148 1,801  1.58  2.33  2.75  15.26   18.17  3.58 
               :                                                                                     
Cornell        :   75       35              1,927 2,215        1.41  1.91  2.29  14.95               
Sault St Marie :   70       41              1,693 2,009        1.22  2.31  3.25  15.53               
Eastern UP     :   75       34       -1     1,689 2,026 1,590  1.27  2.35  2.87  15.97   16.99  3.55 
               :                                                                                     
Beulah         :   74       41              2,202 2,404        1.17  2.49  2.83  19.88               
Lake City      :   83       34              2,080 2,270        1.51  3.20  5.42  23.62               
Old Mission    :   74       40              2,111 2,305        1.24  2.49  3.06  13.26               
Pellston       :   72       32              1,983 2,204        0.67  1.83  2.98  16.58               
Northwest      :   83       32       -2     2,041 2,252 2,044  0.97  2.37  3.29  17.17   16.00  3.66 
               :                                                                                     
Alpena         :   71       35              2,062 2,263        1.00  3.37  3.64  17.64               
Houghton Lake  :   72       32              2,124 2,272        1.07  2.75  5.38  20.66               
Rogers City    :   70       34              2,002 2,306        1.29  3.24  4.41  20.30               
Northeast      :   75       30       -2     2,059 2,258 1,979  1.26  3.29  4.63  19.77   16.00  3.47 
               :                                                                                     
Fremont        :   75       40              2,312 2,510        2.04  4.56  5.03  17.67               
Hart           :   74       40              2,195 2,400        1.19  3.09  3.91  18.98               
Muskegon       :   76       43              2,334 2,599        2.97  6.50  6.74  19.33               
West Central   :   76       34        0     2,246 2,459 2,229  1.95  4.27  4.70  20.12   16.30  3.19 
               :                                                                                     
Alma           :   75       42              2,428 2,629        4.89  7.60  8.88  18.28               
Big Rapids     :   76       37              2,301 2,354        1.31  3.34  4.38  16.56               
Central        :   76       37       -1     2,340 2,488 2,301  2.86  5.16  6.30  17.09   17.12  3.09 
               :                                                                                     
Bad Axe        :   76       43              2,338 2,474        3.39  3.96  5.62  22.67               
Pigeon         :   76       41              2,240 2,373        2.51  4.07  5.21  16.11               
Saginaw        :   78       42              2,474 2,632        3.06  4.21  5.00  18.58               
Standish       :   77       36              2,191 2,370        2.22  4.59  6.14  20.04               
East Central   :   78       36       -1     2,290 2,466 2,303  3.30  4.46  5.80  19.22   15.16  2.70 
               :                                                                                     
Fennville      :   78       42              2,345 2,560        6.34  9.63  9.83  27.27               
Grand Rapids   :   77       46              2,675 2,890        5.13  9.21  9.68  25.71               
Holland        :   78       44              2,704 2,806        5.05  7.53  7.57  25.60               
South Bend, IN :   83       44              2,754 3,006       11.92 13.71 14.98  26.59               
Watervliet     :   78       44              2,523 2,756        6.12  8.79  9.31  24.06               
Southwest      :   83       37       -1     2,553 2,747 2,504  6.13  8.78  9.26  25.45   17.53  3.26 
               :                                                                                     
Belding        :   75       41              2,368 2,524        5.56  5.76  6.56  17.08               
Coldwater      :   80       40              2,525 2,606        7.37  7.82  8.51  20.83               
Lansing        :   75       42              2,586 2,700        6.46  7.39  7.78  19.90               
South Central  :   82       40       -1     2,484 2,646 2,462  5.85  7.19  7.89  20.60   17.35  2.79 
               :                                                                                     
Detroit        :   83       48              2,862 2,940        4.58  5.86  5.99  16.51               
Flint          :   74       38              2,623 2,665        5.70  7.69  8.49  20.29               
Romeo          :   79       43              2,485 2,617        5.54  7.89  8.41  20.61               
Tipton         :   78       45              2,567 2,654        5.92  6.25  6.45  22.48               
Toledo,  OH    :   87       46              2,829 2,875        3.41  3.62  3.84  19.58               
Southeast      :   87       38        0     2,589 2,713 2,459  4.99  5.98  6.40  20.47   16.63  2.43 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.